Monday, October 08, 2007

Block, Baby & Banana

Still struggling with my reluctant shorty.

Womagwriter suggested a bit of alcoholic lubrication so, having finally run out of chocolate, I poured myself a beer late (very late) last night. I must admit that it had some effect - although whether good or bad I have yet to tell. In pursuit of consistent results, I thought it best to repeat the experiment this evening... and perhaps tomorrow.

Unfortunately, I am being distracted by ideas for the next story. I know I should dump the one I'm working on and get on with the one that shouts the loudest, but I'm trying to be disciplined about this, which is difficult; the alcochol is interfering somewhat.

I try to write whenever I can, but I have a policy of not working while the kids are around. This means that I really only get the evenings, or when the small boy is at school and the little people are napping.

Having taken advantage of one such opportunity this afternoon (resulting in 300 words), my laptop was sitting, screen still open, on the dining room table at tea time. I had just popped a spoonful into the baby's mouth when she sneezed, covering my keyboard with mashed banana and/or snot.

I subsequently made a bargain with the computer: I promised to keep it away from sticky fingers, banana, and the contents of the baby's nose, in exchange for it refusing to open emails or websites that have nothing to do with research.

This evening, I managed a grand total of 75 words before discovering that only one of us is keeping to this bargain.

I guess I'll have to stick to the beer.

5 comments:

Kath McGurl said...

Unplug your laptop's connection to the phone line - to help it keep it's side of the bargain.

If you've got wireless, you're stuffed, so beer it is!

Keep at it, Leigh.

Anonymous said...

Yep, got wireless...hic.

Quillers said...

It's hard though, isn't it? I make the mistake of logging on every morning to see what's happened overnight, and an hour later I'm still catching up on emails, forum messages, blog postings etc.

I know what you mean about other ideas screaming at you whilst you're working on one story. It is best, if you can, to finish the one you're writing, but sometimes it also helps to go away from it for a bit, then come back refreshed.

Rebecca said...

oh dear - the image of your baby sneezing all over your laptop is all too clear in my mind.....poor laptop.

Anonymous said...

Sally - It must be hard to be so popular!

Rebecca - poor laptop indeed! I'm still digging little bit of dried-up-whatever-it-was out from between the keys.