I am so behind on everything it’s almost comical. I have several plates spinning in the air right now and it’s laughable at how I’m trying to keep them all from crashing down around me.
Last week, DH was home for most of it. It’s hard to work sometimes with him around. Not that he bothers me or interrupts really. I can’t tell you why it is hard for me to write when he’s home, but it is. I am very conscious that he’s around. I am very aware that because of his diabetes that he needs to eat a different times and eat differently than I do or my son does. Maybe that’s all it is… I’m very aware and being that way, is a distraction unto itself. It’s a distraction to my concentration and to the general flow of my everyday life.
However, don’t get me wrong. We get along fabulously. We have very interesting discussions and debates on politics (we’re on opposite ends of it), sports (we always talk sports), religion (again, opposite sides, but not as far apart as we used to be), issues in our respective families, home improvements, my desire for a Dremel even though I don’t really have a use for it yet, and my NEED for a new cordless drill (I love power tools)… We don’t lack for conversation. Ever.
It’s just…distracting. And in being so, I’ve gotten behind on several things. Writing being one. Picking a winner from the St. Patrick’s Day Blog Hop. I will be doing that right now, so hold on…
And the winner is… Kym! I will be in touch Kym!
Now, as for writing and being behind there. I value and appreciate my readers. The new ones and especially the ones who have been with me from the beginning. The writing world is ever changing. I spent all of 2009 hunkered down at my computer writing. All the damn time. Writing. Early mornings. Late nights. I was stressed. Most of the time ignoring my family. Feeling guilty when I wasn’t writing. Feeling even more guilty when I was. It sucked.
I don’t want my kids to say ‘yeah, mom loved us, but she was always working’. That’s just not gonna fly for me. That’s not why I became a mom. It took me all of last year to recover from that and from a loss that sent me into a tailspin. I am writing. I am writing slower in some cases, in others, words just flow. I am spending more down time with my family and doing things I enjoy because life is short, I’m not getting any younger, and neither are my kids. I want them to have good memories of us doing things as a family. I don’t want to buy their happiness or their complacency. It’s why taking my son to NASCAR races and doing things like concerts and spending hours dying my daughter’s hair and spending an entire night watching movies with her are so important to me.
I’ve noticed when I do this, I lose followers on Twitter, people on Facebook stop talking about me, emails dwindle… And while that bothers me and I feel guilty, if I somehow lost my kids along the way, that would make everything else meaningless. Some people are better at balancing all of it than I am. I do my best and no one can ask more. So, I am writing. Not as fast as some would like and not as fast as the ever changing world of publishing needs. There’s always another author to take my place, to fill in the gaps. Hopefully I’ll still have readers in the end…grins.
Today, it’s off to the post office, sending some emails, writing, making s’mores granola bars for my son, and taking my son to baseball practice, making dinner (slow cooker here I come), exercise, a couple loads of laundry, and texting with my sister, brother, and mom.
Have a great Tuesday, y’all!
~lissa
A smart person once told me that in 10 years, work will still be there, the internet will still be there, facebook will still be there, your kids won’t. Your readers will still be here for each time you finish a story and put it out there. Whether it be 10 in a year or 1 in a couple of years, we’ll just be happy to read them. 🙂
Do not feel guilty for doing what you need to do with your family. Balance between family and work is what we all need. Last night, I realized I need to work on that myself.
**hugs**
Riane
I love that you do what you feel is right and not what everyone expects you to do. Yes we would all LOVE for you to keep busting out books like you don’t have a life but you do and have decided to make your time with your family more of a priority. I for one respect you even more than I already do for that. Yes you may lose some readers and/or followers but the ones who love your writing will stay with you. (*cough* me *cough* :p) I just say keep your head up and don’t worry too much on what everyone else thinks. We love you for who you are! 🙂
You’ve got to do what works for you, Lissa. And since being a Mom is the absolute best job in the world, enjoy the heck out of your kidlets, and know we will be here for you.
Good for you for putting your family first!
And you definitely need a dremel – I absolutely had to have one also (though that was a few years ago and I forgot which project I never made that I HAD to have it for!! LOL)
Lissa, I will admit to being one of your rabid avid readers. For me personally, you could put out a book every month & I would STILL ask you when the next one was coming out…lol
That being said, you gotta do what’s best for you & your family. If everything else were gone, family is all we have left. Don’t worry, we’ll wait.