Time creeps, time flies.

Daily Goal 500 words.
Yesterday I wrote 0 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 3/0.

I think days are dreadfully long, now that I have a kid. Random people, distant relatives, strangers on the bus, keep saying, Enjoy it while it lasts, before you know it she'll be grown up. You've heard that cliche, I am sure. I don't think it's all true, but it isn't all wrong either. Days with a kid are dreadfully long, sometimes, but on the other hand, you never really get to the bottom of things.

One example is the dishes (I don't own a dishwasher). I used to like washing dishes. Doing them gave me back some energy after dinner. Otherwise, I'd just sit in front of the computer after eating and waste the evening. Then you meet someone - in my case I got married - and you are suddenly doing the dishes for two people. It is still enjoyable, but on occasions it becomes a little bit of a hassle: If you don't watch out a mountain can pile up. A baby uses up an incredible amount of plates and cups and spoons: much more than a grown-up.

Now I am doing the dishes for what seems like four people and I have to do it while taking care of a baby. Furhtermore, I can't do them while she is asleep, or she'll wake up, which means I'll have to have them washed before she goes to bed at around seven o'clock in the evening.

I worry about them constantly. It is the same with doing the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, and the shopping. The amount of milk one buys every trip to the mall. I have to bring my school bag, lest my arms fall off on the way back home. It is even a relief, when she's good, to bring the baby, because you can pile the groceries into the carriage.

What my point is - about time perception - is that it seems that one never really finishes anything. There isn't enough time to do all the stuff that needs doing. At some point in the future, I imagine, I will finally finish that metaphorical pile of dirty dishes. Suddenly I will find myself with time to spare again: time to think and to reflect. In hindsight I'll think, How time just flew away.

A change of story

Daily Goal: 500 words.
Yesterday I wrote 270 words.

Better than yesterday, I guess. I decided to change the story I am working on. The previous story left me a bit stuck, so I'm giving another one a try.

The short story I am working on now is about a couple's thwarted attempt at attending the first party after the birth of their daughter. The structure is simple: (1) the couple get ready for the party; (2) they arrive at the party, but the baby's crying forces them to leave; (3) the baby has fallen asleep and the couple reflect on the day while eating takeout.

I am writing the story with a themed publication in mind: Stealing Time. With a deadline in October, the parenting magazine has an issue whose theme is "Celebration". I read those details when I got my newsletter  from Duotrope. It stuck in my mind and that little plot above slowly formed over a couple of days. Duotrope, by the way, is a useful site for finding a publisher.

It made more sense to start out with a story where I have a more fully formed plot. The 200 and some words I wrote yesterday flowed quite easily. I have a feeling that the next 200 will not flow as well, but I hope to at least best today's effort tomorrow.

I have called the story "The Dinner", follow the link to Google Docs if you would like to read or comment.

The last few days have been mostly taking care of the baby. No parties have been thwarted, however. I was at a party a week ago and all went well. She is getting her first tooth and requires a bit of extra attention. We made another long trip today to see if we could pick up Neil Gaiman's American Gods. The bookshop must have had all his other novels and several copies of them, but Gods was sold out. I do make the trips mostly to entertain my baby girl, though, and give her mother a break.