Sorry I’m late. Regular readers know, as a rule, that the blog goes live on Monday, and it is now Tuesday, and not even very early on Tuesday. Since we moved to New York state, as also some of you may know, we’ve been working on our new house, as well has having work done. I don’t claim to be the handiest fellow on the planet, but there are things I can do, and things I can’t. One thing I believed I could handle was the sun/mudroom, our three-season room that had sheetrock but no paint, window trim, or flooring. Its turn came at last so I’ve been working on that for the last few weeks, including rain delays, trying to get things finished before winter (the room may be indoors, but table saw, miter saw, and router are strictly outdoor critters which don’t take kindly to being rained/snowed on.) Anyway, to cut to the chase, the room was finally finished on Sunday, but in getting it done we had put off several errands that needed doing. That was Monday pretty much all day.

So here I am on Tuesday with a long, boring explanation of why this is going up Tuesday and not Monday. Also to talk a little bit about time management. Most of us who write do not have either the privilege or obligation of writing full time. Most of the time that I’ve been writing it’s been something I’ve squeezed in around all the other obligations of my life, mostly working for my actual living but not confined to that. Pretty much the same story as anyone else in my situation. We find a way, though having a regular schedule for most life events helps. At least that way you know what time might be available to you and you take it. In those situations your primary requirement is either being alone or having a very understanding spouse, significant other, or partner, because you will likely be taking time from those with a legitimate claim on that time.

I’m embarrassed to admit that, so far this year, I’ve only written two complete stories, “In Memory of Jianhong, Snake-Devil” and “On the Road to the Hell of Hungry Ghosts.” What’s more, I have absolutely no idea how I did even that much. I haven’t had a regular schedule since we moved here and I went into semi-retirement. Before I would have written in the evening after most of the day’s obligations were done, but redoing a house mostly on our own has been very demanding, and by evening almost all I’ve been good for is taking a nap, listening to music, or playing a bit of Skyrim. Now that the house is mostly done, this has to change. Whether or not I’ll have further work obligations is yet to be determined, but I still have this one obligation to myself that isn’t being met. I just have to find the time. We all do.