I laughed when I read Kara's last line in her blog below. She wrote, "Really, though, I shouldn't complain. My life is a cakewalk compared to that of an author with a 9-5 job and kids who still manages to write three or more books a year. Now, if you really want something done, ask one of them, not me!"
My answer--Don't ask me. I can't handle anymore. I'm insane enough as it is. I'm a woman who does too much but doesn't know how to stop. There probably has to be a course out there I can take which will help me learn the word no. Of course, I have no time to take it.
Seriously. To deal with the stress that has been constant to my Type A personality, I 've started working out, thus reducing the amount of writing time I have. Not sure how sane that is but writing is giving me desk butt. I'm crazy enough to still believe the fantasy that I can still be as slim as I was in college.
There's that Gnarls Barkley song "Crazy" that goes "I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind..."
There's something pleasant about the fact that I've learned to admit that, somewhere along the line, my life became a coke and a sandwich short of a picnic. People seem to accept my honesty. I emailed my editor these exact words: "Since I'm officially insane, change the last line of my bio to read: five extremely lazy house cats and one rambunctious kitten that rule the roost."
Her reply, "Sure." She knows me. She didn't blink an eye that I have six cats. Thankfully when you count the basement we have over 4,600 sqare feet in our house. That helps a little, but it's still eight cat boxes. Admittedly insane. However, the fact that the kids now have to clean four cat boxes each to get their weekly allowance (while I do nothing) makes me brilliant and smart. Important little known fact: losing your mind doesn't mean you get stupid.
Parties can be fun. Typical conversation starter: So what do you do? Being a writer is like being a doctor or a lawyer--people go "Wow." No one wants to be a teacher. In fact, people hear that I'm a teacher and say, "Wow, you must be crazy to teach high school." If they are a teacher themselves, they shake their head and tell me they couldn't work with anything but elementary kids. And when you find another high school teacher, then the fun really starts. Trust me.
So back to doing too much--somewhere out there someone has my nice, quiet, calm, sane life. The day I gave up trying to find that person and take it back was a pretty freeing moment. As much as I meet myself coming and going, I'm enjoying every minute. I'll see my 15th and 16th book published in December and that's worth all the mayhem that it takes.
So, I'll leave you with the chorus to the Warren Brothers' song "Change" from their album Well Deserved Obsurity. The Warren Brothers are Barely Famous and their show on CMT by that name was positively a riot.
"One of these days
my luck is gonna change
they'll think I'm brillant instead of insane
eveything will be different
but I'll be the same
one of these days my luck is gonna change..."
So if you really want something done, go find that person who's bored out of their mind living my sane life. They could probably use a shake up. As for me, the roller coaster goes on and I'm ready for the ride to continue.
Michele
Ps--on the very serious note--hopefully I haven't insulted anyone with my post. My adoptive mother has a history of mental illness, so I know exactly how hard dealing with it can be. Let me reassure you, it's something I take very seriously.
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6 comments:
From a retired High School teacher to one who still teaches: Enjoy it as much as possible the kids do grow up and when you meet them later in life many will say Thank You (even the worst of them).
I love that song Crazy and I'm going to one up you on the cats - I have 7 with the oldest 16 and the youngest 5 months lol. And my newest addition unbeknownst to me came with fleas so I do feel crazy at the moment!
I have six cats----the oldest is 18 and the two youngerst are 10. Also have a 15 year old Yorkshire Terrier who is blind.
I have read several of your books and am looking forward to the next one.
6 cats!!!!!!
That must be a lot of work ;) I am saying that beacuse I am not a pet person.
If they all get along then it works out pretty well. For the most part mine do. Crystal & Jesse came in 2001 as kittens. Then we got Amber as a 6 week old in 2002. Wiggy & Wu followed in 2004. We had Amber, but she hated Mimi, who arrived in 2005, so after about 6 months of Amber living in one bedroom with the door closed, Amber went to my mother's (my old house) and took over the basement. She's much happier. Then this last May we got Winnie as a 6 week old and she's friends with everyone.
I'm a cat person. My mom has two dogs--one of which is my daughter's. There's no way we could keep it here. My mom & I live 1000 feet apart--she's on 5 acres and so am I. However, she has a horse, a sheep, chickens, 2 cats, and the two dogs.
As for those high school kids--I love them. I keep in touch with a lot of my former students, who send me baby pics, etc. One of my former students is a pilot--he's flying us to my cousin's wedding tomorrow. More on that in the next blog post.
When I was single, my roommate and I had six cats between us. I'm now married and down to one cat, and a dog. If it were up to me, though, I'd live in a zoo!
And, boy-oh-boy, do I understand busy!
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