Thursday, November 8, 2007

Taking Care of Business


Hola! Scott and I had one of the best vacations ever in Baja. We went to the beach and swam in the Gulf of California and relaxed in the sun. We spent time in a great community called Todos Santos, populated by a surprising number of ex-pats and filled with art galleries. We stayed in a little boutique hotel in Cabo San Lucas, called The Bungalows and got to know the wonderful family who owns and operates it very well. We learned all about Dia de los Muertos, which was very cool. For the first time in seven years, I spent a vacation with absolutely no access to the internet or work emails. I read four books. We ate and slept when we felt like it and came back feeling refreshed.

The timing was good.

There are times when work becomes so all-encompassing that there’s no time left for much of anything else and I am in the midst of one of those times. I miss the blogosphere. I miss reading the posts and comments and I miss writing my own. Popping in after an extended absence feels a little like what I imagine it must be like to disappear from a regular A.A. meeting for a month and then suddenly reappear. People wonder. Is something terribly wrong?

The dog days of summer and the early autumn were slower and I got to immerse myself in writing and workshops and reading blogs and comments and it was wonderful. Activities related to my job in sales are tied tightly to the calendar and every year at about this time, we gear up to close as much business as we possibly can before the end of December. Within the company, we enter into the sparring match that constitutes establishing quotas and compensation plans for the upcoming year. The workday extends ‘round the clock at this point.

There was a time when this kind of interruption would leave me heartbroken and discouraged that so little time is left for writing, but this year, I accept it. Although it’s not my dream job as a published author, it’s the means to an end and it keeps me in toner cartridges and bond paper. It’s demanding, but the truth is that it’s been good to me in many ways.

I’m still writing and I’m still part of a weekly workshop, but I’ve come to the realization that I have to cut my blogging back until we get closer to the New Year. I’ll still be lurking often, although not commenting quite as much, but I’ll be back. I’ll miss being here every day. Since so many of you are my friends, please drop me an email when especially exciting things happen – as they so often do.

18 comments:

Carleen Brice said...

I've missed you! And guess I'll continue to miss you until next year. Hope to see you before then though.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back; your vacation sounds idyllic. I've been waiting and anticipating your return. Your writing has inspired me so much, I finally took the plunge and created my own site this morning. I have written professionally for years, but suddenly to do it on an open blog fills me with trepidation; opening oneself up for all the world to see, criticise perhaps, pass opinion on.
We are living our dream, growing and strengthening ourselves each day; doing something different and slightly irresponsible: living in an alpine village on the opposite side of our native country, and learning languages, making new friends, and for me: writing!
Thank you for your words; don't give it away and keep checking in.
Best wishes.

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm glad you had fun and got relaxed. Too few of those periods but we all need them desparately. I'm starting to get like you in that I don't gripe so much when work interferes with writing. It doesn't happen all the time and at least I have the money to pay my bills.

moonrat said...

i've missed you, too. it just hasn't been the same :(

Shauna Roberts said...

I'm glad your absence was due to your vacation and your work duties; I was starting to get worried.

Here's hoping that when the work pressure eases off in the New Year, you'll have more enthusiasm and excitement for your writing than before. Sometimes breaks are good.

Yogamum said...

It's that time of year again... I'm not in sales but things start getting wild around here every year at this time. Have a good "break" & we'll catch you in the New Year!

kristen spina said...

So glad to hear you had such a good vacation. Baja is really quite beautiful, isn't it?

xx
k

Larramie said...

Lisa, isn't it amazing how as wonderful as our real world -- vacations included -- can be, there's a part of ourselves out here in cyberspace?

Thank you for checking in and dropping by, your occasional "appearances" will be that much more anticipated...almost like waiting for Santa. ;)

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

You're back! I was getting tired of seeing that map every day that I came by to pop in on you!

Totally understand about the blogging. I need to figure out how best to do that also. Whenever you have time to post it will be good to see your writing presence! And your comments are always so great!

But glad you had a great vacation! The beach looks beautiful.

Judy Merrill Larsen said...

Glad your vacation was boffo; glad you're back.

Good for you for knowing you need to back off with the blogging so you can work, and more importantly, write.

Take care-

Anonymous said...

I am there with you too. :) Hope you have a productive time off, and keep in touch! I always want to know what you are doing/thinking/reading/writing.

And your vacation sounds like it was WONDERFUL. But I am so glad you are back! I was getting worried. :/

Sustenance Scout said...

Aaaaah, Cabo. The Bungalows hotel sounds ideal.... Lurk away whenever you have a chance...and touch base when you can fit in a lunch (or two!) over the next couple months. K.

Lisa said...

Carleen, I sure hope to run into you sometime soon -- maybe at the next LLL luncheon?

Anonymous, you are so kind! You have to come back and post the link to your new blog so we can all visit. Your life sounds wonderful and fascinating --- don't leave me hanging!

Charles, I needed the relaxation so much more than I realized! I'm often guilty of resenting the thing that pays the bills, but then I realized I'm lucky I'm working one job and not two or three with no time to ever do anything.

Moonrat, I really did miss you, The Book Book and of course tales of Robert the Publisher. It always takes me twice as long to catch up on your posts, but you're so worth it :)

Shauna, thanks for the encouragement. I hope you are settling into your new home and the fires haven't caused too much new anxiety. You and your husband have already had more than your fair share.

Kristi, I'll see you back here when things settle down, but I'll see you in real life on Monday night -- and who knows, maybe over coffee up the street one of these days soon.

Kristen, I had no idea how beautiful it would be. Truly. I have no idea why I'd never gone to Mexico before. I loved everything about it.

Larramie, it is really something isn't it? There was a time when if I'd been out of town for a week or so, I'd call people on the phone as soon as I got back. Now I always want to check in with all of you!

The beach really was beautiful. Of course, I sat covered in sunscreen and under a beach umbrella and not directly in the sun for any length of time -- even better!

Ello! I'm so glad you did stop by. I literally dread missing out on your posts -- always so thoughtful on so many topics and I never want to miss out on the opportunity to get that free legal advice when you dole it out ;)

Judy, I'm sure I won't be able to stay a way for too long. I miss everybody too much, so even when I'm not posting and commenting, I'll be lurking.

Mardougrrl, I saw that you also decided a blogging hiatus was in order. If you figure out the secret of "doing it all" while you're on your break, can you email me?

Karen, The Bungalows at Cabo -- if you Google them you can see. Their signature thing is that they make an incredible breakfast every single morning. There are only 16 bungalow units, a small pool, beautiful surroundings and our hosts were so friendly and just genuinely great people that it was the perfect vacation for us. And you know I can almost always make time for lunch :)

Lynne Griffin and Amy MacKinnon said...

Welcome home and enjoy the break. You certainly deserve it.

Amy MacKinnon

Bernita said...

You sound if all the niggly frustrations soaked away on that beautiful beach.
Welcome back.

Patti said...

lisa, i missed you most! i will leave it to the others to disprove my statement...


of course you must do what you must. and lurk away. i will pray that i have something of worth to email you. does discovering the green apple martini count?

debra said...

I will miss your thoughtful nature and insightful comments. I hope to see you soon. and welcome home.

steve on the slow train said...

I'm glad you had a good vacation. I'll be looking forward to New Year's and you start blogging regularly again. I'd be honored for you to lurk on the slow train.

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Literary Quote

It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything.


Virginia Woolf