Christmas is less than two weeks away. Am I ready for it? As far as gifts go, I’m all set. Decorations? My husband and I don’t do that anymore. Just the thought of getting out those boxes, putting up the decorations, taking them down, and putting them away again makes us heave a sigh of exhaustion. It would be different if we were having company over but the chances of that happening are nil. Weary or not, we’d spruce up the common areas.
Are we doing the “Oh Humbug!” thing? No. We’re just being practical. We’ll go visiting during that weekend before the big day, hoping we are living up to our last name [Jolly].
Because my husband and I don’t do much for the holiday season, this ends up being a good time for me to get more writing done. Fellow bloggers will probably have short posts for me to read. The two online writing groups I belong to probably won’t have many members visiting, therefore, less conversation. I’m expecting to have a drop in emails cluttering my inbox as well.
Right now I’m struggling with how to write a query letter so that it meets the standards of the magazine I’m sending it to and still have it be exuberant so they will accept my article. If my work is accepted, that will mean I will have to get busy on the second and third articles. It will keep me busy for a while anyway.
I’m making the progress of a slug when it comes to my rewrite of my fictional draft. Or maybe the speed is that of a sloth trying to grab a meal. It isn’t because I’m being lazy — really! It’s a case of my brain not being able to get anything flowing fast to my fingertips. For the time being, I am writing for about a half hour, stop and find something else to do for at least 15 minutes, then go back to what I was typing. Well, at least I won’t get fat this way.
Posts are finally getting easier for me to write again. It’s been over a year since I’ve been able to immerse myself in the application. For a while there it was taking me three days to write one post and that was when I was having a good week. Although I still am not writing them in just one session, I can get a post done in one day. Definitely an improvement.
It may not appear that I am doing well when you read the paragraphs above but the truth is I am doing better than I have for the past three years. The health issues were dragging me so far down, yet I didn’t want to admit it, not even to myself. I’m still resisting going to the doctor with any of what has been ailing me. However, some of the burden has been lifted due to dietary changes. Because this is all considered home remedies, they take longer to do the job of healing.
I hate doctors and dentists. I have one of each though because I know I need them to stay relatively healthy. However, whenever I find a home remedy that I am certain will not harm me and is likely to do me some good, I’m all ready to try it instead of running to the doctor or dentist.
Do any of you who are writers find yourself in the position of having ailments that people in other professions do not have? For example, are my digestive issues due to germs in my home that I am not getting away from often enough because I spend my days in this house writing? Does being more efficient with cleaning help this or do I need something that is truly outside?
I’ve been standing at the deck door more often with the door open in hopes of absorbing some vitamin D. Maybe that is what is helping me these days. On the other hand, I was sitting outside often when the weather was warmer, yet that was before I started feeling better. Is there some difference between the two I’m not aware of?
I don’t know. Maybe none of what I’ve been doing has anything to do with feeling better these days. Maybe it’s just a bug that’s been reluctant to leave.
§
How are you doing this holiday season?
“Your attitude will either make or break you, we cannot change fate and the tragedies that enter our lives but we can choose how we want them to change us.”
― Nikki Rowe
A Scripted Maze 
For me, I get health ailments whether I spend more time indoors, outdoors or at wor – namely scoliosis and digestive issues too (all medical related). It does sound like you are trying to push yourself, and maybe try not to push too much. Then again, you do want to get writing done so it can be tricky.
Like you, I don’t do much for this season. No tree, never had one and it is usually a quiet affair with the ones close to me, maybe a meal and hanging out. I do intend to catch up on writing and reading 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Believe me, Mable, I’m not pushing myself too hard. I do as much as I can and, then, head for the living room to watch something mindless on the TV. I don’t have any back problems other than it hurt slightly after doing some heavy housecleaning. It wouldn’t even hurt then if I’d get busy with exercises to strengthen the muscles in my back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t imagine staying at home being any worse than being in an office where people bring in every germ their kids bring home form daycare and school. I feel like I need a Lysol dispenser at my office door.
I’m glad you’re finding it easier to get these posts out. I don’t know why, or how to describe it, but your writing seems more upbeat and I get the sense that you are more at ease. I think that’s a good thing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Didn’t we have this conversation about my writing before? I think we did but with my tricky memory problems, maybe we didn’t. My lighter mood is due to the departmental way I am handling problems now. Although problems in one area can affect another area, that second area doesn’t necessarily need to feel swamped by it. It’s a change of mindset, I guess.
