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| Photo by Tracy S. Williams |
Last week, I scheduled appointments, blogs, writing and social media.
Then, life happened.
The appointment that required a babysitter evaporated. I had the date and time in my calendar, but the other person did not. Nice huh? I was disappointed, but found other people to answer my questions and did some shopping without a toddler in tow.
I’m supposed to be reading the final Harry Potter book during my break between my memoir draft completion and before I begin revisions. The book tempts Enzo. He’s removed my bookmark a dozen times and loves to flip through the pages. Last week, it struck me I could borrow an ebook version from the library.
As I wait for HP to arrive on my Kindle, I picked up an ebook version of Bald in the Land of Big Hair by Joni Rodgers. She’s a novelist, who survived cancer treatment. It’s as lighthearted as one can be with cancer. As a former caregiver, I laughed a lot at some of her observations about illness, treatment and how life changes when a disease is introduced into a family’s life. Of course, it’s not all jokes. While I loved the book, I still wonder if it is a good book to share with people going through cancer treatment or not. I’ll just have to figure that out on a case-by-case basis.
Then, I was so happy to have a few blog posts scheduled in advanced. My happy dance was short lived when I didn’t have time to change one before it was published. Sigh.
So, I’d like to thank Tina Moss for giving me the Kreativ Blogger Award.
Nicole Pyles at World of My Imagination tagged me in the The Lucky 7 Meme. This is a fun one. You go to page 77 of your manuscript, go to line seven and post the next seven lines. Since I haven’t opened my memoir manuscript since I typed The End, I can’t play along with this one. You can find Nicole’s answers here. I appreciate being tagged Nicole.
My 12×12 in 2012 picture book draft hasn’t materialized this month. I have notes on my desk and on my iPhone, but haven’t sat down to complete the draft yet. This challenge has been great, because I know I’ll have my draft before April arrives.
I share all of this with you to say while I do my best to plan, life sometimes takes me in a different direction. I remind myself to be flexible.
What’s your strategy to deal with a change of plans?
Oh I hate it when there is that major of a plan change! But like you I try to roll with it. The scene with your bookmark being removed in HP was cute sounding! Albeit frustrating though! 🙂
Nicole, Rolling with it is sometimes the only option. 🙂
I’ll feel bad luck if my whole plans were changed at the same time, and the bad luck usually continues.
page flip software
Siar, I hope that doesn’t happen all the time.
Have you ever seen Shakespeare In Love, Stacy? Whenever I get into these situations I always think of that guy saying, “It’ll all work out.” The other guy says, “HOW will it?” and the first says, “I don’t know but it will.” So even though things may not have gone as you planned lately, it’ll all work out 🙂
I haven’t Susanna, but that’s exactly what happened last week and typically happens for me. I try not to get overly stressed as so many things are out of our control.
Rolling with it, but I have to admit there’s usually some hair pulling going on! Hope you have a great week Stacy 🙂
Coleen, I hope you do too.
Absolutely Stacy and any work done in any area is progress of some sort. Have a super week!
Catherine, I agree on the “any work” is progress idea.
Most welcome and most deserving, Stacey. Life does love to get in the way of our plans, doesn’t it? I try to go with the flow, but sometimes it does get under my skin. I have to remind myself that life happens, and not get upset about it.
Thanks again Tina.
Life can certainly be frustrating at times. I am better at handling it than I used to be, but it still bugs me. I like your point, that it is not worth getting stressed over things out of our control. Keep smiling 🙂
No Eric, Most times it’s not worth getting stressed about it.
Change of plans?
Oh, sometimes I sulk.
Sometimes I stomp my feet.
Sometimes I’m a little quieter than that and I pout (which is a step down from sulking.)
And sometimes, sometimes, I deal with it and adjust.
Ya know, I haven’t read HP. Yet.
Beth, I feel like a good sulk works from time to time. I hope by April I can say I have completed the HP series. 🙂
I’m a planner, I have a calendar, and keep appointments. I like to make appointments even for phone calls (business)! I do not deal well with the problems, like flat tires, a dump of snow, or other such nosense that messes with my plans. Sometimes I deal with problems okay – depends on my mood. And some days – you know the ones, where everything goes wrong from the time you get up? Those are the days that make me laugh.
