By Dame Jackie
I am having a bad day.
No, nothing’s wrong. The family is terrific. I still have my full-time day job. My crit partner will get me her thoughts on RAGE later this week. Life is good. But I’m still having a bad day.
Why?
I’m stuck in Limbo. You know the place: where you’re waiting, and waiting, and waiting to hear something, anything, about something, anything. And you just…don’t…hear…anything. That doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It means…nothing.
Nothing can nibble at your heart.
Nothing can sap your energy.
Nothing can drain you of your will to write.
That’s a lot of nothing. And no, I don’t want to write today. It doesn’t matter that I have a deadline approaching. I. Just. Don’t. Wanna. Write. Not until I hear…something.
Yeah, I’m basically throwing a tantrum. My inner child has taken over, and she demands ice-cream.
So I’m writing nothing today. (Blog posts not included.) And instead of writing, I am going to…
…take a tae kwon do class during lunch. [Edited to add: Dude! I got FOUR STRIPES today!!! I'll be testing for yellow belt in three months. Whee!]
…take a scaldingly hot shower.
…think about what the heck to make for dinner tonight and maybe even go food shopping.
…spend time petting Officekitty.
…help my son study for his math test.
…spend two hours watching LOST.
And you know what? I have the sinking suspicion that somewhere in all that, the start of the short story (that’s due February 28) is going to come to me. Probably when I’m in the shower.
It’s okay to have a bad day. With luck, tomorrow will be a good day. And then, the nothings will be more like this:
Nothing can nibble at your heart!
Nothing can sap your energy!
Nothing can drain you of your will to write!
Tomorrow, nothing will hold me back. For today…where’s that ice cream?
What do you do when you’re having a bad day? How do you pull yourself out of it?
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Tags: Jackie Kessler
If it’s a bad writing day (and it sounds like it is, dear Dame Jackie) I do 10 minutes/200 words on Write or Die. It may be utter nonsense, but it is often a brilliant kick start.
http://writeordie.drwicked.com/
Two hours of LOST sounds good, too.
Jackie, we’re having the same day. Big hugs.
I totally relate to those days.
Sometimes I push through anyway.
Sometimes I walk away from the page and do something totally different.
I often have restless/nothing days with the feeling that something nameless is chewing on my insides when something’s getting ready to formulate.
And most of my best ideas come in the shower!
Thanks for describing such a day so articulately so the rest of us don’t feel so alone — and hope you know you’re not alone.
I’ve been in that holding pattern way too long. Thanks for this post.
Wow, I had one of those days yesterday. A headache all afternoon left me in a funk. I got nothing done. Didn’t even feel like reading or watching television. But today is a new day. And for every bad day out of 30, there are still 29 good days where I wrote and made progress.
Thanks so much for this post Jackie!
Ah, one of THOSE days. I hate those.
Good luck tomorrow!
I usually go on Write or Die, or do mindless tasks, so that I can’t help but daydream. Watching movies works too, ’cause they can be inspiring. Sometimes, if I’m in the mood, I go for a run. Or sometimes I just need a change of scenery/project. And then there are the times when you just need a break.
Oh, I’m having a lot of these days lately. Days I want to DO NOTHING. I think that’s because I haven’t had a day with NO OBLIGATIONS in a very, very long time. My mind is rebelling.
I’ve been having a lot of those days lately too. I use deadlines to keep doing what I need to do – and the knowledge that I need to pay the mortgage and feed the cat.
Sometimes you just have to keep on keeping on… and remember that this too shall pass.
Having one of those days, too, Jackie. Gah. Waiting and waiting… wondering… worrying… I just surf the net and stare at the screen in a daze. Oy.
If I’m having a bad day I may want to talk to my best friend, go shopping, go out ot eat, to a movie, etc. Or even bake something. It depends.
Oh, those days… How I hate them =P I’ve been having them lately… I read. If I cannot focus, I walk, especially when it is cold. Also I start drawing or talk to my mentors or besties =) Hope you have a great day tomorrow ^-^
I normally mope. *ggg* Watch TV. And sometimes exercise. Mainly though, I just mope.
Sorry to hear you are having one of THOSE days. Here, have some chocolate *gives chocolate*.
When I’m having one of THOSE days, I prefer to be by myself. Why? Because I don’t want to infect anyone else with my mood. And hopefully, when I’m ready to stick my nose out of my cave and sniff the air, one of the people I didn’t infect with my mood will say the right thing and pull me out of my funk.
Hope tomorrow is better for you!
wow today must be my day I knew from the time I woke up, I’d get nothing important done. Oh well at least i didn’t spend the day trying anyways lol
I dislike those phases. Usually I try reading, or like you said, watch movies. And, yeah, generally wander aimlessly about, going out helps.
Good Luck and I hope you get something done.
Last week I was like that ALL week. I was tired, cranky, bored and unmotivated. Oh, and bloated. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA This week I feel much better. I think sometimes we just need to detox our brains, and have a period of nothingness before we can start filling the pages again.
For years, I would just eat and stay in bed…and then I discovered yoga and meditation. Now, whenever I’m having a bad day, I’ll do some yoga stretches and meditate. Or I go for a brisk walk.