December 4th, 2008 | by KateDouglas |
I’ve got a book coming out in a couple of weeks—Wolf Tales VII, (Romantic Times Magazine Top Pick for January 2009) I’m trying to finish another book, Wolf Tales IX, before our son and his family arrive for the holidays, and I still have to do Christmas cards and shop for gifts and write posts for a couple of guest blogs, and prepare for an online radio interview, and…what am I doing instead?
Baking cookies.
Yep, you heard me. And these aren’t even cute little Christmas cookies for gifts. Nope, these are industrial strength granola/fruit/almond/two-cubes-of-real-butter-and-tons-of-brown-sugar cookies for me to totally screw up my diet on. I feel it’s the finest form of procrastination known to authorkind…and damn but they smell good! (And they taste even better!)
I’m a firm believer in procrastination. I think it can be good for the soul—a chance to enjoy some guilty pleasure and actually revel in the guilt. I mean, what’s the point if you’re not going to have something REALLY IMPORTANT out there, waiting to be done instead of…? If you’re not avoiding something you really should be doing, it’s not real, honest to goodness procrastination, and the satisfaction you gain isn’t nearly as worthwhile.
So that’s my blog suggestion for the day—go out of your way to avoid doing something you really should get done, and do a fun, frivolous, totally impractical thing instead. You’re going to feel much better in the long run, and I can assure you it’s better for your health—mental and otherwise. It’s especially effective during the holidays. Trust me on this. I’m an expert.
And, if I don’t chat with you before the holidays, here’s wishing you all the best, no matter how you choose to celebrate–be safe, be healthy, and don’t forget to find time for a good book.
Wishing you the very best holiday ever!
Okay, first, what a cute doggie!! And second, yeah I hear ya. How funny because I haven’t really written in about four days. I think it’s because I did/won NaNo in 23 days and purged all this book stuff, and now I’m just…relaxing.
I agree, procrastination can be a great tool
by Shelli Stevens · December 4th, 2008 at 1:35 amThat’s Rufus! I forgot to put his name on the post–my husband took that picture to keep him humble. He regularly reminds Rufus that he’s got the negatives. Congrats on the Na/No win! I’ve heard of that–a whole novel in a month or something like that, right? You’ve earned your right to procrastinate!
by KateDouglas · December 4th, 2008 at 1:55 am
Procrastinating is my favourite job of all! Anytime anyone needs some help doing this I am there!
by Sara · December 4th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
But you’re there LATER, right Sara? 
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 1:02 pmYum! Kate, I’m a procrastinator, but rarely with such delicious results! Could you send some over, please?
by Fedora · December 4th, 2008 at 1:46 pmLOL…you’ll have to fight my husband for them, and he’s a 6’4″ athletic type…
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 2:24 pmYou know I had to respond to this since you just emailed me talking about this blod. If you ever need more ideas for how to procrastinate just let me know! I’m the queen of it! You got nothing on me lady because i’m already a book (or two) overdue because of it. Which is why I’m blogging now because I needed yet another thing to do OTHER than write that book!
P.S. When you get to making those nice x-mas cookies, you have my address to where to mail them to!
by Melinda Hardeman · December 4th, 2008 at 2:28 pmIt’s nice to know I’m not alone. And sorry, m’dear, but I never bake for the holidays. My baking days are over, other than the cookies for dh. I have this bad habit of needing to sample! I used to bake all our bread, until I figured out that was how I gained twenty pounds…
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 2:38 pmWell see, you bake I’ll sample and tell you how good they are and that will save you all those calories yet you will be able to procrastinate for the best of reasons!
by Melinda Hardeman · December 4th, 2008 at 2:43 pmYou’re much too kind.
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 4:25 pmSaid with tongue planted FIRMLY in cheek…
I’m just mad because you are published and I’m not except for small articles.
by Melinda Hardeman · December 4th, 2008 at 4:40 pmI took your advice and did not finish my Christmas shopping today, but instead spent the mid-morning under the covers with my husband who came home for a early lunch to surprise me. P.S. Neither of us ate lunch!!!
by Suzanne · December 4th, 2008 at 4:43 pmMrs. Suzanne,
Under the covers before or after or in-promt-to reading one of Mrs. Kate’s books? Let’s face it, there’s just something steamy about her books. I didn’t go x-mas shopping, I just emailed a picture to everyone of the thing I wanted to get them then attached a note saying, “I was going to get you this but all my money went to bail out AIG and now the Auto folks. Real sorry about this.” I’m waiting to get a rejection letter that says something like, “I was going to accept your article and pay you but all our funds went to bail out GMC. Real sorry about this.”
by Melinda Hardeman · December 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pmSuzanne–we do that on occasion, but I call it research. We’re trying to figure out how to turn it in to a right off…and Melinda, it’s not funny! I have a proposal making the rounds, and one of the editors that rejected it said she loved the story but their budget for new authors was REAL tight…this economy really affects those of us trying to find new contracts and/or pay the bills…
Hence the search for right offs…
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 5:14 pmSheesh…”WRITE off.” I know better…or at least I think I do!
