My sweet, sweet Muse

It's amazing when my muse comes to visit.  Most of you know I love to write.  I'm a romance writer and have been since somewhere in the vicinity of the 7th grade.  It's my passion (excuse the pun), it's my hobby and it's my release.  Now whether I'm actually good at it or not...well, I can't rightly say.  I'm not BAD at it...but I wouldn't say good either.

My muse is a force to be reckoned with.  She likes to travel frequently.  Apparently small children ain't her thing.  It cramps her style.  But lately, she's been bored of travel and has come home for a visit and has left me with far too few hours in the day to get out all that she's wanting to say.  In the last three days I've written 22 pages of pure gold.  When she's home, I'm unstoppable and it's these little sessions with her that leaves me with my best writing.  As I mentioned last week, if I walk away from something after she heads out for some travel because it's not "flowing" I come back and reread it later and can't believe I actually wrote it.  Sometimes there are words in there I forgot I knew or phrases that sounds so eloquent I've actually accused Hubby of editing my work.  I began writing thinking all this business about muses' was hype, but I'm a believer now and she earns a spot in my household, flighty and unreliable as she may be.  So let's pray she sticks around for awhile.  I need to finish this book I'm working on.  I'd love to actually finish one!

Let's also pray for those in the hurricane's path.  I'm sure it's pandemonium around New Orleans right now and hopefully all the evacuations have been successful.  And I also hope all of you have a great Labor Day.  

It's time...

Alright...so May is here.  I've got 10 weeks to go before this pregnancy ends (give or take depending on my doc) and my life turns chaotic for 6 months.  I have about 8 unfinished novels that need finishing and polishing.  I have the desire to write but no time and no energy.

My solution?  I'm going to write, regardless.  I'm going to devote two hours each evening after the kids go to bed to finishing at least one of these novels by the beginning of June.  I might even pay someone (referrals please!) to professionally edit and critique it.  It's time I do this for me.  I've beat around the bush for so long I'm losing any semblance of creativity that I thought I once had.  I'm not using it, so I'm losing it.

Soooo...this week is get it together week...starting next week it's down and dirty time.  Starting Monday.  So Hubby dearest, if you're reading this...don't expect to see me for a couple of hours every night.  8-10 pm.  That's my goal, help me stick to it.

Will I ever relax again?

Springtime is here and I'm loving it.  With it bring the incurable urge to write.  Every spring and fall I can't help myself, I just want to sit down with the laptop and write all day.  I've done that since I was a teenager.  My best work usually comes out of these little visits from my muse.  

The urge and actually finding time to write are two different things entirely, however.  With our recent move, potty training, teething, taking the kids outside to play, keeping them occupied, there has been little time...ok, none at all for me to satisfy my itch.  Writing has always been therapeutic for me and when I looked down to see my fingers torn to shreds (compliments of my teeth), I realized I need some writing therapy.  Bad.  I'm apparently stressed about something and I wish I knew what it was.  Wait, I probably do.

I can only guess it's because I'm having pretty frequent contractions and I'm not even in my third trimester yet.

Maybe it's guilt over having to discipline Punky for pooping in her pants (hey, I gave her two weeks and it's time to get tough).

Maybe it's the mounting stress of a bigger house to clean.  I cleaned all day friday, looked around that evening and it looked like I had been sitting on my butt all day.  I sort of feel like I'm drowning.  I haven't mopped my wooden floors yet and today marks 5 weeks in our new house.  I HAVE mopped the kitchen floors but it already needs it again.  And don't get me started on vacuuming with the little dirt devil of an upright we have on the shag carpet.  Ugh.  I could go on and on.  I'm nesting something serious right now and I wish I could take a vacation and come back to a spotless house that cleans itself.  I guess everyone does, though, right?

Maybe it's the fact that Hubby and I CANNOT agree on any names for this new kid of ours.

Or hey, maybe it's all of the above.  My energy levels are zapped.  I feel like a heifer.  I'm the size I was when I delivered Punky and Chicken and I still have over 12 weeks to go.  I seriously canNOT imagine what the rest of this pregnancy is going to be like.  I don't even want to think about the stretch marks, either.  Double UGH.

Well, for now, I'll enjoy the spring weather.  I'll enjoy watching the kiddos play outside (and ignore all the scrapes they get every.single.time.we're.out.).  I'll forget all about the poopy pants and the accidents we're still having every day.  I'm going to clean as much as I can until my body tells me no more and forget the rest.  If it gets bad enough, well, I'll ignore that, too, or hire my friend who cleans houses to come do it.  And yeah, I won't stress that we're going to be calling the new baby "Number Three" or "New Baby" until it's fifteen.  I WILL NOT stress any more.  Hmm...that was easy to type, if only I could make my teeth believe it for my finger's sake!