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Hellion Writes Her Own Pep Talk: GET A GRIP
In these troubling times and economy, I have no doubt you’re in the midst of the truest of all acronyms: FUD. Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. Nowadays, FUD is plaguing me for all things great and small, not just how stable my job is or if my haircut didn’t come out as stylish as everyone has been assuring me it is. Everything.
Its latest emotional hijacking has revolved around the revisions to Girl on a Grecian Urn. Whereas I haven’t been the least bit productive in revising or creating new material in my manuscripts, Grumpy Old Man (my internal editor) has been busier than a beaver with two tails, waving his FUD flag like that guy that stands there at NASCAR. He’s got a new color and complaint every thirty seconds. Everything I do is wrong. He also looks like Al Gore, harping at me that I’m murdering trees. “Tree killer!”
What’s doubly irritating is that the longer I’m gripped by this fictional asshole, the less motivated I am to bother with anything else. I keep my daily aims at an aspirable level, like, “Getting out of bed” and “Watching POTC only once a day.” And I don’t add new things I haven’t done, because, well, I know I’m not going to do them anyway, so why depress myself when I don’t. I have to-do lists so I can feel better when I do scratch things off the list. Small attainable goals. That’s the secret of a happy life.
Clearly being a writer is not the secret of having a happy life. It’s why so many of them stick their heads in ovens, don’t you think?
Step away from the oven. This is not the attitude to cultivate. Where would the Tampa Rays be if they’d let FUD take control of their game? What if they’d kept their aspirable goal to just winning 71 games this year (beating their last years’ scoring) rather than one of the spots in the World Series? Exactly. They’d have more of the same. If you let Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt to take foothold and squat in your territory, you’re just going to have more of the same. The only time you want to see more of the same is when your name is listed as #1 on the NYT’s bestselling lists. Aspire to that.
What did the Tampa Rays have to lose? Absolutely nothing. Nobody expected anything from them whatsoever. Sometimes it pays to be at the bottom of the dung heap because you have nowhere to go but up. Of course, the problem with no one expecting anything of you is that you have to expect something of yourself even if no one else does. Or especially when no one else does. Whatever.
So do your job, play the best game you’ve got in you, and tune out the FUDs hanging out in the stands. And Lord, stop baking, you’re only tempting fate. Plus you don’t need those damned brownies anyway.
Anyone else plagued by Elmer FUD of late? Anyone else cheering for the Tampa Rays? Anyone else got any tips for not letting your Grumpy Old Man emotionally hijack your writing?
Books by the Crew
49 comments:
Elmer FUD seems like a shadow for me. I keep trying to shoo him away! I guess it comes with having the sun shine on you. As long as it's a shadow and on the ground...I think I'll survive.
Having small attainable goals like you stated, is what makes life bearable.
Sometimes, all I see is FUD(S), but I'm too busy chasing after five kids to have the FUDS stay in my line of vision too long.
I'm definately cheering for the Rays! *pouting* I was actually hoping the Dodgers could be there.
Way to chase the FUDS away, Fran!
And please MOVE AWAY from the OVEN!LOL.
You give a girl a good laugh in the morning with your analogies. I just whine to a very wonderful CP when Grumpy Old Men Hijack my writing... she listens and I return the favour!
I've had lots of Grumpy ones lately too. I am totally blaming it on the Mercury retrograde, which didn't end until Oct 15! I'm slowly finding my pace again.
I live in Red Sox Nation. Enough said.
My school was supposed to undergo renovation. Lord knows it needs it. Postponed at least two years. No funding from state. FUD is all around, but nothing induces me to get into the kitchen anymore except at Thanksgiving, when I puzzle over the big white box with the glass door and try to remember what it is. Writing has taken over cooking...and cleaning...and a bunch of other stuff.
I'm finding revisions are bringing out the FUDs big time. *sigh*. If the golden heart deadline wasn't looming ahead of me like a huge flashing neon sign, I'd be throwing in the towel right about now and moving on to something new (and significantly more entertaining than "did I mean to use 'reassuring' there? Would 'bolstering' fit better? What about 'calming'......etc, ad nauseum).
Hellion - LOL! I think FUD invests revisions like the plague, just looming and casting its murky nastiness all over everything. I just started to feel more motivated this weekend. Maybe it's the end of the Mercury retrograde, as Tiff referenced.
My tips aren't very orginal, in fact, you've heard it before. (Humming "Just keep swimming" and the Finding Nemo soundtrack).
However, I live right outside Philadelphia... Go Phils!!
that's infest, not invest. sheesh.
Well, I was rooting for Boston, now I'll be rooting for Phillie. But I'm still miffed I lost the football pool this weekend by one freaking point. Would it have killed them to go for the 2 pt conversion?!
You know I've totally bought into the Vomit It Out philosophy. And if I ever sit down to write (something besides a school paper) again, I know it will keep the Grumpy Wench (in my case) away. She has a weak stomach, you see.
