I had a disaster Wednesday, similar to what you’d find in one of my Myrtle Clover mysteries.
I realized after my daughter had been up for several hours, that her cough sounded different than it had the last few days. I called the doctor and quickly made an appointment.
I was already halfway through my preparation for Salmon Shirred Eggs for my blog today on the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. Since the recipe involved eggs and we didn’t need to leave for the doctor’s appointment for 30 minutes, I decided to go ahead and pop it in the oven.
Naturally, I was in a hurry. The recipe itself is very easy. It can be made complicated, however—if you dump the contents of the cups onto the floor of the oven. Which I did.
I was well-behaved and used absolutely no profanity. My 8 year old was standing right there, so I just bit down on my tongue. I scraped out the salmon and eggs and cream from the bottom of the hot oven very quickly, hopped in the car and we drove off for the doctor.
We’re in the pediatric waiting room and my mind is spinning. I’ve got to get more eggs for the recipe. Oh shoot…and some smoked salmon. I need to pick up that book at the library for my other sick child to read. Oh—I needed to email my agent about that one thing. And then, ideas for my book started flooding into my head at the same time—unwelcomed. I got a pencil and jotted them down on the back of a receipt. My cell phone buzzed me. I tried ignoring it.
“Mama? Let’s play I Spy.”
I Spy is the game my daughter and I always play in waiting rooms. It’s a good sit-down game.
“I spy something…gold!” she said.
Really? In the doctor’s waiting room? All I spied was a polka-dotted floor, primary-colored chairs, and some really upset babies in blankets.
“That lady’s watch?” I asked. “The outlet cover? No? The…well, the doorstop over there?”
“Mama! That’s brass. Not gold.” This around her hacking coughs.
Try as I might? I couldn’t find anything gold. Or, for that matter, pink, aqua, or tan. I also couldn’t find the correct brown object she was looking for.
“You’re not even trying,” she said.
But I was trying. And then it struck me that it wasn’t that I’d suddenly been struck colorblind. I was so distracted that I couldn’t even focus on the task at hand. I was definitely trying to play I Spy. I was looking at my daughter and looking around the waiting room. But my mind was in and out of contact. It was too full.
My daughter? She was diagnosed with acute bronchitis, following the bout of seasonal flu. Me? I diagnosed myself with observational failure.
I do really well with big observations (like the fact my daughter’s cough had changed), but the bitty things—the small sounds, bits of color, warm breezes—they can get lost in the shuffle. Or lost following an epicurean disaster.
I dropped off the antibiotic prescription at the pharmacy. I drove to the store for more eggs and smoked salmon. And I tried to empty out my head from all the noise in there. Quiet the voice that reminded me of the things that needed to be done that were not getting done. I slowed down. And found, despite two sick children and an oven waiting to be cleaned, that it was actually a pretty nice day.
Next time I play I Spy? I’m going to ace that game.
Is there anything you’re working on? As a writer or as a person?
I soooo know what you mean. My mind has been juggling way too many tasks recently. I’ve been trying to determine a better method of time management, but what I think I really need is some quiet time. Meditation or a walk in the woods to let my brain just be still.
Of course I need to pencil in some time for that in my appointment book between meeting with critique partners, delivering Avon orders and picking up that part for my hubby’s car.
Sorry about your day — and sounds all too familiar. Why isn’t there one of those ‘take a number’ machines for daily crises? That way, you can deal with one, fix it, and then move on.
What a great story. Well, I want to improve how I divide my time for writing and “other” things. I need learn how to focus on one thing at a time!!! I am easily distracted.
Elizabeth – I know *exactly* the kind of morning you’re talking about! I’ve had them myself. I hope that your daughter’s feeling better today.
I’m with you on the observation thing, too. I tend to get “tunnel vision,” especially when I’m trying to multi-task (at which I am basically horrible). My family, fortunately, knows that when life gets that way for me, they have to throw a Nerf ball at me to get my attention ; ).
That type of distraction makes me absolutely crazy. I’m so thankful it doesn’t strike me too often. Hope your daughter is well soon.
