Monday, March 26, 2012

The State of Susan

It's been a while, so thought I'd catch you up with a random, minor sampling of what's going on over here.

1) The weather was good enough yesterday to go fishing on the river! I didn't catch a (bleep) thing, but hubby did, and it was a gorgeous day. And we saw river otters! A family of three, making their way upstream. They move just like Loch Ness monsters, but when they stopped to stare at us they were adorable. Sorry I didn't have my camera!

2) Here in Montana we tend to forget over the winter months that the bright round thing in the sky has the power to make our skin red if we're out in it all day. But yesterday we actually had the "Did you put sunscreen on yet? Nope. Did you? Nope." conversation. And still did nothing. So we all three totally deserve the red raccoon look we're sporting today. *sigh*

3) Now that Downton Abbey is over for the time being and we're caught up on The Office, hubby and I decided to try this "Mad Men" thing everyone's been talking about FOR FOUR YEARS. (I love Netflix) Yep, we liked it. We've been watching 2 a night. Almost done with season 1.

4) I'm working on a new book! The working title is MAD. No relation to Mad Men at all, but take from it what you will...

5) Still waiting for various things. Good thing I invested in those Big Girl Patience Pants. Now I have to get the Big Girl Productivity Pants working.

6) We're going to Washington, D.C. soon for a mini-vacation. I am SO EXCITED. I've never been, and am giddily planning out trips to the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian and the Spy Museum. Eeee!

/random update

Hope all is well in your corners!

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

When you can't prepare

I always leave a little bit of water at the bottom of the glass.

It's not because I can't drink a whole glass of water, or because I need it as future ammo against aliens.* I've tried to figure it out, and I think it's my need to always consider and prepare for the future.

See, I might be thirsty in a while, and I'll NEED that leftover sip of water. It'll carry me through until I can get more. So I save it, just in case.

I also stuff chocolate in my desk. I very rarely finish a chocolate bar unless I have another one ready. Because I might NEED some. And what will happen if I'm totally out?

I am a terrible hoarder, in fact. My purse has Kleenex packs, mints (in case I feel sick), cough drops (in case I have a sudden cough), snack bags (duh), antacids, girl stuff, chapstick, a notebook and pen (what if I have an idea and there's nothing to write on?), etc. My office desk has repeats of all of the above, plus a toothbrush and toothpaste (I have never brushed my teeth at work), bandaids, and matches (?).

I like to lug all this stuff around with me. When I go to a fancy event with my husband where it's inappropriate to bring a huge purse, it makes me downright uncomfortable.

And most of the time I don't need any of it. But it's nice to have it there, ready. It's comforting, and it makes me feel on top of things.

So it kind of astonishes me sometimes that I've chosen a profession that has so very much uncertainty, and so much that is absolutely OUT of my control.

I can't carry mints to prepare against the crush of rejection.

I can't throw a magic clock in my bag that will wipe out the uncertainty of waiting.

I can't  have a pocket ready with the next plot twist I need, or the next book idea that will actually work.

I wish I could. Oh, how I wish I could. I'd save buckets of water if it would help--me or others--with being prepared for this industry.

Maybe I should just get over it and finish my glass.

*obscure reference to Signs, an odd Mel Gibson alien movie