I’m slightly less stressed than yesterday, yay! I managed to read a book I needed to review, write the review, pay the bills, get the dog license paid for, do the dishes and laundry, take the kids on a nature hike and take the baby (okay she’s 3, but she’ll always be my baby!) to and from camp. AND most importantly, I did a big chunck of my edits.

I have a love hate relationship with edits. I love the fact that they make my book better and tighter. I hate the fact that I miss so many stupid things and that some times the edits are a bit extensive.

Like this time. It’s not so much that I need to change so many things as much as that I need to add more things to make it clearer and a better book. I want it to be a better book. I really do. Honest. It’s just that I get a tad defensive from time to time. It’s a constant struggle for me to stop defending my decisions and really look at what my editor has to say. There’s a reason she’s the editor and I’m not. When I’m objective about it, I realize how right she is. When I’m feeling defensive, well, that’s another story. . . Luckily, when I’m feeling defensive I make sure I don’t do anything about it. Can you say career suicide?

Anyway, I’m working on edits today amidst all the other chaos that is my life when it starts to storm. I’m trying to keep an eye on the lightning to see whether or not I should turn off the computer and decide I’m okay.

I go back to edits and my dog decides she needs a little comforting because of the thunder. She crawls under my desk. Now, I have a tiny desk with only a small box like area for my feet. My dog is a Siberian Husky. A big, hairy Siberian Husky who is huddled in my only leg space.
I’m sure it made a great picture to someone who wasn’t sweating her brains off and getting panted on by a scared, hot, shedding dog.

Nope, my life is never dull. . . Nothing like 3 kids and a dog all scared of the storm to keep you from getting defensive over edits! Hahahahaha.

Now, if I can just get them finished before we lose power. . .

If I ever try to do more than RWA and RT in one year. In fact hit me hard.
Twice.
I am so far beyond stressed right now, I’m a gibbering idiot. I have so much to do that I’m juggling everything and not doing it all that well.

On the other hand, I’m getting to see my friends and growing as a writer and that’s good, right?

You see, at home I am not Arianna Hart, writer of romantica and bubbly personality. At home I’m mom and have to take kids to camp, teach summer school, help my 6 year old learn to read and do a million other things. When I’m with my writing buddies I’m Ari, sassy, sarcastic and fun to be around. I can talk about writing and ploting and promoting and all sorts of other things that get lost in my “regular” life.

I love both parts of my life, but when I try to blend the two, it’s a lot of work. I’m attempting to get ready for RWA and make sure my workshop is organized and professional while my 3 year old whines at me for Goldfish Crackers and my other kids beg me for dinner.

And you wonder why I’m stressed.

I sometimes wonder if other occupations make women feel so split? Are there police officers who feel like they are completely different people when they put on that uniform? What about doctors? Do men ever go through this identity tug of war?

And anyone have any idea what I should make for dinner?

Sigh, looks like my moment of being Ari is officially over and now the kids are calling for their mommy to make them dinner! It was nice while it lasted. . .