Gliding From Writing Project to Project...

I can't believe it is already March.  As a writer, I find that I impose, upon myself, writing tasks and deadlines that I feel I must meet. It's a bit strange that I would put demands on myself, outside of the many demands that I already have with working as a logistics manager, procuring and moving consumer products all over the country for testing. I was just involved in shipping 3400 frozen pizzas for a new client to residential addresses all over the country. All of our taste test respondents should've received their product, nicely preserved, thanks to the miracle of dry ice and a warm-mark indicator to ensure the product has been adequately maintained at a frozen state during the 2 day shipping.

I care about my role in this. I like my position as a logistics manager and I'm hoping everything goes well with this project as this is a new client with potential for much more work for our company down the road. The other responsibilities that claim my time are my many family and home obligations - this is most important to me. And just because I mention home and family obligations after my writing assignments and my obligations to my company, does not mean that it falls third on my priority list. This is simply how my thoughts are flowing as I sit and think where I am really going with all this.



I guess my original point is really to do with the self-imposed expectations we, as writers, often put on ourselves. I feel the need to produce a certain level of written prose in order to feel satisfied. Is it just me, or is this a common malady for most writers?  I sit here, living in the Chicago area, glancing out the front window of my home occasionally to marvel at the snow on the ground.  It's only been the second really measurable snowfall of the winter - very strange weather for Chicago. I'm thinking I need to grab my cross-country skis and head out to the nearby woods and take advantage of this 8 inch blanket of snow - for by next weekend it could very well be gone. But yet I feel the need to crank out this blog for Arkenstone before I can feel like I've earned my right to play.

And still, hanging over me, is this need to complete, or at least make a good headway on two other writing obligations before this weekend is out. I feel that I need to post to my other blog, The Whine Press.  Now that I'm writing this, I can post a blog relating to cross-country skiing in the nearby woods. This will provide me with the permission to carelessly glide through the woods and knowing that I can use this solitary, healthful and invigorating time as a topic for The Whine Press.

Two assignments down and one to go!  I recently returned from a mission trip to Haiti. I've committed to writing a recap, article, piece about my team's experience, work projects and spiritual aspects that were both a blessing for the people of Astruc, Haiti, and our team.  This is intended for our supporters and to generate more awareness for the people at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  But I'm also hoping to to craft this in such a way as to seek publication beyond the church. I have until March 17th. That is when we present to our mission board and supporters. So, I need to get busy...

See what I mean?  All self-imposed.  I can say no to all of it as I really have nobody to disappoint, but myself.  And I just realized that I got through this whole post without even making a reference to my award winning screenplay, Martin Eden...  Whoops!