I’m days behind with the washing up, weeks behind with the blog (both reading and writing) and months behind with my reading. If you want to complete the sequence I’m also years behind with the housework (though Quentin Crisp did say” There is no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn’t get any worse.”), a generation behind in my thinking, and a lifetime behind with diet, dreams and ambitions.
The trouble is that you can’t wash up before you’ve dirtied the plates, can’t read until you’ve bought the books and can’t clean until the house is dirty.
I admit that you can write posts ahead of time, but I find it’s a struggle. Currently I have a few part-completed posts but nothing ready to go. Once I started researching The Kings We Never Had I found myself doing too much research and not enough writing.
The idea behind the book reviews was to give me something to do in advance, but it hasn’t worked like that. I’m behind with book reviews too. Badly behind, because when I photographed the last lot I optimistically included some books I haven’t finished. In truth, I hadn’t started them all when I took the picture.
The book on the Normans seems like easy reading but you will be waiting a while for the review of Some Desperate Glory as it’s heavy going. As there are plenty of copies available for a penny plus p&p, it’s clear that supply exceeds demand.
Poppies
I’m already working on some more books, one of which will be Some Desperate Glory. Confusing isn’t it? I really can’t thing why Max Egremont used the title for his poetry book when there was already a perfectly good book of memoirs using it. I’ll cover that more fully when I write the review.
Meanwhile it’s time for tea – belly pork with vegetables roasted with turmeric and cumin. It’s an old favourite and it’s easy.
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It’s odd – the way striving for things makes you anxious to get them done. But I would rather be that person – striving and a bit anxious – than be the person who is content to strive for nothing.
I saw someone I hadn’t seen for about 10 years last week – he’s 65 but said now he’s retored, paid off his house and brought up his kids he has nothing left to do and doesn’t think he’ll live much longer now.
Yep, striving and anxious is definitely the way to go. 🙂
Wow – I will think of that when I wake up tomorrow at 5:30 am and am mad because I don’t HAVE to get up but I do anyway because I am anxious to get things done. And I will stop being mad.
After years of working at it I am now able to turn over and get back to sleep. Persevere and you too can turn into a sluggard. Is that a word? It looks wrong. 🙂
If sluggard is not a word it should be. It’s perfect.
🙂
Okay, so we’re in common again. Good to know there is more than just me in the “behind” group. Wait, that sounds like we’re in the rear. Oh well, cabooses (caboosi?) are fashionable nowadays.
Looking at it logically, unless you just buy one book at a time you will always be behind with your reading, and the same if you havemore than one idea… 🙂
Ah – the ideas are what get me. I am usually thrilled and eager to start on about 5 different ideas at any given time. Unfortunately, my given time is never enough for most of them.
Sounds familiar !
Sometimes the journey is the most fun. 🙂
True. Happy Birthday by the way – I still have to catch up with my reading and commenting. 🙂
Thanks very much my friend
🙂
I use the “penny plus p&p” quite a bit to buy books, but I still don’t really understand why it exists. Is it just to build up good reviews? And why are some of the books obviously brand new? It all seems very strange to me.
I’ve always assumed that they make a small profit on the postage and shift slow-moving books by doing it.
Your suggestion makes sense – when I have a choice I tend to look at number of sales and the positive percentage.
I am behind with all my posts too and I was getting quite unhappy about it and anxious. I then realised I was being silly and was putting pressure on myself for no real reason. Blogging is meant to be a pleasure and a relaxation and when it stops being fun what is the point of doing it? I had expected too much of myself. I hadn’t expected to be quite so busy this year. The WP community is a friendly and understanding one and always seems happy to read posts from me whatever rubbish I might produce. Only I know all the things I had hoped to write about; no-one else is keeping tabs on me. I am trying to be a little more relaxed about things 😮
I always look forward to your posts, and you are right, the WP community exerts no pressure.
I can do that without help!
So can I!
🙂
I am way behind on everything as summer is our busiest season. I look forward to seeing posts from all of you, but can’t get to everyone in a timely fashion.
We’ll be patient with you! 🙂
Keep on. All shall be well again. Those poppies are wonderful.
Thank you. Yes, things always seem to work out.
I don’t think that you can be that far behind on the blogs as I seem to get at least one every day.
I still have the Osprey post from Wednesday and a few other things I’d like to do.