I can just hear you thinking . . . what is she going to tell us about the inspiration for this strip?
Okay, so maybe that is extremely presumptuous of me and you're not thinking that at all. Besides, it's probably pretty obvious what inspired this strip . . . a combo of the ol' writer's block thing and the ol' "woman who can't keep up with the housework" thing.
No, there is another reason for posting this particular strip. It has to do with the second frame.
If you've been reading my blog for a while you may recall a post I wrote about the word "ERG". Basically, it is an exclamation that I use for my characters to express frustration. I've been happy using this word for many years. Now I have a problem.
My son has joined the high school rowing team. Some of you athletic-types may be nodding your heads in understanding right about now.
Last night, I went to a meeting at the school for parents of rowing novices. ( Ordinarily, Tim would have been the parent who went to this meeting but he was working so I went ) The presentation was very informative and after explaining the time commitment involved, the costs, regattas, etc, etc, the coach invited us to have a look at . . . ( here it comes ) THE ERG ROOM.
Apparently, ERG is an actual thing . . . a type of rowing machine thing. WHO KNEW? ( Not me, obviously )
This presents a dilemma. Namely, I need a new word to express frustration because every time I write a character saying "ERG", I will be thinking: "ROWING MACHINE". For example, in the above strip, in the second frame, Kim will not be saying, "Erggg! My mind is a complete VOID" . . . she'll be saying, "Rowing Machine! My mind is a complete VOID". At least in my mind she will.
Do you see the problem? I mean, I just can't live with that . . . it will irritate me like a painting hanging crooked on the wall.
Now I have to come up with another word to express frustration. One that I can print in mainstream newspapers that is . . .