Swan at National Arboretum
I just did a count, and found that as of yesterday I had written 174 posts this year. Unfortunately, as yesterday was day 181 of 2026, this means i was seven posts behind on my target. This was very annoying as, until four weeks ago, I was on target.
My first thought was that I should write like crazy and get the seven made up so I could sign off with an average one a day, as I had said. But it would take me at least two days, which would effectively still leave me short of the target and mean I had to write for at least another day, and leave my target at one a day, but for six months and three days.
Whooper Swans on farmland near Frampton Marsh. Note the straight necks and yellow/black bills.
On the other hand, tomorrow will be day 183 of the year, and thus halfway through. I could, at the risk of looking like some sort of single-minded maniac, write nine posts in two days and achieve a nice neat record of one post a day for the first half of the year. It is an elegant and balanced solution, albeit from a man who is looking steadily less well-balanced as this post goes on.
This is a worry, not because I failed in my self-selected target, or even because I can’t do a simple thing like writing 250 words a day, but because I can’t accept it and have to manufacture a tidy end.
This is a bit too much like my Dad, who started to constrain his days and his trips out with the need to fit in with self-induced set mealtimes.
For now, this will do, but I will be back later with more posts. Or a reflection on mania. I am not sure which.
Mute Swan, Lapwings and Black Headed Gull
Haha! I definitely don’t get enough sleep!
🙂 Physician, heal thyself . . .
I admire your being able to post as often as you do. Self-imposed targets are good as they help us to keep going. However, real life and family duties do intrude as they should and must, however irritating this can be at times. I speak from experience as you know. I used to (metaphorically) tie myself in knots to keep up certain habits/hobbies etc but I only succeeded in making myself exhausted and nothing worked properly. Do what you can do as often as you can. Getting enough sleep, and looking after your health are also very important.
“Getting enough sleep”. That’s something I never thought I’d hear from you. 🙂
Not painting oneself into a corner is a good thing. Discerning what is necessary versus desired routine can be difficult. I know you will figure it out.
A few days letting the world drift by will help. 🙂
I once asked someone if they had made a New Years resolution. They said no, and I never have targets because its just setting yourself up for failure 😂I’m not sure if this was good or bad advice.
It’s a bit of both – I like a plan to stimulate activity, but I have to be wary of letting it shape my behaviour too much. This is a little borderline – it was good to do one a day (on average) but when the weather and family events slowed me down, it was also good to step to one side rather than give way to the urge for frenzied catching up.
We can’t win ’em all. Sport, as you know, means you sometimes must accept missing out.
I think a reflection on mania would be interesting.
I may give it a go. I need something to write about.
Your post accomplishments look pretty darned good, as my Yankee husband would say. And, sometimes a break is in order. I will be taking one soon to go to the Maine International Film Festival.
I am a mere dilettante compared to Derrick and TP. But you are right, a break is in order.
Same, but I am very happy blogging once a week. And, if by chance, something happens that I want to write about after I have posted a piece, then I write about it. Flexibility is one of the great things about blogging.
🙂 There is much to be said for this view.