Tuesday, May 4, 2010

A Picture Is Worth Five Hours

The days can go by so fast and you suddenly turn around and wonder what you even got done in the last week.  I'm terrified of not being productive now that I don't have a regular job.  I say "regular" because I am fully into this writing challenge so I'm counting that as my new job.  One of the main problems, however, with this job is that I may never actually get paid for it!  Oh well.  C'est la vie!

Ok, going back to being terrified of doing nothing productive.  I find myself each day ready to attack my writing chores...write, read, think, write.  But then something (or more accurately many things) happen each day to steer me away from that task.  The TV's not working, the bathroom sink is dripping, it's teacher appreciation week (gifts, cards flowers), play dates, groceries, life...AHHHH, it's just stuff I have to get done but it doesn't contribute to my self regulating job.

So I've decided that instead of being totally hard on myself, I will be happy if I do something, even if not writing or reading, that forwards my cause.  Yesterday that thing was organizing over 20 years of pictures. You see, I sat down to write a great story about my mom's opposition to birthdays and my 11th birthday fiasco when I realized it would be so great if I could find a picture from that time to spark some authentic visions and memories.  So before typing one work, I was off to the basement to find that picture.  Well, as anyone that has attempted to organize a giant box of pictures knows it can take forever and lead you to wasting your whole day looking at horrible outfits and should-be-outlawed hair styles.

Five hours later, I had a box of organized pictures and an aching back.  No story written but I found some great pictures.  A lot of the pictures made me sad but they helped me to appreciate today, which is always good.

Today's task, actually writing a draft of that story!

:)

4 comments:

  1. That was quite an accomplishment getting the photos organized. Pat yourself on the back.

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  2. I think that is a healthy attitude to take towards all of life's endeaours - I will be happy if I do something that forwards my cause. After you write this book, you can write your next book about writing this book and juggling the dripping faucets, broken TVs and adoreable boys :) I would like to preorder a copy of both!

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  3. Coco - Thanks! I'll do just that. :)

    Gwen - You're so sweet. I'll put you down for a copy of both books. Hehehe ;)

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  4. What a great way to trigger thoughts, memories, etc. by looking through pictures... I just might have to give that a whirl myself! In my "spare" time of course. I too struggle with the non-structure of not having a "job." Not complaining, at all, just acknowledging that it's a whole other animal to wrestle a self-structured day...). Good luck!

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