I FINISHED MY BOOK!!!
Jan 18th 2008
Karen RoseOn Writing!
Yay! Some books flow like water over Niagara Falls. Unstoppable. Some are pulled from you word by word with a demented crochet hook. This book was somewhere in between.
So anyway, at about 2 a.m. this morning, I FINISHED MY BOOK! And today I will celebrate. No, wait, I hear that little angel fellow on my shoulder. “You’re behind in emails, Karen. You only have a one foot wide path from your office door to your desk, Karen. [In some places, less than six inches, actually.] Your house is a mess, Karen. You have taxes to file and paperwork to do, Karen.”
I really hate that angel fellow. He’s so darn responsible. So I will not celebrate today. I will catch up on my bills and taxes and clear a two foot wide path through my office today. And, and, and … You get the idea.
Tonight, DH and I will go out. 
There will be margaritas and/or sangria involved. Then Saturday, it’s back to catch-up. But, truthfully, I don’t think I’ll ever catch up. I’m not sure whether that’s good or bad. If I get caught up, then what? Am I dead? (That was a rhetorical question, goddesses. Please note it is not in bold.)
Do you all EVER get caught up? What things do you put off doing, then have to do in a major rush? For me, it’s cleaning and paperwork. When you finally let loose, how do you celebrate? And the million dollar question, how the heck do you make that angel guy take a vacation?
67 Comments »
67 Responses to “I FINISHED MY BOOK!!!”
ilovetoread on 18 Jan 2008 at 6:52 am #
Karen, You REALLY need to celebrate for a minimum of 24 hours!! Reality will set back in soon enough. Friday is Karen Rose Day and Saturday can start you back on the road to cleaning house, paperwork, etc.
My biggest thing putting off is cleaning. I will then bribe family members to pizza if they help get things back closer to an organized chaos that I can live with! (I live with 4 pack-rats!) They celebrate with the pizza while Mom gets a Dr. Pepper (no diet involved) and a new book!! The angel guy of my life doesn’t care for celebrating, vacationing (except for certain circumstances), dating, etc. Yes, it does cause problems since I like doing these things!! I personally feel like life is too short to not celebrate the little things as well as the big things!!
Paula on 18 Jan 2008 at 7:31 am #
I used to put off the cleaning but now I’m working I have found the most wonderful lady who comes in for 3 hours once a week and does that for me, so now the thing I put off is the ironing! My DH isn’t too bad at taking holidays, ie 2 weeks but to ask him to have the odd day off so we can do something as a family for a day, you’d think iI was asking him to resign or something!!
Paula on 18 Jan 2008 at 7:52 am #
Sorry I forgot to say how I celebrate when I’ve completedthe dreaded task of ironing, I sit down with the book that I happen to be working my way through and heaven help anyone who dares to interupt me for my half hour (or hours ) reward!!
cail on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:11 am #
the mail. i bring in the mail and drop it on a table. about a month later, i remember that its there, sort it, and trash most of it… since i do NOT want another credit card… which is what most of the paper mail is. everything important comes in email form now-a-days, so it’s nearly pointless to bother with the mail.
my reward is throwing it out and having a cleaner part. good enough for me.
(i’m reasonably neat, so really when i notice dust etc i just clean it up right then and there.)
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:17 am #
Lovetoread - You iron? I’m LOL here because I don’t even know where my iron is. I assume we still have one because I never throw anything away either. Nor does the rest of the family. This is why I only have one foot path to my desk.
Well, I am going to to go the gym today! That’s a “for me” thing - see how I have trained myself to view exercise? HA! I lie like a rug to myself, but this one seems to work.
I’ve tried bribing family members, but pizza doesn’t work. I don’t cook, so when DH is gone, we have pizza. I have Pizza Hut on speed dial (really). My kids wince and say “Pizza, again?” I have to find a better bribe. Cash is usually good because I have teenagers. Turning off their cell phones usually works better, because I am the meanest mother ever.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:19 am #
Oh, Cail - the mail on the entryway table is another thing the angel whispers about.
Paula - you iron, too? Oh nooooos, I’m starting to get a complex. Is everybody out there ironing but me?
DebMarlowe on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:23 am #
Congrats Karen!
Let reality wait for one more day! Go celebrate! Although I do understand that just getting to some of that stuff can feel like a celebration.
