Try Again Tomorrow

It's official. I'm in a funk. I had today's schedule all mapped out. A friend/client was teaching a lunchtime workshop in GSO at noon. I got up early, did some yoga, baked a quiche (because I'm that damn good), showered, did full hair and makeup and put on some power clothes for the luncheon.

Then I looked outside. Gray. Misty. I looked at myself in the mirror. My blouse was uncomfortable and my bra strap was digging into my shoulder. Looked outside again. Still gray and misty. Looked at feet. Black and white cat looked up at me and said, "Meow."

"My thoughts exactly," I said. I quickly dumped the blouse and heels for running pants and a baggy t-shirt. It's now 2:30 PM and I have yet to even step outside today.

I decided to spend my day editing a magazine that pays me to proofread all copy before they go to print. Made it through half the magazine before my ink cartridge ran out. I know better than to edit online--I miss way too much. I looked longingly at the couch and our video collection. No! Bad writer!

So now I sit here blogging (hey...at least it's writing) and hoping I can pull myself together enough to edit/shape some website text for a friend.

I'd like to say I'll hit it tomorrow but you know what? I doubt it. I'm just about at the point where I'm willing to write the week off as a loss.

Lucy says "Meow." See? She agrees with me...

NOT A Good Writing Week

Let's call this week for what it is, pure CRAP in terms of writing accomplishment. Words are going on the page but I can almost guarantee 99.9% of them will be cut when I go back to edit. I'm recycling jokes and the chapter I'm working on right now, a parody, "How To Win Friends & Influence Dog People" is lacking form and sustanence. And humor. Seriously lacking in humor at this point.

A lot of what I'm writing is "cute," but cute won't cut it. I need funny, original, unexpected. It's depressing because I've felt good about what I've been writing and this week has just been one mental block after the next. I've got 2000 words left to write in the next two days and I have no idea how I'm going to fill the page. I'm skimming through cat books, surfing web sites, and staring at Lucy and Olivia, hoping for inspiration. So far... nuthin.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day, yes? What matters is getting something... anything... down on paper. It's much easier even to edit bad text than it is to come up with something off the cuff. So I'll put the bad stuff down and hope I can mold it into something better at a later date. 

Let's hope next week's cat chapter draws me out of this funk.

"A Cat's Little Book of Self-Help" - Agent Listing

My newest cat humor book is now listed on my agent's website. In case it's of interest to anyone other than me, my parents, and my always encouraging husband who nods enthusiastically when I promise that someday I'll strike it rich writing about cats, here's the link on Martin Literary Management. Scroll down the page and you'll find the book description and my bio.

Aaarghhh & Ahoy! Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day!

I've got the radio on and the two DJs are falling over themselves in their efforts to one up each other in their pirate talk. In case you weren't aware, today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Be sure and throw out a "Ahoy matey" whenever you feel it's appropriate.

The brain is bouncing this morning. A lot going on. Could it be time for one of my lists? Arrrgh, I believe so.

• Tomorrow is the Salem Lake 30K (18.6 miles) race. I'm testing my marathon readiness by attempting to hold my marathon pace of 9:09/mile. Feeling a little unsure. I also have barely put any mileage in this week, adding guilt to the mix.
  
• My agent (that just doesn't get old) e-mailed and asked that I update my website with the new book info and her contact information. Seems to make it more "real" somehow.
• I was one of 7 finalists for the cat blogger position on www.catster.com. I didn't get it, and am more than a little bummed about that.
• SO MUCH writing to do. Yesterday I started compiling a quiz for the cat book and even though it's a parody, I'm still structuring the quiz so people can take it for the their cats and get "real" results, which is requiring a whole lot more coordination than I had anticipated. Also need to find time this weekend to rough out an article for Rally to Rescue magazine. I spent this week interviewing 7 different people and would prefer to write while their comments are fresh in my mind.
• Laundry, laundry, and more laundry.
• Money. I'm owed it. Time to send some reminder e-mails to clients. 
• Library. I have nothing to read at night and am close to clawing my eyes out.

That's the main stuff. I've got details like website updates and workshop planning floating around on the back burner. But today is a WRITING day. All day. So I can sink into bed tonight and collapse after my run tomorrow feeling that I'm ahead of the game.

Happy (talk like a pirate) Friday.