Multitasking Gifts for Writers

I’ve read or heard somewhere that multitasking makes you stupid.

I tend to agree.

But sometimes, you’ve just gotta do it.

My mama calls regularly and asks what I’m doing.

So I tell her.

I’m cooking (in a crockpot), vacuuming(using a roomba), writing, and watching TV(I’ve written a lot with the TV on–1st rough drafts only). All at the same time.

As a writer, you’ve got to learn to multitask to get things accomplished, because writing a novel takes an extreme amount of time. If you don’t multitask, many things would go undone.

If you’re wondering what to give a writer for Christmas consider these items–a crockpot and a roomba vacuum. These things a writer couldn’t justify as writing expenses whereas books, computers pens, etc. can be written off.

Somebody Stop Me

The biggest hindrance for my writing is my uncontrollable urge to rearrange furniture. I inherited the trait from my paternal grandmother. My cousin, Tammi, shares that trait as well. My sister, fortunately for her, did not get it.

It seems I have a creative brain which manifests itself in stories and furniture rearrangement.

I find myself staring at a room and thinking about the possibilities. And when I think of a good one, I can’t do anything else until I rearrange it. I spent last weekend rearranging my bedroom all the while knowing that I will be replacing the floor and will have to move everything out while its being done, making what I was doing a big waste of time. I should have waited, but I couldn’t think about anything else until that room was re-done.

Unfortunately, when I’m in the furniture rearrangement mode, I’m not in the story mode. It is one or the other, not both. I’m in the furniture rearrangement mode now and I need to re-set myself back into the story mode.

For those furniture rearranging nuts out there, here is a website that might help you: http://www.raymourflanigan.com/room_planner/

 

 

Can’t Handle It

Matthew 21:21-22 (New International Version, ©2010)

²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 (New International Version, ©2010)

¹³ No temptation^[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Maybe my theology is flawed or I have taken the scripture out of context, but I was thinking about prayers not being answered.

Why, since Jesus said if we believe we can ask for anything, do our prayers go unanswered?

Jesus answered that questioned when he said “do not doubt”. I’m guilty of doubting.

But the scripture from Corinthians gives another reason too–We couldn’t handle it, the answered prayer.

Have you ever prayed to win a sweepstakes? Asked for a new car? A husband? A wife?

Maybe, just maybe, Jesus in his infinite wisdom knows that what you’re asking for, you cannot handle.

Take winning money, for instance. What would you do with the money? I’m sure you have a list of things to buy, places to go. Maybe you’d spend so much that you’d blow through it in no time, or buy things not pleasing to Him.  And just maybe HE knows that about you. Even if you don’t know that about your self. He wants to provide a way out of that temptation by not providing what you want.

Parents do that for their children. A child may ask for something the parent knows will be harmful to that child, so the parent does the right thing by not granting that request. The child couldn’t handle it.

And maybe you couldn’t handle what you’re asking of Him. Maybe with the answered prayer would come a temptation you’d not be able to resist.

Liquid Assets

It happened to my sister.

So it came as no surprise when it happened to me.

I’ve always told my sister that we have tired blood. And I proved it this week.

I went in for a blood test–cholesterol, vitamin D, etc.

The first stick yielded a trickle of blood that practically stopped within seconds.

So, they stuck me again. This time at the wrist, in line with my thumb.

That HURT.

And I almost passed out.  And for all that pain–no blood.

They tried again in my other arm. First, at the inside part of the elbow(probably has a name, I just don’t know what it is) and then they tried on the top of my hand, and then at that painful part of my wrist(with my hand dangling down toward the ground so that gravity could help the process). All for naught.

I left without giving blood. Apparently I was dehydrated.

I’ve been too chicken to go back.

I was teased at work.

So when they asked me to lick the stamps for our team Christmas cards(just kidding, of course–at least I hope they were) I had a wonderful excuse–I don’t have enough Liquid Assets–An appropriate excuse in my line of work.

I wish I could give blood. If you can,  do.