This and THAT

Friend: "Whatcha been doing?"

Me: "Oh, this and this."

Friend [with a little frown of confusion]: "Don't you mean this and that?"

Me: "No, I didn't do any of THAT."

It sounds confusing, but a writer knows what THAT is. It's what you try to fit in between all "this" stuff of life. It's simply THAT thing, in all caps, we think about more than "this and this and this." It's writing.

So, I see my last blog was nearly a month ago and I made big promises; to myself, and my characters. Well, THAT didn't work out so well. "Spring break" is apparently code for one week to catch up or study for the exams scheduled the week after the "break." And so, my promised time of clearing my mind of real life "this" and delving into my fictional world of "THAT" didn't work out as planned.

But, I did get a lot done - - lots of "this" stuff of life and learning I really can't seem to go to school and also write on my book. That's kind of a weight off my shoulders. I'm not losing some vital part of me, but accepting the saying "for everything there is a season." My writing is in a holding pattern, with the next "promise" hopefully more attainable. It will come.

In the meantime...I did this thing where I discovered I liked science better than history - - apparently "critical thinking" is not as important to me as "what did they wear?" And those details serve me well in being interested in all the little parts to a cell or flower or finding beauty in the shapes of algae. (Have you seen those amazing diatoms? No? Anyways...) I did this thing where I figured out I don't "get" Faulkner - - apparently where I thought he was serious, he was being "absurd." Huh. But naturalist writers and poems by Foster, rich with analogy, tugged at my heart strings and imagination and had me creating happy endings in my head. And I did this thing where drawing "stratagraphic maps of rock and fossils" involved drawing in little circles and connecting dots and little fish. Cool. Who says I can't draw? :)

As a writer, we're constantly working on the premise that it's possible to work writing in - - that there's always room. Is there? Sometimes there just might not be...for a while anyway. Accomplishments in all areas deserve their place in the sun. The rest, THAT part of us, even if it's writing, shouldn't be a disappointment or a guilt trip or any sort of failure.

What is your balance of this and THAT?