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 5:14 pmThat’s as opposed to a left off…
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 5:15 pmOh Mrs. Kate…I almost had you on Write off! HA HA but I was refering to my own rejection letters saying that in which case it was very comical. I thought so. Still, got to love them letters! Any attention is good attention when you are me.
by Melinda Hardeman · December 4th, 2008 at 5:24 pmI am also a firm believer in Procrastination. I think it is an inhertied trait. My mother is a huge procrastinator and no matter what I do, I seem to have followed in her footsteps; pushing things to the very lst possible moment (( ie: waiting until the night before a trip to pack and then staying up all night packing so you will sleep the enitre trip.
)) I agree with you that procrastinting does push you for better results whether its guilt induced or not. lol
Have you ever made Gingerbread cookies? I think they are some of the hardest cookies to make.
And my Procrastination for the day was moving clothes around at where I work; it needs to be done but I just don’t wanna. lol Now when I go back tonight I have to get it don’e in the 2 hours I have before the store closes for the night.
Rufus is a very distinguished.
by Jessica Heaberlin · December 4th, 2008 at 5:43 pmThank you. I will pass your message on to Rufus. I know he’ll be pleased.
by Kate Douglas · December 4th, 2008 at 8:56 pmHi Kate!!! I have to be honest, I do that for me, do things for me to have the joy and fun I can. Even if it means letting the messy house go and being with my cats and lazying around with books for the day, its a wonderful feeling, and its really the best medicine!! Now I must add some goodies, like my daughter’s sugar free fudge! You have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday. You have so much to celebrate for having a great year and ending it with a bang with the top pick! They all deserved it!
by Caffey · December 5th, 2008 at 12:08 amThanks, sweetie, and I apologize–I didn’t get those bookplates in the mail today! I’m sorry–got busy writing and totally forgot until after hubby had gone to the post office. I’ll send them tomorrow.
by Kate Douglas · December 5th, 2008 at 12:12 amI am the master of procrastination.. you would faint if you saw my house some days.. but i do love to cook and bake.. i just last week baked 4 more double batches of cookies that flew their way to hubby and friends… well most of them..lol.. had to keep a container of each to “sample” .. Rufus is about as adorable as they come.. Hope your visit with the family goes well..take care.. i plan on procrastinating all weekend on the couch with a blanket and good book..did i mention its like 5 degrees here and snowing most every day?
by Jolene · December 5th, 2008 at 9:33 amSorry I was late. Procrastination is our friend. I’ve been working like mad to find a job in an area where they are very scarce and this week(yes the whole week) I’ve been taking a break from it. My family and friends even found two job openings for me this week. All I had to do was email a resume. I put that off until after I looked at my email.
Love the pooch!
Happy Holidays everyone!!
by Crystal Dee · December 5th, 2008 at 10:33 amAh, Jolene…I knew there was a reason we get along so well…you keep house like I do! The best thing that ever happened to our house was when my husband retired and took over the cleaning. I still do most of the cooking and dishes, but he does the rest. He actually VACUUMS every day! Scary stuff, but it’s nice not to have to cringe when people drop in. However, we won’t discuss my office…you know, the room you can barely walk through! 5 degrees? Yechh! It’s been in the sixties here, but we desperately need rain.
by Kate Douglas · December 5th, 2008 at 10:36 am60′s? Kate! Have I said how jealous I am? I’m in Maine, I’m lucky if I don’t slip on ice walking out the front door! Oh well, someone has to be comfortable.
by Melinda Hardeman · December 5th, 2008 at 10:38 amyup… Iowa the state of extreme weather changes this last year. We seem to have flown straight from flood and tornado season to Ice and snow and freeze your butt off just getting to the car season.
by Jolene · December 5th, 2008 at 11:56 amJust checked the thermometer outside.. its a heatwave, 18 outside. I hear tell though turning colder next week and snow chances every day. Im gonna have to buy a snowplow to put on the front of my 4wd suv to get to work..roflmao..
Oh I love to procrastinate too! If I force out a minimum of 1000 words I’m off and doing something else as soon as I can! Love the little dog btw.
by Kate Pearce · December 5th, 2008 at 1:42 pmI hate to admit this, but I’m the type of writer that writes better if I have other things going on. I write mostly at work. I know, that’s bad.
by Melinda Hardeman · December 5th, 2008 at 2:03 pm