1.21.2011

erica and the no good, very busy day(s)

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Okay, so I'm (erica) not exactly having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I'm having a day, er week, that could result in, if I were a juggler, a lot of dropped balls laying around (let's hope not knives or those fire thingies).

This was what I wrote this morning (er, yesterday. yes, we schedule ahead) (from work - it was inside recess and the aides were watching the kiddos):

My poor beloved laptop is broken again and that's been weighing heavily on my mind and heart (okay, that might be stretching it, but it does make it harder to get any blogging done). I wasn't home on Tuesday - left at 7:20 am got home around 10:00 pm. I worked late last night getting ready for a parenting class that I'm doing tonight, so it'll be another 8:00pm throw-the-kids-in-the-shower-god-i-hope-someone-fed-them-today night. Oh, and am I ready for the class tonight (it's a make-and-take math and science activities) - um, NO WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT???!!! My son's teacher called because he won a free book earlier this week and ALL I HAD TO DO was sign and return his book choice today and I DIDN'T DO IT!!! Tomorrow is a teacher work day, so no school for the kids (thank goodness for grandmas), but I have to work and HOLY CRAP it's supposed to be 30 degrees below zero regular temperature with 45 below wind chills!!!! So lots of praying my car will start and going out early to check and then scraping for about 20 minutes (did I mention yet that I don't have a GARAGE??!!). whoa, that was a lot of shouting packed into one paragraph. but it's pretty reflective of my mood today.

AND ABNA submissions open in three days with my laptop in lock-down mode. Yes, I have my ms uploaded onto an online program. But my son's computer (my backup) doesn't have Microsoft Word (and I'm not paying to add it to the old computer), so I have no way to download and format it from home. TRIPLE CRAP. CRAPPITY CRAP CRAP CRAP. (I'm going to be spending a lot of time at my in-laws this weekend, using their computer, I think. quadruple crappity crap.)

BY THE WAY: Has anyone but christy and I noticed that every time we post a picture of a hot guy, we LOSE a follower????!!!! We're sorry, people, just shoot us an email if we offend you DON'T UNFRIEND US, PLEASE, WE CAN'T TAKE IT!!!!
And this is me ten hours later:

I am so very sorry for my bad blogging behavior earlier today. You have your own crappity crap and you don't need to read about mine. However, feel free to write a book about mine and get rich - just put me in the acknowledgments.

My son got his book because my friend who works at the school took pity on him me and got it for him.

I had inspiration for a wonderful way for parents and children to work together to learn math/numeral/counting skills and put it together only minutes before the meeting and it was fun and simple and everyone loved it, made their own, and went home to learn, learn, learn (the fun way). Almost all the families that were signed up showed up even though it's super cold and loved the pulled pork sandwiches I made.

When I got home, hubby had fed the kids and dogs, cleaned the kitchen, and done laundry PLUS bought groceries so I don't have to go out in the cold. They're curled up watching the old '80s version of Tron right now.

The cord from one of our work laptops fit my computer and voila - it was just the cord that was bad on mine. I ordered a new one from Amazon for $8, will borrow this one in the meantime, and all's well. ABNA might just happen yet (with no nosy in-laws looking over my shoulder to see what I'm doing).

It's still going to be cold tomorrow, but I'll live. With any luck, tomorrow will look more like this:

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(back to what I wrote this morning) AND SO - what does this have to do with you??? Good question!!!

I'm here, admitting that sometimes us parents suffer from EPIC FAIL. And unfortunately, as teachers (and bloggers), we sometimes don't get done what we really, really, REALLY meant to get done. blech.

What about our characters, though? Do you write about kids with parents who can do no wrong? Or are your parents more like me the failure type? What about teachers? Do they know everything and lead your characters onto a path of super-happy-lifedom (I'm busy, I can't think of a real word)? Or do the kids put tacks on their seats and blow spit-wads behind their backs? Or are you the kind-of writer that only puts in absentee-adults who barely speak? (for some reason, my characters dads keep commiting suicide. I have no idea why.)

In other words, how can you guys help me turn this week into a good book????

16 comments:

  1. Hey Erica, sending you massive hugs. Just say this over and over "I am gorgeous and I am not a failure!" Then have a huge glass of wine and go post your ABNA entry on your magically fixed computer (or maybe do that before the wine) ;)

    I love that your hubby did all those nice things for you :) And if this week was awful, think how awesome next week will be!

    Hugs,

    Rach

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  2. I hate writing epic failure... but it's necessary unless your characters all live in the Emerald City. :( By all means, write it, tweak it, change the details to suit your story... you don't have to suffer in silence, you're a writer! ;)

    Maybe Google friend connect has the same counting issues as Facebook does-- my friend count has more ups and downs than a Hollywood star.