But–clearly you need a svelte little devil girl on your other shoulder, whispering in your ear. “It’s just a day–go see a movie, get your nails done, and don’t even look at that computer!”
Hee hee
DebMarlowe on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:24 am #
And no–there is no ironing going on here unless the dh is doing it. Ugh.
Freedom Writer on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:24 am #
I put off cleaning, until I have something even more dreaded to do. Cleaning was my avoidance technique when I had homework to do in college. Nowadays, my DH takes care of the big things: laundry, dishes and vacuuming, but I am a tornado of organization when I am avoiding writing a tough scene in my book or making phone calls. I definitely put off phone calls.
My rewards consist of Vegging in front of the TV, cross stitching, reading or working crossword puzzles.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:27 am #
Oh, Deb, see now this blog is gonna be a good thing for me today as you all are the DEVILS on my shoulder.
GO DEVILS!!!
Maybe I will go get a pedicure or something. Okay, keep workin’ on me girls. I may play hooky yet today!
I’m so glad you don’t iron. I was starting to get scared there. Come to think of it DH does iron - or did eons ago. I bet he knows where the iron is. I’m not going to ask him.
Freedom Writer on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:30 am #
No ironing here either. In my house we rarely wear anything that needs ironing, but when we do I believe DH know where to find the iron.
Lisa H on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:32 am #
Karen - Yawhoooooooooo! Congratulations! Celebrate long and hard! BTW, Did you eat alot of chocolate when writing the love scenes? Just Wondering…
Anyway, what I HATE doing and put off for eternity is sewing. Buttons that fall off or hemming my families pants -oh I hate it all. I hate to have to sit still for that long and spend so much time on something so inconsequential.
Life is hard enough, so when I need to reward myself or celebrate, I usually choose to go out to dinner or lunch, or go shopping by myself. I need to do this at least once a month to stay sane (or at least my version of sane)!
I do enjoy cleaning and organizing, but not with a Toddler in tow. When I have the whole day, which is rare, I like to take my time and do a good job.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:47 am #
Freedom - TV vegging sounds cool. I got the complete set of BBC Jane Austen movies for Christmas. I’m thinking some chocolate, some wine, a snuggle with DH, some Jane … It could be a good weekend!
PS - glad you don’t iron either. Whew!
LisaH - YES I DID eat a good amount of chocolate and let me just say, the love scenes would have melted those M&Ms in my hand before they ever got to my mouth. Yowza.
Thanks for askin’. That’s why I’m going to the gym, LOL.
SuzyQ on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:51 am #
Congrats on finishing the book Karen!!! Enjoy your dinner and margaritas tonight!
Things I put off are the mail/school papers. I swear the school would save so much money in paper if they would just start emailing the parents information!!! It all seems to stack up on the desk in my kitchen until I can get to it or it falls over, which ever comes first.
Another thing that still hasn’t happened yet is cleaning out the laundry room. I have so many of the kids clothes that I have to go through and stuff that was supposed to be sold on ebay is still there. Someday I’ll get to it. . .
Oh, and here’s a tip for those of us who don’t iron. If something is really wrinkled, spray it with some water and throw it in the dryer. As an added bonus (especially in the winter) the clothes are nice and warm when you put them on.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:56 am #
That’s a good tip, SuzyQ!
I was going to add to it with my own tip for harnessing the power of a hot flash to get wrinkles from clothes, but I edited myself. I’m punchy. Must be all the sugar wearing off from the love scene chocolate.
Freedom Writer on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:58 am #
Karen,
I love Jane Austen. DH and I watched Persuasion on PBS last Sunday, and on occasion we have a Pride and Prejudice miniseries marathon. Love that Colin Firth!
BTW I forgot to congratulate you on finishing your book, I can’t wait to read it.
Karen Hawkins on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:18 am #
WOOHOO! Karen, congrats on the book! There’s no better feeling that The End, is there?
I put off cleaning and laundry. Sometimes it takes me four or five loads to get caught back up — it’s not pretty!
And did someone say they iron their clothes? I think i have an iron . . . somewhere. It seems I saw one when we moved and I was very surprised to discover that I owned it.
Paula on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:19 am #
Karen I only have to iron what needs it like my DH’s work shirts. In the winter everything goes into the dryer and taken when not quite dry folded and put in the airing cupboard and left. But DH ahs 5 shirts a week that need ironing, occassionally he will do them but not often. I HATE ironing.
