Writing and the sickies

Both boys have a cold at the moment, just enough that it's warranted a brief cessation of hockey and skating.  They seem to be over the worst of it, but are both rather tired this afternoon, which means they're more than happy to "rest" on the couch with a snack and a drink, quietly watching episodes of Lego Ninjago on the PVR.

This is rather far from my normal writing time, but I'm taking advantage of the brief lull in activity to do a bit of scribbling.  I have a couple of characters that need to be fleshed out a bit, and a bit of transitional material that I need to write, along with a few other odds and ends.  The dogs are both keeping an eye on the boys, and the door's open so I can hear if either begins the coughing-without-end thing that's been going on for the last couple of days.

I think so much of finding time to write when you're a parent is seizing opportunities as they present themselves.  If I'm not willing to take pen to paper when a few spare moments present themselves, I'd never get anything written.  And the ironic thing is that I'm far, far more productive now than I ever was, before kids.  Go figure, eh?

This afternoon's writing accomplishments, over the course of an hour and a half or so:

• brief thank you note to a friend who allowed, on last minute notice, two of my students to interview him for a project (now I just need to pick up a Tim Hortons coffee card for him so I can mail it)
• several brief work-related email suggesting revisions to students' assignments
• one blog post
• two Christmas lists typed out
• a few article ideas jotted down to pursue at a later date
• one rough (and I do mean rough) draft of an article pitch
• two LinkedIn connections updated
• resume updated to include latest curriculum development project
• list made for items that I need to include when I update my teaching portfolio (hopefully I'll get around to this over Christmas)
• one character sketch written
• 462 words added to the novel I'm working on

Weekend madness

I've come to the conclusion that there are days where, if I want to do any writing at all, I've got to grab seconds and make them count.  Any corner or flat spot will do, so long as I have a moment or three to scribble something down.  My notebook is beginning to look a bit worse for wear, but it's brimming with ideas.  Now if I only had the time to elaborate on them!

On the plus side, I'm getting better at scribbling, and at taking moments when they appear to write something down.  On the down side, I've now got notes scribbled in a dozen different places, which does not bode well for (1) keeping them or (2) actually doing something with them.  Thus, when Nanowrimo is done, which it will be soon, I think I'm going to spend an afternoon typing my notes into Scrivener, which I've just started using and have completely fallen in love with.

In the meantime, I literally have a re-useable grocery bag sitting on the office floor, collecting remnants, ideas, scraps, and other detritus.  It's an odd reliquary, but it seems to be working.  Now if I could only find the top of my desk!

That won't be the case today, as we're off to skating with the boys, then they're off to Grandma's for the afternoon while we do a bit of Christmas shopping and have supper.  Then home to do homework and prepare for tomorrow, which includes another loaf of bread, a batch of muffins, and lunches all round.  But I'm still going to carve out a few minutes to scribble *something*, even if it's only a few words.