Something we must all confront from time to time is the ugly mug of Mr. Writer's Block. Some laughable psychologists have suggested ways to overcome the horrors of this encounter, but they are full of beans.

The truth is, only time can mend the damage of meeting Mr. Block, but writers need not despair. What they need, while suffering the throes of a date with Mr. B., is a list of harmless activities to occupy themselves until Mr. Block goes away. Here are the best exercises for whiling away the tedium of the unwelcome guest's visit.

Activities for the Blocked Writer

1. Play solitaire on your computer until you start hoping for a low score because you're so sick of all the cards working out in such neat little annoying stacks.

2. Encourage one of your dogs to eat one of your other dogs.

3. Pretend that you don't have writer's block, that you're thinking.

4. Pretend that you don't have writer's block, that what's really going on is that you're conducting research.

5. Sit in your chair and make believe that your keyboard is a piano. Try to play "The Hallelujah Chorus" on the number keys.

6. Take your computer in to the repair shop to be dusted and have the cat hair removed from the hard drive. This is good for about ten days of not having to make excuses.

7. Get out all your old address books and phone every person listed in them, even if you don't remember who they are or if they are your former mechanics and plumbers you still owe money to.

8. Watch all those episodes of "Jeopardy" you taped. After a while, you'll be getting the answers (phrased in the form of a question) before the contestant picks the category.

9. Put Sesame Street Bandaids around each of your fingers and act like you've been working them to the bone and you deserve a rest.

10. Soak your head in a bucket of red wine vinegar. Tell yourself that this is much more conservative than trepanning your skull.

11. Read the dictionary to see if there are any words that look familiar.

12. Get fitted for a bowling ball, even if you can't stand the sport. This will keep your fingers occupied and explain to your conscience why you can't even play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on your pretend piano.

13. Put on thick gardening gloves and try to type the following sentence: "Well, no wonder my prose reads like it was typed by someone wearing thick gardening gloves."

14. Play with Super Glue. Self explanatory.

Submitted by Polly Whitney, who has never suffered a visit from Mr. Block but believes in being prepared.