When the Muse Needs a Stress Day

Ever feel you're juggling too much?

Last week, I vowed to stop the clown circus that has become my daily life and sit down to revise my Organized Writer schedule. Well, there were two problems with this plan. First, there are several up-in-the-air additions to my routine that I have to make a decision on. Second, I just had no juice left in me for brainstorming. I've felt mentally flat-lined, and at a time when I'm supposed to be working on a number of writing projects as well as some things at home. So I didn't come up with a perfect, shiny and new version of my schedule. But, I DID take off the clown nose long enough to stop the circus train and do something to revitalize my spirit.

Crystal Cove-gorgeous spot for my muse to unwind!

The family took a "stress relief day" and headed out to the beach. A day of investigating tidepools, sunning between a cave and a waterfall, hanging out with overly curious squirrels, and enjoying the surf left me with a very zen, contented feeling that I'd been missing for a while. My muse really needed that boost of relaxation. Call it a mental revival or a spirit-feeding, chi-stirring activity, but either way it helped clear my head enough to do some thinking about my writing and daily life. And it made me realize once again that when I look at my stress level, a lot of it has to do with deadlines and expectations I place squarely on myself--and far too many of them. It's something I do at least a couple times per year, and it doesn't do squat for my sanity. I made a couple of mental adjustments that will be of great help this next week as I finally sit down to revise my schedule.

Who watches Hell's Kitchen? I can't quite decide who I want to win. Joy seems the steadiest overall, even though she had a bit of a meltdown on last week's episode.  I'm also wondering whether I'll bother watching the final season of True Blood. I told myself I'd watch the first episode to see what happens with Eric Northman. After that, they'd better really grab my attention. I'm just kind of bored with it all. On the other hand, I was impressed with the Season 2 opener for Defiance, and I'm looking forward to this season of Teen Wolf.

WRITING STUFF

I did put in 2k or so this past week, working on more short stories that will be freebies for readers who join my mailing list and birthday club. I'll be giving a sneak peek at my birthday read in this week's Snippet Sunday.

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On select Mondays, I like to gab about whatever's going on with me. For more gab, please join me on Twitter or Facebook. I love talking to people!

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night.