Congaratulations on finishing the book. Can’t wait for it to come out.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:33 am #
Thanks, girls. I appreciate the congrats - it does feel good to finish it. I still have revisions ahead, but that’s never too bad.
I’m lucky on laundry - DH does that. I know I’m procrastinating a book when I do laundry, ha!
Karen Hawkins on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:40 am #
Oh, and Karen, I get behind in my emails, too. I finished my book a few weeks ago and I’m STILL catching up with those!
Karen Hawkins on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:49 am #
And Karen, when does the book you’ve just written come out? Inquiring minds want to know!!!
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:17 am #
KarenH, the book I just finished is KILL FOR ME and is the final installment in the trilogy that started with DIE FOR ME. KFM comes out Feb 2009. It’s Susannah Vartanian’s story and the hero is sexy Luke Papadopoulos. Our very own SUzyQ was a major contributor to all things Greek!
Kim on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:17 am #
Yes, KarenR, I second what KarenH asked. When does this book come out? Its Die For Me, correct?!?!?
Personally I think you should grab a box of chocolate and hang out with us all day. Maybe take a break for a nice lunch with your DH and a pedicure.
I don’t even own an iron!
Definitely cleaning, laundry and emails for me. Right now I have about 6 loads of clothes to wash and I was just caught up last week end!
KarenH–get through those emails! You owe me about a dozen;)
Mia Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:29 am #
Well Congrats on finishing Karen! You’ll have to share some details about this book I think…
Getting caught up? Ya know, it might have happened once or twice but do you notice even if you do get everything in your world caught up to par it only lasts about 5 minutes? I hate that…
I always put off two things. Cleaning. Because why would I want to do that when I could be sitting comfortably somwhere reading/writing ?
and Laundry. I despise laundry. It’s takes entirely too much time! Carrying it all to the laundry room. putting it all in the washer. taking it out and putting it in the dryer. and THEN actually having to fold it when it’s done? (and I won’t *touch* an iron!)
The biggest pain of laundry is that husband never puts his clothes away right away and I have to nag.
I have found that if you just ignore your angel shoulder companion long enough they tend to fly off in a huff.
I celebrate with wine. lots of wine. maybe a good, fatty dinner too. but mainly wine
cail on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:32 am #
i got an iron recently for an art project… my technique is to take anything that looks like it should be ironed into the bathroom and hang it on a hook while i shower. the steam will usually take out most of the wrinkles.
ladydawgfan on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:36 am #
Congrats on finishing your book, Karen R!!! And never mind the diet! Diet is a swear word in my book! Every time I say the word diet, I rinse my mouth out with chocolate!!
Celebrate, Girl!! You deserve it. Start with the pedicure, buy yourself a pair of wonderful shoes to show off the fab tootsies, stroll the mall, buy yourself that cute outfit that you’ve had your eye on (but Santa forgot to put under the tree), and then head out to dinner with the hubby!!! Have a wonderful day and thoroughly enjoy yourself!!!
Everything else, including the ironing, can wait for the end of another book!
zambonigirl on 18 Jan 2008 at 11:42 am #
OMG, Karen! I’m celebrating, too! My doctor told me I could take the brace off and slowly start lifting weights again with my arm. I’m heeeeeaaaaaaled!
Sorry, I’m kind of excited about not being a one-armed paper hanger any more.
Onto your question: No, you never really do get caught up. I’ll get all the laundry done on Saturday morning, but by Saturday evening, it’s back. I’ll give away half my closet to the Goodwill, but then buy back half of it later. I’ll clean the living room by moving everything into my bedroom. It’s never caught up. On the rare occasions that it is, I sit as still as possible on the sofa and just stare at it all, willing that no one will breathe or even think lest anything be disturbed.
Go have a margarita or some sangria. It’ll all still be there tomorrow.
Congratulations on finishing the book! I’m sure we all can’t wait to read it.
Ronlyn on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:00 pm #
Congratulations on finishing! YAY!!!
As for getting caught up…I probablywould be as caught up as I could be if it wasn’t for the kids and my DH.
Example: I busted ass last weekend cleaning. Everything was put away…or at least shoved out of the way. I went out to run a couple errands and came home to my DH piling all his “projects” on the dining room table. (”projects” in DH speak is code for “crap I want to keep but my wife wants me to get rid of.”)
There’s no winning. So, I haven’t had a table all week while he’s “worked” on that stuff. I’ve given him the same ultimatum I give my oldest when it comes to cleaning: You have until I get home from work, then I’m going to clean it for you. *insert evil laugh*
Kay on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:16 pm #
Yeahhhhhh, Karen. Celebrate for all it’s worth. You NEED a pedicure. You NEED a massage. Heck, you deserve an entire day at the spa for the great books you produce.
This is not procrastination, it’s taking care of yourself, so you can be a better wife, mother, super author and everything else you do so well.
The clothes, piles of papers, etc, will still be there.
We are all waiting impatiently for Scream For Me and Kill For Me. How about a CONTEST for an ARC of Scream For Me??? We can’t wait to read it!!!!!!
Nicole Jordan on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:16 pm #
Yay!!! Congrats on finishing, Karen! I’m just starting a new one so I have a looonnng way to go.
So what’s next for you? After you shovel out your office, of course.
And if you ever figure out how to shut that angel up, please let me know!
Ann in IL on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:17 pm #
OK, I’ll say it - I’m weird. I iron to relax. My irons wear out at least once a year, I use them that much. It’s so nice to put on clothes that are crisp and clean. For years I’ve said I wish I could make a living at ironing. I’d stay home just to do that. My ideal job would be to have my nieces and nephews drop off their young’uns and their laundry on their way to work. Then they could pick up the kids, clean laundry, ironed shirts and pants and dinner. They spend sooooo much eating out every week. Cooking is cheap and easy. I wish they would try it.
Ann - one of THE strangest old ladies on the blog.
SuzyQ on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:22 pm #
Oh Ann! If you didn’t live so far away, I’d hire you!!!!
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:45 pm #
Hey y’all - I’m back from the gym, where I arrived an hour too early, HA! I actually got food that wasn’t chocolate, chatted with a fellow blogger on the phone, in other words, relaxing!
I do need that massage, Kay. Better wife, mother, … yeah, I can deal with that. I DO want to be a better wife, mother, all that, so I NEED that massage. It’s scary how easily I am influenced!
Kim, this isn’t DIE FOR ME, that was September’s book and the story of Sophie and Vito and the evil Simon Vartanian. SCREAM FOR ME is my May Hardcover and picks up where DFM left off, with Daniel Vartanian’s story.
KILL FOR ME is the last of the three, and is Susannah’s story - and features a villian perhaps worse than Simon. You’ll be the judge!
A contest for SCREAM FOR ME will be upcoming - I have to figure out a good one, worthy of the talents of our resident goddesses here on Mt. Oly!
Thanks, gang!!! I appreciate all the cyber hugs
Lisa H on 18 Jan 2008 at 12:56 pm #
Ann, I wish you were MY aunt. Even though I live in NY, I am seriously considering sending you my ironing…
Karen R - looking forward to your contest. Do these three books need to be read in order?
Kay on 18 Jan 2008 at 1:00 pm #
I forgot about that angel. The best way to dump the guilt of a messy office/house, etc, is to GET OUT & get away from it all. That day in the spa:-) or a lunch with a friend that lasts all afternoon, or a great dinner w/ Mr Rose. I think the sound of the nagging angel dulls when you give yourself distance from the “need tos” so you can breathe.
You have a couple of teenagers. Who better to do the laundry & cleaning???? Ok, I’m laughing, too.
Also, give yourself permission to do ONE must-do a day. You can do it all, just not all at the same time (my mom says this all the time) so just do the most important thing first–and DELEGATE some of it to those teenagers.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 1:08 pm #
Hey LisaH,
Most of my books don’t need to be read in order, but these three should be. They’re stand alone, and each one has it’s own suspense, but the mystery connects all three, and that’s what you’d miss if you didn’t read them in order.
DIE FOR ME (out since Sept, 07)
SCREAM FOR ME (5/08)
KILL FOR ME (2/09)
Okay, today I’m making that spa appointment…
ct009ct on 18 Jan 2008 at 1:42 pm #
“Do you all EVER get caught up?” HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Was this meant to be a humorous question? Cause it had me LOL!
Any time my kitchen sink is empty and shiny or my laundry hamper is just put back and empty - I take a moment to just stare and smile. This actually rarely happens and if it does it’s only for like a minute or two. But I do enjoy it.
As to ironing, I am very lucky, my dh is the designated ironer.
