Stop and Smell the Hibiscus
I love hibiscus. They are bright and they do well in the South Texas heat. I love seeing the buds, knowing that today I may not have a flower, but tomorrow or the next day I will. I have 13 of these plants, orange, pink, red, yellow, peach. Some are huge, some are little. Some haven’t bloomed in awhile, others bloom every day. 
The one thing I don’t love about hibiscus is that their flowers last only one day. I feel inexplicably sad when I go outside and see one closing, that I’d missed seeing it that day, because I was too busy for whatever reason. It’s like a wasted day.
I just finished my third week of summer vacation and I still feel at loose ends. I have goals for the summer, and I’m doing all right with most of them (except walking – it is HOT! And I never seem to be home in the morning.) I would like to be further along in my WIP, but mostly just to see if I can do it. I haven’t read all the research books I checked out of the library, which I know will help me with my plotting. I have only sat outside in the mornings twice (and become a mosquito feast for my trouble.) I feel like I’m wasting my summer, blowing off all the things I was so looking forward to doing.
The other night my son said I was obsessed with the computer. I know I waste way too much time with blogs, checking my email and eHarlequin. I honestly have no discipline when it comes to this. The timer thing helps for awhile, but I get antsy. Plus, I have 3 emails out, one to an editor and 2 to agents. I have to check to see if they answer me, don’t I? But I really, really need to cut back. I need to take each day like a new hibiscus bloom and make the most of its beauty.
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About Me
- MJFredrick
- I'm a mom, a wife, a teacher and a writer. I have five cats and a dog to keep me company. I love bookstores and libraries and Netflix - movies are my greatest weakness.
Beneath the Surface
Breaking Daylight
Breaking Daylight Review
Where There's Smoke
Where There's Smoke Review
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4 comments:
It is a beautiful flower :) The computer can be addictive but you're right, it's good to leave room to enjoy other things as well.
I know when Scott starts making little comments about my computer time, I've hit the max. It IS addicting. This is why I took down my beloved blog (which started out yesterday with a computer glitch that made it go wonky...but maybe that was a sign!), cut back on some of my email lists, and am trying to work on the email list that I own (and the one that I moderate) only once a day. This is not easy. But this morning, I was able to get up and NOT go to the computer first thing. I made my breakfast, had my coffee, read the paper. Total silence. Only the birds for sound. It was great. We NEED the computer for our work, for research, and for keeping in touch with one another. But you know what else we need, Mar? We need to have lunch soon, face to face! There's nothing like the real thing! :)
I've made room in my schedule for a weekly workshop I'm attending, and I'm focusing on the new book with renewed vigor. YES, I want to hear from Harl. Intrigue soon, either yes or no! But I'm trying to not be tied to that outcome for now. What will be will be. The only thing I can affect now is the new book. I got an unsolicited crit from a friend the other day...at first I was a bit put off by that, but ya know...she was right on! Reminded me to go back to crit group as soon as I have the pages ready. Whatta ride this life is.
Love you, Mar.
JoAnn
I love hibiscus, too. Gardenias are some of my favorites, also. :)
I know what you mean about spending time online. It adds up quickly, doesn't it?
You might think since I wasn't around much today that i wasn't on the computer. Ha. First, I was messing with the hibiscus pictures on the blog. No matter how many times I'd resize them, they were still huge. So I took them off and put them back and now they're tiny. And while I didn't go to the blogs I usually do, I've been online, doing research before I can move on with my story. And I watched HITCH, which was really really good.
I am absolutely, positively doing the timer thing next week.
JoAnn, you're right, we definitely need to do lunch!
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