On Thursday, I had a completely different plan for my day. Since my deadline was Friday, I was going to leisurely take the day to read the complete manuscript again, with my revisions. I was going to read it in one sitting and correct any additions that jarred.
Instead:
I forgot my daughter’s dental appointment until it was practically time to hit the road.
I didn’t have time to rearrange carpool, so I drove it. One little girl cried the whole way to the elementary school because she hadn’t done her spelling homework. I’ve got to get back home to take my daughter to her dental appointment. “Sweetie? Why not go to the media center (what they call libraries at schools these days) and finish it up.” She won’t get out of the car. She’s sobbing hysterically. I walk her through the process of collecting herself, sitting inside the school’s library and finishing the homework. –15 minutes from the game plan.
I go to the dental appointment with my daughter. –45 minutes from my plan, since I’d forgotten the appointment. Her dental appliance is checked and ruled fine.
Daughter realizes in dentist chair that her math homework might be wrong? Or she might not understand it. We sit in the lobby of the dentist office and I try to 1) Understand the homework and then 2) Explain it to her. -15 minutes.
Brownie Scout meeting is that night. I’m not the leader for the evening, but I have the craft box. Does the craft box have Elmer’s Glue? asks my co-leader. I have to locate the craft box in the crazy closet under my stairs. I try to find the ziplock of Elmer’s Glue. -15 minutes.
Neighbor calls. Conflict with the afternoon middle school carpool and the elementary school drama class. Can I take an extra child home? Sure. -35 minutes.
Drama class lets out late. Some weird forms we have to fill out that are Very Important. I sign the one for my child and the child that I’m taking home. -10 minutes.
Come home. Daughter is starving. I give her a bowl of sliced mixed fruit—watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. Her cross-bite braces fall out. This, I might add, on the same day of her dental appointment. I call the pediatric dentist…they’re closed and won’t open up again until Monday. I am very irritated. My daughter is very upset. I drive over there…maybe they’re there and aren’t answering their phones? A dental staff meeting? No, they’re not. -45 minutes.
I’ve calmed down my daughter. I fix supper, feed the kids, and I go to the Brownie meeting with the glue. The co-leader’s helpers for the evening have not shown up. Because I’m the other leader, I stay there until the other helpers show. -25 minutes (and very high blood pressure gauged. )
Everyone has these days come along…whether you’re in an office or retired, or a mom of small kids. I wrote when I could. I read the revisions when I could. Unfortunately, this day was out of my control.
So….we’ll stay up later than we planned. Get up a little earlier. It’s important…to us. Don’t play catch-up every night, but this is writing. And for everyone addicted to the writing process, we’ll squeeze some time out of the craziness to get it done.
So true. My last night and today were “hijacked” by a medical emergency of a friend of mine (bipolar, in manic state – not a pretty sight). I did my best to help, but if truth be told, all I wanted to do was be home writing. I’ve got no plans for the weekend so I should get some good writing/editing time in. We writers are quite an interesting breed…
Another great post.
BTW, I’m still looking for 2006. It got hijacked and I’m starting to believe I’ll never see it again.
Elizabeth – I know *exactly* what you mean! I’ve had more than one “hijacked” day. You’re right that it’s best to just let it go and squeeze your writing in as best you can. I find that it helps if I stay alert for those bits of unexpected free time – even an hour – that I can devote to writing.
I admire your priorities, too, and your commitment to your family. not only are you a talented writer, but you also put your family first. Good for you!
Hijacked days are fairly common for me, but not quite as hectic as yours, with two young children. Do you get irritable? I do, and then don’t like myself much. Accepting what we can’t control is a great goal for me. Thanks for this reminder.
Karen
Wow, that is a crazy day! Sounds like you handled everything with grace, though. I hope you’re able to find time to rest this weekend after the insanity.
OMG! I think we might read bits and pieces of this day in future books. Disguised, of course . . . but we’ll know. You did good, despite the hijacking.
You’re right – there’s not much you can do about those crazy days except hope for them to end and for tomorrow to be a better day :) Glad you made it through!
I feel your pain. Intimately. This is what I posted on the Florida Writers Conference blog yesterday.
I feel most days are hijacked than not. But without these interesting (but time consuming)days, what would we write about? Ok, I might like to try it for one day…not being hijacked.
LOL, I can SO relate to this “hijacked” day in the life! And yes, sometimes it behooves us to play catch up and not let our day and goals go without the extra energy needed to keep pace with them.
The Old Silly
Debra–You’re a good friend. I wouldn’t know what to do besides be supportive! Tough situation.
Marvin–I think I would have been really deflated if I hadn’t worked it in. You’re *tired*, but I think it wears on you more when you don’t fit the writing in.
Alan–I’ve got a few missing years.:)
Margot–You are so right. Looking for moments to squeeze it in. I did some work in the dental waiting room while my daughter was back there. Not much time, but enough to read a chapter through.
Karen–I get *really* irritable by the end of the day. The kids could tell you that I put myself in time-out. I figure that I need time out more than they do, since I’m the one in a lousy mood.
Kristen–I’m at the beach now, actually. :) And it IS relaxing.
Man, I hate those days. You start off with a plan, then it all goes in the trash. It also seems like cascading dominoes. When one thing happens, it causes another. Hope you’re back on track. You seem to stay amazingly sane during it all!
Helen
Straight From Hel
Helen–Oh, I have my little freak-out moments, believe me!
Carol–You’re right! I love making my characters suffer the same days that I’ve suffered through.
Jemi–And live to tell the tale!
Chris–Good one! Great post, Chris…thanks for sharing.
LOL! I can add, “I’ve been on Facebook and forgot I had to pick my kids up from school 15 minutes ago.” That happened to me about a week ago.
Sometimes you find you have to write at 11:00 p.m. when everyone goes to sleep because your day has been hijacked. Great post.
Stephen Tremp
Writing is what happens when life gives us a break.
Journaling Woman–We’d have to use our imaginations even more than we already do.
Stephen–Ohhhh….I’ve done that before. The middle school carpool for afternoon. My son has a cell phone and called me–where ARE you!!??
Elizabeth–And some days nothing happens and I get a ton done. And then some days I get a lot done in a very short amount of time. Whatever gets squeezed in!
Yikes! I can totally empathize. I always try to remember what Pema Chodron (Buddhist nun and writer of wonderful books) says “Whatever happens is your path.” I take this to mean that when I have a day like yours, full of interuptions from what I DEEM important, I am to stop resisting and realize that whatever is happening is my life and that the interuptions are what we Buddhists might call the Protectors at work – the wrathful protectors who are sort of like scary monsters but their job is to wake us up no matter what! So if I’m mad at my Sweet Patootie and I am muttering to myself that he is such an unaware clod and I stub my toe because I have been so wrapped up in my story line that I’ve become an – yes you guessed it -unaware clod – well that is the wrathful protectors making sure I remember to love what is! It is one hard practice though!
You’ve inspired me to make one hour for my writing every day. I know I don’t have time, and I am surviving on the minimum permissible sleep levels, but maybe, just maybe I can find an hour somewhere.