As of today, I have 50 stories or poems out on submission to a wide variety of print and online journals. Although I've still got several stories under construction and the nuclei of a few poems, I've decided it's time to take a break from writing.
Life is piling up on me very quickly these days:
A week after knee surgery, my mother found out she has three blood clots in her leg. They're taking care of it with blood thinners and she starts physical therapy on the knee today, so hopefully she'll be back at full speed again soon.
My daughter is due to start elementary school next year, and we're currently working our way through the process of entering her in First Grade instead of Kindergarten. She reads at a junior high school level and tests indicate she is 'gifted'. This is both a blessing and a curse. Our main concern is that she does not become bored in school and lose her love of learning, which is so strong the word 'love' does not begin to describe it.
Things are growing, blooming, branching, and I have not stepped out into my backyard in at least six months. I need to feel earth in my fingers.
I have taken up knitting, but in my own perversely independent way, I insist on creating my own patterns and projects. This leads to joy and frustration. Frustration is way ahead at the moment, but I'm too darn stubborn to give up.
My anthropology career has languished too long, and it's time to finish up some articles that should have been published years ago. A colleague and I hope to complete a very interesting article by the end of the summer, reporting on a unique pattern of asymmetry in a skeleton from a Salado site. My 500+ page dissertation on cannibalism in Chaco Canyon is also waiting to become something more palatable - individual articles, a book?
More immediately, I'm dealing with a kidney stone that doesn't want to budge. This is only one in a very long line of stones, and usually they pass pretty quickly. My guess is that this one is stuck somewhere en route. I'll keep pounding the water and hoping.
With all of the above, two birthdays and Mother's Day coming up, this seems like the right time to give myself a two week break. I'm sure I'll be puttering around here fairly often, but I'm also hoping to spend some quality time just plain goofing off, doing nothing particularly productive. Who knows, maybe it'll be fun?!
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Eeek, that is a full plate and you deserve a break. (we all do). Glad to see you so focused on priorities. My head has been going in several directions as well, so I can really identify/appreciate where you're at (except for the anthropology maybe? :-)
Sometimes I wonder what I could accomplish if I narrowed it down a bit. But I know I'd probably just end up bored. I can't stand to sit around mindlessly.
How does one delete a blog post???
I don't see that on my screens?
Bev, just hit the little trash can icon.
It's so important to take time out for yourself. Once you became a mother, it's easy to stretch yourself too thin because everyone needs you. But in order for you to give to them, you need to be strong. When you take a break, you'll realize just how stressed you were! But you'll come back feeling great. What are you going to do?
Patti, I'm almost embarrassed to say, but I'm going to delve deep into a role-playing computer game. I have a couple I've never finished, and my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, so I may get a new one then. I'm also trying to catch up on reviews (still looking at that last bit of your novel you posted) because I'm feeling very guilty for not reviewing more lately. And, most importantly, I've already started walking every day, which makes me feel great - so energized and relaxed. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Yikes, you have a lot going on! Good luck with your mother and your brilliant daughter--I hope she loves school and is nurtured in the way she needs and deserved. I hope your stones pass through (ouch!).
And good luck on your subs! I hope you place every one of them!
Thanks Katrina!
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