One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato…

I Am Number Four…

And I’m not talking about the bad movie (based on the NYT Times Bestseller by Pittacus Lore – aka James Frey and Jobie Hughes) that hit the theaters less than a month ago, and is already available on Blue Ray. No, I’m referring to this blog. This is the fourth time in the last hour I’ve started my first Waterworld Mermaids blog, and I have drawn my line in the sand: this one will be the one…

So, prepare yourself. The number four has been my lucky number for more than three decades. Who knows what awe-inspiring blogging will happen in the paragraphs below. What key learnings (God, I hate that phrase…so corporate and annoyingly smug) will you walk away with in the five minutes it will take you to read my first Mermaid blog? (And being the optimist that I am, I assume you’re still reading).

Speaking of key learnings (if we must), what do you think you know about me from these two short paragraphs?

Clearly, I like movies … even bad ones when it comes to sci-fi, super-heroes and paranormal tales. And if you throw in a touch of other worldly magic –I’m hooked. Of course, I love books (writer), but I didn’t read the Frey/Hughes book).

But what else have you figured out about me? And yes, I’m asking the questions and giving you the answers – right away.

And yep, you got it.

I am a master of procrastination.

I think I need to Google this word ‘procrastination’.

Mmmm….

Right under Wikipedia’s heartless definition (something about spineless waste of time, or something like that) is the definition I will run with, and I quote, “Procrastination and perfectionism often go hand in hand. Perfectionists tend to procrastinate because they expect so much of themselves…”

Whoops, I didn’t finish reading the whole thing before I cut and pasted it into the blog. The next part isn’t as uplifting as the first…something about fear of failure and generally being scared of success.

Damn.

Cash money (slang:), we’ve heard this before—what if I finish the book? What if it is snatched up by the biggest, richest publishing house in the world, what will I do then?

I know… putting the egg before the chicken leads to procrastination and other ugly furies that keep us (me) from finishing my manuscript.

And you thought I wasn’t going to sink into a mournful pit of rhetoric about why I haven’t finished revisions on my manuscript.

Believe me. I tried not to go there. I really did.

Sigh…

Hey, it’s Friday!

Music: Jamiroquai – Little L

02 Little L

 

15 thoughts on “One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato…

  1. Hey Denny! Great post…someting else we’ve learned about you…you have a lovely sense of humor and can spin a phrase like nobody’s business. No wonder you’re a writer!

    1. Hey Carlene,
      Thank you…I appreciate your taking the time to comment and the compliment. I could learn to enjoy writing blogs – make believe it’s a short scene or something. Anything to get me writing and keep me from being distracted by the sh*t on the desk top of my computer…

  2. So it was a bad movie? I’ve been wanting to see it…and read the book. Haven’t heard such great things about the book, but it has a fabulous title, doesn’t it?
    I really enjoyed this post — thanks for making me laugh!

    1. The movie wasn’t great, but the mythology was way cool. And I agree – it has a great title, too. And you are welcome…I enjoyed writing this – after I figured out what I was writing:)

  3. Awesome post, Denny-Mermaid! Now I have a whole bunch of stuff I want to look up on Wikipedia – great procrastination for me. I’m synopsis-writing today. Weeeee!

    1. Best of luck with your synopsis. I finished an online class recently on synopsis writing. It was a great class, but it made me want to go back and rewrite my book from scratch…

  4. One of my favorite quotes: Nothing is ever finished, you just run out of time.

    I think we may be soul sisters of procrastination. That’s why I need deadlines. 🙂

    1. My ‘work’ world is nothing but insane deadlines, and I thrive on them. The isolation of writing original fiction is something to get used to…I have…but there are those times when I can’t sit still to open the file…so many distractions that aren’t really distractions unless I allow them to be…so, if it gets that way for you sometimes, then yep, we’re soul sisters, missy:)!

  5. What should I be doing and instead I’m responding to blog posts? Hmmm … procrastination is key.

    Also, a bit superstitious with number 4 being your “lucky” numbers. Shall we have FOUR drinks the next time we meet in person 😉

    1. Hey there,

      Thanks for dropping by:)…and you bet, we’ll need to throw back a few in New York next month…you are going to be there, right? I blew off the hotel deal, and now I’m thinking I’ll need to use some of my meeting planner points and get into one of the downtown digs. My friend I supposed to stay with lives in Harlem – that’s a long haul at night from Manhattan…:)

  6. I can pretty much guarantee that I won’t have a thing packed the night before a trip. Even an international, three-week vacation. Everything is going in at the last minute. There won’t be any rhyme or reason for how I’ve packed that suitcase.
    The same can be said for moving. Yep. I’ll have kitchen utensils in with good china and whatever else I saw right before I tape that box up.
    I’m the same with pretty much everything. Always at the last minute. It is procrastination, but for me, it works. I still managed to get on the plane or move into a new house.
    When I started 10-page papers the night before they were due and still hadn’t read the book yet….well, I managed to still get an A and made my way through the college years basically unscathed and never bowing to too many schedules.
    I don’t mind other procrastinators as long as they aren’t late. Procrastinate all you want, but, damn it, show up on time!
    When it comes to writing, I’m the same way. Hence, this long comment. I’ve managed to find something else to do instead of what I should be doing. 🙂

  7. Great post. Being a master procrastinator as well as a school librarian, I I’ve learned that it’s a canny exercise in economics. You wait until you want it or need it badly enough to do the work. Oh, and we are all perfectionists! 🙂

  8. Procrastination thy name is Robin! Move over Denny – I need to jump on the “Time Wasting Express”! But . . . I would never call reading your lovely, funny post procrastination!

  9. Denny, what we need to do is think of writing as a way of procrastinating. I remember when I used to work on my novel when I was, well, at work, snatching moments between customers to jot a paragraph or two….

    A guilty pleasure. That’s what writing should be.

    1. That’s a good idea, and part of me does what to think of writing as a guilty pleasure. But I also am ready to accept and appreciate that writing is work. Just like when I used to choreograph – that dance tormented me until it was finished. And that’s what my creative process is…I think…it’s not going to flow pretty and sweet. It’s hard, and strong, sexy and dark, and sometimes ugly. But in the end, I think it also can be good (that’s what I’m striving for)…

      And oh, your book, “the power of point of view’ is available on Kindle and my iPad…very sweet. I love that a craft book is accessible to me through my electronic toys:)…

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