Coming Up Empty
But WHY'S the coffee gone?!?!
I’ve picked up this cup three times in the last 15 minutes and have been greeted with this sight.
On the one hand, sad! Disappointment!
On the other hand, what a good metaphor for my current focus meter!
(Am I using excessive exclamation points to trick myself into thinking I have any energy whatsoever?! Maybe! Probably!)
So this week has been rough, as we have been extremely short-staffed due to some planned time off but mostly illnesses and the first week of classes. This has thrown the general chaos that comes with any transitional time into overdrive. This has drastically affected my writing time.
To illustrate this point…
My usual standard practice when I get home from work on any weeknight that is not a night I’ve specifically set aside to rest:
5:30 - arrive at home; make something to eat; eat at a leisurely pace and watch a little TV
6:45 - travel to/log on to whatever meeting/event I have at 7:00ish (some event times vary)
9:00 - arrive back at home and work for my copywriting job for 2-3 hours.
11:00/12:00 - begin bedtime ritual (brush teeth, wash face, tidy a little, read, put on soothing music that makes me sleepy)
1:00/2:00 - finally fall asleep, if all the planets align correctly
My standard practice in August:
Anywhere from 6:00-9:00 - arrive home after working late again and collapse on my bed under the fan because omg hot; end up dozing off
Anywhere from 7:00-10:00 - wake up confused and a little hungry (nauseated? It’s hard to tell the difference sometimes) and eat a light snack and drink some herbal tea; work for my copywriting job for one hour or until my focus is so shot that my writing speed slows down to the point of absurdity
11:00ish - begin bedtime ritual, sans tidying and reading because how even would I at that point?
1:00/2:00 - fall back asleep, anxious about all the money I’m not making at my second job this month and the to-do list I face at work the next morning
This too shall pass…this too shall pass….this too shall pass…
As stressful as this month is, I am grateful that it lends me the opportunity to give you a solid example (and give myself a reminder) of the fact that being a writer who also has a day job (or children…or other major responsibilities that take a significant amount of time/energy) means that there will be seasons when the writing takes a back seat. In fact, there may be seasons when writing is not even in the car. And the car is careening wildly near the edge of a cliff. And the check engine light is blinking furiously. Also, there are a bunch of sheep on the road up ahead, so watch out for that.
Anyway, for those of you who are experiencing a similar season, I hope this gives you a little peace, or at least the knowledge that you’re not alone.