Good intentions. Everyone has them. Whether it's as innocuous as a plan to get the laundry done or get that English essay out of the way, or as high-faluting as devising a cure for cancer or banishing that Terrible Thing otherwise known as Reality TV.
The problem is the outcome.
How many times is the laundry put off due to a coffee and chat with a friend? Or the essay buried under a pile of much-more-exciting X-Box games? (Or my dream of ridding the world of the Terrible Thing blown apart by the knowledge that some people actually love it?)
This is a common issue I like to refer to as:
Intentionus Backfireicus
Yeah, OK, I'm faffing words to give them a Latin-ish sound. But good intentions do have a way of back-firing.
Take me.
I've just had two weeks holiday from the day job. Two blessed weeks of time to myself to do whatever I wanted.
My good intentions? Knuckle down and start the rewrite of "Racing the Dark". What actually happened? Erm… well… suffice it to say that the rewrite didn't.
I thought I'd have a bit of fun clothes shopping. Then, the cinema seemed a good idea, as it's hard to get to when I'm working. Then, I visited my sister and spent a couple of days with the Terrible Twosome (aka my nephews). Then, I booked a weekend away to see a friend I hadn't seen for several months. Then… You get the picture. The rewrite didn't so much as see the light of day.
And it's not even as though I don't want to do it. It's just that so many other things finagle their way into stealing my time.
Anyone else on that road to Hell due to the best of intentions going awry? Or am I on my own amongst the pits of fire? Ooh, pits of fire! Well, at least I'll be warm ;-).
Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
2 comments:
I'm full of good intentions, but lately have found myself getting sidetracked all the time. Sometimes, I'll even switch on the computer with the intention of working on the novel, but then I'll remember something I need to look up on the internet, or something else I absolutely 'must' do first.
Am seriously considering taking myself off to a remote cottage, with no internet connection, for a couple of weeks. But then I'll probably end up getting distracted by the scenery...
Oh, I know the "switch on the computer and get distracted" syndrome. That's a favourite of mine too.
The cottage idea sounds lovely, but I'd have to agree with you on getting distracted by the scenery ;).
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