There’s a reason I write for Blaze, and I was reminded of it last Sunday night when I found myself surrounded by zombies.  Through circumstances that I
won’t go into, I was staying in a hotel with some writer friends who were determined not to miss the second season finale of the runaway hit show. The guest room TVs didn’t carry the right channel, but the sports bar agreed to tune it in.

I’d never watched the show because I’m a lily-livered wussy.  I’m perfectly willing to own that, but I didn’t want to sit in my room sucking my thumb while my buddies gathered in the sports bar.  I figured I could order a stiff drink and sit on a swivel stool.  When the gore started, I’d turn my back.

Unfortunately for the success of my plan, the sports bar accommodated us in a private room with flat screens ON EVERY FLIPPIN’ WALL.  Yes, I could have left, but by then I’d committed to watching, and let me tell you, peer pressure still works with me.  I ordered an appletini and braced myself.

I made it through, although at one point I had to go fetch the waiter who wasn’t bringing those appletinis fast enough.  Out of the entire show, I probably saw about . . . oh, maybe three minutes, tops.  Staring into my drink didn’t work as well as I’d hoped because I could still hear the screams, groans, and curses – and that was just audience participation from my friends.  On screen the noise was even more horrific.

Now I’m back home where I can reestablish my rainbows and butterflies view of the world.  As I dream up my next Blaze, there’s not a zombie in sight, which is exactly how I like it.  How about you?  Are you feverishly awaiting the third season of The Walking Dead?  Or are you a liver-lilied wussy like me?

No, not that P word!  The other one –procrastination.  I realize this is the Blaze blog, but sorry, not going to discuss the details of a man’s package
today.  Maybe next month!

Today I want to talk about an affliction I’ll bet ninety-nine percent of us suffer from.  As for you amazing folks who neverprocrastinate, feel free to talk among yourselves.  The rest of you, gather ‘round.

I contend there are two kinds of procrastination. The first one is easy to understand.  We put off doing something because it’s unpleasant, maybe even gross.  Examples are cleaning up dog poop in the back yard or confronting your neighbor about his dog’s poop in your front yard.  The job’s physically or emotionally icky and you don’t want to do it.  End of story.

But what about dragging our heels on a project we actually enjoy?  Most writers I know are guilty of this.  You might not be a writer, but you might be a
scrapbooker, or a photographer, or a knitter. Think about whatever creative pastime you love, but continue to push aside.  Makes no sense, right?  Oh, yes, it does!

Thanks to a wonderful little book called THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield, I get it.  Turns out that making decisions causes stress.  Creative projects are all
about making decisions.  Writers make decisions every second they work, from choosing character traits and plot points to the very words themselves.

Decisions are part of every creative pursuit, whether we’re picking out the decorations and pictures for a scrapbook or the color of yarn for a sweater.  Deep down, we know we’re in for the stress of decision-making so we resist working on the project.

I don’t know if that helps you, but I was so relieved to discover that procrastination is not a character flaw.  It’s natural resistance to the stress of making decisions.  That doesn’t mean we can let procrastination win, or we’ll never have that soul-deep satisfaction of creating something that didn’t exist before.  But at least now I know what I’m up against!

How about you?  What creative project are you putting off?

I don’t have a ton of info on Robert Burns, but I do know that he wrote Auld Lang Syne (probably just the words, not the music), and that’s quite a legacy. Just about everybody recognizes the song when it’s played or sung on New Year’s Eve. I suppose it’s appropriate to sing it on Burns Night, too, so there you have one of your activities all set for you.

Of course you’ll eat, too, but the traditional food served on Burns night might give you pause. I understand haggis is a staple of the Burns Night meal, and I have it on good authority (Rhonda Nelson) that it may not be what you want to consume. There’s innards involved, if you get my drift. But if you cast around, you might find some Scottish dishes that appeal to you.

And if you don’t, then just drink. Whiskey is always appropriate on Burns Night. In fact, I’ll bet you can even find a T-shirt that says “Tonight I drink for Scotland” on it and then you’ll truly be in the spirit of the occasion. Or you can decide to go for the haggis, after all. Maybe it’s not so bad if you drink enough whiskey with it. Personally, after finding out what it’s made from, I’m not eager.

So how about it? Are you up for Burns Night? Maybe even haggis? Speaking of that, what was the most disgusting thing you ever ate in your life?

On this Christmas Day at my house, following a long family tradition that goes back at least three generations, presents will be opened this morning. It’s The Rule. The tree gets decorated on Christmas Eve, and then, only then, can the gifts be arranged beneath it. Not a single one can be touched until the next morning when the fire is lit and the Christmas music is playing.

Yeah, I love it like that. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas, and I’m allowed to be, which makes me very lucky. I think about all those who have similar traditions handed down from generation to generation and who treasure those rituals as much as I treasure mine. But they’re employed as a nurse, or a firefighter, or a cop, or a soldier on patrol.

So as I watch my daughter unwrap the special present I found for her months ago and snap a picture of her happy smile, I bless those who are hard at work during the holidays. As I sip cocoa by the fire and gaze at the sparkling tree, I’m aware that the moment is made possible by all those who aren’t celebrating Christmas this morning or couldn’t enjoy Christmas Eve with family because they’re busy tending to the jobs that must be done, no matter what day it is.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Whenever and wherever you’re finally able to enjoy the holiday, have a very Merry Christmas!