Friday, June 18, 2010

Friday Challenge!


This morning I arose early (don't you love the word 'arose', so much nicer than saying 'I got up early'). As I said in my 'writing around the edges' post - I have a day of visiting the ill and accompanying a friend to the hospital. Some days I find I have turned into Marmie in Little Women. Off with my basket to bring cheer or whatever. The truth is that my pals and I are aging more quickly than even a year ago - weird but true - and I am happy to do anything for any of them because it has been my turn from time to time and it will be again.
So, I got up quickly - had coffee and talked to my one about his day and mine. He left by 7:20 and I grabbed the dog and took him for an early ramble. It was nice. I picked some wild roses, daisies, lupins and buttercups for my favorite messy bouquet on our way back. When I returned I went into my front garden. I had bought several things at the Halifax Seed store (what a wonderful, intoxicating joint!) - some tomato cages, stakes and two PEONIES! This morning it was time to put the peonies in to my newer perennial bed. Digging, moving the boulders that encompass all of our property, soaking the plants and the ground, moving them, carefully placing lots and lots of rocks around them so the chooks don't replant - all took some time but it was good time. I love sticking my hands in the dirt. I looked around and realized that my front garden needs about ...oh...three or four hours of weeding. Yes! I have no lawn so things have gotten a little wild. I'll get to it tomorrow...Saturday...I thought to myself. Also, the paper work I've been avoiding and ironing all my stupid linen shirts and oh I dont' know - phoning the dentist etc...
My writing work is akin to this - adding new characters (like the Peony Sisters) rebuilding big sections of it, character work - all great fun and the time flies. But scene to scene finding the adverbs (weeds) and making sense of the chaos of my first draft (wild abandon garden) - that I tend to put off.
The Challenge - when you next attack whatever project is your heart's desire - your work in progress - make a vow that you will do the grunt work for a chunk of time before you do the glory work. AND building on the hanged man from last week - say to yourself out loud some version of "I'm choosing to attend to "X" joyfully and with exertion. Those of you who remember my posts on the paramitas may remember that with exertion comes joy.  The nice thing about canoeing out to Rogue's Roost is you exert for awhile and then you get there and then you exert back. IT IS ALL JOY!

9 comments:

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Oh, for a minute I thought you were a my house!(More announced company.)
Definitely going to TRY the at least one of my grunt tasks before the fun stuff each day.


Maribeth
Giggles and Guns

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I like this! I've got something that I've been putting off in my writing, and I'll definitely do it first today. Thanks Jan!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'll keep that in mind as I slog through my research.

Words A Day said...

Thanks for this, I vow to take on the yucky bits for one hour today!
And I know I'll be glad afterwards, and once I start it won't be too painful!

Jan Morrison said...

Maribeth - Ha! yes, there are probably a few interchangeable situations around the sphere!
Elizabeth - good! let's get that stuff done so we can luxuriate in the good feelings!
Diane - ah, no slogging - just tripping through enjoying the nuggets of brilliance you can weave into your work!
Niamh - with any luck it won't be painful at all...

Anonymous said...

I hear you !

Time for some glory then...

Jemi Fraser said...

I've been doing the nit-picky editing stuff recently. My treat for surviving the school year is going to be printing out the wip and seeing what I can spot on paper. I've never done this before so I'm excited (yes, that's sad :))

Talli Roland said...

Great challenge!

Where is the photo taken, by the way? Gosh, you do make me miss NS!

Jan Morrison said...

Denise - ah, been doing the grunt stuff wha?
Jemi - no it isn't sad! We should be excited about how we live our lives...
Talli - that is Rogue's Roost hidden in the shoals of Prospect Bay - about forty-five minutes from the marina by canoe, a trip we'll make tomorrow if all goes as planned!