Showing posts with label obsession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obsession. Show all posts
Saturday, February 7, 2009

Planning My Life Away

    by Caren Crane

    I noticed something recently: I plan an awful lot. I plan things days, weeks and months away with enviable precision.

    Right now, I already have hotel reservations, train tickets and a Metro schedule for the RWA conference in Washington, D.C. in July. It's more than 5 months away and already I'm stressing over what time I should leave my house to get to the train station. It's crazy!

    I do this sort of thing often. My Girl Scout troop is planning a big, annual area-wide event for April. We have been working on it since October. So far, we still have no idea how many people are coming, so we can't do crucial things like order supplies or buy food. It's only a little more than two months away, so even though things are well underway, I am starting to have heart palpitations.

    I know people who can go with the flow and simply let whatever happens happen. I have been that sort of person on occasion. Sometimes, in a moment of pure Zen, I can push aside last-minute concerns and let things simply occur, unplanned and unexpected though they may be. That's usually when it's too late to do anything about it anyway and I realize that any sort of stress is unproductive. But I prefer to do so much planning that the unanticipated does not have a chance to sneak up on me.

    It occurs to me, though, that while I'm spending all this time planning, things are happening in real time that I may be missing. Sometimes it's things I don't mind missing, like conference calls and (yawn) meetings. Other times, though, it's things like watching a DVD with my family or going for a much-needed walk.

    I haven't managed to convince myself that all the planning and anticipating if, whats and wherefores is not necessary. No matter what I may miss in "now time", I cannot give up my penchant for planning. I'm hoping someday to strike a lovely balance between planning and letting it be. A conscious balance. Like this meditating chick with the laptop, I guess. Not sure quite how I'll accomplish that, because I haven't managed it yet!

    What about you? Are you a planner or do you let whatever happens happen? Or are you like me? Hyper-plan what you can, then let the rest fall into place as best it may? And most importantly, PLEASE let me know what your tricks are for stopping the obsessive/compulsive Google searches!Source URL: http://plasticsurgerycelebrities.blogspot.com/search/label/obsession
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Saturday, September 13, 2008

Obsessing

    by Tawny


    Do you obsess?

    I do.
    I obsess over Johnny Depp (Yum)
    I obsess over shoes (sigh)
    I obsess over goals (lists, anyone?)

    I obsess over tomorrow. I can't change yesterday, I'll do all I can about today. But tomorrow? I admit it, I do obsess. All the maybes and possibiliites and things I might not have done to get where I'm going (lucky for me, many of my obsessions tie in together so I can make a goal and list for this one. While wearing hot shoes. And looking at a picture of Johnny. See... tidy, yes?)

    In Risque Business, my heroine Delaney obsessed over her image. In my current wip, Going Down Hard, my heroine obsesses over her past. I like obsessions, they keep things interesting.

    Then there are my writing obsessions.

    My friend Sheila Raye obsesses over process. Hers, mine, everyones. As long as she understands the process (be it writing, the handling of good/bad news, etc) she can take it in stride. And, of course, throw it in my face while I'm in the middle of one of my meltdowns. I think she and Beth conspire over this particular obsession, since they use "its just your process" on me way to often.
    I don't worry so much about process (maybe because they are so good at pointing it out to me), but I understand their point. Because before I KNEW my process, I did wonder. Worry. Overthink. Were the characters on track? Enough sexual tension? Plot holes? Could I get from page 1 to page 280? I always think I won't have enough story to make my wordcount, then always go over. Always. So I've learned to set this particular obsession aside (okay, so not aside, but when it pops up I know I'll be fine). I admit even knowing my process, I have a whole host of writing and career obsessions. And I'm slowly coming to accept that they aren't BAD things, they simply are how I do my thing. They are a part of me- just like my automatic sigh when I see Johnny Depp.

    How about you? If you write, do you obsess over it? And what parts? How about regular life obsessions? Not the OCD variety, but the other obsessions. Like office supplies and a certain kind of food. Or movie stars or bands. You know, things that are just so ingrained into who you are and what you do that they are simply a part of your personality?Source URL: http://plasticsurgerycelebrities.blogspot.com/search/label/obsession
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