Of Non-Writing Writers October 31, 2007
Posted by Jen in : Journal , trackbackYaaaaaawn. Yes, I think that just about covers it. How come it’s only Wednesday? When I woke up yesterday I was quite convinced that it was Wednesday and spent the whole day with a slight sense of disappointment. I somehow feel I’m now living this Wednesday again in a Groundhog Day sort of way.
As my working life claws and sucks the hours painfully from my day, there is news both good and bad. The good is that my non-speaking boss has finally been broken down. Not only does she speak, she has even been known to laugh which causes a flurry of staff to run into the office with wide eyes and mouths. The bad? Sigh. She wants me to sign up for a further four months. Aaaarrghh.
I am working more hours than I ever have since the children were born. They come home to an empty house every evening. The dog looks depressed. Clothes are unironed. Emails are unanswered and my blog is unblogged. In typically good timing, the dishwasher has also decided to die and, truly, if I have to wash another dish I will not be responsible for my actions.
Needless to say, the novel is not being written. My fingers are itching to get back at it and I’ve accidentally bought a MacBook to ease said itches. Not very helpful in the being broke department but hey ho.
Oh, woe, a blog of misery I hear you cry… but no. There’s a gorgeous sunrise peering in at me as I type. My day of toil takes place on the edge of Ashdown Forest, which I intend to explore at the weekend.
I can’t see the wood for the trees right now. But. Now I have a MacBook and a forest, I must still be a writer… right? Once I’ve organised my extra secret hour in every day, I’ll be fine. Honestly.
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You poor sausage. You must be completely knackered.
Glad pear drop woman is talking but four months? Maybe they’ll promote you to chief surgeon by then:-)
Enjoy your macbook and Ashdown Forest;-)
Chris calls Wednesday ‘Hump Day’ cause it means that you have got over the worst of the week. I say lets all celebrate ‘Hump Day’ as it is now officially only two days till the weekend!!
Congratulations on being offered another four months - it might not be what you want and you might turn it down but it does show that you are temp extraordinaire and doing a really good job!!
There is never enough time in the day to do the things we have to do and still have time to do the stuff we actually want to do…..although a macbook and a forest sound a good place to start!!
C x
Hey, Carol, I think Chris means something entirely different by Hump Day, but if you don’t know that already…
Jen, you ‘accidentally bought a macbook’? Will my husband fall for that? I rather like it, said all calmly…
I knew you’d break that woman!
JJx
Heh. It’s the other way round for me at the moment - the writing non-writer! Publisher wants to talk deadlines and I’m booked up to the hilt…. buggrit, why is life always like this??
Oh Jen I feel for you. I do like the accidently bought a macbook thing. Maybe I shall accidently do that. Its so easy to do especially if you buy online. Oops just accidently clicked on ‘proceed to checkout’…
You are indeed still a writer. And secret hours can be found if you look hard enough. You may find you’re more productive when you only have an hour here and there for writing. Even if you only produce a few hundred words a week, that’s still progress. MacBook great plan as your novel then becomes portable. I use a ThinkPad on the same basis. Don’t give uuuuuup, you still haaaaave friends…!
I myself accidentally bought a Toshiba Satellite laptop and got to experience the new OS Vista. Which actually turned out to be really good. Except a lot of stuff won’t work on it yet. Still, I love it!
Being a writer happens in your head and your heart, not by blogging like clockwork or answering e-mails, or even writing everyday (just most days). Just like being a Mom doesn’t mean the kid’s underwear are ironed, it means the kid feels loved and knows you would drop everything and kill three people to get to them if they needed you.
Dogs always look like that.
I’ve always felt that if the kid could reach the counter top, they could wash the dishes. Of course I have no children, and once told my best friend who called to tell me her spawn had rolled over for the first time that it was time to potty train the little…tyke. I mean, if they can roll, they can get to the potty right?
I love the idea of Hump day for both reasons!!!!!! And do you not know that Thursday is the new Friday, so there is only one day to go before the weekend. And here in France it’s a Bank holiday tomorrow so basically our weekend starts in about 2 hours.
Glad the work situation has improved and you won’t have to work for Hastings slum clearance[sorry I meant council].
In my ignorance not sure what a Macbook is but assume its some sort of electronic notebook. So the book can proceed in all sorts of unlikely places!!!!!!!
I want a secret hour too!! Let me know if you work out how to get one.
Good for you on the MacBook. And obviously it can go on your expenses once you get your first advance - there, see, it’s practically paid for itself already!
Poor you. Really horrible to come home to cold house and housework. You need a wife - I need a wife - and I only work part timish.
You are very, very good to keep at this job and you will get your reward. Now shall I ring you at 5.30am on Sat morning so we can both write? I thought not
Btw, you have paypal set up so have you thought of doing a podcast? I am looking into it but have only got to the signing up stage.
Accidentally bought a macbook, eh? Sounds like a right good accident! Macbooks are lovely and it will make you feel very writerly after all the office work. Congrats on the extension, even if it’s not the ideal office, maybe you can save up some money for some more time off after the 4 months.
‘Round here we call Wednesday Hump Day too! It’s best to observe all the meanings implied….
…er, that was me, ‘Angie’ not ‘An’.
Lane - yep, utterly knacked out. Am having fun with my new ‘baby’ though, just hope it doesn’t keep me up all night!
Carol - How about Hump Day in the forest? Luckily, I’m off on Friday so Thursday is sort of my Friday so, um, that’s good then. I think.
JJ - she broke good ‘n’ proper. Har. Not sure what you’re trying to tell Carol about Hump Day though (she said demurely).
Hedgewizard - life is a cruel bugger. Or maybe we’re just never happy with our lot? Am chuffed for you that those publishers are beating down your door though, that’s coolio.
Helen - it’s just like the Amazon one-click doodah where all shopping is free. Honest.
Zinnia - you’re right. I suspect my hours are lurking in the early hours. No one else knows they’re there in the dark. Sneaky, eh?
Karen - you are one tough lady! Babies are a bit feeble though - they can’t chase sticks or anything for ages. You’re right about dogs always looking like that. Beastly buggers.
Sheepish - yes, it’s a laptop-y thing. It’s white. Me like. Enjoy your bank holiday… the French have all the luck.
Lucy - I think the extra hour is to be found at the start of the day when everyone else is still asleep. It might not be though.
Fiona - genius. I shall order a wife immediately. I hope she won’t want flowers and new clothes all the time though, I’ve just spent all my money on the ‘puter…
An - it was not only an accident but a selfless act too. Amazing.
Angie - I know
((()))s enjoy the Macbook and being a writer. x
You poor darling you must be wrecked tired, so glad to hear about the light at the end of the tunnel though. Pushing some good vibes your way.
Hi Jen,
Get the dog to fix the dishwasher. He’ll feel useful, his self-esteem will get a boost - and hopefully he will be less depressed. No losers with that solution, mate!
Mya x
Liz, thanks - I intend to!
Hellojed - thanks for the positive vibes. It’s hard, doing it all, isn’t it?
Mya - you are a ruddy genius girl. Tried to teach the dawg how to wash up instead and now have no dishes left to worry about. Hurrah!
It all sounds very hectic.
Keep rolling on Jen.
I’m trying, Bedshaped, I’m trying…
Once you find that extra secret hour let me know - and share your secret. Then perhaps we can work out a way to make it two.
Working sux.