Friday, July 15, 2011

My eyeballs are itchy

Yesterday, in a mad dash to actually complete one project that I have started (mowing and trimming the yard), I retrieved the gas powered weed trimmer, primed it (by pushing the bulb the required ten times), clicked the choke, and fired it to life.  I skirted about the base of trees, obliterated the line of towering vines at the end of the driveway, and slowly made my toward the pachysandra encircling the cherry tree.  I whistled, might have even skipped, because this was the first of many summer projects I would start and FULLY COMPLETE.  This may seem like a strange and utterly ridiculous goal, finishing what you have started, but I have a problem, you see.  I get distracted.  Overwhelmed.  Underwhelmed.  Bored.  Lazy. Inspired. Depressed.  Yes, all of these factors deter me from actually finishing projects that I start.  Just ask my poor wife.

But this summer would be different!

I went full throttle, attacking the weeds and plants sticking up through the thick carpet of pachysandra.  Three quarters of the way through it finally dawned on me.  The plant with the three leaves...yeah, the green stuff being chipped into tiny pieces and flying airborne, sticking to my face, my glasses...poison ivy.

All stop!

I raced into the house and lathered my face in anti-bacterial soap.

Today, my eyeballs itch.  But I'm fine.  Really.  I even went back outside, after Saran wrapping my upper torso and face (poked a mouth hole and used a straw to breathe) and actually FINISHED trimming the yard.

Did I mention my eyeballs itch?

****Book Update****

Received an encouraging email from my agent yesterday.  She's reading the revised manuscript and so far she "loves" it.  Fingers crossed that this trend will continue.