The husband e-mailed me this photo (along with one of a mop) the other day.The explanation:
“I just wanted you to know what they looked like.”
Later, he stopped running the vacuum cleaner as I walked by and placed my hand on it. “You can touch it,” he said. “It won’t hurt you.”
He’s totally exaggerating, but does have a point.
Housekeeping was just one of the activities that went on the back burner last year, when I decided to take my writing career more seriously.
Oh, I’ll still do it. But only if there’s time and energy left AFTER my writing is done.
It used to be just the opposite. I’d clean and run errands to clear my slate for writing. By the time everything was done, I was usually too exhausted to write.
Nowadays, the writing comes first.
Long telephone conversations and my once-favorite television shows get the same treatment. Indulging is infrequent now that they come only after the page quota is met.
So I have a dusty house, annoyed friends and no idea which washed-up celebrity is looking for love on VH-1.
How have your priorities shifted since you began writing?
5 comments:
Wish I could do that, Phyllis. I sit down to write and have to clean everything around me first. By the time I'm done, all the time allotted for writing is gone.
I guess I need to adopt your approach. As it stands, my priority is whatever is imminent at the moment.
Hi Phyllis,
I so agree with you. Writing has become one of my priorities.
I make sure there is plenty of lunch meat and cold cereal in the refrigerator for my husband to eat. Many chores and other responsibilities have taken a back seat.
Contrary to what some people preach, I've learned that you CAN'T do it all. Something has to give -- why not housework?
Whenever I start to feel guilty, I ask myself what legacy do I want to leave behind -- a clean house or creations that came from my heart and soul?
I find that some days (or weeks for that matter) priorities need to change. Some days I write before I attend house duties, other times I'll look at the dishes piling in the sink and clean before I start writing.
Like Chicki said, you can't do it all and no matter what you do you're going to feel guilty about whatever it is you're not doing. Such is life.
Phyllis, you're my hero. I STILL have the mindset that I must clear chores etc. out of the way before I start writing. Needless to say, the writing suffers. Always.
Gotta make that change!
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