CONGRATULATIONS ON FINISHING YOUR BOOK!!
Dinner and Dancing is always a wonderful treat.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 1:45 pm #
I think dancing would be a treat for everybody else, LOL. THey’d get their chuckle for the day watching me try to dance. It’s not a pretty picture, although I did own line dancing boots back in the 80’s.
Ooooh. Maybe I shouldn’t have admitted that.
colinfirthfan on 18 Jan 2008 at 2:14 pm #
Haven’t read any of the suggestions as yet (swamped at work today) but the angel guy has been bugging. I have lists of things to do running through my head while I sleep.
Kay on 18 Jan 2008 at 2:18 pm #
KarenR, LINE DANCING BOOTS?! Ok, you MUST tell all.
ct009ct, empty sink? empty laundry hamper? If that every happens in my house, I’ll have to take a picture to mark the occasion. LOL
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 2:45 pm #
Kay, I got injured trying to line dance to Travis Tritt’s T-R-O-U-B-L-E, so I stopped before I died. (My injury was a sore butt after I fell down. My boots were unhurt.)
I do remember sitting back and watching everybody else dance. This was a honkytonk bar in NC where I used to work in a P&G plant. After work we’d all go for beer and dancing. There was this woman who was a regular and had this tattoo … It was a bull, I think and dipped below her waistband on her back. Men would watch to see if any of the bull would show when she did the bend-over steps. Ha!
Claudia Dain on 18 Jan 2008 at 2:55 pm #
First things first: how fast did you write this novel? If it’s in the 25 days camp (I swear I will never get over that number) then you should take a WEEK off and sleep.
It is not possible to view a trip to the gym as a treat. You are so twisted, KarenR!
Speaking of twisted…I love to do the laundry. I don’t love ironing, but I don’t actually hate it either. The trick for me is that anything that has to do with clothes is fine with me. It’s the food side of life that I hate. Hate, hate, hate. Hate. If I never had to go to the grocery store again…bliss!
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 3:02 pm #
Claudia, this one was hard to pin down exactly how long it took. Between running kids to doctors and camping out in my daughter’s high school to do college apps, I lost a lot of days.
Start to finish, about 6 weeks, but a good 2 weeks of that I was doing the aforementioned errands, so a month-ish? And it wasn’t so long. I think it was tighter and I didn’t have to cut so much (yay!).
See, you like laundry and for me it’s the end of the procrastination road. I don’t necessarily like to exercise, but I like my trainer and we laugh a lot. It makes the time go by faster. And she stretches us out after we’re done, so nothing hurts afterward. That’s nice!
ct009ct on 18 Jan 2008 at 3:12 pm #
Kay, I know, I know - that’s why I stand and smile for a moment - The minute I turn my back - a sock or a cup appear like magic. LOL
(never actually had a sock in the sink, but I have found a cup in the laundry)
Claudia Dain on 18 Jan 2008 at 3:37 pm #
KarenR, honestly, how do you write so fast? And can you teach me how to do it? Think of it as an exchange; I’ll teach you how to enjoy laundry and organizing your office! When I think of all the things in my house I could whip into order if I could write a book in 4-6 weeks!!
Although I’m not sure DH would be entirely thrilled with any more whipping going on.
Caren Crane on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:15 pm #
Karen, congratulations! I got the entire BBC Jane Austen collection on DVD for Christmas, too! Guess how many I have watched? Zero!
Know why? Because that angel fellow keeps finding other things for me to do. Let’s hire someone to off him!
Seriously, taxes aren’t due for weeks yet. Give yourself a break! A nice movie marathon, a pedicure, maybe a few bon bons. I mean heck, you went to the gym, don’t you deserve a treat? Some people don’t write a book in their entire lifetime and you wrote one in what, like a month?
Celebrate!
My thing I hate to do is put away Christmas decorations. That is why my entire house is still decorated. But the tree is artificial and those twinkly lights are so pretty! I have seriously committed to getting them down this weekend, though. Really!
Julia London on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:18 pm #
Karen R, you can seriously write a book in 4 weeks? Do you eat? Sleep? Speak with your family?
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:19 pm #
Au contraire, Caren C - my quarterlies are due at the end of the month and I have a college bound kid which means filling out all the financial aid forms which means getting my blankety blank taxes done.
