Distractions!

June 2017 Blog

Almost didn't make my deadline this month. Remember what I said about "shiny things"?

Distractions!

Well, life may not always provide shiny things, but it is always there and the living (or surviving) of it can easily distract us from our intended purpose.

To Purpose! A Haiku

The sharpest pencil

Would rather be dulled by use

Than retain its point.

This is the first day of the sixth month of the year. 2017 is nearly half over, and I am not much closer to my goals than I was when the year started. I have made virtually no progress this last month at all.

I would apologize to myself, but the apology would fall on deaf ears. I must renew my efforts or face accomplishing little this year except treading water, and I'm certain I don't have that many years left to procrastinate.

Now, how does one hold one's self accountable when there are no incentives to do well and nothing to be held back against failure?

One gets to that point when the only thing in life pending or looming is one's own demise and one seems to have a mental block against contemplating it.

True, that should be incentive enough. I must do these things before I can't do them and all is lost. Sad state of affairs, isn't it?

Okay, on a more positive note: I need to be more organized. I used to have a schedule for everything and I pretty much stuck to it (and consequently got things done). It went by the way side sometime around my bout with congestive heart failure and resting –  lots of resting. Then came trying to live life again and then came the elections (but that's a whole different story). Guess, I need to drag the schedule out and rework it – making it relevant to the now.

I do make lists (and my DH makes lists for me), but I frequently neglect to refer to them. I guess I can blame that on age (really, I think I can). The old brain is still a whiz at Sudoku puzzles, but "what was I supposed to de next?" can still be a mystery.

Oh, and distract me from my routine at any time and I'm totally shot for the day. Seems I'd rather nap than jump back into something I was supposed to do, if I remember what it was.

My excuse, if that's what you would call it, is "I can always do it later". Which in itself is a fallacy, and I know it. But at the time, the nap wins out and then later becomes later yet.

I don't suppose anyone else has these problems. In my mind, it seems everyone else has it all together. But then, over the years, I've found "everyone" else to be essentially the same as me. So I'm assuming others out there have performance problems also. (Not that kind!)

I'd be grateful for any hints. While waiting for some, I guess I'll print out my old schedule and work on it.

Shouldn't be too hard, right? All I need to do is remember to do it, may be write myself a note to do it, maybe paste it on my forehead and look in the mirror once in a while.

By the way, as I sit outside and write this, I can see rain clouds rushing my way with actual rain in them. Since I do my best writing outside, guess I had better speed up my pen. The wind is picking up, but I still don't feel like moving this inside.

I've written in the rain before (as well as bitter, freezing cold). Not sure if it's defiance or I really, really, really like to write out here where clocks don't tick and time (if not the storm itself) stands still for a little while.

Back to that unvarnished, un-shiny schedule: It has to include (besides writing) household chores and paying bills as well. The former seem to get done on an "as desperately needed" basis. The latter is done (reluctantly at best) at the last moment because, it seems, there is rarely enough money at the end of the month anymore. (I’m sure it's a situation that many seniors understand as an unfortunate fact of later life.)

Okay, none of that helps my writing, editing, publishing or promoting situation one whit, but now you understand how I am with distractions and shiny things.

Hopefully, next month, I can report on some real progress. At least I can tweet my book promotions like I did earlier this year. Sold a few books that way, too.

That reminds me, I love Twitter ( https://twitter.com/awlasky ). My husband says "way too much", but then he says that about my fan-girling Jimmy Fallon, too.

I will reach 20,000 followers soon (three years worth of work – and it is work). I will celebrate that milestone, maybe with a book sale – that would be appropriate, wouldn't it? J

I'm not on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky ) much, although I repost my Twitter post (Daily Haiku) there everyday. I should learn to make better use of it. (Wow, I've just added another project, haven't I?)

Too bad, so sad – so many projects in my mind, but they can't seem to translate to actions. Maybe I need to post some visual reminders of what I want to do somewhere I will actually see them. Wait! They would obliterate my computer screen, wouldn't they?

Until next month's progress report, remember – a sharp pencil writes nothing. You have to use is to make any progress. It is happiest blunted.

If you have any questions or comments on any promotion platforms or options, please leave a comment and I will get back to you. I love to hear from my readers.