I'm not a big fan of holidays. I have a reason to dislike each, but I'll
example the upcoming Valentine's Day.
Lucky for me, I am someone's Valentine, which means flowers and an
overpriced dinner out. Chances are, I'll
feel more like a bowl of soup that night, but, I'll go out. I'd much rather have flowers on, let's say,
February 7. Why the 7th? Because absolutely nothing is on the calendar
for that day, which means if I got flowers it would be because someone wanted
to send them, not because 'everyone else was doing it.' And I don't even want to think about that
feeling of 'nobody loves me' that comes from a February 14th when you aren't
someone's Valentine. Lame. Lame holiday.
I am a big fan of organization. I make lists, I keep up a
calendar, I plan just about everything ahead.
If I go somewhere for more than a day, I guarantee you I will have a
binder with brochures, schedules, maps, travel information and the like. Yes, a binder, tabbed and color-coded. And I'm serious about it. If something makes it on my schedule, I can
guarantee, save malicious intent or an act of God, that that task will be
performed by said date and time.
While I was in school, I had deadlines to meet for
manuscript submissions. Never missed
one, didn't even come close, in fact, I think I was ahead by more than a month
a few times.
But school is out, and I have no more deadlines. I have instead, holidays, coming at regular
intervals throughout the year; and did I mention I hate holidays?
So I have decided, in my dislike of holidays, to embrace
them and use them for good instead of evil.
I am a writer, and I want deadlines.
It forces me to say, "I have work to do, got a deadline to
meet," and in just saying that, I will work. Hard. So my holiday schedule for this year looks
something like this:
Valentine's Day-First draft done on WIP
St. Patrick's Day-1st half revised
Easter-2nd half revised
Etc., etc. etc.
And in doing nothing more than coming up with this little
idea, I've done two things. I've committed myself to writing and I have found a
reason to celebrate every month.
So as each holiday rolls around this year, I won't be the
Debbie Downer who goes on and on about how disgusting green beer really is or
how Columbus didn't actually discover America.
Instead, I will raise my glass to whatever it is we are supposed to be
celebrating. Another deadline met. Now that is a reason to celebrate.