BUT, I utterly love your idea of offing the angel. Axe-A-Angel.com, LOL.
Oooh, twinkly lights. I say it could be a new addition to your decor and leave it at that.
Claudia, I told you once before, the secret to writing fast is TAB, nectar of the goddesses. I have way too many empty cans in a trash bag (bags) in my office, which still has only a foot path to my desk…
But I got lots of other detail work done.
Kay on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:21 pm #
KarenR, A book in 4 weeks–that’s why you’re a goddess.
Judy F on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:24 pm #
Congrats Karen. I can’t wait to read your next book…
I will never ever be caught up. NOt in this lifetime.
You need to relax, have some graters icecream.
Kim on 18 Jan 2008 at 4:31 pm #
Ack! Sorry KarenR. I meant Kill For Me. eeek. Kim, putting up a sticky that says “think before typing and then proofread.” Maybe I need to grab a case of Tab for the mornings!
4 weeks!?!?! That’s amazing.
Lisa H on 18 Jan 2008 at 5:20 pm #
Today while I was getting groceries, I looked for Tab. I don’t think they sell it here in upstate NY. Maybe Karen has a “special” supplier.
I for one cannot write without good old fashioned Coca Cola. Haven’t had Tab since I was a little girl 30+ years ago. Coke is just the right amount fizzy, sweet and colay!!
Ellen on 18 Jan 2008 at 5:36 pm #
At the risk of sounding…um….old….”I am so proud of you, Karen.”
Your books constantly remind me that true talent is impossible to disguise. Your ability to weave a plot and create secondary characters worth revisiting will keep me on line at Borders for years to come.
Have a Margarita on me, baby!
PS…Does this mean the Tab stained tee will be making an appearance in the laundry pile?
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 6:41 pm #
Ellen, chuckling, I think the laundry pile skittered away from the TAB stained tee, LOL.
Thanks, girls!!!
JudyF - HA! Remeber I told yall that DH gave me GRAETERS for Christmas? That’s how I balmed the boo-boos caused by the demented crochet hook. Every fifty pages - Graeters. Black Raspberry Chip. YUM.
Kay, aw thank you. Check’s in the mail, babe.
Kim and Lisa, go find that TAB. If the grocer doesn’t have it beg. That’s what DH does. It’s not a pretty sight, but we do get our TAB supply. I think it must be DH and one other customer sucking it off the grocery shelves, because they’re always almost empty.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 6:42 pm #
Ellen, thank you, and you don’t sound … old. Just very sweet. I won’t let your secret out. Oops. Just did
Kelly Ann on 18 Jan 2008 at 8:53 pm #
Congrats, I’m happy for you! I bargin with my angel. I take a break and read or watch a cooking show or relax, then I do some stuff. I never bog myself down or stress myself out over it. If I get it done, I get it done.
They still sell Irons? I thought throwing it in the dryer for a minute was ironing! Hmmm, I’ll have to think about that!
I hate washing dishes by hand! I never stick pots & pans in the dish washer and I dread going into that kitchen for that. I love to cook, but I don’t care much for unloading or loading the dishwasher either. I do like however, when it’s clean in there. Then I threaten everyone who even looks towards the kitchen!
Suzanne Enoch on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:34 pm #
I lock my logic/cleaning angel in a drawer, but apparently she has friends. Still, I do my best to ignore her. If you could see my family room right now, you would have to agree that at the moment I’m winning the battle. *g*
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:42 pm #
Caught up? Does that state exist? I don’t think I’ve been caught up since I was born. I was probably behind on my napping or something at 3 months old, and I’m practically certain that I had not managed to play with all my toys or read all my books before said items were handed down to my siblings. I mean, there was this one rattle that I never got around to shaking …
I am NEVER caught up.
doglady on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:44 pm #
Huge Congrats on finishing the book! If I was there we could take a celebratory ride on a funeral home gurney with horns, confetti and everything. I swear when I finally, finally finish my book you will hear the party no matter where you live! Karen, you need to celebrate!! Knock the Angel off your shoulder and put him in a gunney sack and put him in the linen closet for a day or so. Life is too short not to celebrate the victories!
I HAVE an iron. I don’t use it, but I have it. It’s a nice one with an automatic shut off and all kinds of neat bells and whistles. It’s still in the box, I think! I too tend to let laundry go until I am down to my last pair of underwear.
