my motivational speech

[gfrancie]

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. -Jack London

Wise words from a man who once spent a night in jail in my hometown. (true story) As I delve deeper into this convoluted writing project, I have to remind myself of that. On occasion I am yelling at myself (in my head so as to not wake small people) "COME ON DAMMIT!!! DO YOUR THING!!!" Mostly doing my thing means pushing myself when I do my usual pattern of dinking about, having so many doubts and then saying, "fuck it. let's do this thing."

One day I can be quoted for that eloquent thought "Fuck it. Let's do this thing." Which seems to be my approach with many things after many rounds of procrastination. (please see going to the dentist, filling out paper work, and making phone calls.) Thankfully I know many people like this. We can get together for tea and toast and talk about the great strides we have made in making phone calls, dealing with stuff like real live grown-ups, and so on.

Tomorrow my major task is taking the car in to be looked at. It will be worthy of two slices of toast. Maybe with cinnamon sugar on top. Join me in having a slice of toast.

Comments

[gracefruit.livejournal.com]

It was Dentist Day for us yesterday, hence the royal icing cookies. I'll be commiserating with a friend over coffee later. We will think of you. :)

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Ouch the dentist.

[bliss-street.livejournal.com]

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Ah yes. That is my other default position.

[oxymoron67.livejournal.com]

Will a toasted bagel do? Because I had one of those this morning.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

If you can spread things on it and possibly burn your fingers a bit when touching it -it counts.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

I would like to see someone write that up in really nice calligraphy or some other swirly sort of font. I'd frame it and put it up on the wall somewhere. Or maybe it would look good as a nice embroidered piece.

One of my grad student friends and I have spent a lot of time over the years talking about what it takes for us to buckle down and start writing. We call it the "flopping" period - you know, flopping around and moaning and wringing our hands, all before finally buckling down and getting to work. (if I'm at home, I have to start by deep-cleaning the house and alphabetizing all the spices, if you know what I mean). I deeply wish I could just say to myself, "All right, and begin!" but that rarely works.

I used to have an index card that I'd keep next to my desk that said, "You can do it!" and that seemed to help, too.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Oooh embroidered on a pillow. I think this would be a riot.

My flopping about means doing inane organizing, looking at stuff on the internet, an imaginary conversation of "OMG THIS IS AWFUL WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS" "SHUT UP SELF-LOATHING SELF. We are doing this"
Then doing the damn work.

[rebeccmeister.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, the great procrastinatory web that is the internet. Yes. I often have to reach the point where I've exhausted my usual sources of entertainment (what, nobody has updated their Facebook status in the last 5 minutes?!) before I can convince myself to work. A hazard of doing self-driven work, I suppose.

I think I got the embroidery idea from seeing "subversive cross-stitch" here and there. Google image that business if you want more procrastination fodder. ;-)

[needlediva.livejournal.com]

did you want "fuck it. let's do this thing" or "i cant do this but i'm doing it anyway" on a pillow? cause yer mom is a pretty good embroidery person. (probably not for this xmas, cause i dont work the fastest, but soon)

[needlediva.livejournal.com]

by the way, ask me how good i am at putting off homework, especially spanish.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Probably the latter. You can bring it to me in England.