I have lost track of days. Somehow, they all meld into a constant flow of daily demands, interruptions, inconvenient rescheduling, and broken promises that create a world where nothing ever quite gets finished. It is over a week away, but maybe I am living my Groundhog Day in advance. Other people’s demands and availability buffet and manipulate my schedule into an unrecognizable mishmash of fragmented opportunities for my most important work. While I prefer static, dependable, time-blocked calendars, I have yielded my preferences to push a few projects across the finish line. I need them completed, done, finalized so I can focus my energies on my passion projects.

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 494 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Interruption Central — if you have blood pouring profusely from your head, a bone sticking through your skin, or a tool lodged where it shouldn’t be, please proceed to the front of the line. All others kindly take a number and wait.

Yes, Wednesday was one of those days. I sit at my desk, compose my thoughts, lift my fingers to type the first part of a brilliant sentence, and bam – speed bump, train derailment, clean up on aisle three. I read a study that says you require15 minutes to return to productivity after an interruption. I believe it. Where was I? What was my point? I haven’t a clue. It looks like I’m starting over. Again.

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 381 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Wind chill drops our real-feel temperature to 16 degrees. Gusty winds buffet the house, and I snuggle under a warm wool blanket and pull on my favorite pair of soft cashmere fingerless gloves. They were an impulse buy, a decadent splurge, and they make me so incredibly happy. No more blowing on my fingers like poor Bob Cratchit had to do. Now, I can hunker under my blanket, pull my hoodie over my head, balance my laptop on my knees and work in a blissful cocoon of warmth. The only danger I face is falling asleep after a long day.

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 462 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Tuesday proceeded along the same trajectory as Monday. The busyness of the day job grind leaves me exhausted at the day’s end and wondering where I discover energy, motivation, and an invitation to sit at the feet of my muse. I know she is there, tantalizingly just beyond my reach. Her grace, her whispered words of wisdom, do not inspire prose to jump with alacrity from my fingertips to my blank document. I slog through mud, write, erase, rewrite, delete, try again, cut, copy, and paste fragmented ideas and disjointed sentences from one section to another until they resemble a circular sort of logic. Don’t be fooled by assertions to the contrary. Writing is no simple task.

No matter how deep I need to dig, I find my guiding lights, and I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 409 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday we launched week three of the New Year. I hoped tuning the calendar would close the book on the implausible horror show of 2020 and let us open the unlimited possibilities of a clean slate. Maybe it’s too soon, but it feels like we are still shaking the detritus of a nightmare from our shoulders.

Historically, Mondays presented a traumatic transition from an enjoyable weekend to a demanding workday grind. But now, normal daily pressures are heavier, and both my mind and my body are weary.

Each day’s activities suck motivation, energy, and passion from my soul. Circumstances do not extinguish their light, they lie buried among the ashes, and we must search to discover them.

No matter how deep I need to dig, I find my guiding lights, and I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 305 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Everyone needs a day off from chaos. We all use an excuse to pull the covers over our heads, ignore the world, and sleep. We can’t discount the restorative powers of sleep. I don’t ascribe to the theory that quantity of sleep outweighs quality, but I won’t pass on an opportunity for a restorative nap. Yesterday, I slept late, indulged in not one but two impromptu naps, and went to bed early. Consider it priming the pump for another busy week.

No matter how demanding my life becomes, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 433 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Saturday arrived not a moment too soon. I usually keep my Saturday schedules light and focus on mopping up the week’s mess. This week was busier than expected, and I had packed every spare moment with the tasks required to meet impending deadlines. The overflow meant I needed to fill my day with previously delayed errands, postponed cleaning, along with the usual weekend chores.

I prepared for the daunting expectations inherent in my extra-long list by permitting myself to sleep two more hours. It almost worked. My internal clock recognized something wasn’t quite right and nudged me awake before the alarm sounded. But I am stubborn, and after peeking to determine the actual time, I squeezed my eyes shut and remained in bed until I heard the buzzer. I hauled my butt out of bed, and I was off and running.

No matter how demanding my life becomes, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 329 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Once upon a time, Friday nights were earmarked as date nights or meeting friends at the local restaurant and unwinding with a drink or two. Zoom calls serve as poor substitutes, and I view them like I watch movies — I tune them out. Real-life interaction is more engaging than a screen that blocks tangible connections. Those little boxes interfere with half-heard snippets of conversation from the next table and spontaneous, unexpected friendships formed when you repeatedly run into people.

Those situations also inspired stories, characters, and dialog. Now I must rely solely on my imagination for inspiration, without my Friday night boost or my coffee shop eavesdropping, ahem, writing sessions.

No matter how deep I must dig, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 349 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Have you ever had a fire drill day? That was my yesterday. No matter how much I plan, arrange, and schedule every task to ensure I meet or exceed my promised deliverables, not everyone is as conscientious. Deadlines loom, and it dawns on the Eleventh-hour Edmund and Ellies that they have twenty-four hours to complete a week’s worth of work. For some unfathomable reason, their faulty strategies become my headache.

I have adopted a familiar mantra which says, “A lack of planning on your part does not necessitate an emergency on mine.” The problem with that mindset is it often neglects to consider extenuating circumstances. Sometimes being a team player is the best option.

Despite other people’s emergencies, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 289 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I woke with a migraine and a long to-do list. My prescribed course of action involved brewing a pot of fully caffeinated coffee and getting to work. A pounding head, intermittent blurred vision, and extreme light sensitivity can contribute to a challenging work environment. Each hour was a struggle, and I considered throwing in the towel countless times. I’ve discovered it is easy to give in and allow yourself a pass when obstacles rear their ugly heads. The more difficult task is continuing your work. Those days you do your best and hope tomorrow presents better options.

Regardless of how I feel, I keep the one item at the top of my list a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 410 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer