Library's Closed Today -- Bonus day off

Our library is closed today.  This means I get a bonus "day off".  That's in quotes because I actually am going in for a few hours to empty the bookdrop, shelve, and catch up on things that need doing around my desk. Why are we closed?  Because there is a Dragon Boat Race and International Festival going on down at the lake near the library and this event will take over all of the parking that our patrons might otherwise use.  Plus, maybe it's another opportunity for budget savings? I don't know.  I'm just glad to have some time to get things done without the usual heavy library traffic of a Saturday.

One other great thing about our being closed today is that my husband is playing his first concert with the Atlanta Mandolin Orchestra this evening.  And the gig is so far away, up in Rome, that if I'd worked a regular schedule there was no way I'd be able to go.  So, thank you, again, Dragon Boat Races!

Recently, when I was conversing with a fellow writer and good friend, I was saying I was "hoping" to get some writing done. I quickly corrected myself and tried to rephrase that to "will".  Being the good friend that she is, she said I should go one better and reframe that to an "I do" statement.  That night, before I went to bed, I wrote on a Post-It note and attached to my bathroom mirror the following:  "I do my writing in the morning.  Every day."

That was a couple of weeks ago.  Has it been true?  Not yet.  However, I can feel that it's changing.  And the truth of it is that, in a perfect world, I WOULD do my writing in the morning every day.  That's when I'm freshest and, when I manage to make it happen, it boosts my morale for the day.  So, what this morning reminder is for me right now is a reminder to find a way to make the time.  I haven't been too hard on myself up to now because I've also been working on another good morning habit -- walking every day. 

Downloadable audiobooks have been the trick for me for the walking habit.  With a good audiobook to listen to, I've been eager to stay with my new regimen.  And most days I DO get out and walk in the morning at least a minimum of 30 minutes. 

Accomplishing the writing goal is not far behind.  It's just a matter of backing up my wake-up time to accommodate the "new" thing I wish to add to my mornings.  I know I have to be done with walking by 8:15.  Which means to get an hour in, I need to start my walk by 7:15. To get my hour of writing in, I just need to start by 6:15.  And of course, this all means I have to find a way to get to bed and to sleep earlier.  I think this means cutting out more television.  Because I can't/won't cut out my bedtime reading.

Having a partner who also has creative needs is also helpful. Tom is composing more and more music in his "new career" as full-time musician. This summer we finally dedicated a room in the house for his studio. By doing this, I think we have legitimized the time he spends on his music by giving it a place to happen. Not that this is the ONLY place music lives in our home.  Right now, for instance, we are listening to the CD of the music they'll be playing tonight. It's being channeled through the television in the living room via the Playstation 3 (what we use for watching DVDs and listening to CDs).

So, last night, when we ate our dinner in front of the television it was not on.  No commercial interruptions, no teases for the next new show, just happy silence interspersed with conversation.  And when dinner was done?  We each "retired" to our separate rooms to embrace our creative selves for a few hours.  Proof of concept:  it's still morning and I'm writing!