Monday, August 16, 2010

One of Those Days

There's a lingering smell in the air.  It's the pungent electrical fire odor from a motor that has seen its final days.  Unfortunately for me, my dryer (an essential component of my daily routine) has decided that life wasn't worth living anymore.  I would like to believe that the sprinkler head in the front yard is weeping over my dryer's death and not just leaking water for no apparent reason. 

Now, I wait for number three.  It always happens.  Either the dog will get sick, the kids will break something or I will discover that the ink stain on my new pants is permanent.

Such a whiner!

As a writer, I realize that even in the challenges of life, there is a lesson to be learned.  I wouldn't be able to describe the awful burnt plastic smell of my late dryer without having experienced it firsthand.  We are often encouraged to throw curveballs at our characters to see how they will react.  It's the wealth of personal experiences that makes writing come to life.

I'm not sure that my next writing will have a dryer funeral but there might be a lingering burnt plastic smell. 

1 comment:

  1. My oven was possessed in a massive thunderstorm a few months ago. When the power came back on, the oven fan wouldn't turn off and the electrical panel was frozen. The digital display read "666". Spooky. But that could make a good book scene.

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