November (Photo credit: Cape Cod Cyclist)
Anytime I’m away from constant writing, returning to the routine is extremely difficult for me. Take this recent move, for instance. We were notified on Sept. 28 that we were moving to a first floor apartment in October. We’d been waiting for over a year for a ground floor unit. Here it was—no warning.
The thing that ticked us off was that management knew two weeks prior to our notification. We were going to have a week to get packed and get ourselves moved. Thankfully, Sister Jo has many young, healthy friends at college who were more than happy to help in our efforts. When the next Friday came, so did our helpers and the entire apartment’s contents were transferred to the new apartment in two hours flat.
Everyone was cheerful, no complaining, no slacking. They were fantastic people, including two of our neighbors who helped out. We couldn’t have asked for a swifter and more congenial move.
The next week we unpacked, put things away, and generally got as much back to business as possible. There were hitches in the situation, as always. All of the rooms are a hair smaller than those we’d had before, and everything was in reverse of where we were accustomed. We had to rearrange and reconfigure what we would keep in the house more than we’d done before.
I’m still waiting to put my files together since I had to stack my file cabinets into one side of the closet and must find a brace to prevent collapse. My work area is half the space I’d had previously, which means more sorting and storage in the garage. I can’t find things when I need them.
We’ve all gone through this process and it’s seldom easy. The hardest part, though, seems to be revving up the mind-set for writing after being off the job for three weeks.
A friend from Canada came to visit for several days. She returned home on Monday. Nothing got created during that time having to do with writing, but the laughter and memories were enough for us at the time.
Now writing must come first again. Stories and poems need to be finished, edited, and submitted as often as possible until November 1. I need to get back into my course work and try to catch up to where I should be.
Yes, I’ve been slacking. I admit it. Life happens and one must do the necessary things first before those that take up calendar space.
NaNoWriMo begins November first. Two days before that is the local gathering at a local watering hole of those risking sanity with that challenge. November is also Poetic Asides PAD Challenge of writing a poem a day for the creation of a chapbook of poetry to send for publication.
My particular challenge is all of the above while also getting back to regular posting on Two Voices, One Song. Wish me luck. I’m going to need all the good fortunate I can create for myself in the next few months.
Please stop in and leave a comment with those challenges you’re facing in your writing or creative process right now. Commiseration is always easier in a group.
A bientot,
Claudsy
Related articles
- NaNoWriMo 16 Days and Counting! (writesandbites.com)
- NaNoWriMo Prep: Clear the Decks (12novels.com)
- Pros and Cons of NaNoWriMo, v2! (ishanamaya.wordpress.com)
claudsy
Meena Rose
Oh…neat…I almost picked this theme…I just switched mine after almost a year of the same.
I’ve been thinking of you because you’ve switched blogs I no longer get updates from you so I ‘d been thinking I needed to stop in and re follow your new blog.
Writing…moving…wow…moving…that is always a process and can certainly set you off from a regular routine…needing to adjust and make space for new routines. IT’s good though because things are changing and change can feel good.
I’m glad that you were able to get started again…that is always the most difficult part…starting.
I guess my “problem,” is a lack of motivation in the submitting dept. and the lack of planning toward creating a book…especially the latter because …I’d rather create a book then run around and do the fancy foot-work for pubs.
Maybe I’m lazy.
I just want to have fun and the writing part is fun so that is what I do!! Lol!
It s good to read your thoughts here and what you’re up to, Clauds.
Warm smiles to you!
Hannah, I do know what you mean. Every time someone moves their blog or renames it, I lose them.
I also know what it’s like to have plans but not motivation. I’ve been there so often I’ve worn a path in the carpet. You’ll do what you need to do when the time is right for you and not before. Pushing it doesn’t always get you what you want.
I’m just glad that you found me again. I’ve missed that smiling face of yours and your spirit. Welcome back.
Being the Queen of Lack-of-Motivation, it was with intense interest I read your latest posting. I found myself pondering (not for the first time) – what it is that keeps me so paralyzed when there is so much that I seem to want to do … and when I am lucky enough to have so much – health, family, enough money to do most things – why do I fall down the proverbial rabbit hole with such disgusting ease? Sigh. I am angry with myself and sad and frustrated but really … mostly puzzled.
Ah, Sharon. Motivation. I have plenty of motivation–at least in one sense. I really do have plans for several projects–most of which are alrady started. I intend to finish each one. But you know what they say about good intentions?
No, honestly, I had to come up with a workable plan of action that would work for me and I’ve actually found one now that I can get back to writing without all of the recent time-consuming distractions.
You could be one of those who simply doesn’t want to rid herself of those choice little pieces that you put heart and soul into and the best way to do that is simply not submit them anywhere. After all, if you send them out, someone might have the audacity to select them for publication and then where would you be?
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