Monday, May 7, 2012

Blogger's Block, Part 2

I didn't blog at all last week. There are several reasons why.

1. I found out that the Kardashians are going to be around for at least three more seasons. For the love of God, they're NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY!

2. I've been working a lot of extra hours at my website job; last week I worked twenty extra hours. That was in addition to my regularly assigned hours, as well as the time that I spent on teaching responsibilities. After I was done working, all I wanted to do was lie face-down on my bed and not get up except to eat chocolate.

3. Some guy really creeped me out on the train recently. It's not like that's the first time I've ever had a weird El encounter. There were the people who (on three separate occasions) told me that I was going to go to hell. There was the guy who ran his hands through my hair, and another guy who ran his hand down my arm. There was the guy who took off his pants because I made the mistake of glancing in his direction. Disgusting jerks like that make me wish that I could just walk everywhere, except I've had some scary encounters on the street too.

This guy asked me what time it was. After I told him, he leaned forward and said, "You know, I was telling my friend that you look like you would make a really good wife someday."

I thought, How does me telling you what time it is make you think that I want you to propose to me? Because I DON'T! I really need to stop wearing a watch. Out loud I dismissed him coldly by saying, "Look, I'm just trying to read my book." I could have said a lot more, but there were children present and I'd probably have gotten in trouble if I swore in front of them.

4. I've been watching way too many episodes of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding. I can't help feeling appalled and fascinated at the same time by these people who see nothing wrong with keeping their kids out of school, letting them dress up (and dance) like strippers, and marrying them off at age 16 (though some of them start looking for husbands at age 14). One of the teenage grooms said that he liked the fact that his bride was a virgin who didn't even kiss him until their wedding day. He said, "I want something new. I don't want something used."

5. I've been spending a lot of time at the gym, because it's a good way to blow off steam. I get kind of distracted by all the cute, muscular guys at the gym, though, which has made me embarrass myself on more than one occasion. For example, once I was walking into the gym and I saw a cute guy working at the front desk. I was watching him instead of the door, and then I ended up getting my shoe caught in the door. As a result, I ended up with a hole in my shoe and a sore foot. That was almost as embarrassing as the time I fell off one of the exercise machines because I was checking out a guy who was lifting weights. I guess a women's gym would be less distracting, but then I probably wouldn't go to the gym as often. (Just kidding. Well, not really.)

6. I did actually get a lot of fiction writing done last week. I usually write out my first drafts longhand in journals. But then I write out the second draft on the computer so that I can do revisions more easily. The problem with working on the computer, though, is that it gives me access to the Internet. (I wonder if writers got a lot more writing done when they only had typewriters.) The Internet is the number one reason I procrastinate. I spend too much time watching Youtube videos, like the one about the lion that tried to eat a human baby, because the baby was wearing a hoodie with black and white stripes. (The lion must have thought the baby was a zebra.)



7. I've been having trouble sleeping lately. Even though I've been working overtime, I often find myself unable to relax when I try to sleep. On the other hand, it might have to do with the fact that a new couple moved in next door. They're very - er - enthusiastic. Sometimes their enthusiasm wakes me up at night. It's one thing to ask my neighbors to turn their music down, to ask them if their parties will end before one A.M. on a Tuesday, or to let them know that everyone can hear them fighting with their significant others on the phone (or perhaps they're yelling at the people on the 900-hotlines). But how do I ask this couple to be quiet?

All this and more is why I didn't get any blogging done last week. Even though I have spent several years juggling two (or three) jobs while attending graduate school full-time, I also spend a lot of time procrastinating. I think it's because sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the work I have to do. It's easier to just waste time watching reality TV shows that reinforce negative stereotypes about women (seriously, are there any shows out there that show women in a good light? Or would anyone even watch those shows?) or read weird news articles, like the one about the mother who is apparently addicted to tanning and was arrested because she let her five-year-old daughter go tanning too.

True, I did get a lot of stuff done last week. But I kept procrastinating about writing a new blog post, because it felt like it was one more thing that I had to do. When you stop doing something for too long, it becomes that much more difficult to get back into the routine. And then you end up accomplishing nothing. So I need to stop making excuses and stop procrastinating. (But I'm still going to go to the gym on a regular basis, because it's, um, good for my health and all that.)

What about you? When you procrastinate, what do you do? How do you stop procrastinating?

24 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Hi Mei,
      I think you're referring to the blank post that I accidentally put up; I clicked on "Publish" before I wrote anything down. Sorry about that!

      Delete
  2. LOL about getting hit on and being distracted at the gym!
    And don't work yourself too hard! I feel the same way about blogging right now. I need to cut back even more than I have. I'm working on a system as we speak. We'll see how it goes.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Emily,
      I need to work on my own system too; I think that I'm always going to be busy, so I have to figure out more effective ways to budget my time.
      I guess being distracted at the gym isn't TOO bad, especially when the cute guys wear muscle shirts. :)

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  3. I've been having the same sleeping problem!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Tom,
      I've been tempted to yell through the wall at them and say something like, "Everyone can hear you!"
      That's why my dream is to live in my own house someday, so that I can hopefully have some peace and quiet.

