Writing and Things

You may not have noticed, but I haven’t been blogging much? Why? Well... here are your choices:

1. I had a birthday and am very depressed because I have just turned 30 and my kids ages 28 and 33 aren’t buying it? Even my little ones are giving me the eye.

2. George Clooney finally asked me to marry him and I’m packing to move to Italy.

3. I am working for the CIA (Chicks in Action) and haven’t made it back to MO yet.

4. I have writers block and blogger’s block and cannot write anything of interest no matter what I try: prompts, unfinished stories, my dad’s birthday card, and self-threats. Nothing works. It took me two weeks to complete this post.

If you guessed number 4 then you are correct. If you guessed any of the others, then I’m worried about you.

I'm blocked—my brain that is. No matter what I try to do, writing is not coming easy…me who writes on napkins and the back of anything wherever I am. I thought I would let you in on this because I’ve kind of been missing. And even though you have plenty other blogs to read and won’t miss one absentee blogger you might be wondering. It’s unusual for me not—to have words in me trying to escape through my fingers. .

Why is this happening, you might or might not be asking? My friends and family have mentioned it could be anxiety over the pending new job.  Normally, writing is my way to calm down, to uplift me, and to entertain me. Writing is an old friend that never abandons me.

I’m a little better and have worked on some writing this past week. But the real danger in not writing (because it’s not my source of income) is the free time not being used for writing. If I can’t be creative (i.e., write, draw, sew, photograph) then I have to do something else and that’s when I turn to my house. Do I clean? Do I purge? Do I redecorate?

Two weeks ago, I turned to what I know—not drinking, fishing, or bungee jumping—no not those.  I looked for something I could pick on. I marched to my kitchen and looked at the wallpaper that has been there for at least ten years (and have it wanted down for a few), found a small unattached corner and started pulling it down. That sounds simple enough except it’s not. I had to take things off the walls, off the fireplace, off the pie safe (don’t worry no pies were harmed) and moved furniture here and there. The whole house became a mess.

Oh, oh and there are so many problems with taking down wallpaper. If you could just pull it down and then paint…then great. No, it never works out like that. You might be left with the backing on the wall and or glue and gouges from the wallpaper getting too happy coming off the wallboard. Then you have the choice of steamers or strippers. Mine peeled…in places. I didn’t want to use a stripper (no remarks please). After standing back in all the mess, I decided to prime it and texturize the walls where my sins would be hidden.

Woot. All I need to do now is slap on the paint.

I need to get back to writing. It’s safer for my house that way.