Last night I noted in my journal that I was going to miss another blog deadline. I had been doing so well at making weekly entries and then . . .
And then—besides paying a visit to my daughter—my head got tied up with the current opus revisions. Any spare blog thoughts kept flying away before they could be captured. My writer’s brain had taken charge.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s journals left a lasting impression on me. I must have been reading library copies back in the late seventies or early eighties. My most vivid memory is her description of moving to Hawaii and setting up household—how important it was that she get everything settled the way she wanted it—before she returned to writing.
Since I don’t have her words, I’m going to rephrase them the way I understand it. Once AML was back in her writing headspace, she would no longer be aware of her physical surroundings. How true that is! Besides feeding Sophie and myself, keeping the dishes washed (and occasionally the clothes), I fail to see a lot of what surrounds me.
With a trip coming up, and my self-imposed deadline looming, it seemed a good idea to hire people to come clean my house—which drove me out of it to wipe down my very dusty car. And while doing that, my blog brain clicked in. Unable to get back to revisions with the house getting turned upside down is one way of clearing one’s head.
I’m seeing other advantages to having cleaners. Preparations required tucking away—or tossing—clutter. I took donations to my favorite thrift store. Downsizing was begun about a year ago, but that came to a halt (due to writer’s brain). So perhaps having a monthly cleaner might help shake loose a few brain cells to continue downsizing.
As for the coming trip—Wayne and I used to go camping and hiking every summer. It gave me time to break free from work thoughts and play with writing thoughts.— This time, while away, I’m hoping to get a handle on an unfinished fairytale retelling, the very first one I tried writing in verse.
Much as I love my Viking heroine, the main character appears to be a Pookah. (Yes, I know Pookahs are British and the action takes place in Norway). Since I’m no trickster myself, I don’t know if I can pull it off.
But every vacation needs a challenge. Right?
Kate Harrington 