I still find it somewhat ironic that back in 2004, I’d taken up writing as a way to relax and unwind from my day job. It had started out as a hobby, turned into an obsession (as most of my hobbies do) and two years later, turned into a second career.
I absolutely adore the fact that I’m lucky enough to write for pay, especially writing for Blaze, which I think is the best line in the Harlequin family. But like anything, too much of a good thing can send a person straight to burn-out. Thus, pretty much since I sold my first book, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can strike a balance between a day job and a writing career without draining the creativity well.
How did I do it? By taking up another hobby, of course!
I’m making that a joke, but it’s actually true. This summer, I took some time between books to start a vegetable garden. What you see here are the bones of what I envision will end up a virtual forest of vines, flowers, herbs and vegetables. Too anxious to wait for spring, we went ahead and planted a winter crop of peas, onions, chard and lettuce. But really, I can’t wait for those heirloom tomatoes next summer.
But more than having home-grown produce, the garden has quickly become therapeutic in helping me recharge between a long day at work followed by a couple hours of plotting and writing. I’m a computer programmer by day–entirely left brain. While commuting home, I shut off the left brain and turn on the right, contemplating my WIP, where I want to take my characters in the next scene, what do I need to accomplish over the course of the next few pages. I have dinner, then I write. And when I’m done, I’m only good for a long walk with my husband and a couple hours of TV.
Do that day in and day out, and the well starts to run dry.
The garden refills that. Maybe it’s because I’m a Taurus–the eternal sign of Mother Earth. There’s nothing more serene than going out with the hose and sprinkling my seedlings. I love watching the butterflies and hummingbirds, the smell of wet earth, the twining vines of sweet peas and morning glory, and tidy rows of plants that are a little bit bigger today then they were the day before. But most of all, I love stripping my mind of all thought and just hanging with nature for a while. It’s like taking an eraser and cleaning the board. And ever since I started it, I’m finding renewed energy in my writing and my work.
So tell me, what do you do to step away and recharge? Is there anything you MUST do every day or you’ll go crazy?
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I’ve only just now got up the courage to start writing.
I spend the day as software/database admin and support for a newspaper. With all the doom and gloom of how newspapers are dying, and all the layoffs and pay cuts we’ve suffered through, the atmosphere at work has not been the best, on top of an already fairly stressful job.
So, on my way home from work, I stop at the barn where I board my horse and lose myself for a couple of hours, be it riding, grooming, or just playing around. I don’t have any family to juggle around, so I can be as selfish of my time as I like
I’ve found that I’m no good at all without that little buffer between being at work and being at home.
Christina, what a wonderful way to end your day. And good luck on the writing!
(C) My day starts with a cup of coffee and when the hubby leaves for work I do all the mundane things that must be done. The one thing that I MUST do every day is read. I am addicted to reading. Blazes are at the top of the list but novels fit in there as well. I am a transplant survivior as a matter of fact today is my transplant birthday anniversary… 14 years and counting and as such I have learned to take life one day at a time and deal with things as they are thrown into your path. You can choose to panic and twist your hands with frustration or you can simply learn to roll with the punches. I choose the latter of the choices.
While knocking at death’s door I learned some pretty important lessons…1. Dont take life for granted. 2. Love and tell those you love that you do in fact love them, you may never get a second chance to do so. 3. Dont sweat the small stuff. It will all come out in the laundry so to speak and this time next week will it really matter all that much that you didn’t get that load of laundry done before you went to bed. and last but not least 4. If you truely want something and it is important enough that it is in you heart, GO FOR IT! You don’t want to look back some day and say “I shoulda, coulda, woulda if only…”
Happy Anniversary Patsy. I love your list. I am trying to adhere to those same things myself, especially after my BC scare this summer. I am definitely trying to do a little more of #4 because I don’t want to look back and ask questions or make statements like that.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Patsy, good luck with the manuscript and keep us posted. I’ve got my fingers crossed for you, too!
Good luck with the ms. I feel you on that, because I am trying my hand at the same thing right now.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Patsy, what a special birthday! Congrats and happy birthday. I think you’re absolutely right about not taking life for granted–especially not sweating the small stuff. I know I’m often guilty of that. I hope you find a great way to celebrate today.
Patsy, you’re one of the three winners for my Superromance give way – want to drop me a line at sarah@sarahmayberry.com and give me your snail address and I will get the book in the mail to you ASAP.
Cheers!
Sarah
Good luck with your garden! I have no green thumb to speak of. I think it has to with my lack of patience. I do have some talent for crafts but again lack of patience makes for sloppy work.
So it’s surprising I do like to write – boy, talk about patience!! So I do try to write everyday whether I’m working on a book, short story, or poem.
I also must Facebook everyday.
Liz, good luck with your writing and LOL about Facebook. I’m a junkie, too, and with so many friends and family there, I’ve got to stop in at least once a day and see what everyone’s doing. I feel like the world’s going on without me when I don’t!
I read and spend time with my grandkids, that usually gets me going again.
Linda, that sounds like a wonderful way to relax!
Hey Lori, that is awesome. I always wondered if I would be any good at growing anything, but I think my patience level is not conducive to planting and waiting. I love being with nature though, especially on balmy days, sunset or sunrise, looking at the ocean. That is the picture I go to whenever I want to relax. I also read and write poetry when I can. The garden looks great. I hope you put up some pics again to show the progress as you go on this journey of discovering your inner “farmer/gardner.”
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Thanks, Paula! At the moment, I’m trying to fight the bugs that are eating my chard, LOL, but I’m still enjoying it nonetheless.
I’d love to live by the ocean. Around here, you need to be a millionaire to afford it, but that’s pretty much my dream life. Maybe someday….
Those pesky bugs can be the death of a garden. Maybe you can plant something that they won’t like, then maybe, just maybe they would stay away. Living near the ocean is a dream of mine too…I also look toward that someday…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Tomato hornworms. That’s all I’m sayin’. :-O
Aren’t they awful? They’re worse in the green beans because they look just like a bean. Until you reach out to pluck it off the vine and realize that’s no bean. Eeeewww….
Jumping rope every day for a few minutes gets my blood moving, my brain working, and makes me feel like a kid again!
Your garden’s beautiful! I jumped into a garden this spring, just when everything was looking good, deer ate it! Ugh. But it was Bambi and two babies… how can you be mad?? When not writing, I blow glass beads with a blow torch. My family won’t bother me if I have weapons.