It only took one minor slip-up. It was nothing extraordinary, hardly even trivial, but a single seemingly insignificant snafu was enough. My schedule is discombobulated, and I am struggling to get it recalibrated. Why is it that the tiniest issue can send us spiraling out of control, and fixing things so you can return to normal entails herculean efforts? It shouldn’t be this difficult. My mind tells me a misstep should mean a slight detour, a jig and a jog, and bam, your back where you are supposed to be. Instead, I’m slogging through a quagmire. I can see my path, but it is not quite within my reach.

Patience. My old nemesis of wanting everything done yesterday is lounging in a hammock with one of those frou-frou umbrella drinks and he is laughing at me. He is enjoying this. His mirth sparks my anger. I grit my teeth, harden my resolve and start planning one thousand ways I can wipe the smirk off his face.

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 365 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Rainy nights, Mondays, and migraines get me down. But not for long, because I won’t let anybody count me out yet. I’m not built to wallow or moan and complain about how bad I feel. I actually felt pretty awful and ended up going to bed early. As a result, I am officially three days behind on my A-to-Z Challenge. Yeah, well, I’ll work on finishing those stories and getting them posted, I promise. They didn’t build Rome in a single afternoon, and the word on the street says life is a marathon, and sprints are for the perpetually exhausted. I’m working on my best tortoise impression. How am I doing?

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 426 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

A minor incident over the weekend left me struggling to engage my superhuman powers of concentration. I’m still trying to determine who left the kryptonite sitting on the counter. I have my suspensions that it was the same pesky rabbit who left a trail of neon-colored eggs and delicious candies strewn across the yard.

My dear friends helped with the hazardous material containment, and the experts signed all pertinent paperwork and issued the “safe to return to work” placard. My schedule says I have fallen behind, but all is not lost. With focus and proper application of my bottom to my chair seat, catching up shouldn’t take too long.

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 295 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Saturday ended up being another unplanned busy day while coping with the dreaded allergies. The good news is that I believe I have turned the corner and am on the road to adapting to Spring. Wish me luck.

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 364 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I’m having a rough time shaking these silly spring allergies. Yesterday I woke with a head full of congestion, itchy water eyes, and a pounding headache. I did the only sensible thing. I called off work, took more medicine, and returned to my bed for a blissful couple of hours of deep sleep. Hours later, after a long, hot shower, I almost felt human again.

The unexpected bonus was I had an entire afternoon to myself. It felt decadent. I used the time to finish a few pesky tasks that linger in the nether regions of unimportant today but impossible to ignore. They only serve as guilt inducers as I copy them from one list to the next. Yesterday I completed them, purged them from my file, and I never want to see them again. And, of course, I dedicated a segment of the afternoon to sit at my desk and write.

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 1050 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

A new month, a fresh start, an opportunity to wipe the slate clean, and consider the limitless possibilities ahead of us as we celebrate the arrival of a brand-new baby boy in the family. Spring is here. Despite the morning’s 30-degree temperatures, the prognosticators assure us we will hit 70-degrees for the weekend. It’s time to finish old business, start postponed projects, and dream audacious dreams about the future we wish to see.

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 606 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I wrote 133 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I wrote 0 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I wrote 0 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It was bound to happen, eventually. Pushing, pulling, exercising a sheer force of will, digging deep, and not accepting excuses can carry you far. Until the day everything falls apart. Despite your best efforts, your world implodes, and you discover band-aids, chewing gum, and baling wire are not the cure-all everyone says they are. Contrary to popular opinion, you can’t always do more with less, productivity does not increase proportionally to the number of hours worked, and unreasonable expectations are not imaginary beasts.

Thankfully, when I state we cannot complete a project within the expected time frame, the conversation stops, and people listen. Someone must be the voice of reason. When the words emanate from the perpetual optimist and the “we-can-do-it-team” cheerleader, heads descend from the clouds, and deadlines get adjusted. I see relief in my team’s eyes as they step back from the edge. Today, nobody will break.

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 0 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer