When life gets in the way...
Try to enjoy it. At least, that's what I tell myself. My niece and nephew are still here. Still sleeping. I know I'll get little writing done today. Very frustrating when your self-imposed finish-the-novel-before-school-starts-back deadline is looming. But, I remind myself, that's why I live close to family. So we can help each other out like this. My SIL is at work, and my brother is helping a friend do something(?) on his home. Brother is good like that. He's built three homes himself. And I mean by himself. In his spare time, LOL, he's a middle school band director. Teaching runs in our family.
So I just got home from my 1st trip of the day into town (~6 miles each way.) Took son to cross-country practice. It's voluntary during the summer, but he wants to go and who am I to discourage that dedication? On the way home my little notebook is propped on my steering wheel. I write, Rinse. Spit. Repeat. Then I add, gum. My brain wants to write. My crit buddies pointed out that I'd cheated the reader by summarizing Jessica's day in a journal. A journal that only just now appeared over halfway through the book. Two problems. 1) It's over halfway through the book. Either no journal or put it in sooner. 2) I cheated them. No matter how painful this day is, I cannot spare Jessica or my reader. I must take the reader through it. Every agonizing moment. So painful that Jessica ended the last chapter throwing up. Hence, rinse, spit, repeat...then gum.
Sixth grade niece, third grade nephew, and ninth grade daughter will soon be up. I'll make them breakfast. Then at 10:00, I'll pick up son and drop off daughter for cheerleading conditioning. That makes trip #2. Are you counting? Trip #3 will be picking up daughter. At 2:30 I'll be taking daughter back to school again so she can interview to be on the yearbook staff. (Trip #4) Nevermind she's declared yearbook as her major for her freshman year. She loves taking pictures. I hope the interview is short and sweet because I absolutely have to bring her and her cousins back home before heading back in, (#5), for my 3:15 doctor's appt. You know the one. Nuff said. It's been two years. I have soooo many friends with cancer that have taught me it's best to find out any bad news early. I'm praying for good news. Of course.
So, today I know I won't get a lot done. Maybe this evening. Maybe a good half hour this morning? But it's not always about the book is it? Sometimes it's best to just enjoy life. I'm going to try to remember that when the frantic feeling starts chasing me down today.
ETA: I hope I remember to go by and pick up Mom and Dad's dog during trip #3. I'll be dog-sitting till tomorrow...
So I just got home from my 1st trip of the day into town (~6 miles each way.) Took son to cross-country practice. It's voluntary during the summer, but he wants to go and who am I to discourage that dedication? On the way home my little notebook is propped on my steering wheel. I write, Rinse. Spit. Repeat. Then I add, gum. My brain wants to write. My crit buddies pointed out that I'd cheated the reader by summarizing Jessica's day in a journal. A journal that only just now appeared over halfway through the book. Two problems. 1) It's over halfway through the book. Either no journal or put it in sooner. 2) I cheated them. No matter how painful this day is, I cannot spare Jessica or my reader. I must take the reader through it. Every agonizing moment. So painful that Jessica ended the last chapter throwing up. Hence, rinse, spit, repeat...then gum.
Sixth grade niece, third grade nephew, and ninth grade daughter will soon be up. I'll make them breakfast. Then at 10:00, I'll pick up son and drop off daughter for cheerleading conditioning. That makes trip #2. Are you counting? Trip #3 will be picking up daughter. At 2:30 I'll be taking daughter back to school again so she can interview to be on the yearbook staff. (Trip #4) Nevermind she's declared yearbook as her major for her freshman year. She loves taking pictures. I hope the interview is short and sweet because I absolutely have to bring her and her cousins back home before heading back in, (#5), for my 3:15 doctor's appt. You know the one. Nuff said. It's been two years. I have soooo many friends with cancer that have taught me it's best to find out any bad news early. I'm praying for good news. Of course.
So, today I know I won't get a lot done. Maybe this evening. Maybe a good half hour this morning? But it's not always about the book is it? Sometimes it's best to just enjoy life. I'm going to try to remember that when the frantic feeling starts chasing me down today.
ETA: I hope I remember to go by and pick up Mom and Dad's dog during trip #3. I'll be dog-sitting till tomorrow...