procrastination

Write On Wednesday: Putting It Off

Just as soon as I've finished my morning coffee (two cups, black) and set aside my book, Magic jumps up from his perch beside me in the big green chair and settles expectantly on the floor in front of me. His gracefully plumed tail starts to wag, and, head lowered slightly, he looks out from under slightly overgrown eyebrows with those huge brown eyes of his. A low rumble emerges from his throat, an "nnrrr"-ing sound that is his way of urging me out of my chair and out the door.

It's walk time.

Some mornings (mostly winter mornings) I think about invesing in some indoor Pet Waste Stations or dog exercise equipment. But since I've not done that, I put on my coat, hat, earmuffs, gloves and boots.

And we walk.

When we come in, I'm cold. I need more coffee, so I rinse out the pot from this morning, dump the used filter into the garbage, measure out another four cups of cold water and two scoops of fresh Gevalia coffee. While I'm waiting - and waiting - and waiting - for it to make it's way through the pot, past the grounds, and into the carafe (final destination my china mug), I flip open my iPad and check in with social media. Any new video's of Connor this morning? Yes? I watch it once, then twice, then maybe a third time, lapping up ever little coo, squawk, kick, and squiggle.

By this time, the coffee's done. But wait - before pouring a new cup, I'd better feed the dogs. I open the refrigerator and find the small Pyrex dish containing boiled chicken breast strips. I spoon two out, shred them into tiny bites, pour some broth over them, and pop them into the microwave for 20 seconds. Then I add a scoop of kibble on top.

Dog breakfast.

Now it's time for coffee.

And time to hit my desk. Writing projects await. Blog posts are due, publicity articles and e-mails for Paul's Players, the community theater group I'm helping my friend get off the ground. There's an idea for an essay I keep meaning to explore - (The Blessed Bean-My Love Affair With Coffee).

I pour a fresh cup of said Blessed Bean, and start off toward my writing room. On the way, I notice the pile of laundry I meant to throw in the washer before heading out on the walk. I really need that sweater washed, because I want to wear it tomorrow. It won't take long to do that, so I gather it up and head downstairs to the laundry room.

On my way back up, I spy the canvas bag of books I meant to go through to determine which ones to donate to the library book sale. Those need to be dropped off later today. I settle onto the little couch at the bottom of the basement stairs and paw through the stack. There's a copy of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections - I didn't know I had that! I don't think I ever read that! I open the cover and read a few pages. Nope, not one bit familiar, but pretty good. I'd better keep this one for a while.

The washing machine beeps. Could that laundry be done already? How long have I been sitting here?

You've got to get back started on that writing, I tell myself.

Quit putting it off and get busy.

 How about you? Do you find lots of ways to put writing off? How do you get yourself into gear? Check out this week's Write On Wednesday to see what did the trick for me.

Putting It Off

Last week I wrote about putting it out there, trying to figure out how much exposure I need for my writing. This week, I've been thinking more about getting some writing done to put out there in the first place! I've been procrastinating several writing projects for a couple of weeks, finding every way I could to keep myself from getting started on them. Part of the reason was feeling insecure about them - both were in rather new territory for me, and I was unsure of where or how to start. When I don't feel confident, I have a bad habit of retreating into a corner rather than trying to get help or risking a possible failure. The other reason for my procrastination was a general malaise that's come over me this month. Call it the January blahs or missing my Grandson or general age related apathy, it has affected my writing practice.

Whatever the reasons, I've been putting off writing.

A funny thing happened this week. I spent a morning rehearsing with my handbell group, and things were going really well. We were making good progress on some very difficult music, working out tempos, figuring out dynamic changes, analyzing the various paths of melodic and harmonic lines. I came home really energized from that rehearsal, sat down at my desk, and hammered out everything I needed to do to complete one of those projects.

The creative energy from my musical rehearsal had a positive after effect on my writing. I was no longer putting it off, but really getting it on!

 

How about you? Have you ever had a positive transference of energy from one creative endeavor to another? What helps you get back in the groove when you've been putting off writing?