Distracted Masturbation

Did you ever try to get yourself of, but your brain was just too pre-occupied with other things? No? Uh huh ... suuuuuuuuuure. Well for the few of you that admit to yourselves that you have, that's kind of what writing is like. You have a goal, an idea of what you're setting out to accomplish. But as you begin, you find yourself distracted. You're distracted because an email comes in, or an instant message or the telephone rings. The vision that you're holding in your head gets wispier with each passing distraction until what was once solid is now at tangible as a ghost. If you press on ahead, you're like to finish what you started, but there's little to no joy in the result.

So why am I talking about this? To illustrate a point for starters. To make people aware of my new schedule for finishers. So here's what's what.

In the morning, I'll do my usual household tasks and then I'll sit down to write. Outlook won't be open. Any IM program won't be open. The only Websites that will be up will be used for research only. (I managed to do that successfully today ... only one search site and dictionary.com were hit.) So if you're usually able to reach me or hear from me in the day, you'll be less likely to do so now. Oh, I'm not blaming anyone so please don't get that idea ... I'm only blaming myself. I enjoy these distractions a bit too much and make them readily available.

Is this going to work? Well let's see ... today I wrote un-rushed and undistracted. I've completed Chapter 3 of Online and banged out another 5 pages in Drain. That's about 3,000 words! About twice what I usually come up with in a day, and it's not even noon yet. So, the entire downstairs of the house has been swept, vaccuumed, and mopped, the dishwasher emptied, filled and run, the laundry done and both the novel and current short story worked on. Yeah, I'd say it's working. :) NOTE: Just to be clear about things ... Holly in no way expects me to do these household chores ... I do them of my own bidding because I like her to come home to a clean house! Just thought I'd make sure everyone understands that. Hee hee.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you won't be able to reach me in the AM except by cell phone (and if you don't have the number I most likely don't want to talk to you anyway) and that should only be matters of some importance. After lunch I should be available again for a couple of hours, usually starting sometime between 1 and 2PM. Sometime around 3 or 4 I'll go back and write for a little bit more. So if some of you are wondering what's happened to me ... I'm not dead ... I'm dreaming.

And I have to say ... without distraction ... the result is rather ... pleasurable.

Currently Reading: Wicked by Gregory Maquire