It is now Wednesday morning and I not only haven’t written a word for my blog post, but I haven’t gotten a clue what to write about. I’m sure it’s because I’ve been completely distracted by, well, my life. I think the last several months have been one disaster or distressing experience after another.
When our heating system died as a family we figured we had a
chance to fix it IF my sons, who both had jobs at the time, could contribute a
significant amount of money toward the cause. On paper, it looked doable.
Until one kept having to take unpaid leave because he kept
getting sick (and passing it to me, by the way). Meanwhile, the other son was
working massive overtime at first but moved to a different position and somehow
wasn’t even doing 40 hours a week anymore. Thus making it difficult to cover
his own bills. Plus the new position came with some stressors, in the form of
other employees, that he hadn’t anticipated. Then the company started doing
things that caused at least half their staff to jump ship, my son included. (Don’t
ask me the name of the company because I never quite figured it out.)
And if that wasn’t bad enough we’ve been racking up vet bills.
Nothing new with Mabel, but we’ve had to take Fluffball to the vet a couple of
times in the last month or so. Both required several medications. This last
time the vet said it was most likely this one simple thing we could treat with
medications but they are running lab work to be sure. In the meantime, we’re treating
the simple issue hoping it helps.
The issue is pessimist Jerry was in the room when the vet
detailed the other issues it could be. So now he’s thinking we’re going to lose
Fluffball sooner rather than later and behaving accordingly, which is driving
the kids, and me nuts.
All of this leads to the kids, especially Royce, but also
Melinda, having confrontations with Jerry because he’s driving them up the
wall. Royce has come to me at least four times in the last three days telling
me to make Jerry back off.
The problem is I think Jerry likes annoying people. Case in
point, Jerry was given a useless box for Christmas. Jerry takes great delight
in repeatedly flipping the switch.
For any that don’t know, a useless box is one set up with a
switch to activate it, but the action it causes is for the mechanism in the box
to immediately shut it off. And while it is not super noisy, it does make some
noise when it is in action. Once no big deal. Ten times in immediate secession is
going toward the annoying side.
But even with all
this going on, I’ve repeatedly attempted to generate any ideas for writing, be
it a story or my post, and whenever I do sit down with my computer not one idea
flows. I stopped working on one story because I know it needs help but I can’t
figure out what to change to fix it. Then there is one story that I had thought
was looking good but got some honest critiques and realized I’m far from having
a compelling story. But fixing it just brought up new problems with no ideas on
how to fix them. And they are not the only stories that I’m stalemated on.
Then yesterday, knowing my post was due, I tried for several
hours to germinate just one idea. Nothing.
It was the middle of the night before I gave up and got some
sleep hoping rest would help me. Not so much. Still no idea.
When that happens my next best course of action is to just
write. Stream of thought. In the past, I’ve managed to hit upon an idea that
actually worked to stimulate a workable idea. A few times it didn’t.
This is clearly one of them.
And, of course, any attempts to write when other family
members are up means disruptions. This is probably why writers tend to do so at
night or at least when the fewest people are around to be an issue.
Lucky me, not only are other people home 24/7 but someone is
always up 24 hours a day thanks to my sons who are clear night owls. Of course,
when they think I’m sleeping they leave me alone, but it’s hard to convince
them I’m asleep when my bedroom door is open and they can see the light even if
it is just from my screen.
So that is my life, writing life, right now. And I was
hoping 2023 would be better.
Smile. Make the day a brighter day.
