Thursday...

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by” — Douglas Adams.

It’s Thursday and things are not going as easily as I would have hoped. So far this week, I think I have written for 20 minutes IN TOTAL, which means that I need to write more than three times how I am writing now. Here are my hypotheses on why I am so behind and how I can work to improve.

1. I am writing on the Marin bus ride to school. It’s a great idea, since I have about 40 minutes each way and I don’t get carsick. However, by the time I decide to take out my computer and start writing, the bus ride is halfway over AND I need to designate five minutes at the end to gather my stuff together. I think writing on the bus is a great idea, but right now I am just writing out of convenience, and so it is not prioritized as a routine or habit yet.

2. I consider other parts of my keystone higher priority than the creative writing product. Ironically, the product is the main part of my keystone; because it does not have a set outline and deadlines, and is more a daily task, I often overlook it in favor of other assignments with closer deadlines. 

3. As the reality of graduation comes closer, the task pile gets higher and higher. I had to pick my senior quote (which is awesome, I may do a writing prompt on it), create my senior half page, answer JCHS-related questions for my graduation packet blurb, etc. It is all so exciting and utterly terrifying at the same time. 

4. I am still hanging onto the belief that I can only write creatively when I am inspired. I am only inspired when I am relaxed and calm, which almost always means the five minutes before I fall asleep. And I need to prioritize sleep on weeknights; in addition, in that semi-conscious time I am never fully aware enough to realize if it is the night making all my ideas seem like good ones. So I just go to sleep. 

5. I am a writer; a writer procrastinates. I was going to write a full blog post about a quote related to writers and procrastination….Ironically, I procrastinated...this is my attempt for compensation. 

So, on that note, I am going to make a goal for today (my last day of writing before I have to sum up how my week was) to write, write, write. Write creatively, write for fun, write for my enjoyment. It is now written here so I have to make it happen :) . Also, I gotta plan better for next week; I gotta carve time into my day. Alright, stay creative love to all!

Rivka Dollinger