Even though you’re right about more germs floating around in the community than at home, they do make it to my house via my husband. When I was working outside the home [way long ago], I rarely got sick. Even now, not all that much of what dear husband brings to me affects me. I can only assume I have a good immune system.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this post, Glynis. I feel guilty every year because I no longer (like you) put up my Christmas decorations. They sit in the rafters, probably eaten by the roof rats. It takes too long to put up and take down–I’d rather write. And like you, no one visits!
Thank you for removing my guilt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re more than welcome, Jacqui. With you doing the same thing, I don’t feel any of the guilt either. We’ll enjoy the big day talking to our kids on the phone. 😀
LikeLike
I’m so glad you are doing a bit better and the posts are coming to you more easily. Like you, I try to figure out how to handle my ailments on my own, but then I fuss about whether what I am doing is making things better (or worse) or if something else is causing the change. It’s a conundrum. Good luck with the query letter; I feel bad I couldn’t help you with it. My husband and I are currently renting a house in Las Cruces NM so have no Christmas decorations to put up and therefore no need to feel guilty about it. It’s rather nice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Believe it or not, I did get the query letter written and sent via email. If I don’t get a reply but the first of the new year, I’ll send one to another magazine. 😛
LikeLike
We do a pretty simple outdoor decoration style but I’m still decorating a 9 foot tree. I just like it. I will hate putting everything away only to get them back out before I know it but it still makes me happy. Sounds like you need to take this time to relax and let your body heal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many people love the decorating of the season. You aren’t alone, by a long shot, April. I used to know someone who put her tree up even before Thanksgiving and didn’t take it down until Valentine’s Day.
LikeLike
I respect how you examine yourself so brutally, Glynis, though I don’t believe you earn so much criticism. To write in half hour spurts is a decent achievement, much better than those who write nothing at all. It’s recommended that a person not sit for hours on end, anyway. It’s too unhealthy.
I’m really glad to know that you’re feeling healthier. And I love the image of you standing in the doorway, as if willing to accept whatever inspiration comes your way.
As for decorating for the holidays – always should be your choice. Otherwise, you just become a Hallmark groupie.
Happy holidays, to you and your family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The last thing I would ever want to be is a groupie, and a Hallmark one sound especially bad. It’s true that sitting too long can cause all sorts of health problem so I won’t feel guilty about rising from my chair after a half hour of writing. I do want to get in a couple of more of these sessions in per day though.
Do you do something for the days of Chanuka? I know it isn’t as important as the Jewish New Year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right, Chanukah has far less religious significance than a lot of other Jewish holidays. It isn’t mentioned in Torah though it was written about by an ancient historian named Josephus in the first century of the common era. But it is a holiday about miracles, and it’s an important cultural and family event. We light a menorah every night and have our family and friends over for a Chanukah party every year. This year it will be on December 22 because that’s the only day everyone can come. We fry latkes, play dreidle, eat lots of cookies, tell the story of the first Chanukah, light nine menorahs, (my choice, not traditional to light nine) and the kids open presents. Some folks think the presents are a parallel to Christmas presents, but they hale from Jews in Europe in Middle Ages. Young scholars, always poor, would go door to door, asking for gelt, coins, so they could buy a meal. We still give Chanukah gelt as gifts, only they are now chocolate covered coins. Thank you for asking, Glynis.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like great fun, Shari!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s nothing wrong with being practical. Last year, I wasn’t going to put up a tree so I draped the chandelier in my dining room with ornaments. It was tackiness at its best. But then I caved and bought a fake tree at Walmart for $20. I guess I put the tree up for me and the dog since I live alone now, but it’s nice to look at the nights every night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We would probably have a tiny tree sitting on a table but we have three ornery cats. One, in particular, would get to the tree. That I’m sure of.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I must admit I find decorating for Christmas a chore then have to pack it after, but it happens once a year so I make an effort. Now that I am on holidays, I try to go out for a walk, except this week it hasn’t happened. Lots going on with Christmas a few days away. I found when writing it is important to get up and do something around the house and stretch, but if I am in the writing zone, then I tend not to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a nasty cold right now. I’m positive my husband brought it home with him from work. This affliction has answered my question about being more efficient with housecleaning.
At one time I was like you, thinking of the decorating as a necessary chore but now I just lay the cards we received in a basket on one of the tables in the living room.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you are feeling better, Glynis. Never nice to be sick during the Christmas season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By the time Christmas Day arrived, all I had was the annoying “after-cold” cough.
LikeLiked by 1 person