Midweek Check-In

I actually have a mini-streak going with consecutive writing days right now.  Not huge numbers, but that’s not really the point just now.  Sunday: 509, Monday: 551, Tuesday: 400 (which was a minor miracle given all the work disaster phone calls I had to deal with after 5).

This has been one of the biggest challenges this year, apart from the life stuff.  This nightmare project (which makes me totally want to crawl into a hole until December, when it’s finally over), involves field personnel being out doing their jobs after normal business hours.  As the project coordinator, I am permanently on call should anything arise.  And because this is the nightmare project, that means I’m getting calls after 5 on an almost daily basis interrupting my writing time with crap I have to try to deal with remotely, which is not only a pain in the butt and a distraction, it’s a massive stress because of just how BAD this project is going.  To the point that my measure of writing success this year is not number of releases, not number of manuscripts finished–it’s still showing up to do this, even though it would be easier to quit.  Because quitting would make me miserable.

The whole concept of showing up and still doing it, even though it kind of sucks, is a thing.  I was talking to Mhairi this morning about this in context of running.  Because right now it is freaking AUGUST in MISSISSIPPI.  I did Week 6, Day 2 of C25k this morning in 96% humidity.  And it effing SUCKED.  It was like breathing underwater.  (Aside: Surely you burn more calories when your lungs have to convert water to oxygen!)  And Mhairi, who lives in glorious England where it doesn’t GET that freaking hot in the summer, asked why I didn’t just wait until it was cooler and do intervals on my exercise bike in the meantime.

Because I’d have to start over.  I’m actually in really great cardio shape for biking (stationary anyway) and other stuff.  None of that makes a whit of difference to running.  Nothing makes you get better at running except more running.  And if I only ran when the weather was pleasant, that would put me running about 5 months out of the year.  Because, I repeat, this is MISSISSIPPI, where we have 6 months of summer and usually one or two more months masquerading as such.  Our eating habits are only part of why Mississippi is the fattest state in the union.  Nobody really WANTS to do anything outside when it’s hot and humid.

But right now I have something to prove.  To myself anyway.  I’ve got vague thoughts of crucibles and diamonds and crap spinning through my brain.

 

8 thoughts on “Midweek Check-In

  1. LOL, I love that picture sooooo much! I grew up in Florida (omg, the humidity!) and used to love to run in it (yes, I’m not sure what is wrong with me). Now that I’ve moved to drier climates, I loathe running. I can’t breathe without the humidity, making running really difficult. But I keep trying – sometimes you just want to prove everything, even biology/the environment/genetic makeup, wrong 😀

    Many YAYYYYs for your consecutive writing days. You’re so right about the showing up. If you can show up on the worst day when you want to strangle people or puke or cry from stress and everything else, it gives you a weird sense of accomplishment and makes the other days a piece of cake. Have a wonderful rest of the week!

  2. I need to take that attitude of SOMETHING every day. I’ve had crazy schedule here too, for different reasons. I’m getting much too frustrated that I haven’t checked off my whole list. I need to just find some time to write and be happy with it.

    Best wishes getting back into the exercise routine and getting the writing knocked out, Kait.

    1. You should read Zen to Done. It’s got some really nice ideas for how to manage lists and such so that you’re not overwhelmed and focused on the whole.

  3. I absolutely cannot run in this kind of weather. I can barely walk in it. But I can both run (when I build my stamina back up) and walk on my treadmill. I still sweat with the air conditioner on.

    Congrats on writing three days in a row, especially with the phone calls. Stupid phone.

  4. We don’t have the humidity as bad here in California, but it has been pretty hot lately. Currently it’s 8pm and it’s still about 80 degrees outside. I’m going to wait another hour before I even thing about my evening walk.

    Congrats on getting three days of writing done! I hope things calm down so you can keep your streak up 🙂

  5. Having lived in a high plains desert (over a mile high mostly) for most of my life and now in Florida, I will still take the humidity. Of course, I only ran when I lived at over a mile high; it was always a contest to see if there was really any oxygen at that altitude. I still don’t think there is. I used to walk between three and 5 miles every morning here in Florida for like you, I’ll take sweat over fat any day. However, I walk much less now and yeah, you guessed it…fat. Every time you run, I am cheering you on, Kait.

    As for those daily words, you know that writing daily just produces more words regardless of the total for the day so here’s to continuing your streak. I admire your wit and your grit, Kait.

    Karen

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