Yes Karen, on those days laughing is the only answer.
I plan. I like to plan. But, living a few years in Africa helped me to take things as they come and not stress about radical, last minute changes.
Congrats on your awards, Stacy!
Joanna, I would think living in Africa for a while would help put a different spin on change.
It’s like you were doing life yoga!
Life yoga. That’s a good one Johanna.
Congrats on the awards! Sometimes life gets in the way. I’m not great at being flexible at times, but usually it all works out in the end.
Emily, Yes. It typically works out — not always like we want, but it works out.
I just had some family plans change on me this past weekend. I haven’t had my sister/best friend visit in over a year and she had to cancel. I had to be flexible really fast and tell her I wasn’t upset when I was very much. I guess this time around I forgot to have a plan B. Congrats on your awards Stacy and thanks for sharing with us.
Jennifer, Sorry to hear about that. I know that’s disappointing.
Your post made me chuckle. Being flexible is my middle name anymore — and my kids are grown! Congratulations on your award.
Patricia, Yes. It’s probably a good middle name for us all.
Congratulations on your awards! I hope this week will work out better for you 🙂
Thanks Erik. I think it will.
Stacy, a challenging week and yet you rolled with it so nicely. Way to go!
I did my best Sheila.
Life is always surprising, but you’ve got a great attitude. And the solution for toddler bookmark-snatching is to stretch a rubber band around the pages. Maybe someday you’ll write a PB about a toddler with a bookmark fetish!
~Debbie
I’ve put my thinking cap Debbie for a story. 🙂
Life is what it is. Sometimes the unexpected leads us in wonderful directions, and other times, not so much. Glad you were able to roll with the punches, so to speak. 🙂
I agree Beverly that “Sometimes the unexpected leads us in wonderful directiosn, and other times, not so much.”
That photo reminds me of Glad trash bags, with the flexible little diamond patterns? Those things are miraculous. You can keep stuffing more in before trash day and they really do not break open! Sometimes life is like that too – a sharp corner here, a mushy lump there. Just hang in there and keep stretching!
Cathy, I didn’t think about the pix as a trash bag. They do stretch. This is one from my sister’s travels in Lithuania and London.
Wait, you can get eBooks from the library?!?! How did I not know this??
Kelley, Check your library system. Some publishers limit the amount of times a book is checked out or makes it too expensive for libraries. For now, I’m able to check some out on the Kindle. Your library will list the devices you can use to check out ebooks.
Flexible is my middle name. One has to pick their battles carefully, their friends even more carefully, and sometimes just go with the flow and exit the current when its safe to do so.
Well said Stephen. I do try to pick my battles carefully. I learned that in another life.
Learn to go with the flow – not the most original advice, but the only option if you want to retain your sanity 😉 New follower here. I’m trying to get a head start on visiting my fellow “A to Z”ers. I’m really enjoying your blog and I look forward to visiting again.
Sylvia
http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/
Thanks for stopping by Sylvia. Good luck with the A to Z challenge. This is my first one.
Chocolate. Chocolate is the answer to everything 😉
Lynda – My tummy agrees.
Flexibility is a key strength in today’s world.
I’ve always been a fan how Darwin teaches us that it’s not the smartest or the fastest that survive … nature favors the flexible.
Very true J.D.
Hi I saw you on Susanne’s blog and wanted to say good luck on the A-Z. I try to be flexible maybe too flexible. O.K. I’m more easily distracted than flexible. LOL
dreamweaver
Debra, I get easily distrated too. Thanks for stopping by. I’m still working on my A-Z posts. Fun!
Love this post about REAL life, and your honest style is engaging–reminds me that it’s okay not to be perfect (or even close to it!) each week. Hope you have an imperfect yet wonderful week this week!
Momsicle, Now what’s perfect? I don’t think I even know that word.
I agree with the chocoholic above. It’s a great stress buster. That and breathing. Apparently it’s even more effective if you take the slight pause between the transition from inspiration and expiration (and vice-versa).
Helena, I think I was supposed to be studying breathing before my son was born. I should revisit that part of the experience.