Monday, August 1, 2011

Waxing the Cat Part II

I'm laughing at myself this morning. All summer long I couldn't wait for the first day of school because then I would have peace and quiet and get some writing done.

This morning I sent my older three off to the bus, then walked the younger two down to the elementary school. After a good-bye kiss, and testing to see my bespectacled first-grader could read the board from his seat, I waltzed out the door, a free spirit. Did I go straight home and start writing?

No.

First I went jogging on the beach. Hey, exercise is important!

Then of course I had to shower, but not before checking and responding to some e-mails.

Then I decided to clean and vacuum my room. The pest control people are coming on Wednesday - I can't let them think I'm a slob.

Laundry came next. Also very important.

And some more e-mail.

And by then I needed to fix myself a snack.

Running out of excuses, I decided to call my husband at work and chat for a few minutes.

Now I'm writing a blog post and fighting an impulse to go out and check the mailbox.

WHY DO I DO THIS? Partly because I feel like I have all day, but that's an illusion. I'm killing my day slowly, minute by wasted minute. The other part is trepidation. Can I go in and face the fact that my manuscript isn't yet doing all those things I dreamed it would?

But if I don't get back to work, my manuscript will never do anything.

Bye! I'm off to do some scribbling!

12 comments:

  1. Ah, it all sounds so familiar. You'd think my own brain would be on my side, but no...

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  2. Hmmm...definitely sounds familiar! Going through it myself right now.

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  3. Another part of it is getting back into shape. Just like I couldn't make it all the way down Laie Bay and back on my first jog of the season, my brain overheated after only two hours of intense writing. I got some good work done today, but tomorrow there will be even more.

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  4. You are not alone. I feel like my day has been much the same. I always think I can work on it later. Hopefully I got enough cleaning and laundry done today that I will be out of excuses tomorrow. I am very jealous you get to jog on the beach.

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  5. I've faced the whole "you have all day" illusion for the past week, and I'm finally getting over it. It just takes a prioritized to-do list, and a bit of determination. Good luck! (If I lived by the beach though, I'd never write.) ;)

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  6. Wow, that's an impressive list of things you did. I wonder if this technique would work on my children? If they turn into writers, maybe while in avoidance phases they'll get their homework, chores, and practicing done. : )

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  7. I hear you! I'm so good at waxing the cat, you'd think the poor thing would be bald by now. I must sit and write today. Wait, was the my email alert? Oh, I have to check that. LOL.

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  8. Oh, wow... I wish I could go for a nice jog on the beach, too! *sigh*

    ♥.•*¨Elizabeth¨*•.♥
    Can Alex save Winter from the darkness that hunts her?
    YA Paranormal Romance, Darkspell coming fall of 2011!

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  9. Very funny. But, hey, those were all important things that you did. I know the feeling. Good luck with your manuscript.

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  10. Ah yes, the illusion of having "a whole day" to write. I know that delusion/illusion very well, LOL!

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  11. I fully appreciate the pressure of writing. Best of luck to you!!!

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  12. I so get this! I have reserved days for writing, and yet then I must exercise and get things "out of the way" first. I am then usually left with only a couple of hours!

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