Hope both kids are doing better. We do tend to try and focus on too many things at once. I think it’s just in our nature as females. We want to take care of everything and everybody, but ourselves it seems. I guess that’s how we see the rose but can’t tell you what it smells like or we smell it and don’t know what color it is.
Oh Elizabeth, I hope your babies get to feeling better soon!
My attention to detail is almost always lacking in some area. I just move through life too quickly.
I’m working on so much right now- just keep me in your prayers!
Ha, I found myself playing “I Spy” with you – was it someone’s gold ring? Elizabeth, this sounds like a wonderful day because you stopped, looked, and listened and slowed your mind down. Sorry about your children being ill – hope they’re feeling better soon.
Me, I’m just trying to focus on what’s in front of me, putting one foot in front of the other. And fighting off a sore throat.
Karen
I sometimes play I Spy with my youngest as we’re waiting in the high school parking lot for her two older siblings. It’s amazing what she sees!
Hope they get well soon! Don’t kick yourself too hard, it’s typical for any woman to have 15,000 things on her mind at once.
Elspeth
Hate mornings that start out like that…
BTW – what WAS gold in the doctor’s office?
Diane–A bit of gold on a waiting room book. It was *completely* obvious when it was pointed out to me.
“I diagnosed myself with observational failure.”
LOL – you’re a bit hard on yourself, methinks. But I get your point. Writers need to be observational compulsive obsessives. Whew – did I butcher that sentence or what? Ha. The point is, good writing puts in all those “bitty” things in the world they create around the characters. Tiny things. They matter in large proportion to the believability of a fictional tale, hmm?
Marvin D Wilson
I’m working on being more organized. It’s a work in progress, for sure.
By the way, you had me in suspense. I kept waiting for you to get back home and find your house full of smoke – you didn’t mention turning off the oven and you got a call that you didn’t answer. LOL.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Marvin–It’s true. Really, the little things are the most important in a story.
Annette–That’s the thing, isn’t it? Some days there are just too many fires to put out. Even though it would probably be MORE productive to reset our brains for a few minutes…we’d have clearer minds for knocking tasks out.
Terry–Or if there was a way to stop the cycle? The day just continued spiraling out of control and I was helplessly watching it.
Helen–That would have been a much worse ending! But…there was eventually smoke. I had to cook the recipe again and, even though I’d cleaned out the oven, it still smoked. I had all the windows open and my poor sick children were under blankets!
Sorry about the two sick kids, and the spilled eggs…and ewe salmon! LOL
This is the year of improving myself. We’ll see how that works out!
I am working on several things, but I have also had a small success this week. I host a Danish writers´ blog (20-25 members who write very short fiction), and we set monthly writing tasks. For the last one, I had to write a story from a woolen coat´s perspective. It went rather well, and I think the change of perspective is very instructive.
LOL. I’m (always) working on focusing on ONE thing – instead of the *seemingly* hundreds of things that are always on that annoying LIST.
Focus. That’s my overall goal for the year. To DO what I’m DOING, not thinking about all the other things that I could (or evil word – should) be doing.
Don’t feel bad. We men aren’t observant at all. I would’ve totally missed the gold on the book.
I am working on reading and not skimming. I have been so busy lately, that I have been lax in my reading things properly. DH pointed out a few important things I had missed on a financial form. So I must focus and clear my head for each task.
I spy…lovely game for writer inspiration.
Crazy days though can provide good fodder for a story or a particular scene. My goal for 2010 is to slow down and pay attention to my surroundings and the events going on around me. I’m even journaling, too.
Stephen Tremp
Chronic mom brain – full to overflowing of far too much stuff. I always pray the stuff that gets poured out or pushed to the side isn’t too important. Or else maybe I need a bigger brain :)
I have to admit, that looks like one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen. I’ve described more tastier crime scenes.
I’m working on not starting so many projects.
ann
You’re a good mom. You noticed the cough had changed, even though you had other things on your mind. And, you played the game with your daughter, it breaks my heart when I’m out and about and I see parent’s ignoring their children, (this happens more than I care to report.) I do my best to listen when children speak to me.
And, what a trooper, some would call it quits when the recipe went south the first time.
