Monday, July 15, 2013

Upsetting The Apple Cart

(WANA Commons)


There are some times when I feel overwhelmed with all the things going on in my life.  Just handling the run of the mill everyday things I have to juggle in a 24 hour period...job, kiddies, phone calls, blog, manuscripts, emails, family, friends...you get the idea...

Then there are the unexpected events tossed into the mix because somewhere someone took a look at my busy life and decided I wasn't busy enough.  They decide to upset the apple cart and I add into the mix a water fight night at the school, insomnia, summer training camp, mid summer pitch contests, putting together things for an upcoming yard sale, and oh yeah...the missing mailbox I talked about last week.

I received a lot of nice comments and encouraging notes on that particular topic.  We were ALL hoping that would be the last anyone had to wonder about whether my rejection letters would get to me in a safe and timely manner or not.  

We were all wrong.

Last night...or more accurately...this morning at 4:30, my neighbors were having a party. A loud one.  One with lots of flowing alcohol and about 20 screeching kids of various ages who decided to take the party to the street in front of my house where they commenced to use my NEW mailbox for target practice.  I had wondered if they might have been the reason my last mailbox went on a permanent vacation. Now I think they simply didn't want me to suffer from all those rejection letters and tried to prevent me from getting any more.

How thoughtful of them.

I'm pretty sure their generous spirit was also in overdrive when they decided I needed to exercise more. They provided me that particular opportunity this morning when I had to pick up all the firework rockets, beer bottles, wine bottles, empty cigarette packets, cigarette butts, and various other objects filling three plastic bags full from my front yard.

But it was when I discovered they decided sometime while I slept last night to check and make sure the inside of my car still had everything it needed...and in their haste to return to the party, dropped one of their cigarette lighters by my passenger door (did I mention I don't smoke so I knew it wasn't mine?)...that I was convinced anything in my best interest was probably NOT topping their list of Good Samaritan deeds yet to be performed.

Funny thing about all of this? Nothing can generally be done until either my car decides to take a permanent vacation of its own or I become a casualty of some war I didn't even realize I was involved in. 

Bet you're wondering how I'm going to connect THIS to writing?  Well, here it is...

Sometimes you can be walking along, pushing that apple cart, minding your own business and then someone decides to come along and upset the natural order of things. Your doctor gives you some unwelcoming news, your least favorite relative comes for an extended visit, your "dream agent" sends you a rejection letter powerful enough to potentially crush your dream of becoming an author.  Your apple cart is upset and all those lovely apples are rolling beyond your reach.

What do you do?  Give up? Let them lie around until they rot?

No!

Take a moment to catch your breath if you need to and right your cart.  Then go after those apples.  Run after them if you have to!  Scoop them up and hold them close to you for they are YOUR dreams and only YOU know the outcome of YOUR life's story.  Channel all that fear and frustration into your next bit of writing where you pour your soul into your words. Ignore the fools surrounding you.  Spill those words onto paper or screen for them to connect with others until you can get your equilibrium back and then keep on trucking down that path to publication.

That's what I did...


14 comments:

  1. Oh Donna - what a terrible thing to have happened - and good for you for looking on life in a positive manner after those episodes.

    I hope that you can resolve the problem re your neighbours .. not easy - have a peaceful week .. Hilary

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    1. Hi Hilary! Unfortunately there will be no resolution other than my enduring patience. It's a rental house and the many transient families which flow through it over the years all seem to come from the same group of mindsets where my yard is their garbage dump and my solitude a call for drunken behavior. On a positive note, these families only stay a few months before they move on so hopefully this round of "fun" won't last for long...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. If those neighbors were thinking there was money in your mailbox, boy did they get a big surprise.

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    1. Hi Janet! One look at my bills and they would have figured that out real quick! ;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!





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  3. Wow. I'd yell at the neighbors.

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    1. Hi Erik! No, I don't think you would. They are not rational people and prone to violence (remember the poor mailbox?) so I am keeping a low profile and hoping they leave me alone...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. Donna, it seems like you're experiencing one of those 'when it rains, it pours' moments. But you're resolve is motivating! Sending good thoughts your way...keep on writing! :0)

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    1. Hi Donna! Or when you are in my corner of the world...MONSOON...LOL...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. You have a hell of a lot more restraint than I do. We had a set of neighbours who would party into the night but I used to get them back by playing loud music at 8am when they were trying to sleep off hang-overs.

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    1. Hi JP! Two things are in my favor...1) It's not in my nature to be confrontational so I don't usually lose my cool (except for that time I tried to fatally harm my ex but that is another story for another blog...;~) and 2) my years of martial arts training generally prevents me from being the aggressor. Besides, I've always considered myself a classy LADY and it's beneath me to sink to their level of insanity...I'm having too much fun hanging out in my own world...lol...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back time!

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  6. Sorry you had such a wretched encounter with the neighbors. Your post made me glad I live in the middle of the woods!

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    1. Hi Cindy! I normally live a rather peaceful existence in my little house but sometimes wacko neighbors throw a little spice into my life for a few months before they move on. Hopefully this too shall pass soon...;~)

      Thanks for stopping and come back any time!

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  7. I like the way you keep making lemonade from sour grapes. Way to go!!

    Thanks for the encouraging word
    Clar

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    1. Hi Clarike! Well, the way I look at it is I can either cry about it (and puff up my face) or I can use this experience as fodder for yet another brilliantly inspiring blog post! Guess which one I chose? ;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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