All I seem to be able to find are distractions. My productivity has plummeted in the 24+ hours I've been home. I guess I'm not surprised by that, but I was hoping for something better. At least I got in some writing last night. Other than this blog, I haven't done any today.
That's the benefit of being somewhere with no TV and no Internet: I'm actually able to work. I can't forget that I might never have gotten The Blue Alfa off the ground if I hadn't gone on my retreat. I have to keep that in mind. If I actually turn off the wireless function on my my laptop and bring it upstairs to the dining room table, I might be able to partially replicate my Salem, Wisconsin getaway. I'm on page 44 of The Blue Alfa right now and haven't hit the point where, as I mentioned in the last post, I might have to stop due to a lack of plot clarity. That means I should make the most of this last day before school restarts.
I'm setting a goal: get to page 60 before going to bed tonight. It's ambitious, but I'm going to see if I can force myself to do it. I can sneak peeks at the NCAA games on my breaks. (I can normally write for 30-45 minutes straight before needing to get up, stretch my legs, refill my glass of water and get back to work).
Before going, I have to mention (again) the great breakfast I had on Friday with Todd. We went to Frank's Diner in downtown Kenosha. It's housed in an old railroad car (it's been expanded) and it's a true, down-home cooking diner. I had the "garbage plate" - a half-portion - which consisted of 3 eggs, hash browns, bacon and mozzarella cheese, all mixed together. My gosh, it was fantastic. You can add all sorts of veggies to it (onions, peppers, etc.) but that's not my style. Note that that was a half portion. The full size garbage plate has 5 eggs. And more of the other stuff, I'm sure.
Here's their website: www.franksdinerkenosha.com
I encourage any Chicago-area people to head up there for breakfast or lunch some day. I will be back. That's for sure.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
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David,
ReplyDeleteThanks for meeting me for breakfast and giving me the skinny on The Blue Alpha! I'm working my way to bed; it will be hard to get up early tomorrow, but looking forward to two hard weeks before Camp Edwards!
TB
Hi David--
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying your blog--hope I can keep up both reading and doing my own blog and work. The internet is the ultimate distraction. On starting a new novel--it seems to me that every time I start something new--picture book, picture, any artistic endeavor--I feel as if I am totally back at the beginning and have learned almost nothing. At least, I know nothing about that particular project. What I am learning is to trust that I can keep going through the false starts and the doubt and somehow come out on the far side. I don't have to know how I'm going to do it, only be committed to doing.
Good luck with your writing, esp. now that you're back at school.
Sallie
Mr. W-
ReplyDeleteThat's how I feel about homework - with the distractions I mean. I miss having only 4th grade level homework... I used to think that was hard. But luckily, it is almost summer now! I will have more time to write myself, and you probably will too.
-Shea