I hate doing dishes too so I tend to eat stuff I can serve on a paper towel or one plate.
Not much for housework. Gee, I sound like a real slob, don’t I? Oh well. I USED to be a real neat freak until I started trying to write a book!
ilovetoread on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:50 pm #
Okay Karen, it’s the end of the day, did you do really nice things for yourself today??? Be honest with us!! If not, shame on you, lots of shame!!
Unfortunately, I think I am part of a dying breed…I like clothes that have been ironed. I don’t always have time to do them all at once, but I do what I can when I can!! Probably the only thing about housework that I really destest is vacumming/dusting. Give me closets to clean, really dirty kitchens, bathrooms that need gas masks to enter (due to Dept of Health codes) and I’m in heaven. I just can’t be in a blue mood over DH before starting though. If I didn’t have my dogs outside, I’d be giggling in anticipation to plant a garden, veggie and flower. Unfortunately again for me, the current dogs we have are 7 and 4 years of age and still don’t understand the concept of not pulling them out of the ground after I put them in the ground!! Go figure!!
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:53 pm #
BTW, I’ve been working non-stop since I turned in the novella. I do usually take a day or two and do something fun (a puzzle, lunch, something), but that’s not happening this time. My deadlines are too tight this year. And unlike Karen Faster-than-a-Speeding-Bullet Rose and Julia I-Am-Amazon London, not to mention Claudia Can-Do Dain (who writes faster than she will admit), Suzanne Light-Speed Enoch, and Karen Goddess-Quick Hawkins, I actually write kind of slow. Sigh.
Kasey on 18 Jan 2008 at 9:59 pm #
Congrats Karen - That is awesome!
I never feel like I am caught up anymore but that is the life of a grad student. This is my last semster so that means I am thesis writing mode. I have already put in a couple of hours today revising a chapter and tomorrow I want to start my next chapter. I doubt I will get caught up on anything until April 11th when my thesis is due.
Ladytink_534 on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:25 pm #
Congrats! Can’t wait to read it!
Nope, never ever gonna get caught up, especially with this flu I can’t kick. So not fair.
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:43 pm #
Hey all - back from dinner with DH, we went to a classy place, had wine and steak and an overall lovely time.
Lovetoread - I did a few detail things this afternoon and chatted with friends. I played with my new puppy and caught a re-run of L&O on TNT. So, yes, I did do nice things for me.
The big huge things (getting medical records together for one of my kids) I accomplished. Tomorrow, I’ll continue.
Glad so many others aren’t caught up! Makes me feel like I’ve found a comfy niche
Kasey, Hugs on the thesis! Never did one, stopped with my BS (no comments from the peanut gallery)
Hope you feel better, Ladytink!
Karen Rose on 18 Jan 2008 at 10:48 pm #
Sabrina, you may write slowly, but so hot! Yowza
Suzanne, I must try the drawer. But I’ll let him out, because then I’ll feel guilty.
I have to confess, all day long I’ve been thinking about that scene in Animal House (the movie) when one of the guys takes that girl to the “sex room” and the angel and devil appear on his shoulder. I’m always shocked and I always laugh till my ribs hurt at that scene!
Oh, Doglady, you and I will have to do those gurney races someday. I’ve GOT to put that in a book!
Kelly Ann, if locking the angel in the drawer doesn’t work, I’ll think about the bargaining, but I’ve never been so good at that. DH won’t let me go car shopping as I’m such a bad bargainer.
Now I’m going to put my feet up and enjoy the nice little buzz from the wine I had with dinner. Maybe I’ll mix it with some Graeters Ice Cream!
Gannon on 18 Jan 2008 at 11:43 pm #
Karen, congrats on finishing your book! I think you should take a little time off and pamper yourself–you deserve it!
Laundry and cleaning are definitely the things that I let slide. In fact, I swear my laundry multiplies when I’m not looking. Just as soon as I think I’m caught up, bam, there’s more. How does that happen?!
TheNightPoet on 21 Jan 2008 at 4:09 am #
Congrats on finishing your book, Karen!
When I get caught up in something, whether it be reading a book or writing a story, I put off homework, studying for tests (I try not to, but sometimes I just can’t resist), sometimes calling friends back or making plans with them, cleaning my room, etc. I know I shouldn’t put off my friends, but sometimes I get so drawn into what I’m reading or writing that nothing else matters. Know what I mean?
Andrea