I am facing the most intense writing deadline I’ve encountered in about a year. This means that I go to my default “backed into a corner” writer’s mode for a short amount of time. Whoever said a writer’s life is glamorous outghta come over here and see how its done in real life.
On second thought, don’t come over here until after 1 or so. That’s usually when I get around to brushing and flossing my teeth.
Let me give you a sample of what comes before and after that big highlight of the day when I’m looking at an overwhelming deadline.
7:15 a.m. – Roll out of bed. The sound of me using the bathroom alerts the cats to run to my closed bedroom door and mewl desperately. Apparently, they’re starving again, just like they were last night at dinner.
7:20 a.m. – Silence cats with two packets of food. Hit the “start” button on the coffeemaker. Check e-mail. Turn on the morning news.
7:25 a.m. – Check e-mail again to see if anything new has come in. Check facebook. Read a couple of blogs. Check e-mail one more time, just to make sure. Get a cup of coffee.
8:00 a.m. – Turn off the TV. Check my e-mail again. Give myself a speech about getting to work. Open my Word file. Check my e-mail again. Nothing. Time to get to work.
8:01 a.m. – Which I do by surfing the internet.
8:15 a.m. – Time for another cup of coffee.
8:17 a.m. – Check my calendar.
8:18 a.m. – Go to facebook. I forgot to check my Scrabulous games. I am obviously a glutton for punishment (my record is like 4 wins and 23 losses right now), but for some reason, I like the game. And it feels really important that I play them RIGHT NOW.
8:30 a.m. – I look at my work again. Time to warm up that coffee.
8:32 a.m. – Bathroom break.
8:34 a.m. – I start writing, and think, “Wow, I’ve been working today for an hour already.”
Eventually, I really do get down to work. I sit in my PJ’s writing until noon, at which time I can’t stand the furry feeling of my unbrushed, coffee-coated teeth one moment longer, so I exercise, shower, read my Bible and take a break mid-day. Dive in the rest of the afternoon, and start to feel a little punchy late afternoon. There might be a 15-minute power nap in there, and during the dinner hour, Simpsons/Seinfeld. TV viewing and more writing/e-mail checking/facebook updating in the evening.
That said, I’d value your prayers for faithfulness, worship and truth in my work as I push toward the finish line on this project.
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