The WMF Archives

By Pam Houghton

When I first introduced myself here, I said I'd keep you informed of how I stay focused, the whys of why I keep writing and the days when I just gotta' go to Target instead.

Didn't say anything about a snow day, did I? Well, we had one Wednesday. Of course, the kids were happy to have the day off. Unfortunately, I think my brain was too.

Instead of churning out volumes of well-written prose, here's how unproductive I was.

5:30 am - stir from sound sleep by daughter's victory scream after school's website confirms snow day

5:35 - fall back to sleep

7:30 - wake up, refreshed with extra hour of sleep (usually up by 6:30)...oh, I'd get lots done today...work on essay....rework older material...query some editors...tons of stuff...

7:35 - let dog outside, make coffee, eat Honey Bunches of Oats while reading book instead of newspaper since there's no paper delivery M/T/W/Sat thanks to new business model for The Detroit Free Press

8:30 - read e-mail and electronic version of newspaper, aka "the e-edition"

9:00 - work on piece for students stressing over college admissions process, "if-i-were-queen-of-students-planning-their-future"

10:00 - finish - piece is ready for writing group and onslaught of constructive criticism

10:05 - voice from upstairs wants breakfast. i make it. he's 14.

10:30 - voice from upstairs wants breakfast. i make it. she's 16.

11:00 - wonder if I should write or work-out - do neither

11:30 - scour cupboards for something to eat - i see cream of broccoli V-8 soup - yum!

12:15 pm - sit down to write, vow not to go on Facebook

12:18 - check Facebook

12:30 - enter lame post on personal Google blog

1:00 - wander upstairs to check on kids

1:05 - marvel at daughter's ability to spend entire day on computer

1:30 - thoughts turn to food and Chocolate Chip Chewwy Dip Granola Bar - yummers!

2:00 - sit down to write but feel guilty because I didn't work out - check Facebook instead

2:30 - look at snow outside

2:45 - still hungry - eat cheddar cheese chunks on Ritz crackers - double yummers!

3:00 - give in, work out

4:00 - consider watching Oprah but don't because I have to write...

4:01 - sit down to write, promise not to go on Facebook; don't do it, i say...

4:02 - check Facebook

4:30 - "snow sure is pretty..."

5:00 - try writing again but thoughts turn to dinner

5:25 - prepare for complaints after I say we are having pasta and sauce

5:30 - "we always have that!"

6:00 - where did the day go? vow to make Thursday more productive...

Am I the only one who has days like this?

A Day in the Life of a Slightly Unproductive Writer