Random Thoughts Because I Forgot My Book - by Muriel Jensen

My husband has been going to Physical Therapy two days a week for the past six weeks.  While waiting for him, I've been reading Stephen King's book on writing, and Elin Hilderbrand.  But this morning I was rushed at the last moment and forget to take a book.  Most of the magazines in the waiting area relate to health, exercise, and diet. (Jen, you'd be happy there.)  I finally found a large print Reader's Digest.  I've collected some fun facts to share with you.

This one actually can relate to creating character because it involves interesting, well-paying jobs.

PEARL DIVER - seriously!  If your hero/heroine doesn't object to sharing their work area with sharks, diving for pearls off the coast of Australia can earn one $1200. per day.

AIRPLANE REPO - Aircraft reposessors can earn 6% to 10% of the resale price of a plane.  One worth millions can bring in $900,000.  Try not to think about being shot at or thrown into a foreign prison.

WHITE HAT HACKER - With a degree in computer science or information technology, an ethical hacker working for the government or big companies can earn $125,000 a year.

Also writer-relatable -  Dealing with garlic breath if your characters are about to kiss.  If you add mushrooms to your tomato sauce the polyphenols will counteract the garlic's effects on breath.  Or, have fruit for dessert.  There are natural enzymes in apples, berries, pineapple, and kiwis that break down the offending compounds.

FROM THE TWEETER'S HALL OF FAME:  The marriage of Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal was the most spell-checked marriage in history.

5 OVERLY OPTIMISTIC BOOK TITLES (and they're real!)
You Can Make a Stradivarius Violin by Joseph V. Reid
You Can Master Life by James Gordon Gilkey
You Can Train Your Cat by Jo and Paul Loeb (Ha, ha, ha!)
You Can Stop Worrying by Samuel W. Gutwirth
You Can Find Uranium by Joseph Weiss

NEW RULES for staying healthy as opposed to OLD RULES

DON'T brush your teeth right after eating, just rinse with water and wait half an hour.  You can harm your teeth by rubbing in acids such as citrus, vinegar, and soda, thus wearing down enamel and dentin.

DON'T use hydrogen peroxide to clean and disinfect cuts, use soap and water instead.  Peroxide can slow down healing by also destroying the good cells essential for tissue repair.

DON'T limit your egg intake to protect your heart.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that egg consumption in healthy people didn't raise risk of heart disease.  Even those with high cholesterol can safely eat an egg a day.

DON'T sit up straight.  Reclining at a 135-degree angle puts less strain on spinal disks than sitting at a 90-degree angle.  Over time, excess pressure can cause your disks to bulge or lead to a herniated disk.

And at last - a joke.  This is a failure on the job-application front as reported by a hiring manager.  He asked the candidate to share his greatest accomplishment.  The interviewee replied that it was writing a short novel.  When the managed explained, "No, I mean something you did while at work." the candidate replied, "But I did write it at work."

So, there you have it; worldly wisdom brought to you by my hours in the PT waiting room.  I'm sure each of you has a nugget of truth, a pearl of brilliance, a joke, a quotation, something to contribute to our store of knowledge.  Please share!