What me crazy? ...well yes.

This might be one of those long rambling posts so I'll decorate it with pretty images that are entirely unrelated but SO inspiring. These are pictures borrowed from the incredible blog BabyRamen and are, I believe, pictures at the blogger's home. Her decor style weaves japanese and norwegian influence with a touch of retro/kitch and I love her style. She also has an online store full of goodies here.

Those of you who are patient readers of my whining, please proceed to read. All others can just look at the pretty pictures.

The last two weeks have been trying.  So trying that there will be no period in the sentence that follows just to give you a small taste of my breathlessness and high anxiety.

It started with my son going off to college, which should have been enough emotionally, (if you can't stand the lack of periods and you're Jewish you can punctuate what follows with loud DAYENUS!) and went south from there with a broken toe (from stepping on a lizard and freaking out and jamming my foot into a door as hard as humanely possible), to getting a nasty urinary track infection, to going to the doctor only to be told that I had neither, to spending the week-end in agony without medication, to finding out on Monday that I, in fact did have a UTI ! (next time I'll trust my flaming/raging bladder, not the lab results), to taking an antibiotic that turned me into a bitchy, loony and super emotional version of myself who could not sleep at night AT ALL but compensated during the day by getting SO much done, including but not limited to: teaching myself how to use Adobe Illustrator, being on Facebook 12 hours straight, purging my closet of clothes I hated but many more that I cherished and that are now gone, avoidable fights with friends and loved ones, losing the sense of taste which resulted in a loss of 4 lbs in 5 days. 

that was it ...in a nutshell.

Other things were good, great even, but also contributed to a sense of looming change and inability to cope. For example my son is thriving without me. Shit, that wasn't part of the plan.  I wanted this of course, but now he might never come back.  I'm exaggerating of course... but really, I'm not :(

Also and mostly my novel Hidden in Paris (oh, yes, link, link! ) is doing well. Really well. Better than I thought it would after just four months.  (And remember, no agent, no publisher and not a cent in advertising were wasted in the publication of this baby :)  But now I have began counting on it, worrying that I have a good thing going and not wanting it to be taken away. Never happy you say?  I just say Xanax you and I should meet soon.

And it's also good that all my small miseries of the last two weeks made it possible for me not to think of my son being away at college for nearly ten minutes at a time (and only bringing him up in every other sentences.)

Always looking for the silver lining.

Now the drugs and ailments are out of my system and I'm bracing myself for more changes.  My little guy is starting school (at long last Halleluya!) and I will start exercising every day (starting real slow with yoga and walking.) I have set up a computer without access to the internet in an empty room (my son's...sigh) and hope to increase my writing by physically moving away from distractions. I also plan to limit my checking of emails to twice a day because those yank me out of concentration.

I would love to hear how you personally improved productivity/focus/concentration or ability to resist distraction. Any trick will help because I am shooting for a deadline of October 1st (that's right, one month!) to finish my Hidden in Paris cookbook (a cookbook with all the recipes in the novel, with accompanying photos.) which I plan to sell very cheaply on Amazon, mostly as a way to help promote the novel. 

Voila my friends, I hope you enjoyed the pictures, if not the blabla.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! (sorry... trace residues of the medication in my system) 

 

Comments

[Michele (Drolet) Gavaletz]

Looking forward to the cookbook - will definitely buy! My great grandmother was born in France so it's in my blood - I love all things French! Stop reading this and get to work on the cookbook!

[Susan]

Oof. I'll be back over weekend for some ideas....

xoxo

Susan

PS: I'm wondering who will write the screenplay of HIF? (not joking)

[Angie Muresan]

Well, I'm thinking I'll have another giveaway of Hidden in Paris within a couple of weeks. And I will let the contestants know that a cookbook of the recipe is to follow. So step in it! Get it done, because I know you can, and also because I want to try making some of those recipes myself.

[Dustjacket Attic]

So basically you have had the week or two from hell...it can only get better (I hope :)

It doesn't surprise me the book is doing well, its fantastic and the cookbook sounds like an excellent idea...so get on with it :o just keep thinking, the sooner it gets done the sooner it can promote HIF.

xxx DJ

[Sandy]

Well at least you still have your sense of humor! I really feel for you on the bladder infection! I used to get those all the time and soooooo painful. I went to the Dr. a couple of years ago and knew I had one but my tests came out negative as well. Maybe because I went in at the very first well known dreaded twinge. The Dr. said I am going to trust you on this and give you the prescription anyway. Great Doctor! He has saved me in many ways, including a dosage of xanax now and then, and high anxiety is hereditary, I don't care what anyone says. Every woman in my family far and in between have it.

I loved this post and I was still able to read between the pretty pictures. Not to be confused with reading between the lines.

Have a much better week! Congrats on the cookbook, you can do it, at least you won't be crunched over in all that pain. At least the physical pain. I am sure you miss your son!

Sweet Blessings ♥

[susan]

have you given some consideration to Fast Five? reason i'm asking is one of the side benefits is more energy! you would think just the opposite but it's true. my dh was the first one to notice it.

[Feng Shui By Fishgirl]

So happy for you that HIF is doing so well! There should be several female actresses open to acting/producing this as so few good female roles out there and this has 'chick flick' written all over it. Don't be surprised if the cookbook has a life of its own and is not simply a vehicle for promoting the novel.

And congratulations on raising a mature individual who embraces his independence.

How to avoid distractions for more focus and concentration: for me it's impossible unless the man is out of the house, the TV is turned off, the two dogs are outside, and I have total quiet. And this only works if I have had a good night's sleep and am not hungry. Good luck!

[Danna Harvey]

Very funny post. I can totally relate. Still laughing.

[josephine]

Wow, a cookbook! I can't wait for that! I wish I lived in L.A. so I could have taken your cooking classes.

[Elizabeth]

I am still laughing the next morning! Is there anything worse than a doctor that doesn't think we know our own bodies. I have only had one infection in my life and never want another, that was the most painful thing ever.

I hope that you are feeling better! As for your son, he will always need you and he will come home, although now that you moved into his room where will he go?

I am so excited to see your cookbook!

Have a great weekend.

[veronique]

Very funny good post. Actually I liked both the pictures and the writing.
I would also like to have your tips about productivity/concentration etc. ... Have you tried a retreat in the middle of nowhere with no internet, no cellphone, no starbuck, no nothing ... Back to handwriting, maybe. Humm ...I think it might be useful for my next writing project.
Happy to learn that HIF sells well. Hard work pays. I like it.
Hope you feel much better.
Veronique