That old ‘be careful what you wish’ crap an’ all.

My long-term memory has always been good but I went through a short-term memory nightmare. Off the pain meds and the fog lifted.

I went from not being able to leave my apartment to assertively (um, aggressively) challenging those who I do not know from entering our building via the secured front doors. I have crossed the aggressive line many times. I need to be less outgoing!

‘...write like I used to.’

I was diagnosed with hypergraphia three years (?) ago. It is one f**king weird disorder and, to my knowledge, there is only one doctor in the States who understands the basic dynamics of the disorder. I use the word ‘dynamics’ because the presentation is distinctly personal.

I was fortunate to have Dr. Alice Flaherty as an ally (author of “The Midnight Disease”).

For me, the first wave came quickly - my desire to write became insatiable. I went from 50-pages-per-day to 500. I was dredging up words heard but once. I felt a heightened sense of creativity. Others were actually enjoying my writing again. I did the ‘exposure’ thing for a print/net magazine but joined paid staff quickly. My grammar and spelling took a nose-dive (that evidence is before you) but I developed different styles that I could (can) slip on and off, at the slightest whim. Six styles, now. I’ve used three here. But I often write lengthy essays that I delete. I’m not much of one to follow rules or advice. Like the ‘do not write lengthy messages...’ advice.

With help, I have the hypergraphia under some control. I lose control - as I did last night continuing now - when I experience euphoria, as I did Sat-Sun.

I’m not ‘writing like I used to,’ I’m writing less passionately, sometimes rimy, sometimes in a deliberate (no, no, a delightfully) crepuscular mode. My ‘happy writing’ come via assignments that I can research and complete without leaving my home.

How did you ‘used to’ write? Pen/pencil on paper? Manual or electronic typewriter? Using a word processor application? I encourage everyone who wants to write to, well, write. If you need a shove or a kick in the arse grab some favored prose/poetry/lyrics/advertisements/what-have-you and copy the words using your preferred method.

With luck, and after paying the piper, you may say to yourself, “My god! What have I done?”

At that point, you’re inside the totally tubular wave.