Thursday, March 4, 2010

Physical Sensations When Writing?

(No, I'm not talking about the feeling you should get when writing love scenes.)

I've noticed the weirdest thing.  A few years ago I went to Japan for the first time.  I was told that all food is served basically bite-size and that you are supposed to eat pieces whole rather than nibbling them from between your chopsticks.

No one explained the exceptions.

So there I was, staring at the 1"x2"x2" block of glutinous rice I had randomly speared from a pot.  I'd never had it before and thought it was tofu.  Whatever it was, there was no turning back.  I popped in my mouth.

It filled up my entire mouth.

I tried to chew it.  It seemed to grow bigger. 

I tried to chew off swallowable bits, but it just wouldn't break down.  I started to gag at a little.  I wanted desperately to spit it out, but I was at a fancy restaurant with gracious hosts and didn't dare.  So I just kept chewing.

It took - no exaggeration - five minutes to chew and swallow that thing.  Five of the longest, most uncomfortable minutes of my life.

So here's what's weird: whenever I'm having trouble with wordiness, I get that sensation in my mouth.  It's as if even imagining reading the words out loud fills my mouth with them until I'm afraid I'll gag.

Anything like this ever happen to you?

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