Writers' block on Valentines Day

I swore that today was the day I would break through my writers block on that second mystery. The day loomed empty before me except for a trip to Central Market--perfect time to devote myself to "the" novel. But first, Central Market: I have learned a lesson. Never go there the day before Super Bowl or on Valentines Day. It's like a zoo, particuarly the seafood and meat markets. I wanted the free lb. of salmon (packaged and ready to go--you didn't have to wait for that) and something for supper tonight. In my usual rut, I was thinking Dover sole, but then I saw small Maine lobster tails--the per pound price was high, but it said the average tail sold for just under $5. Perfect, I'd have lobster salad in an avocado. Well, when they said small, they meant it; I wished I'd bought two. And when they put a sticker on an avocado saying it's ready to eat, they're already a day late. But my supper tonight was good--a bit of asparagus, some grape tomatoes, the lobster salad on what I could salvage of the avocado, and some sauteed asparagus. And, it being Valentines Day, I'll have some chocolate in a bit.
I did devote much of the afternoon to the novel and will get back to it shortly. Discovered in all my rewriting and juggling, I had some events really out of sequence, so the first challenge tonight is to fix that. And I did write in a few new scenes--but I haven't actually moved ahead with new copy. Tomorrow is a busier day, but maybe by the Sunday night I can have one or two new pages. That's my goal.
I follow several mystery writers' blogs--might as well give them a plug: Writers Plot, The Outfit: A Collective of Chicago Crime Writers, Cozy Chicks, The Diva Dishes, Jungle Red Writers, Fatal Foodies. But I was amused and interested by a couple of postings last night. One author wrote that she watches shows like Survivor, American Idol , etc. to get ideas for people for her books--she draws the line at The Biggest Loser. Her contention was that no one wants to read about ordinary people. For some reason, Confederacy of Dunces came to mind, a book which, with all respect to the deceased author, I could never read--but lots and lotsof people bought and enjoyed. But on another blog, one with many contributors, the discussion revolved around why so many TV shows and books and movies are so dark. One author pointed out that we can't attribute it to the current economic downtown--the Great Depression produced entertainment that was fun (I think she named Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, among others) and gave people hope that there were better days ahead. I don't know why noir is so fashionable right now, but it doesn't intrigue me. And contrary to the author who watches TV to find bizarre characters, I want to write about ordinary people going about their lives. Murder just seems to happen around them. Okay, I was a big fan of Jessica Fletcher and "Murder, She Wrote."
We've been weather-spoiled lately--temperatures in the 70s, but today it barely got to the '50s and was still in the '40s when I went out to the store. I've been cold all day and spent the time at my desk with a prayer shawl over my knees. My neighbor's mother knit it in the church knitting group, and I suspect I was the happy recipient because she knits so many she runs out of people to give them to. Nonetheless, it's warm and cozy and I love it--and I try to say a prayer for others when I wrap it around me.
Back to No Neighborhood for Old Women.