      Delete
  4. OMG, I'm so sorry someone took off their pants. That is really and truly creepy!

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    1. Hi Johanna,
      It is really creepy. That's why I try not to make eye contact with anyone on the train. Something bad happens almost every time I do.

      Delete
  5. I haven't been blogging much either lately. I write my posts but don't get around to visit like I should. Your #6 sounds EXACTLY like how I write :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Karen,
      It takes me longer to complete manuscripts that way, but somehow it's easier for me to write that way too. When I try to write out the first draft on the computer I usually just end up procrastinating again.

      Delete
  6. I liked the blank post too. It was very poetic.

    I recently became addicted to Bejeweled. It's a terrible way to procrastinate.

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    Replies
    1. Hi mmarinaa,
      Oops, I didn't even realize I had posted the blank one until I got a comment on it. I really did mean to write something in it before I posted it.
      Procrastination really is addictive. It's a tough habit to break, even though we know we should break it.

      Delete
  7. I'm impressed that in the midst of all of that you got fiction done!

    Yeah, I don't know what you do about loud couples. Though they could keep it down. If they had kids, they'd have to be quieter, right?

    Why are there so many creeps on the train? The upside is you practically got a marriage proposal. What a cute story to tell your one-day kids: "I actually LOOKED marriage material."

    I'm sorry you haven't been sleeping well. Sounds like the last thing you need.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Theresa,
      Fiction writing is one of the few things that helps me relax. I always try to make time to go to a coffeehouse and write at least once or twice a week.
      There aren't many kids in my building, because it's mostly "young professionals" living here. But apparently a lot of them don't have jobs, because they never seem to sleep.
      There are a lot of creeps on the train. I'm not sure why. I wish I could just yell at them, but it's not always a good idea to do that because of how they might react. I'd feel safer if there was more security on the train.

      Delete
  8. Oh yes, getting your heart rate up at the gym is very good for your health. Creepy encounters w/ guys on the el, not so much.

    I procrastinate yard work until it starts raining (which it's very conveniently about to do :)) and then I don't have to feel guilty about not doing it, because hey, I can't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Nicki,
      It's always the creepy guys that hit on me, never the cute ones.
      I'd probably procrastinate about yard work too, if I had a yard. :) I suppose it'd be easy to procrastinate in Chicago, because I could always say it's too cold to work outside.

      Delete
  9. Blogging can wait when you have all that going on. What a weird hit on line, make a good wife. weird.

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    1. Hi Libby,
      I know, right? I can't help but wonder if the creep ever used that line on anyone else. Usually people don't talk to each other at all on the train, and I avoid conversation too because of jerks like him.

      Delete
  10. The internet is the ultimate black hole of time wasting. I'm a student trying to study for final exams, but I end up so distracted by youtube etc. The worse thing is, I need the university internet portal to study, so I can't disconnect myself. I have to lug myself and my heavy books to the library if I ever want to get something done. Today, I am procrastinating from going to the library...

    Also I feel for you and all the creepy guys on public transport. All my awkward encounters with men have been on trains, usually the really long journeys. I have yet to sit down next to a cute guy my age who wants to randomly speak to me like these guys. Though I was groped whilst walking to uni once, so walking isn't really safe either. :/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Catherine,
      I had to go to the library today just so I could use the printer, and I ended up spending half an hour reading online news articles, sighhhh....
      That's scary that someone tried to grope you. What a creep! It's too bad we can't all have our own bodyguards. Then nobody would even dare to come near us.

      Delete
  11. Wow, you had quite a week. Your gym story made me chuckle.

    I agree about the internet. I find it very distracting at work, and while I'm writing. While I've been working on a conference paper recently, something pops in my head and I have to go look it up or watch a video. Does the internet create desire to look up things, or did we always have this desire which can become realized with instant access at our finger tips? I don't know, but I do remember the world of just having books, tv, and a 'dumb' phone with a long stretchy cord. I'm not against technological connection, but sometimes I just feel a little addicted.

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    1. Hi Charles,
      That's a good question. I think that the internet has fueled the desire to constantly be entertained, especially because we can now carry around the Internet with us, so to speak, due to cell phones, iPads and laptops. That's why there are so many apps on phones these days for random stuff, though I don't have most of those apps on my phone. I also remember what life was like without the Internet, and I think that things were simpler back then.

      Delete
  12. I do that too - write longhand, and then type up the scenes. But yea, the internet is darn distracting!
    As for the couple, you could pretend like you thought it was their radio.......

    Took off his PANTS?!?!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Deniz,
      Yup, he really did take off his pants. The train was mostly empty, and he was sitting in the back. I'm not sure why the creep thought that was the best course of action. All it did was make me freak out and move to a different train.

      Delete