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  3. Hugs to you today, Erica! : ) I'm so bad at writing failure. I fail at failure. Boo.

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  4. Don't worry, you're totally aloud to vent. We don't mind. In fact, it inspired me to write the parents in my current YA novel with a bit more depth. Thanks!

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  5. Ah, Erica - we ALL have these days (or weeks) and they can turn around in a blink! I'm so glad yours got better and your ABNA goals are back on! (good luck in that, btw) I actually have a WIP where my MC is a teacher and would-be mother and not perfect by any means. The more flawed, the more fun, in my opinion! Seems more real to me. :)

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  6. FYI on Word? Open Office is a FREE download and is almost completely compatible--put it on your son's computer. My only trouble with it EVER has been when I go back and forth a lot with comments and track changes (it reads them but sometimes the formatting will get wonky)

    I really hope things slow down! Good luck getting your MS ABNA ready! (I have a ton of work on mine to go)

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  7. Wow, sounds like you're having a week like me! Just know others like you are out there, oh yes we are. And I know how frustrating the broke-down laptop and no MS Word backup can be. I've SOO been there!

    And my new "Fine Fridays" post is up, btw...so come on over and get your gawk on!

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  8. Oh dear. It seems like you're having quite the week. Sometimes, it seems so dark that you don't think the sun will ever rise. But it does.

    Whoops. A little too philosophic, there. As for your questions, I like make my character's parents flawed. They love their kid, but they do screw up (in my last book it was a pretty important plot point, too). Same for teachers. They're good, but they miss the name-calling or snap at a character for forgetting her homework when they've had a bad day. You know. Human.

    Good luck with ABNA! Hope it goes great.

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  9. lol! omg--your week sounds almost as trying as mine was!!! It's the broken laptop + ABNA thing. Seriously. Got your brain all mixed. Here's to goldilicious tomorrow, and my book parents range from airheaded to distracted by their own world to do no wrong to dead. LOL! :D

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  10. Aw, Erica! I'm glad things turned around for you eventually. I think we all have those weeks. So cool you're doing ABNA. I'm not quite ready, but maybe next year.

    Little Monster loves Goldilicious. Um, do you live in the great white north? Because those temperatures sound awful. We're in the teens here with snow on the ground- I can't wait until Summer!

    SO glad you got your computer to work!

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  11. Boy,

    I thought I was having a bad day. At least if turned around in the end. I got a shock from a critique from our favorite "tart" that I have tense major issues in my ms for ABNA .... WONDERFUL! So I have 3 days to get it right,

    It's not a hard thing to do, BUT it is SUPER TIME CONSUMING! You are the only blog I visited today.

    I just had to take a break from editing. I am on page 69 out of 225. Every one of my pages has at least ten things I need to fix ... Talk about CRAP!

    Anyway getting to your question. Adults play a major part in my books. Teacher ... no offense ladies, I generally make horrible. Just for tension and something for kids to gripe about.

    I can relate to the frozen element! We are at single digits with a minus 20 windchill... fun! Luckily I'll be in editing all weekend.

    A warming hug to you both...

    Michael

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  12. Hooray---glad your day turned Goldilicious. :) The well-meaning-but-forever-failing-at-all-the-overwhelming-little-crap parent doesn't get a whole lot of representation in literature, does she? But I'd read about her. I suggest making it a comedy.

    Hey, I've got an award for you two over at my blog. :D

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  13. Very glad your day turned around! I ended up having school today...minus 25 just wasn't cold enough to keep us all home, I guess. But I got closer to getting the report cards done so it was worth it! Here's to a fun, relaxing night for you. Writing Friday, right? :0) christy

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  14. SO glad your week turned around. MAN that is some serious cold!!!! Wowza. Hurray for the laptop problem being an easy fix!! Don't you just love those moments where you thought something was going to take/cost a lot to fix and then it isn't. Such a good feeling!! Have a great weekend!

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  15. Aww, you guys are so sweet. Yes, when I left for work this morning, the temperature was -31 regular with a slight windchill making it close to -40. It's hovering around zero to five below now, so it did shape up a little.

    Rach - Wine AFTER hitting the send button is always a good idea!

    Megan - you win my favorite quote of the day - I fail at failure. hehe

    Abby - I'm in west-central WI, around 1 1/2 hours SE of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

    Michael - Tart is a brutal proofreader. You were lucky she read your work and let you know in time. :)

    Nicki - thanks for the award!

    Everyone - As Kai-Lan would say on her cartoon "You make my heart super happy!"
    erica

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  16. Oh dear, hugs your way. I love Heather's comment, see you've helped someone out with their writing. Silver lining. Good luck with the ABNA submission!

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