Thursday, April 5, 2012

Productive vs Unproductive

Currently Reading:  Symbiosis by Tracy DeVore.  An interesting 'what if' tale that explains Ancient Egypt:)  And Recommended Read:  Maiden's Promise, Tracy's Regency I told you about earlier in the week.  Go pick this one up!
(Admit it; you've missed this segment of my blog!  LOL:)

I'm beginning to think 'productivity' is a state of mind.

I felt 'unproductive' yesterday when 5pm rolled around and I realized I'd not been near a computer since 10am.  But if you look at everything I did, it WAS a productive day.  Just not how I wanted to spend my time.

The daughter's dental appointment was supposed to last 90 minutes, and I thought I'd taken enough reading material with me.  But I was so caught up in the story, I finished it PLUS next week's TV Guide in an hour.  Great; I'm now stuck with watching the rest of Price Is Right, the noon news, and what little I can stomach of Y&R without getting sucked into to 'WTF is going on in Genoa City?'  Fortunately, daughter appeared during the commercial break after the 'teaser' and opening credits.  I don't care about who's conspiring against Victor or if so-and-so will take Jack and Jabo's offer....I really don't!

Then since it was too late to take daughter to school, we went home and picked up the spouse, who then drove us to Ft. Branch.  Good; I was able to nap a bit.  Thirty seconds after we arrive, I'm back in the car, and we notice gas is ten cents cheaper.  We fill up the tank.

Next stop, Sonic.  I love their bacon cheeseburgers and chocolate malts.  We eat, then head for the youngling's school; we are barely on time.  I drop in to see the nurse and sign the paperwork, then head down to the classroom.  I tell her we're going back to the meds he was on in Feb; she exclaims 'Hallelujia!', then we talk about his progress.  And yes; it looks as if retaining him will be in his best interests.   And yes, he can have her again, so she can more effectively chart his progress.

SU picks me up; we go find out which pharmacy will have his meds.  An hour and 3 pharmacies later, I'm home.  I cook the chicken for dinner, check FB and emails, and then toddle off for a thirty minute nap.  Yes; I'm tired.

Forty-five minutes later, I'm rudely jolted from my slumber by the SU exclaiming 'We forgot about his shot!'

I jump up, grab his standing order and a book, and we take off for the hospital.  Too late to check him in at the usual spot, so we head over to the ER and check him in that way.  Another half an hour passes.  As soon as youngling receives his shot, I get the okay to walk over to the church for choir practice.  I call the daughter, who informs me dinner is already waiting for us.  I tell the spouse; kiss youngling, and head over to church.

9:30pm:  Choir practice runs over, since I've missed a crucial song we need to practice.  And since this is the first time I've sung it, our choir leader is thrilled when I tell her I know the notes I'm supposed to be singing by the 3rd verse.  Now if I can remember them again when we sing it.....:)  I head home, again on foot.  I warm up the rest of dinner, then the daughter reveals she wants to go shopping.  And the youngling's meds haven't been picked up yet.  So I drag myself out the door and she drives us first to the pharmacy, then to the store.

We're home by eleven-thirty, and all I want to do is kick my shoes off and fall into bed.  But first I scroll through FB again, and clean out my mail.  Then I relinquish the laptop to the daughter and go fall into bed.

So.....was I productive or not?  From a writer's standpoint, no.  A reader's standpoint, yes.  And as a parent, yes.

So maybe there are days I'm strictly in parent "Taxi Mom' mode, and others, like today, I can put on my writer's hat?

Let's face it; if I could afford to give up sleeping altogether, I'd be able to get everything done!

But I value my 'pillow time'.  So what about you?  Are there days when you feel 'unproductive', but in reality you're just wearing another hat?

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