3D for Your Taste Buds

I have never quite seen any movie like Avatar in a movie theatre, in 3D. It was absolutely amazing. Part of it was because we were introduced to an amazing world that we didn't even know existed, and part of it was because of the 3D effect. I felt like I was actually on the planet Pandora, walking and running along branches that lit up every time I stepped, that the exotic plant and animals were real, that I was soaring on the back of one of the colorful, pre-historic-looking birds.

Just last night, my husband and I had the opportunity to see Avatar for the second time, only this time it was in 2D. Though it was still fun to watch, it just wasn't the same as the 3D version. The feeling that I was actually a living, breathing, active member of the movie was replaced by the feeling that I was merely observing the action on the screen. It's hard to return to watching regular movies now; it's almost like going backward. We didn't know what we were missing out on before, and now we do.

I have noticed a similar comparison with food. Whole food, in particular, is like 3D for the taste buds. And when I say whole food, I mean food that is as close to its original form as possible. Like whole, sprouted grain instead of refined, whole sugars instead of refined, dairy from healthy, grass fed animals vs. dairy from grain fed, crowded corral animals, whole, real salt instead of refined, organic, garden-fresh produce vs. the aging wax stuff in the stores.

Whole foods have a richer flavor than refined because, I believe, nutrients actually have flavor, and when they are removed from food, as in processed and refined foods, they actually lose flavor. And I'm not even going to go into the fact that you feel way better eating whole foods than refined so you feel more alive and energetic and happy and whole and healthy and on-top-of-the-world-good.

There is no other way to describe it unless you taste it and feel it and experience it for yourself. But in every sense, tasting and eating whole foods on a regular basis is like living and experiencing life on the planet Pandora in 3D. Once you've experienced it, you don't want to go back to the old stuff.

My Core is Sore

Yesterday, I did some P90X core strength training with my friends. Today, I'm feeling sore every time I move, twist, bend, or do any other kind of movement. Probably because I've never actually done this particular workout, which is more than just simple crunches and other exercises I'm used to doing.

But with that lovely soreness comes the knowledge that my core is getting a workout, and with repeated usage of these muscles they are becoming stronger. Maybe someday I'll even have the female version of a six-pack. Maybe.

So why even worry about working the core muscles of my body? Because strengthening the core, not just abs, brings better flexibility, better body posture, lessens back pain, and can even help diminish love handles. The important part here, though, is that it's not just abs I'm working, it's also the back and side abs that create a balance of strength in the core.

Is there a core for writing? I believe, for me anyway, that following Gerald Lund's suggestions of the three E's, Edifying, Excellent, and Entertaining, is the core to good writing. If there's a core for writing, then there must be a way to exercise that core to make it stronger, and it comes with practice and learning.

But what happens if my writing is really edifying but not entertaining? Or what if the writing is excellent, but the flow of the book is just really boring and cheesy? Big problems arise when balance isn't achieved.

My first novel manuscript, which was thankfully never published, has a weak core, so unless I do some major revamping on it, it will likely stay on the shelf of my desk forever. My second novel, which did get published, has a stronger core, a better balance between these three things, but it's certainly not where I would like to be. I keep strengthening and practicing and using those core writing muscles so that each work I produce is hopefully better than the previous one. That is what strength training means to me.