Wednesday, January 27, 2021

 January 27, 2021


As much as I strive each day to get some solid writing done, as much as I try to find just the right themes, to convey just the right story lines that will, when completed, uplift my readers, I still end up falling down internet rabbit holes.

It often starts out innocently enough. I need to find the answer to a question with regard to something technical—either related to a career that one of my characters has, or some obscure something that has somehow found its way into my plot. I try hard not to have any “mistakes” in my novels. When I give a character a job, or when I introduce some element that I don’t really know much about, I need that information to be right. So I go earnestly seeking, but while I’m looking, my mind does wander.

And then my eye wanders as well, to the side bar.

The reality of the constant temptation hiding in the sidebar begged a question. Do they sell modified horse blinders for humans? You know, I thought to myself, I could put on a pair of those that would restrict my ability to see those side bars, and maybe that would prevent my mental meanderings.

Some time after thinking that question I found the answer to it, which, strangely, is yes. Yes, they do sell blinders for humans. I actually saw them when I searched for the answer to that question, because I used Google “images”. The pair I looked at included noise canceling headphones and claim to be just the ticket for those less disciplined souls working in “open space” offices. Do you see how behind the times I am? I didn’t even know there’d been a move afoot to get rid of the “office cubicle” and create brand new “open spaces”.

A small digression. I do hope you perceived a trace of sarcasm in that last sentence. When I began working in an office it was “open space”. No one was distracted because music, and conversation were more or less—no, more not less—discouraged.

“The perfect way to create your own personal space while in a crowd” might not be the actual tag line the company that made these horse blinders for humans uses, but it certainly appears to be the raison d’être for the blinders themselves. I looked at them, and I thought there might just be some young parents, especially in these times of home schooling and twenty-four-hour togetherness, who might consider ordering these. If it’s a two-parent household, then perhaps the parents could share the device, on a drawn up schedule so that they both get equal breaks.

I, however, doubt that horse blinders for humans would prevent me from looking at the sidebar while I’m on YouTube, or any of the “news” sites that have those handy bars. No, what I need is more self-discipline. My inner imp just fell over laughing, saying “good luck with that”.

I understand, intellectually at least, that the more times I go to specific sites, the more “they” (the programmers of the internet) take note of what I look at, so they can offer me more of the same in, you guessed it, those sidebars. What really gets me, though, is that because my husband and I are on the same Wi-Fi, I get suggestions from his browsing habits, too.

When I am not in my “work time”, I sometimes go to YouTube, just to be entertained. I’m always on the look out for something that will make me smile, or laugh, or even tear up. My latest “discovery” is in fact a “rediscovery” because I saw these several months ago but had forgotten about them: videos taken of life-long colorblind people receiving a pair of EnChroma glasses. For those who don’t know, these glasses help color blind people to finally see colors.

These videos are heart-warming. They’re also irritating.

I find them heart-warming because, really, how can you not feel good watching someone who’s never really seen color before, put on glasses and see a “whole new world?” Those of us who are not color blind take the colors in nature, and in life, for granted. It’s humbling and gives your heart a hug when you watch someone putting on those glasses for the first time. But…

Sorry, with me there is often a but. But, I wish those people who are giving the glasses and filming what I am certain they hope will become a viral videos, would take a chill pill.

Here is your loved one, living a moment, the like of which they’d probably never imagined would really happen for them. Stop bombarding them with questions, please, and let them be in their moment. Let them have the time to process. Their brains will have to adjust to what their eyes are seeing.  I truly, watching those scenes, want to reach into the video and tell those family members or friends, “Shh! Stop! Wait!”

Sometimes, we rush moments that should be held close and cherished. And we do that, with color blind glasses or without.

Life is a series of moments, one lived on top of the next, that combined make up the book of your life. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I sometimes try to make adjustments to how I do what I do, and sometimes, when I do it.

Having this week watched several of those videos showing people putting on the glasses for the first time, I’ve decided to try another adjustment. I’m going to try and slow things down by taking the time to live in the moments that I am blessed with.

 

Love,

Morgan

http://www.morganashbury.com

http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury

 

 

 

 


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