The Worst Writer: The Gal Gadot Diet

The other day I sat down for dinner with my friend Belle and we got to talking about art. To put it quite plainly, she is the most creatively talented person I have ever met in my entire life. She paints stunning art, writes moving poetry, codes award winning video games, creates music, writes children books, makes bracelets, AND holds a full time job in a very demanding position. Yet still she finds times to have impeccable taste in fashion, interior design, and have a great personality to boot. Am I jealous about this? No duh, but mostly I’m just in awe of her. What she does is incredible, and not only in abundance, but in quality. Meanwhile I’m just sitting there eating my ravioli telling her about my recent video game addiction when she says the following.

“I totally get it, I would love that game too, but I don’t have a tv.”

My jaw dropped so far down a piece of ravioli literally fell out of my mouth. I’m sorry, you what? You don’t have a TELEVISION?! The concept was so foreign to me I could hardly comprehend it. All my life I’ve had a tv as a way to watch shows, play video games, and watch movies and she just doesn’t have one. When I asked her what she did with all that free time she said she filled it with the above hobbies.

She cat-sat for a WEEKEND and made this for us. ITS HUGE

Now I’m not gonna lie. I’ve been struggling with my writing lately. Be it because I’m constantly thinking about my new video game, or because I’m in the messy middle of my novel, I have found myself lacking the motivation to write. This has left me at a point where I'm willing to grasp at any straws to make it better, and right now the closest straw to me is my friend Belle. So in a desperate bid to be more productive I’m choosing to be a little more like her and I’m going to try to go TV-less for a week, or as it's better known in my household, the Gal Gadot diet.

The Gal Gadot of It All

So I hear you saying, “What the hell does Gal Gadot have to do with any of this?” And the answer is quite simple. Many eons ago during the pandemic my husband and I were watching Wonder Woman 1984, and in it Gal Gadot's character is looking quite literally radiant, and she tells her frumpy friend that she doesn’t watch tv. The friend is shocked but they move on quickly, however my husband and I did not. We became fixated on this scene and the sheer confidence and shine she possessed. Not only that but the idea that someone can just NOT watch tv.

Moments after she delivered a devastating blow to the entire television industry. How could you not want to be her?!

Thus the Gal Gadot diet was born. The rules were simple: No television allowed for any purposes, no media on our phones or laptops, we only had the pure unending darkness of our own minds and the company of one another to occupy the time. Does this sound crazy? It is, and it was, but it was the pandemic and we were bored and we somehow thought being more bored would be good for us.

We had become convinced that if we went through with this “diet” that we too would seem as radiant as Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman 1984 and have our moment in the sun where we would look down on our frumpy friends and proudly proclaim to them that we don’t watch tv. Sorry we just don’t, we’re better than you.

At the time I recall the whole thing being quite difficult, but I also recall getting a really good writing day out of it because I had nothing better to do, and ultimately that’s what I’m trying to chase here (although radiant good looks doesn’t sound so bad either!).

Is This Torture?? Maybe!

So yes, I’m going to do the Gal Gadot diet again. As of writing this, my husband is leaving tonight for a work trip to China and will be gone for a week, and I thought, what better time to implement this than when I’m truly isolated. 

I’m both apprehensive and excited. It’s not very often that I commit to something like this, so I’m excited to see what sort of challenges I face and what sort of rewards I reap. I think it will be sort of fun to feel bored again and fill my time with cute little creative things. I have an empty sketch book waiting for me to doodle in and lots of water colour supplies to try my hand at painting too. I’ve also made the arbitrary rule that I can’t listen to music unless I’m dancing to it so… yeah, we’ll see about that one.

Obviously I’m still allowed to see friends and I most certainly will be doing that, but I’ll try my best to keep it away from the usual movie watching or playing video games. In fact I already have it scheduled for Belle to come over tomorrow and we’re going to try and make some music together! Never done that in my life, but it could be fun! 

In the end this is either going to go really well, or Michael is going to come home from his China trip to me in a catatonic state. Either way I’m committed to the process. Who knows, I might even get past this writing slump I’ve been in! 

Me at the end of my Gal Gadot diet

The timer starts as soon as he heads out that door, so stay tuned next week to find out how the process went. Or better yet, if you know me, call me! I’ll probably be very bored and in need of a chat. 

Thanks for reading as always!

Ta-ta for now!

M