By the end of the day, I am exhausted, and often my fondest wish is to fall into bed and sleep. However, my scheduled writing sessions begin at 9 pm and end when I cannot string words together to form coherent sentences. It’s not ideal, but I try to make the best use of the time available to me. Friends think I am exaggerating when I say I have woken with the imprint of my keyboard on my face. I assure you the tales are true. It happened again last night, and it’s a royal pain to delete pages filled with repeated letters.

I’m not sure how the days have slid into Friday already. According to my workload, it should only be Tuesday. Slowly, surely, and with dogged determination, I will right the ship, adjust my sails, and carry on.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 454 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I’ve been waiting for months to be eligible for the Covid vaccine. I don’t remember the last time I was too young and too healthy for anything, but that was my situation. I watched older friends and relatives as they each got their shots, and I breathed a sigh of relief when they only experienced minor issues. Younger friends and family with conditions I was unaware of also received their doses and breezed through the process. I am thrilled the virus now poses less of a risk to them. And I waited.

Delaying my shot coincided with assuaging my anxiety. I have a long history of pronounced reactions to injections. My mother laughs when she tells the story of me fainting as a child with each required immunization. Those needle jabs always left bruises and welts at the injection site, and it was not uncommon for me to feel ill for a day or two afterward. The doctors all said I would outgrow it. Yeah, that didn’t happen. The reactions followed me into adulthood, and I feel like an idiot when I warn my nurses. I love the nurse who takes me seriously and takes necessary precautions. I have paid a hefty price in concussions, a gashed head, and in one case of carpet burns on my forehead when they scoff at my warnings.

Finally, my state said I could get my vaccine. With mixed emotions, I scheduled my appointment and arranged for my backup person to go with me. As the moment approached, I steeled myself for the encounter and began repeating my mantra. “I will remain conscious. I will remain conscious.”

The nurse was wonderful. She asked detailed questions about what to expect and assured me that we could stay as long as I needed. An hour after she administered the shot, I was still dizzy, but leaning on my friend, we made it to the car. I don’t remember the drive home. Then the fun began. My entire left arm, from my shoulder to my fingertips, went numb. The lightest touch of my shirt sleeve created unbearable agony, my head hurt, I felt nauseous, and all I wanted to do was sleep. I took a dose of a pain reliever, and I slept.

They warn you that you might experience side effects for several days. Four. Four days elapsed before I began to feel human again and just in time to return to my 9 to 5, where my desk disappeared under the backlog of work. Monday evening, I shut my computer and went to bed. On Tuesday, I stayed awake long enough to eat my dinner. And my writing? I haven’t written a word until now.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It is appropriate that on hump day, I felt as if I reached the summit of an insignificant incline in otherwise flat terrain. On a typical week, I’m sure I wouldn’t have noticed it. Like a runner approaching the end of a grueling marathon, even a minor grade change can threaten to stop you in your tracks. This moment is the ultimate test. Their training, or lack thereof, will make them or break them. Did they learn to dig deep, find the last remnants of energy, determination, and raw nerve to finish the task they started?

I am spent. Yet I feel a certain satisfaction, and I rejoice when I realize I am on the downhill side of coasting toward the weekend. Plenty lies ahead for me to accomplish.  I foresee more challenges to meet and no shortages of uphill struggles to overcome. To the victor of even tiny wins goes the reward of a peaceful and sound night’s sleep.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 424 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Monday took everything out of me. My concentration deserted me, and I bounced from project to project, accomplishing nothing significant. These days drive the annoying, disappointing, and frustrating feelings to the breaking point. Every bone in my body screams to move forward, but my brain won’t comply. The sensible thing to do is rest. Unfortunately, that protocol malfunctions, so I took a nice long walk instead. It was enough to sync mind and body, so they reached a consensus and let me sleep.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 139 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

On concussion protocol, the first thing they tell you is to limit your screen time. Last week, I thought it was a bunch of hooey, but I did as I was instructed and followed the doctor’s orders. Yesterday was my first day resuming my normal activities, including my work and time with my computer and phone. By the end of the day, my head was hurting, I felt nauseous, and concentrating was difficult. I shut everything off and went to bed.

But it makes me wonder. If screen time is this detrimental to a concussed brain, what effects is it having when we think we are fine?

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 404 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Sundays are family days, catch up on sleep days, and time to take it easy days. The crew from my new WIP decided it was also a good day to tell tales, and I was happy to listen and transcribe everything they had to say.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 527 (countable) words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I prepare plans, consider the contingencies, check and double-check my schedule for a specific reason. I hate when I am blindsided by the unexpected. Yesterday I had a solid plan which suffered from countless interruptions. Yes, there were the expected, pesky disturbances from family, friends, and contractors who ignore my “Do Not Disturb” sign, but the most annoying buttinskies were the crew from my current WIP.

Apparently, I have not been giving them the attention they need and deserve. This group is a demanding lot who don’t care about my well-being or my sanity. They have a tale to tell, and I am their conduit to the outside world. According to them, I need to start pulling my weight in this relationship. Ah, the drama. Great for the storyline, but not so wonderful when I am trying to make up for lost time and hit my deadlines.

As my appeasement to them, I handed over an hour of my tightly scheduled day and transcribed everything they had to say. I stopped them when they started censoring, editing, and embellishing the story in the middle of the re-telling. Geeze Louise, don’t they know that’s my job?

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 437 (countable) words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Every day is a battle. The 9 to 5 has specific, time-sensitive demands, and those demands are impossible to ignore, especially if you are looking for compensation. Add family schedules and my second job into the mix, and by Friday, you must dig deep to discover any inspiration in the creativity well. While the lingering side effects of a concussion are diminishing, everyone agrees you heal faster when you grant yourself the luxury of rest.

They did not include instructions for taking it easy in my playbook. So, when I realize I am staring at a blank screen, unable to make words appear, I start searching for another, less taxing task. Grocery shopping and household chores lead the list of mind-numbing, boring jobs with little reward. However, they serve a purpose. Rote physical movements don’t require thinking per se. If you’ve ever loaded a dishwasher, sorted laundry, or mopped a floor, even once, you possess all the skills necessary to repeat the motions. Mindless work lets your brain relax and recover while still allowing you to accomplished something productive.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 370 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I can’t believe it’s been almost a week since my head-banging, concussion-inducing mishap. While I’m not sleeping as much, I still have periods when resting in a cool dark silent room is preferable to any other activity. My nausea, dizziness, and the general “weird” feeling have diminished, but the headaches come and go with varying intensity.

I have noticed some ordinary activities, like listening to music with my earbuds or driving with my car window open, bother me. Washing and combing my hair is a challenge since my goose egg is still tender and extremely sensitive to touch. Those annoyances will fade with time. The good news is that I feel my writing mojo returning. My muse remains unconvinced, so I do my best to write without her encouragement and insight.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 350 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Another frantic day of 9 to 5 leaves me exhausted, drained, and bereft of even one ounce of creativity. Still, I sit at my desk, pound on the keys, and wait to see what appears. Drivel, incoherent sentences, and logic spinning in impossible circles until it devolves into hysterical nonsense is my reward. Regardless, I have honored my commitment, even if my muse has not.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 401 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer