So What’s Your Excuse?

I really, really want to write every night, but it ain’t happening.  I try to get in five or ten minutes during the busy day, but it’s nigh impossible.  Why, you ask?  Because school is out and my home has turned into a miniature Yoo Hoo bar fight.  Spindly arms and legs are everywhere as the children tussle over who gets to hold the remote/ring the doorbell/start the dryer/sit in the red/blue chair.  It’s over 100 degrees and I can’t concentrate because my brain has melted into a pile of goo.  We have medical appointments coming out of our ears.  My husband is starting his busy season at work and I’m basically a single mom until mid-October.  I hit an emotional wall on the Williams project and long to write something fun and flirty.  My keyboard is full of toast crumbs.  We just put in another episode of Lost.  I can’t write on days that end in “y”.

I had an epiphany the other day. I realized that I have been *gasp* lying around instead of really working!  Somehow my razor sharp ambition has gradually dulled until it’s as comfortably lethal as a Nerf gun.  Call it the lazy days of summer.  Call it getting complacent.

Taking a rest isn’t a bad thing, but there’s a difference between “Whew! I’m taking a quick breather!” and “Babycakes, bring Mama her Coke because she can’t reach that far, kthnxbai”.  And from what I’m hearing from the Blogosphere, I’m not the only one that startled, looked around, and realized that I had gone from writing jungle cat to napping house cat.  Meow.

The good thing is that once you recognize there is a problem, you can take steps to take care of it.  I realize that I miss the hunger.  I miss the chase.  I miss writing a scene that makes me catch my breath or wipe my eyes or storm around outside afterward because I have to work off the excess energy.  That’s when I feel complete.  It’s what makes me whole.

I took a few minutes to create a plan for myself.   I picked a few areas that I struggle in and I figured out How To Get Organized.  My focus is already clearer, and I’m going to share a few of these ideas on my blog during the next few weeks.

Rock on.

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13 Comments on “So What’s Your Excuse?”

  1. Mercedes, good for you! We all need those down times, don’t be too hard on yourself it’s the relaxing times that keep us rock solid/razor sharp during our more motivated times.

    Good luck with your organization! (If you have any questions feel free to ask me, I’m a organization nerd. If I don’t have it, I’m totally lost)

    Happy writing lady!

  2. Does this mean I’ll rack up another win soon? I say relax and have another coke, m’dear. Put your feet up. >:)

    I know, I owe you a pic. It’s pending. *sigh*

  3. I think I got summered too. Kids are home, and, being that I telecommute, I’m faced with either letting them rot in front of the TV/computers all day or fighting with them constantly to read, do activities, etc and not getting my work done.

    It’s tough when it’s 100 degrees or over, you don’t really want to kick them outside like you can in the northern/coastal states. I’ve done maybe 3500 words in two weeks. Need to re-calibrate my writing time/space strategy.

    Plan B: giant non-translucent bubble with a time-lock.

  4. Hinny, I am SO not naturally organized! We should have a sleepover with calendars and day-planners and whatever else it is that organizes you!

    Simon, you will never win ever again. Ever. I still owe you a flash. Flash FICTION. I feel that it’s best to clarify.

    Aaron-Give your kids a gong and I bet they’d love it. 😉

    Jeremy, I’ll go in on a time-lock bubble with you. Our kids can play.

  5. Ahem. Nothing to be done but just get to work, in those situations. The kids have to sleep sometime, right? If you’re online late at night, find me on twitter. I’ll crack the whip for ya – I write between *10:30pm and midnight, Mountain time. 😉

    *Except on Mondays, which are manicure nights.

  6. My writing has really suffered this year. My excuse? All those late nights I’ve been out fighting crime in the city. At least that’s what I’ve convinced myself is the truth. The REAL truth is too sad to contemplate.

  7. I am guilty too.. i used to try to sit and write every night and blog at least twice a week. Now I’m lucky if I get one post a week in and write once a week in.

    I use excuses, visiting family, yes true, but… i could really find time, but I’m tired.. kids are home… true but I could find time if I was disciplined, but I have also a full time day job.. but I could find time if I was disciplined… but I’m tired .. you see where this is going right? lol

    I need discipline.

  8. I have good intentions to write every night when I get home, but sometimes other things get in the way and then I think, well maybe I’ll just read for a little while tonight then. Meanwhile…

  9. You have way better excuses than I do. If you can get back in the saddle, so can I. Let’s go! Rawhide!

  10. I’m pretty good at lying around when I want to be, too. And when I don’t.

    I tend to sweat brutally to meet my client deadlines and then ignore my own creative efforts, which doesn’t exactly refill the well, if you know what I mean.

    And you do. You always do. 🙂

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