Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Topsy-Turvy






It’s a fine thing to mix it up every now and then. In fact, the beginning of a New Year is the perfect time to change our "mode of operandi". We human beings are creatures of habit, and although it’s a trite concept, it’s frickin true, the older we get the more likely we are to become accustomed to living our lives a certain way.

Funny, I realized the kitchen is the first stop for instruction on how to go topsy-turvy. Someone once decided to take some juicy pineapple and a little flour and bake their cake upside down. What a concept! And someone once decided to take a little flour, turn the griddle up high,
or maybe a flat rock heated over the fire? And then they mixed up flour, flour is a handy kitchen staple, with a little water and baking soda and voila—hotcakes. Although you'll have to flip those puppies, a tricky process at best, but if you manage to pull it off without a hitch you'll end up with delicious delivery systems for syrup! And what about the hazard-prone-pizza-dough-toss? Certainly this practice could end in disaster. But, if executed properly, another delicious result will transpire, especially if there’s a wood-fired oven at hand.

And who came up the flip hair-do? A style that defies gravity. I don’t know about you, but my hair doesn’t “flip out” on it’s own. Doesn’t Mary Tyler Moore pull it off nicely? I know; chances are Ms. Moore employed a stylist, or a team of stylists wielding gallons of super-hold hairspray. How on earth would you flip your own hair at the back of your own head? I can’t imagine how it could be humanly possible to accomplish this task on one's own. But no matter—doesn’t she look marvelous?

Whoever invented the topsy-turvy tomato plant thingy—what a bloody genius! I bought one of these last season but never got around to setting it up. I plan on using it this year, as soon as spring rears its warm little head. Tomatoes do very well here in Southern California, but it can get too hot for them in the thick of summer. Hanging this contraption in a semi shaded spot will help save the plants from scorching. I love it! I wonder if growing tomatoes up off the ground will eliminate those ugly-fat-green-horned worms that always seem to find the plants? One can only hope. Or will the industrious critters assemble and camp out underneath the hanging vines until enough of them show up to climb piggyback? Until some of them are able to climb high enough to reach the juicy plant? Shudder.

Just last night, a couple of my secondary characters living in my WIP got together. Now, these two were not supposed to meet, they were never scheduled to have a thing to do with each other. But now they’re up to no good and have succeeded in turning my story on its pointy little head! Back in the saddle and behind my Mac this morning, I analyzed this turn of events, and realized their antics only served to energize the WIP. I am pleased with the results.

Sometimes, for no particular reason, I drive down roads I’ve never driven before, even if it means I won’t reach my destination as fast as usual. I’m one of those that grows bored when submerged in the same old same old. I realize that this post relates to my last post, and I guess that's indicative of my current state of mind.

I’d love to hear how you all are shaking things up, sending monotony topsy-turvy, flipping your routines or notions upside down.





All Rights Reserved. © 2009 by Elizabeth Bradley.

22 comments:

Cloudia said...

Thanks for this needed exhortion to "Shake it UP!"

I needed that ;-)



Aloha, Friend!


Comfort Spiral

Jan Morrison said...

I think I need settling down not shaking up. After all I did buy a zydeco cajun button accordion the other night with my friends on ebay!
And the weird thing about those flip do's? You still use the rollers the same way whether you want a flip or a pageboy. I remember. Not hard if you don't mind sleeping on those killer brush rollers for the look!

Anonymous said...

I'm all kinds of flipped lately. I'm trying new foods, trying new writing techniques, and trying to be less anxious--which is topsy turvy in it's own way!

I want one of those upside down tomato things. I love me some good matoes.

Fireblossom said...

Laura Petrie was just hot. And funny, too. Ohhh ROB!

Jemi Fraser said...

I like topsy-turvy!! My characters constantly throw me for a loop. Lots of fun :)

It's been AGES since I've made an upside down cake - have to go shopping now!

Tamika: said...

I'm sure I could do a better job of shaking things up in 2010!

Thanks Elizabeth!

Jeanie said...

I do sometimes relish the norm, so a reminder to shake it up a bit is a good thing for me. Maybe I'll start cooking again. An open mind can capture all kinds of good ideas.

Joanne said...

Hm, a spontaneous day trip will do it for me, maybe into NYC, or up north to the mountains. Some view and atmosphere different from my daily ones usually works in motivating, inspiring, energizing!

Katy said...

Ya that's true.
Is that Mary Tyler Moore?
If so I am really a gay man cuz she looks adorable. LOL

Jo said...

I was so hungry tonight, I had desert before dinner. Does that count as mixing it up?

I have one of those upside down tomato hangers, and for some strange reason the plants produced more tomatoes.

Cheryl said...

I'm still in the process of turning
things upside down. Or maybe what I mean is taking more leaps of faith, getting back into the writing habit, slowly but surely, and trusting my creative instincts more. Also, on the social front, I've made a promise to myself to be braver than ever before.

I love that your characters have surprised you! Sounds like a wonderful writing experience happening. Looking forward to reading the results!

Unspoken said...

I love the flip! Mary wore it with perfection.

Stacey J. Warner said...

LOL! I don't need to do anything to flip things around, it just seems to happen...

funny, i just wrote about control on my blog...

much love

Marguerite said...

I love to mix things up! Keeps life interesting! I used to wear my hair in a flip in grade school. I would wash it and then set with the rollers going upward, instead of down. Your tomatoes look awesome!

Boozy Tooth said...

Oh Elizabeth... I am utterly welded in place. You remind me that a little shake up may be in order. I need to make it productive though. Something I will think on today.

PS: How ironic is this... my word verification is "versa" as in vice versa. As in the other way around. As in shake it up!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I definitely can use some shaking up! And my characters could, too. Thanks for the reminder.

I like going down roads I haven't traveled down, too! I'll just turn down a road I've never been down. You never know what you'll see if you don't try it, you know?

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I live shaken up, so I need the opposite. I need to calm my life down and focus.

PS My hair does flip out and other ways too. :)

Lauri said...

Oh God I feel so un-cool. I'm sadly a terrible creature of habit especially with my writing. I must do things in a certian order- excercise breakfast email writing- or nothing gets done. For example today- I woke up late (9:30) cleaned the kitchen then excercised, then breakfast and email but now it's time to cook lunch. OMG I'm not sure I'll get any writing done at all. Terribly anal I know.

I will try to be spontaneous and upside down in another part of my life. :)

The Victorian Parlor said...

I am a creature of habit and rarely mix things up. Although I have started cooking (and actually enjoying it) on the weekends which is very out of character for me:).

Blessings,

Kim

Unknown said...

A friend of mine has the upside down tomato planter and yes they are fabulous, so low maintenance and the fruits they got were reallyyummy. You'll love using it! My hair does some flippy things but never to that level, a cool style indeed with a lot of hair product.

Crystal Posey said...

Mary Tyler Moore is marvelous period! I used to watch her show with my mom. :)

I shook things up. I tried on discipline and it's working nicely for me. I think I might even like it. *gasp*

Pinkerbell said...

Good point, we do all get stuck in our ways! Mind you last year was a year of much change, I'm thinking getting stuck for a bit might be a good idea... maybe I'm schedule in topsy turvy time for early summer...