I’ve gotten a few emails lately – most from friends but one from a writer-mom I don’t know who read my blog – asking how I manage to balance family, teaching, and writing. The answer: like one of those circus jugglers who have to toss up and catch six flaming tiki torches at once, riding a unicycle on a tightrope and eating cotton candy the whole time.
Sometimes it works. And sometimes I fall off, and the torches fall and catch my unicycle on fire and turn my cotton candy into a gooey, burned mess. Today’s Friday Five and a half (because there’s always more than you can fit in a day, really) is about the balance…or not.
1. My middle-grade-novel-that-used-to-be-called-MAPLE-GIRL (Walker Books, 2009) is going to copy edits and might even have a real title soon.
2. I have lost my cell phone. Have you seen it? I’d call it, but the battery is dead because I also lost the charger.
3. I managed 2000 words on my new project last night – a novel that was brewing while I worked on revisions for middle-grade-novel-that-used-to-be-called-MAPLE-GIRL. This new book has a title right now. I’m enjoying that while it lasts.
4. I have lost my marbles. Seriously. I have a jar of marbles in my classroom that I use for a voting activity in election years. I cannot find them (they are clear marbles that are hard to see – I should have gotten bright red ones). We are voting with paper clips instead right now. Juggling flaming tiki torches is all about flexibility.
5. I’m heading to the Finger Lakes this weekend to visit family and sign books at the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery (71 South Main St.) in Canandaigua from 2-4 on Saturday. You’re invited, too!
5 1/2. If you see my marbles or my cell phone, would you please drop me a note? You can’t call because…well…you know…
One more thing…
CONTEST DEADLINE:
If you’d like to enter the drawing to win a signed copy of Champlain and the Silent One, click here to see the contest entry and leave a comment. The deadline is midnight, EST tonight, and winners will be announced on my blog on Monday!
Whew! I though I was the only one who burned my unicycle from time to time. Last night was open house at my daughter’s school. I wanted to look nice because usually the other moms just see me in Wranglers and a ponytail. So, I dressed up a bit and put on some of those fancy high heels I never get to wear. Just before I pulled out of the driveway, I realized I had not yet fed the chickens. I am sure I was quite the sight out there in my heels, tip toeing around, with a big bag of cracked wheat. I write/perform cowboy(cowgirl) poetry, and last night I was of course, inspired. These things snowball. I ended up with about five hourse sleep (that’s my secret- no sleep) and now I have two bums to change, three kids to dress and feed, a preschool drop off, a birthday present buying trip, grocery shopping, a stop at the bank, and one at the butcher shop- all before noon. And, the chickens need to be fed, again. I guess I better get at it. Good luck balancing today. I lost my marbles a very long time ago. Oh, one more of my secrets- when all else fails, compromise the housework.
Christy
Good luck with all those torches!
yikes! Lost your marbles and your cell phone… 2 VERY important things… And yet you go on… Still, I am very impressed. If I accomplish 1/4 of the things on my list, I call it a day well done. Today, top on my list is to get the crew to Canandaigua to see you and celebrate your book! It will be a day well done! 🙂