The only thing the FUD is infestsing now is this conference I'm planning. I basically have 2 1/2 weeks and I'm not sure I'm prepared for it. LOL! So much to do!! And it doesn't help that I still down have all my curtains hung and my child's room still needs to be fixed up. If anyone knows how I could clone myself, do send me the recipe.
Oh, and GREAT BLOG! And if you don't stop writing me to tell me these blogs suck - WHICH THEY DON'T - I'm going to make you walk the plank!
LOL!
Oh, I want the clone recipe too! Who has that?
We can put a man on the moon and yet something useful like a clone recipe remains uninvented? The world isn't fair.
Technically, they can clone sheep. Who the hell needs more sheep?! Do the sheep have too much to do? Noooooooooooooooooooo......
I have never met a frazzled sheep. However, my exposure to sheep is quite limited....
Now that you mention it, I could use some more sheep *g*
Anybody else watch Criminal Minds? A couple weeks ago, Reed was asked if he could complete this huge project. He says, "Yes. I'll just need the ability to clone myself and a year's supply of Adderall." It's become my new catch phrase.
Oh, and great blog Hellion - exactly the lecture, er, pep talk I needed this morning to get my but into gear and actually start these revisions! Another half a chapter done - woo hoo! (small, attainable goals, right?)
*LOL* Island Girl, I can definitely concur, being I've met your five (adorable, I might add) children, you have no time for FUD. Mainly because you're run completely to distraction. *LOL*
I'm stepping away from the oven!
Tiff: you're right! I just need to whine more! I don't know what I've been thinking!! Fortunately I got to whine to Dee this weekend, but she didn't let me wallow long. *LOL* She told me to stop doing my Chicken Little impression and just write already. It wasn't as bad as I thought.
OMG! Are we on the same wave link? I've actually invited everyone, in a nice kind of way, to come kick me in the ass over at Romance Roundtable, because I've been down. I guess in your words, suffering from FUD!
I know I've been down because of fear. Maybe the economy has something to do with it. And tree killer is never far from my mind. But-I'm scared shitless to send out that dang query letter.
Renee
Maggie: normally I root for the Red Sox, but the Tampa Rays are such the underdogs, I had to root for them. (I have no loyalties, I admit.)
Mmmmm, Thanksgiving...we should do some cooking blogs. No Rake and Bakes, though...but you know, something with recipes. Would you all like that? No? You just want to order takeout too and eat off paper plates?
Hal, I'm with you! I'm SO with you! *LOL* The Golden Heart taunts me! And I'm not doing exact word obsession though. I'm doing, "God, should I even have that scene? that chapter? that character in this book?"--*sighs* It's demoralizing.
Marnee: I need to watch Finding Nemo again. (Except I always sob when I watch the opening part where Nemo's mother dies. A complete mess!) And I'm a little hormonal this week...and tired...I'd probably be a wreck for the rest of the week. It's only Tuesday. Happy movies! Happy...
*LOL* I love that--"who's met a frazzled sheep?" *LOL*
Oh btw, I'll be paying attention to any advice, since I find getting out of bed hard to do.
Tampa Rays? Who are they? World Series? Is that some sort of Olympic game? JJ! I haven't watched baseball since the Royals and Cardinals played the 1985 World Series.
Renee
Terri: You don't want a clone. You'd be pissed off if she started getting more sex than you.
Hal, I'm glad my pep talk is working for somebody. After BodyPump last night, I'm amazed I crawled out of bed this morning. That sadist instructor! She had us go up in weights...
Renee, don't let FUD get you. FUD=worry. Worry is 99% NOTHING. You're going to emotionally exhaust yourself worrying about something that isn't going to happen or matter in the long run, when you need the energy to trot your happy butt to the mailbox and mail off the newest set of queries.
FUD is like the shadow of the actual thing...and the actual thing is so much smaller and thereby easier to stomp out. Getting all worked up about FUD is like seeing a shadow of a spider and thinking it's one of those freaky monsters from Harry Potter...and it's actually the size of a quarter.
Though for some people and spiders, that's large enough.
Thanks, Hellion. I know you're right. But I refuse to squish spiders. I either move out of their way or have someone else squish them for me. :) I'll push FUD out of the way and soon, I just needed time. It's almost like I'm mourning my WIP. Crazy, huh?
Renee
No, I get the mourning thing too. It's like sending your kid off to school for the first time and not being able to do a thing about hte fact he's going to be mocked by the bullies. No matter how good you polish him up or put him in the trendiest clothes. Somebody is going to look down on him and hurt him--and thereby, hurt you.
Go RAYS! They're my home team. I have no choice but to support them. And, yeah, I'm pretty much bandwagon.*shrugs* My nephew isn't bandwagon,though. He got his head shaved into a mohawk to support the Rays. And around here lately(thanks a ton Rays)you see a lot of little boys with mohawks. Whatever.
