I have a nasty tendency to tuck things away to ‘keep them safe’. This means that cleaning out cupboards can resemble an archaeological dig. Of course it also means that a lot of time gets wasted with ‘Oh goodness, I’d forgotten I had this’. Fun, but not always productive.
What I found recently was a stash of New Year’s resolutions. Demoralizingly, most of the resolutions are things I am still struggling with. Even more demoralizingly – the dates are from 1992 to 1996.
Some things I did achieve – I had a book published – but my recent writing schedule could only be described as spasmodic. And one book 20 years ago means nothing. I have other completed books that I never get around to submitting. Procrastination, anyone?
One item each year says ‘stop trying to write late at night’. Um. Right now it’s 11:37 pm.
Some things happened that I hadn’t planned on. My music teaching expanded. I taught myself to tat and knit (definitely not on my agenda – a few years ago I didn’t even know what tatting was) and started blogging. That took me three attempts on three different sites, and while I’m no runaway success, I really enjoy it, and the people I meet.
I suppose it’s not how many times you fall down, as long as you get up each time. Now I just have to do something about these skinned knees…
I often find my old resolutions, too, and sometimes I have to chuckle at what I didn’t get accomplished, but other times I’m happy to see that I actually did get a few things done. That you published a novel is amazing — a huge accomplishment!
Thanks! 😉
This was fun to read.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is intersting. I always find tidying out drawers or whatever leads to a discovery or two that usually stops me in my tracks and makes me want to reconnect to the past in some way. It also usually slows down the tidying. I know I should throw more out. I feel ill when I think about all the baggage my Mum and husband have that I expect I will have to sift through after they are dead. Or someone doing that with my stuff.
It is demoralizing. I have 30 years’ worth of music books. I have no idea what will happen to them, or my guitars and keyboard. No one in the family has even a flicker of interest.We will not even mention The Books.
Possibly the only solution is to enjoy them now and not worry about later.
You have a lot to be proud of. A successful teaching career, a lovely home, and no one can ever have too many books. And speaking of books, having one published – whether it be 20 years ago or yesterday – is a fabulous accomplishment for any writer. Your success is much more than you give yourself credit for. Enjoy what you have done, and don’t worry about what you haven’t. It’s all about the journey, not the goal. 😉
Thanks so much. 😉
LOL- I clean the same way 🙂 it is a journey of discovery. I am getting slightly more ruthless…but not as much as my husband would think is ‘real’ progress’ in purging my hoard 🙂 Like ckendsley says above- you have achieved so much, don’t diminish your efforts. I too wanted to be an author, and publish ‘books’- my reality is that I am an academic and have had my work published,it is just different ‘publishing’ to what I had envisioned when I was a teenager. With the recurring resolutions- perhaps it just ‘is’ that you work better late at night – perhaps set up a notation system so that when 11.30pm swings around again you can dive right in where you left off last time, and not waste this precious and perfect writing block for you. I have found a ‘pomodoro’ timer (working in focused 25 minute blocks) helps me when writing for work- here is one such post from my PhD blog: https://mypaperlessphd.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/defining-my-blockers-and-acting-to-eliminate-them/ – so I would say- embrace the way you work 🙂 Best wishes for 2015- I look forward to your blog again this year 🙂
Thanks so much! 😉
LOL. Life never always go the way we planning, right? I love the last paragraph. It’s great advice.
Thanks for dropping by. 😉
Based on the things you accomplished, I can say that you have had a productive time in the last 20 years. 🙂
Thanks! 😉
“I have 30 years’ worth of music books. I have no idea what will happen to them, or my guitars and keyboard. No one in the family has even a flicker of interest.We will not even mention The Books.”
What different families you and I have! Forget the real estate, vehicles, etc., if/when my husband and I pass, there could be war over who gets the books, paintings and guitars, which is why we try to be very specific in our last instructions.
A great problem to have ! 😉