Procrastination

Okay, I am literally pages from the end of my third book. I should have had it done weeks ago, but hey, life gets in the way. And now for some reason I can't pull the trigger. I'm so close and I can't push myself to place that final period! Why?!?

A few intense sessions of personal psychoanalysis informed me that my life right now is a little too full of the emotions and struggles that emerge in the book. So yeah, that's holding me back. Life imitating art, or something like that. But I think there are other factors at play here... Like the fact that the weather is beautiful and I want to be outside. And my children are adorable and I want to play with them. Not to mention my friends are fun and entertaining, there are great books to be read, cool pools to be lounged beside, impromptu barbecues to attend... And if I'd just get my book done I'd be able to enjoy them all!

But I can't help but procrastinate. And in the spirit of embracing my procrastinistic (is that a word?) tendencies, I'd like to give you the top ten things I'd rather do than finish my book.

1. Mess around on Facebook. What a time drain that is. I'm canceling my account tomorrow. Or maybe the next day...
2. Shave my legs. It is summer after all.
3. Daydream about our upcoming August vacation. We're driving to BC. Wait, did I say daydream? Maybe nightmare is a more accurate term... 30 hours in the car with two small children?!?
4. Make and consume the ice cream bars I posted about a few days ago. Usually I lose weight in the summer. Not this year...
5. Water my gardens. Totally unnecessary endeavor since Iowa is about to become another ocean.
6. Hang out at the local pool. Yeah right. More like: save 4 year old from drowning, chase 2 year old across the kiddie pool, rescue abandoned kickboard from burly teenager about to clobber unsuspecting friend with it, break up fight over goggles, stop 2 year old from eating food off the ground, save 4 year old from drowning again...
7. Unwind at girl's night out with an hour of yoga. Ahhhh... now that I truly love. Enough to fall asleep during the few minutes of total relaxation at the end. As long as I don't drool...
8. Talk politics. Sure it usually turns into a knock-down, drag-out fight, but it's always a good way to raise my blood pressure. I've been thinking it's a little low.
9. Doodle title possibilities all over the paper I'm supposed to be finishing my book on. Right now I'm hooked on The Body, Broken. Or The Body Broken. Hmmm... What do you think?
10. Sit under the pergola in my backyard, surrounded by overflowing hanging baskets, whisky barrels, planter boxes, and flower pots, and pretend that I'm thinking hard about my book while I'm really thinking about absolutely nothing at all.

Speaking of which, the sun is setting, my children are in bed, there's a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with my name on it, and the torches are already lit around the pergola. I better sign off. I have some thinking to do...