Yesterday I delivered a big, honking goose egg. Yep, that’s right. I didn’t write a single word. Beyond that, I didn’t DO anything. To say I had an off day is an understatement. My body forgot how to function, and my brain refused to process information. Access to your Will Power — Denied. All Motivational Systems — Currently Off-Line. The Well of Inspiration — Temporarily Closed for Renovations. Sorry, we are experiencing difficulties with the Sustained Concentration App. Please try again later.

I did what any self-respecting couch potato would do-I turned on Netflix. I lounged. I turned off my phone and tuned out the world. I didn’t even bother to eat since it would require me to leave my comfortable cocoon, open the fridge, and throw something into the microwave. It was entirely too much effort.

Today, I suppose I could have gotten mad, beat myself up, and doubled down on my list. Instead, I wrote it off as one of those things that happen for an inexplicable and fortuitous reason only the universe understands. I accepted the gift with grace. Everything will happen, but it just didn’t happen yesterday.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Even if yesterday, I wrote 0 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

There is nothing like a lazy Sunday when your most pressing decision is whether one nap is enough. Yeah, yesterday was nothing like that. The laundry monster raged and threatened to devour the washing machine. I beat the writhing beast over the head with a broom until it whimpered and agreed to a spin inside the machine. My hands were already clutching the broom handle in a death grip, so it seemed like a good time to dispose of errant piles of dust and yard debris tracked in from the great outdoors. Outside my tomatoes begged for a drink of water, and I discovered the local birds were organizing a protest over the unsanitary conditions in the birdbath.

When I made my way to my desk, my calendar tsk-tsked me and informed me my month-end review and re-forecast should have been completed on the first, and I was now officially late. My To-do list was not kind either. It pointed out several tasks which were languishing. Suitably chastised, I hung my head and set about correcting the worst of my transgressions. With the year already half over, I have no time to lose.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 347 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

One of my weekly quests is creating enough meals in advance to sustain me for three or four days. When I opened the fridge yesterday, an echo chamber greeted me. “There’s nothing here to eat,” reverberated through the kitchen. The empty expanse convinced me I could no longer delay a trip to the grocery store. So, I created a list, gritted my teeth, and drove to the store. The funny thing is, my list sometimes gets thrown out as I hit the produce section and find myself sidetracked by gorgeous, in-season temptations.

Yesterday, plump, beautiful zucchini captured my attention, and suddenly I discovered my menu revolved around grilled veggies. Along with zucchini, bright yellow squash, red onions, plate-sized Portobello mushrooms, fresh fragrant herbs, and a mouth-watering salmon filet jumped into my cart. I spent the afternoon slicing, seasoning, and marinating my haul. It led to the main event—playing with fire. It’s too bad it is a safely controlled propane grill. Hmmm. Note to self—purchase a fire pit and another cord of wood.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 348 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I ran a marathon in the mud. Or at least, how I felt is how I imagine marathon running might be. Oh, and the mud part? Well, I can tell you nothing was clean, or neat, or systematic about yesterday. I’m not one to stop or give in, so I didn’t. I made my class meeting with seconds to spare and was rewarded with a private session with the instructor. Priceless.

Then it was another mad dash to create a crudité platter for a friend’s surprise birthday party. Have I mentioned my death-defying knife skills and my finely honed presentation aesthetics? The platter received accolades beyond my expectations, and the star of the arrangement was the blanched wax beans. Who would have thought, and why, oh why, do I always forget to create photographic evidence of my creations? I blame it on the fact that I needed to focus on slowing my pace, relaxing, enjoying a glass of wine, and the company of good friends. Mission accomplished.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 384 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Mind-melting heat, followed by earthshaking thunderstorms overnight, left me on a perpetual caffeine drip as I attempted to get through yesterday. It is not uncommon for me to work fueled by only a few hours of decent sleep, but several of those nights, chained together, begin to take a toll. I am grateful the weekend arrives in a few short hours.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 405 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday we returned to our regularly scheduled insanity. After the online summit ended, I discovered copious notes on things I need and want to do, but I had no idea how to proceed. So, I did what any self-respecting procrastinator would do, and I tabled my notes. I have not forgotten about them. I firmly assigned the thought process, idea generation, and the brilliant plan conception phase to my subconscious. We have a mandatory meeting scheduled for Saturday.

Then I directed my full attention to getting caught up on my writing course. I made good progress, finishing two modules, including the required exercises. I started work on a third module. But my brain turned into mush before I finished all the work. Completing the assignment will be a breeze when I am fresh.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 575 countable words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Finally, my online writing summit finished yesterday with the last five hours of lectures. The recordings allowed me to view all the material, take notes, and play back the parts I missed in about two hours. I finished as a good friend arrived for a long-overdue visit.

We had not visited in person since before the worldwide lockdowns. When the virus broke, she was in Italy on an extended visit. She returned to Chicago on one of the last planes from Rome. Seeing her, an overwhelming sense of gratitude hit me, and I realized how lucky we are and how precious life is. There is nothing as rare or more dear than connecting with friends. No matter how crazy or overbooked my day might be, I would drop everything to offer comfort, a smile, or the simple act of shared silence to my friends. They would do nothing less for me. It is the unspoken promise of a genuine friendship.

I always remember my number one writing priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 386 countable words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

My online writing summit continued yesterday with another six hours of lectures. Lucky for me, they provided recordings of each session, and after my usual grueling workday, I cued up the videos. The advantage of recordings is the ability to play them faster, pause, and replay. The replays meant I could view all the material, take notes, and playback the parts I missed in a little over three hours total. It still made for a seemingly endless day, and consuming that much content is exhausting. When I finished, I was ready for bed.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 447 countable words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday, my online writing summit delivered six hours of lectures. One presenter blew my mind, opened my eyes, and got me thinking in a new way. I’m not sure what exactly this means for my future, but I now have more options to consider. In between sessions, I started reading another book. I’ve been learning a ton of information this weekend.

With my mind running in overdrive, I needed action and food. The evening presented the perfect opportunity for grilling a beautiful piece of salmon. My tomatoes begged for a good long drink of water after another warm day. I scrubbed the birdbath and refilled it with fresh water for my feathered friends. I also arranged transportation services for the eight boxes of items I earmarked for adoption. Yesterday, they arrived at their new home, where I am sure everything will be loved. The best part is, their removal frees up space for me to sort, categorize, and stage the contents of the other storage boxes in the basement.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 452 countable words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday, I attended an online writing summit. The summit delivered seven hours of valuable information while I sat in my comfy chair, sipping coffee and taking copious notes. As a result, I added some novel exercises designed to improve my current writing process to my To-Do list, and I am excited to get to work. In between sessions, I finished reading “5,000 Words Per Hour” by Chris Fox, took more notes, and added a few “ah-ha” items to my ever-expanding list. I also read James Joyce’s short story, “The Dead.” Because I was on a roll, I completed another module for my online class, then I printed the worksheets and reviewed the directions for completing the next big assignment.

I felt stiff after all that sitting, so I got moving and watered and fertilized my tomatoes. They are thriving in this hot, humid weather which leaves me sweaty, exhausted, and irritated. But I am always amazed when my carefully cultivated seedling being to bloom and set fruit. Next, I moved into the basement, where I identified, sorted, and earmarked eight boxes as candidates for relocation. I have the perfect house in mind for them, and it is not mine.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 392 countable words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer