Monthly Archives: February 2014

Maybe if I don’t look at it

So there’s a thing that’s been bugging me.

Prior to making it a professional endeavor, I was pretty selective about what I read in regards to writing. I devoured posts on how-to, mostly – how to write a query, how to write a synopsis, how to find a good agent. I would also read Chuck Wendig’s terribleminds blog.

Now I’m working on saying hi to the community, and there are some awesome people there. I’m glad my agent gave me social media homework and made me get in the pool. Great folks, interesting ideas. Lots to see and hear. Good stuff. Mostly. Thank you for being awesome, people. You know who you are.

But also some bewildering stuff. Some incomprehensible stuff. Some stuff I Just Don’t Get.

Let’s talk about the Infallibility Theorem. Why do I keep getting this vibe that a writer must make every choice correctly the very first time? Where else in life is that an absolute? I’m not saying it doesn’t help. I’m not saying that I don’t see that too many poor choices can lead to disaster and the end of a career – but isn’t that true of a lot of careers?

Mileage varies. There’s always someone ready to tell you what to do. My responsibility is to check my compass and decide whether to stay or change course. I’m working on remembering that even though I’m the new kid here, that’s just here – whatever life experience I’ve managed to garner is still valid and the compass is just as reliable as it ever was. I am not really adrift, even if this is a strange new sea.

So if you find yourself confronting the Infallibility Sea Monster, or its smaller cousin, the Perfection Kraken, my advice is close your eyes and repeat these wise words from Winston Churchill, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Socks, Spices, and Valentine’s Day

I am notoriously bad at holidays. I generally know they’re coming (because I go to the grocery store and that makes the major ones hard to miss) but as far as actually doing anything about them – nope.

“Did you make me socks?” my husband asked when I called him Friday to announce yet another start to The Commute Home 500.

Socks. No. What? “What socks?”

“There’s red socks in the hallway near my shoes. I thought maybe you left them as a gift.”

Now is the embarrassing time to admit those are my socks, my ultra thick red wool hunting socks. Those are not his socks.

“Those are my socks. Sorry.” Though I am inwardly flattered that between a full time job and drafting a new manuscript he thinks I could a) have had time to knit socks b) have had time to knit socks while keeping it a secret from him. When would I have knit socks? I need both hands for the commute home most days.

But I console myself after we hang up. This time, I got his Valentine’s Day present. I got it on my lunch hour, yes, but I am bringing it home with me and it is ready to go on the evening of. Points for me.

We got takeout from the good Italian place for dinner. It doesn’t take long to notice that the dressing containers that usually come with the antipasti are missing. Husband is crestfallen. Antipasti without dressing is no antipasti at all. Dinner is ruined.

Except that one of the presents I happened to have bought him is a fancy jar of spice mix that when blended with olive oil and wine vinegar, actually makes a very nice Italian style dressing. Dinner is saved.

For once, I am a good Valentine. But this one is going to be hard to top. Next year is doomed.

Never take a knee

We sat down to watch the Broncos tonight.

Belief gave way to hope.

Hope gave way to stoicism.

On the Broncos’ last possession of the game, I looked at my husband and asked, in total frustration, “Why doesn’t Manning just take a knee?”

He eyed me and shot back, “When you were getting all those rejections on your manuscript last spring, why didn’t you just take a knee?”

Well.

I’m not Peyton Manning in any field or shape or form. No way.

But it’s persistence that gets you to the big dance. It’s hope that gets you back on the field calling plays even when there’s no reason to think you’re going to win. It’s professionalism that keeps you in the game.

Salud, Mr. Manning. You showed us something tonight. And though the Broncos didn’t win, they’re a team I can stand behind.