Hope you’re both recovering?
I always have observational failure. I exist in two modes: 1) I’m alert, present in the moment, observing everything and coming to a deep understanding of the universe or 2) thinking about work, writing, what I’m going to cook for dinner, what I forgot at the store…while my husband is waving a hand in my face trying to get my attention. Obviously, mode number #2 is more common for me than mode #1 :)
I probably have a unfair advantage with the observation skills. With my deafness I tend to rely on my eyes, in place of my lack of hearing. It’s one of those odd things where one sense replaces another.
Now if you wanted something in an organized, sensible manner…uhm I’m still working on it. I’m the most unorganized person I know. I’m seriously trying to manage time, my home and writing with some kind of balance. Which for someone who is known to just go with the flow, tends to be very much against the grain. (Hugs)Indigo
“Mothers are equipped with a well developed shepherd dog instinct, which stays, even when the kids have grown up.” said one of my friends. Or is it a feminine trait?Hm. I Spy. Good idea! Will use it on my first draft to find what’s missing :).
Teresa—It’s easy to get distracted, isn’t it? I tend to blame the inanimate objects on my distraction (cell phone, computer, etc.)
Marybeth—It was really nasty. Good luck with your self-improvement! That needs to be something I work on, too.
Margot–Tunnel vision—yes, that’s it! Maybe I need to arm my family with Nerf balls.
Carol—Thanks. My son has the infection now, but I’m hoping we’re on the home stretch of the flu and its side effects.
Crystal—Are you a multi-tasker too? I need to do the one-thing-at-a-time thing, too.
Mary—I love that! Do what I’m doing. That’s something I’ve got to work on.
Mason—Well put. I guess we can’t stop ourselves, although I’m thinking that maybe if I listed the things I’ve got spilling out of my mind, then I’d be a little better. I’m usually very big on lists but with the kids at home this week I’ve been scattier.
Tamika—Thanks! And good luck with your focus. That’s a hard area for all of us.
Karen—Hope you feel better! And you’re right…the day ended up better when I stopped the craziness. Hurrying and I don’t go together. I should have figured that out by now! That’s when problems start to arrive.
Alex—You’d probably do better if you tried…if you knew you were playing a game. I know what you mean about men and their observation skills, though. My husband notices some very small details…but others completely pass him by.
Elspeth—Thanks. :) I’m thinking the next time I have so much on my brain that I should just try and make a list of the things and dump out my mind. I Spy is amazing, isn’t it? Kids would make great witnesses in mysteries…they notice things that I don’t even see.
Glynis—Skimming works really well for reading…until it doesn’t! I know what you mean…I miss stuff sometimes when I skim. I’m trying to work more reading time in each day.
Stephen—Now *that’s* probably the very best idea for learning to focus and make observations. My journal isn’t updated as often as I’d like for it to be. I used to journal daily.
Congratulations, Dorte! You know, that kind of writing exercise would be good for me, I think. Maybe I’ll do some quick descriptions or POVs from inanimate objects’ perspectives.
Ann—Believe me, the kitchen LOOKED like a crime scene!:) For some reason, I could not get my food to cooperate with me. I’ve decided that the next time I make the recipe, I’m going to keep it in the coffee cup it’s made in. It looks much better that way. And I was never good at sandcastles as a kid, and the turning over of the salmon and eggs is definitely a sandcastle skill.
Elizabeth—Thanks! Some days it’s harder than others, but I do still feel like a kid when I play with the children. Even though they beat me at everything! :) I’d have probably given up on the recipe if it hadn’t been Wednesday—Thursday is my posting day at the Mystery Kitchen.
Indigo—Your sense of sight and observation is probably phenomenal. I wonder how long it would take the rest of us to be able to develop? And…my organizational skills are always under construction, too!
Jemi—I think my brain is getting mushy! I used to do crosswords every morning, but I’ve gotten out of the habit. Wonder if that would help with Mom Brain?
Lorel—I think that sounds really smart of you, though. I need to learn to switch off Writer Mode for at least half my day.
Christine–Good luck with it! And thanks for coming by.