Okay, you know what? I’ve got nothing today. No blog topic. No big idea. Nothing. I’m tired—exhausted, really.
• From finishing the draft of my sixth romcom and consequently wrestling the manuscript to get the word count down to a respectable number that won’t make potential publishers faint dead away.
• From the winter blahs as we drag ourselves out of February and into March, knowing full well March in the Northeast US is always made up of thirty-one days that look remarkably, depressingly like February.
• From dieting to get rid of my holiday poundage. (Why do I do that to myself every year?)
• From coaching my Odyssey of the Mind team—six seventh graders and one fifth grader, people!—who had ridiculously ambitious ideas this year. (We nearly killed ourselves making those ideas a reality, but we did it. The competition’s on Saturday—wish them luck!)
Now I’ve got nothing. I’m empty, hollow, tapped out. I’ve started six blog topics this morning, and they’ve all sucked.
So this is me officially giving up. Whee!
However, I wouldn’t dream of walking away without contributing to the blog hop, so in honor of Julie’s birthday (happy 29th, Julie!!), I’m sending you to my last blog post, from December, solely because it made Julie laugh. Yes, it’s about a Christmas tree, and therefore rather out of date (okay, a lot out of date), but I like it and Julie likes it and that’s good enough for me!
Here ’tis: When Your Christmas Tree Is a Rat Bastard
See you next month, when perhaps my brain will be working again!
Jayne Denker 
“You were a son of a bitch, Gordo, but you knew what you wanted.” Oh my gosh, I laughed so hard at your post! I think that story should be made into a campy horror flick. Thanks for the smiles, Jayne. 🙂
Most welcome! It could have been a horror flick! I swear that tree was possessed. And we did indeed send it through the woodchipper. Like a proper evil entity should be treated.
It’s not Giving Up, it’s called taking a strategic writerly pause to refresh yourself and your creativity.
But yes, those holiday pounds sure do know how to hang around. With you there!
I like that—”strategic writerly pause.” It’s like I planned it or something!
You crack me up. Hang in there 🙂
Thanks! You too!
I used an old blog as well – nothing wrong with that! And congrats on finishing up your 6th RomCom.
Thanks, Meredith!
I love (love!) the title of this post. In fact, it would make the great title of a novel, no? Love your humor. Good luck in paring down your novel. That is a tough job (because, you know, having to delete your own wonderful words and all). Cheers and good luck.
Thanks, Cinthia! I’ll take all the luck I can get. o.O
Out of date? My daughter’s school band are still playing “Jingle Bell Rock” in rehearsals! Really.
Strategic Writerly Pause. I think if we all start using it, it will catch on!
Congrats on book no.6
Oh wow! I know “Jingle Bell Rock” is easy to play, but—! 😀
I think we should all use Strategic Writerly Pause every chance we get. Even when we wander off just to find snacks. It applies.