Writing, Shopping, & Dog Walking

A day off from my day job was just was the doctor ordered. Well...not from my doctor. In fact there wasn't really an order. But I did have to take a day off work to attend a doctor's appointment with my husband. The appointment was in the morning and was over in time for me to actually go to work but I wasn't feeling it. The truth...I've taken on many extra tasks at work and the boatload of meetings over the past couple of weeks have been draining me. So much so that I haven't been able to concentrate on my current writing project for the month and it's almost over! This year is about productivity. If I keep adding distractions to my plate it's going to be the end of the year and the only thing I'll be able to say is that I published my second book. Hmm, that's not such a terrible thing, but it's not my only goal.


And boy was God on my side. After the appointment, my husband and I stopped at a Coney Island near home for a brief breakfast date. He was avoiding carbs, I wasn't. My pancakes were scrumptious! The goodness of God, however, wasn't the pancakes but when my husband dropped me off at the door of our home and drove away! Yeah  baby...that's meant ME time.

Before I could get started writing, though, I had to wash the stack of dishes that had been patiently awaiting for the last couple of days. Then I had to take Pepper, my little black Terrier outside for a walk. She's my son's responsibility during the week so she doesn't get lengthy walks until the weekend. She appreciated the surprise treat. Lastly, I cleared the computer desk off all clutter (a receipt, a broken lead pencil, a medical pamphlet) so I wouldn't have anything to distract me from writing. It doesn't take much.


Once all distractions were cleared, I searched for the latest version of the story I'd been writing. Since I can no longer use my USB drive at work, I have to go through the tedious process of  emailing Word documents back and forth between my work email and personal email. And, no, before you suggest them--I can't access Google docs, OneDrive, or any of the other online document creators at work either! Until another method presents itself, this is it....


In the end, I got a good draft of my story nearly complete. I'm writing a story about a challenging time in my marriage--is that ever not the case??? Seriously, though, there's an insurmountable amount of material when you're writing your life and 100 times more writing about your marriage! I've easily noticed how, even in nonfiction writing, the story you start with isn't always the story you end with. Not only that, while writing one story, material for future stories are unleashed. I'm excited for those and for the shoes I ordered online while writing...distractions are never too far away :)

The day off was well spent so instead of going to a rigorous Zumba class, I treated myself to the movies--the real treat was the popcorn!

Distractions of Writer's Life

Whose days always go according to plan? Nope, not mine either. Once upon a time ago, though, I used to be able to from time to time. But that was before I fell into the role of a caregiver for my husband. Each day carries its own little adventure like a walk through the woods.  Even more so the case since my husband has become ill and needs more of my attention when I get home from work.

I'm blessed that a great part of what I have to do, as far as my writing is concerned, is on the computer and I sit in front of one of those eight hours a day. Only problem is that I'm ethically bound by my conscience and a document only an inch thick but as heavy as box of bricks--business code of conduct--to use that computer for the purposes for which I'm paid.

Luckily that same document does allow some wiggle room for personal use of the computer so I do what I can. On those days when I'm motivated to do more--post a blog, improve the design of my blog, schedule some publicity via Hootsuite, or visit some of the blogs I follow--you know, some of the more consuming activities of this writer's life, I create a mental list of a few things I want to do when I get home.

While I'm making my plans, though, approximately ten  miles away  somebody else is making plans for me too. My husband, bless his heart. Whether it's cooking something in particular for dinner (one day it was fried chicken in addition to the spaghetti that I was in the process of making), picking up something in particular that he may have a taste for (another day it was fixings for a hot fudge sundae), or any given day it could be as simple as watching a few episodes of television shows that he's recorded for my (mainly his) viewing pleasures. The Maury Show is at the top of that list. "You are NOT the father!" LOL! It's not preferred television entertainment but I enjoy watching my husband laugh. Dealing with a chronic illness as he is, moments of sincere laughter are few and far in between.

These detours to what I may have planned for my evening are nothing to get my undies in a bunch about. It happens to the best of us. That's what moments like these--waking up at 5 am on a Saturday morning and catching up on some things all the more appreciated..

Til next time y'all,

Author L.A.

Our Family Wedding

Loved it, loved it, loved it! Sure it was another remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, this time, featuring an African American man and a Mexican American woman. But it was still great. A wonderful celebration of brown skinned love! I loved Forest Whittaker's as the sexy, womanizing, single-father. I know I was byfar not the only person leaving the theater with love and marriage on my mind! Although I married the same man twice (more to come of that story in my 2nd novel Reconciliation to Hell), I never had the experience of the excitement of planning a wedding. Thank God I don't have a drama-hungry family so when I do plan my wedding, it will really be a joyful time. My previous marriage made me realize how important it is to REALLY celebrate the beginning of the marriage with a beautiful wedding, reception, and honeymoon because once that part is over, the REAL work begins.

Til next time,

L.A. Jefferson

Do You Watch Mad Men

Two wrongs don't make a right, right? Can it depend on the circumstances??? Okay, I know that doesn't matter. But, as I sat watching one of my favorite Sunday night dramas, Mad Men, I found myself rooting for the wife of one of the main characters to cheat on her husband. Sounds terrible, right? Let me explain. This show takes place in the 1960's and is all about the lives of these ad executives. One of the main characters, Don Draper, is a habitual cheater. It doesn't matter that his wife is a former model, great mom, attentive wife, etc. He just can't seem to keep IT in his pants! Matter of fact his last affair occurred shortly AFTER his wife found out about the one before that.

Since last season, the writers have had this wife having attractions towards other guys. Last night, she even kissed someone! I was like, "Yes!" Maybe after she gets a little something on the side she'll regain the confidence often lost when your spouse cheats. She just can't let her husband find out or else she may cease to exist--you know men can't take what they dish out.

I can't wait to see what's going to happen.