Habit

In Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf wrote, "Rigid, the skeleton of habit alone upholds the human frame." It's a trudging sort of quote, but speaks to me because there is much of life made easier (or even possible) by knowing how, and that we must, take the next step. Writing is about creativity, but it is also about habit. I am trained. I make myself coffee or cocoa, sit at my desk, look at the blinking cursor, and then I start. Well, then I usually start. It isn't perfect. But it generally gets me where I want to go.

I've just moved to a beautiful house in London, England, with a lot of light and a kettle and coffee maker just begging to make me hot beverages. I have my computer and I have the exact same brain and creativity I had when I left Canada. This means that of course my brain says, "Hello, where is my desk? I will not cooperate without my desk. I cannot write while sitting here on this couch. That is ridiculous. Because that is not my habit."

So I have yet to write, but I'm not going to be hard on myself until more than a day has gone by in this situation. I'll read my last post for inspiration. And anyway, I'll soon have a desk. For now, I'll attempt to bend the rigid skeleton of habit - preferably without breaking anything.