The boys have been quarreling excessively these past few weeks, so I’ve been looking for a new approach to getting them to cooperate more. My solution was to take the A Complaint Free World idea and make it more relevant to our family life.

The boys have behavior bracelets they wear on their left wrist. The goal is to keep it there for 21 consecutive days. If they misbehave, they move the bracelet to their right wrist and begin back at Day One. At the end of 21 days, I’m going to let them have a reward.

They’ve been perfectly behaved the entire day. I don’t know if the idea will continue to work, but I’m hopeful.

I’m learning that the writing process, for me, involves a lot of thinking, but not a lot of writing. I imagine ideas cooking in my head. Sometimes I feel like the pot will boil over.

I’m also finding inspiration in unexpected places. It’s not a new phenomenon to me, but it’s always enjoyable. Little insignificant details are popping up in my characters’ personalities. Although I care about them, I can’t imagine anyone else would.

I wonder if I’m overthinking things, if I’m cooking things too long. I get new ideas daily. Usually, they’re very small ideas, but I always feel like I’ve found something big. Maybe my addiction to those eureka moments are preventing me from taking the next step. Or maybe all this thinking is a good thing.

Or maybe all this thinking and writing about thinking and writing is exhausting.

Rob’s parents are flying in tomorrow to stay with us for a week. We don’t really have room for guests, but we do what we can. Like always, Rob’s been breaking his back to make sure they’ll be as comfortable as possible while they’re here. His dad has already commented to Rob that he doesn’t want to be “sitting in dog hair” while he’s here. (I have a lab. She sheds and licks. However, there is no animal hair on the furniture.) He usually complains about something when he visits, so I’ve come to expect it. Do you think it would be wrong of me to suggest to him that he’s being ungrateful if and when that happens? Or do you think it’s better to continue to say nothing?

We’re giving them our bedroom and bathroom while they’re here. I’ll sleep on the daybed, and Rob will probably sleep on an inflatable mattress in the living room.

Rob’s dad can’t sleep without a television on at night, so we’re moving a tv up into our bedroom.

We have a new sofa being delivered today. We wanted to replace it when Rob got some of his severance money next month, but we made arrangements to get it before his parents arrive.

I’m going to keep my car in the garage during their stay so they have more room in the driveway for their car.

We’re not sending the dogs away this time. Also, I have no control over the weather.

I’m writing. It started with an imaginary land I used to visit as a child in the forests behind my house. Ten years ago, I mapped the land from my childhood memories and invented new creatures and cities. Last week, I dusted off my old notes and filled the world with people. I imagined scenes with each of my people, but no stories. The past ten years have been filled with experiences that helped me create characters who have depth, and color, and who are very real to me. The people were so real they guided themselves. I didn’t invent their stories.

Since admitting five days ago I am writing, I have crocheted two hats and a scarf, and I’ve reworked the crocheted shrug I made so it’s now more of a sweater. Clearly, I’m finding the process of creating a plot to be more than a little challenging. It’s a lot like a puzzle. I’m guessing the puzzle analogy isn’t a new one because it fits so perfectly. I had a rough idea of a plot, but it was littered with holes. Then slowly, very slowly, I started filling in the missing pieces. Filling in the blanks is a little intoxicating when it works. Though I haven’t actually written anything other than notes yet, I feel like I’m getting really close to starting something. I seem to have a tendency of researching something to death before jumping in. I wasn’t always like this.

(Read more…)