writing life: what it looks like when I work

Where I work heavily influences what my work routine looks like. When at home, if the computer is fully charged, writing blog posts or making some progress in one of my wip (works in progress) is usually the first thing I do when I sit down to work.

Working for me is like ripping a fabric and having thread hanging out reaching for each other. My attention must necessarily be on my children since they are my first responsibility. Writing is very difficult for me as a result because I am frequently pulled out of the world of my thoughts and the train continues on without me. Sometimes I'm able to catch it and continue the ride. At others, I sit with my head in my hands wondering why I'm doing this at all.

I actually know. I just wish I didn't feel as if I had to do it. I resent the circumstances that have put me in a corner which is why I'm doing what I'm doing so vigorously and constantly. I resent broken agreements. If they were just re-made, that would be one thing.

Refocusing…

The computer having a fully charged battery enables me to write either blog posts or continue with one of my stories. If the computer is not an option, I have written notes for blog posts on paper. They rarely end up much like the notes, but at least I have many thoughts already recorded. A good starting place, in essence.

Usually, if the computer is unavailable, I'll work on Cap'N Golly plans and rhymes. His rhymes take a bit of time, doncha know! I also write silly songs and more serious songs on paper rather than the computer. So, if I find myself unable to use the computer and have a song started, but not finished, I might work on that.

If I have Cap'N or other video to edit AND any power in the battery of the computer, I have been known to work on that instead of writing. That's because video editing is still a rather time consuming process for me and I have self-made deadlines in mind. I really like to attain small goals. When I do, it makes big ones feel more likely to happen!

Working without breaks (of the chosen or unwanted kind) lasts, at most, thirty minutes. If it lasts longer than that, either I'm ignoring wrong choices among my children, or they are too quiet. Moms… you know what I mean!

GrA still needs to nurse pretty frequently, so every forty-five minutes or so, I stop to spend some time with him. Sometimes I'm able to nurse and type. That worked out better when he was smaller. As he gets older and typing while nursing isn't quite so workable, I tend to read while I nurse. Usually I read books planning to review them on my blog.

Of course, there are also breaks for food (direction and or preparation). And I do need to sleep sometimes, so there's that.

There are town days that I need for internet connectivity. I'll share about that next time.

my thoughts on newborns and purity

It is difficult to remain clean in this world.  Both in the spiritual and physical sense.

As mother of six children now, I have had the opportunity to observe a few things about babies.  The thing that is most pertinent to the title and about which I have been pondering much of late is: babies and dirt.

Have you ever noticed that babies get dirty even if they haven't DONE anything at which they might reasonably get dirty?  Maybe not dirty in the same way as a three-year-old playing directly in the dirt gets dirty, but somehow they collect dirt in the palms of their hands, in between fingers and toes, in the chubs at their neck, and under their arms?  I have!  At least six times with six different tiny humans.

Wanna know what I've decided?

It's just part of this fallen world.  Dirtiness is just part of this fallen world.  That's why we have to clean our nails frequently, take showers, repent every day, partake of the sacrament frequently, avoid environments in which sin is prevalent, and so forth.

This world is fallen.  But we don't have to stay down when we experience a fall.  We are able to rise up when we fall.  We can and must clean off the muck and mud. Each and every time we experience a fall, regardless of degree.  It is within our power.

Requirement: work.  We have to do the work of cleaning up.  Literally and figuratively.  When we end up dirty as a result of our own choice or because someone sped by a mud puddle when we were walking on the other side of it.  We just have to accept some dirtiness comes, but we can choose to get clean and work on staying that way.  We just have to make the choice to do so every time.