BY JOELLEN COLLINS
As I write this, I am acutely aware that sometimes procrastination works, and that my fear of needing a topic, usually somewhere floating around in my mind, would vanish when I found two column-worthy topics. These may not be the most important or reading-worthy concepts ever, but both have stuck with me.
Today I choose the one that I imagined after an unusual series of negative occurrences on the Monday of this past week. Rather than verbally “share” the lesson learned during those many hours to everyone I encounter, I choose this method of relating the kind of day most of us will experience once in a while.
I awoke to the reality that my beloved dog Suki was not healing well from surgery on her bladder or had another problem as the post-operation pee pads and the rug nearby showed stains from overnight bile leakage. I am still trying to find ways to clean the rug and Suki’s tail, also stained by the bile acid.
O.K. I got to my writing, not the best, and decided to remain at home and work on the re-publication of two of my novels, a process which has involved finding legitimate book publication or marketing companies. I do not want to be rude, but I have learned, very slowly, to work hard to find reputable agents, marketers, publicity agents or anyone who will not take my money and run. I consider myself fairly intelligent and rather attuned to the multitude of lies immediately available on the Internet. I have chosen well but not perfectly, still being occasionally tricked by a mellow voice, but most of the contacts haven’t read my book. Even after several days have passed since first contact, they can’t recall a particular scene or character.
No details here, but the rest of the day was spent trying to deal with too many phone calls and a problem with receiving another call while I am connected already, and then that interrupting call cancels the current call, and I lose that connection. That kind of frustration lasts for hours, along with notices of “undeliverable” packages, and two charges for PayPal (I’ve used them for years) that didn’t go through – then the prospect of messaging and email times and “chats” that don’t work.
At any rate, exhausted from these frustrations, I started off to my physical therapy appointment, but the elevator stopped after I was behind its closed door. Then a 2-inch space opened, so I could breathe. Our wonderful fire department arrived within a few minutes, and I was released. I was relieved and silly, thinking that I might try this again sometime just to see the likes of them. I missed my PT, of course.
HOWEVER, my “bad day” disappeared when I attended our wonderful symphony, relaxing with the performance of this vibrant orchestra, the resonant sounds from a soothing master pianist, and the mellow massage of Sibelius.
Thus, I’m still a grateful woman, and I got a column out of a bad day!