I'm always feeling the FUD. It's hard to get him to shut up. I suppose the whole 'vomit it out' thing works. But that's only while you're writing the WIP. When you get to revisions I have no clue what you do. Maybe turn the music up REALLY loud. Or maybe...maybe you stick your head in the oven.*g*
I'm at the stage in my writing now where every other sentence looks like total crap and I'm thinking October is a good month for a bonfire. I'm glad to have a name for my malady, Hellion. Now when someone asks WTF is wrong with me, I'll just say that I'm a victim of FUD. :)
OT: Bands blaring, flags waving, and balloons soaring that Julie's news is good and she's back among us, even if left-hand typing makes posting difficult.
I refuse to think about revisions and you people can't make me! And thanks for bringing up the sex thing. As if I don't have enough self-esteem problems now. And that's the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. LOL! You're missing a couple words there.
I love the analogy of FUD as a shadow and that it's not really as big as the shadow makes it appear. We need more light to chase the shadow away. Man, that turning the clocks back thing is totally going to take our light. Dang it.
Ter, all the people here in Tampa have shortened it to The Rays. We're all too lazy to say the whole thing.:) And since they've become The Rays they've been winning. Go figure.
Also, Ter, my brother is a socks fan. There's a LOT of tension in our house.lol.
Actually, they changed their name and it's no longer Devil Rays. Tampa Bay Rays or Tampa Rays, but no Devil in it. *sticks out tongue*
Terri, I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. Mainly I was projecting. It'd be what would happen if I cloned myself. Everyone's having more sex than me.
Janga, I've been threatening to set fire to my manuscript for weeks now! (Not hte computer itself...it's really more a symbolic thing. *LOL*) But yes, now's a good time for a bonfire...or you can wait until November 5th for Bonfire Day.
I'm always Elmer. I never can hit the damned rabbit, no matter how hard I try. Neither can I catch up to him. Outrun him. Out maniuver him. Out smart him. Or out wit him.
I have nothing happy to say today. Well except that you wrote a wonderful blog.
They dropped the Devil part? Really? How did I miss that? Well, you still for got the Bay on Tampa. *sticks out tongue back*
You know what would be the worst thing? My clone would be skinnier. *sigh* Now THAT would really piss me off. LOL!
Who's bringing the marshmellows to the bonfire? I'll bring the hot dogs!
Sin - cheer up! FUD doesn't stand a chance against a Ninja! Especially a Pirate Ninja with super secret International Spy gadgets and poison eyelash darts!
And for got is two words now. LOL! Proof read. Proof read!
SIN...
Who wants the silly wabbit?! Forget the wabbit!
*THROWING TONS OF CHOCOLATE*
FUDS are allergic to chocolate. Try it!
Don't worry, Sin, it's just one of those days. Just let me know where to hide the body and I'll bring the shovel.
IG, chocolate cures everything. God bless chocolate!
I've got marshmallows...and you can have them. I want to be the skinnier clone in my group. *LOL*
I don't like marchmallows. (And I spelled it with the "a" first then thought I was wrong and changed it...lol). That's why I'm bringing the dogs.
I'm feeding my clone brownies.
If my clone was skinnier I'd need your shovel, Hellion. I don't want the damn clone showing me up, just want her to do all the damn work. sheesh....
I love you guys. Honestly I do. But if I eat another piece of junk food my fat pants won't even fit. They don't fit now as it is.
There is always a reason to worry, it just isn't always a good reason. That's my mantra... It's seldom a good reason might be better... There is always time to worry, so I might as well put it off until later...
You think FUD is stocking the NYSE? Maybe that's what it is... Whimps!
My FUD is very good at hiding out...doesn't present a real target, just throws a blank slate of dead emotion in front of me. Hard to be scared if you just aren't feeling much of anything. So, I fight with scribbling on the black slate...anything goes.
Newest goal? One contest or submission a month.
Though I wish I baked ...brownies...brownies...brownies... slobber, slobber
You guys are killing me!
That's the spirit, Terr, fatten up the other clone!
Marnee, that's the purpose of having a clone--to have someone do all the dirty work, be brought down by the everyday grind, whilst we have time to enjoy life, exercise 4 hours a day, eat spa food (that our clone fixes) and muse on happy, positive things. Don't worry; with clones, we'll be the skinny ones. Why? With all that time available, we can spend time at the gym like celebrities do; also someone else is cooking our meals and can be more healthy about it; and lastly, without the stress, we're not eating twinkies by the box. We don't try to bring happiness with ho-hos. *LOL*
2nd Chance--*LOL*--actually I think that Urban Word of the Day, FUD, did come from a reference to the NYSE. *LOL*
That's a really good goal! :) I haven't even done that lately! Naughty Hellion! But that's a small attainable goal...good one!!
(I think brownies out of a box are better. They crinkle when you bake them! The crinkle means their good.)
Ok, then. Thank you Hellion, for clarifying the clone rules. I'm satisfied with that.
Any brownies are good brownies. There are no bad brownies. Better!? Yes. Best? Yes. No nuts, frosted, with chocolate chips. (Man, I need some chocolate...)
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