Sunday, September 11, 2011

Just Breathe

I have a bit of a compulsive personality.  I thrive under pressure and tend to be a bit of a perfectionist. I can maintain a high-level of activity for insanely long periods of time, and then I crash.  For example, I am currently revising a WIP, am 20,000 words away from completing my 2nd co-authored work, have three critique projects going, and am fleshing out a new YA contemporary idea.    I also have three kids (in three different schools), a husband who commutes bi-coastal (from California to Cape Cod), one irreverent dog, and a kitten who insists on fleeing every time I open the door.  I am a soccer coach, the Vice President of the PTO, and the advancement coordinator for my son’s Boy Scout Troop.  I DO NOT have a cleaning lady, I run carpool twice a week, and I have teenage daughter who thinks my sole purpose in life is to supply her with endless wads of cash.  Let’s just say, every once in a while I have a melt down – full on three-year-old type temper tantrum . . . as was the case yesterday.  The cause of my most recent descent into hell was not a stumbling block in my revisions or even a power surge that erased half of my documents.  Nope, yesterday afternoon at exactly 3:07pm I. Ran. Out. Of. Coffee.

My husband, after wisely securing an industrial size container of my favorite brew from the local warehouse store, very sweetly suggested that I turn my computer off, not write, or email, or even check blogs for the rest of the weekend. I grumbled, rattled of all the things I had to get done, then reluctantly agreed.  And instead we went out to dinner and the movies, sans kids.  I slept in late and took the kids out for breakfast rather than cook. We went to the village festival and let my five year old daughter ride the pony seven times while my son learned how to juggle.  I didn't complain about the lines or the three snot-nosed kids who kept cutting everybody else.  I let my kids eat ice cream and fried dough and what looked a lot like a hotdog.  I didn't even freak out about the lack of hand sanitizer at the petting zoo or ketchup stain on my son's white shirt.  And tonight, we ate dinner from a box, no fresh vegetables, no silverware, and soda instead of milk. 

And I am better for it!  Why?  Because my mind is now clear, my focus stronger, and my WIP's will be better because of it.   

So what's the moral of this story . . . hmm, perhaps a break from writing is sometimes a good idea, gives us writers a chance to recharge our muse.   Maybe, or perhaps it is just to always buy coffee in bulk!  

14 comments:

  1. It appears I will not regret following your blog ^_^

    My heart is still racing from the pace of this post. In order to avoid the meltdown, I try to have one day a week that is 100% electronic-device-free.

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  2. Wow! You are superwoman. I'm impressed. I may start drinking coffee.

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  3. You're absolutely right! Sometimes it's good to get away from the horrors of the blank page.

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  4. Good night lady! You are a busy momma. I can almost relate except for the whole soccer coach, VP of PTO, Boy Scouts, husband always traveling stuff. Even without all that I can barely keep up. You deserve MANY breaks. And naps.

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  5. I feel for you, except with me it was diet coke. And I don't have any of that stuff going on, or a husband that commutes, or kids in different schools. Apart from that we could be twins :-)

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  6. Wow! I knew you were busy, but that seems an understatement.

    Sounds like you had a blast! Glad you are recharged for the new week.

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  7. I got tired just reading the first paragraph! Holy crap! But I would totally have a melt down about running out of coffee. And letting things go is the best way to decompress. Thanks for sharing! Great to have discovred your blog! New follower here:)

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  8. Thanks for all the support guys. Didn't mean to make you all tired just reading my first paragraph! Anyhow -- off for more coffee.

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  9. Good for you, Trisha! Don't know how you don't have MORE meltdowns. I get that way too... sometimes it's just all too much. We have to step out of our normal, structured lives for a day or two and decompress. Hopefully now that schools back in you have a little free time for yourself. If not, demand an hour a week!!

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  10. It's good to take a stepe back every once in a while! My freak outs usually happen, not with coffee, but with Mt. Dew... I drink coffee, but Mt. Dew gets me through the day!

    And if I had your schedule, I'd melt down every 10 minutes!!

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  11. I find taking time with my boys always refuels me for more work ahead. I've decided boys (8 and 10) view the world very differently than girls, especially grown up girls. LOL

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  12. Totally relate. Melt-downs for me are also periodic. In fact, I think I'm going to have one tomorrow. *making mental note* It's been a while.
    My sked looks like yours, minus the dog, plus one outside job. And my kids didn't have vegetables all weekend. I didn't even cook last night - everyone was on their own. Ack!

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  13. Egads, woman! You've got a lot on your plate. (Feel free to take a reading sabbatical from my project, if you need to!) Thankfully, it seems like your post-melt-down weekend was fun. I'm sure your kids made some lasting memories. :)

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  14. I definitely agree a break is needed!!! I'm awestruck - all that and you're still helping me out O_O *bows down*

    And LOL, keep that coffee coming! :D

    Hugs,

    Rach

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