My special guest today is author, Casey Sheridan who is celebrating the release of her new book Ruby Red Metallic. Over to Casey.
After spending eight hours at the daytime dungeon the other day, I was mentally pooped, but I knew I needed to sit down and write this post, or at the very least come up with a theme.
I did some serious contemplation that lasted a whole three seconds. I decided to procrastinate by doing a bit of yard work instead. I changed into some old clothes and armed myself with a pair of gardening gloves (I don’t like the thought of touching bugs) and my loppers, then headed out to chop down unwanted greenery growing in unsightly places throughout my yard.
This procrastination only lasted twenty minutes as I had a neon sign inside my mind flashing “BLOG POST, BLOG POST, BLOG POST” in a most annoying way.
I put my stuff away, cleaned up my mess and went inside to write, you guessed it, my blog post.
I don’t mean to give the impression that I didn’t want to write this post because that certainly isn’t the case. I was just tired. I spend fifty hours a week at a day job, then there’s house cleaning, yard work now that spring is here, laundry, shopping, helping out my mother and trying to figure out when I can do some actual writing. It all gets a bit much sometimes.
Anyway, I sat in my comfy chair and looked out the window at the apple tree in the backyard. It’s filled with large glorious blossoms and its soft fragrance wafted through my open window. It felt good to just sit there and admire the beautiful tree, to watch the rich orange and black colored Oriole hop along the branches sucking nectar from the delicate blossoms. I held my breath when a jewel colored humming bird hovered at some of those blossoms right in front of my window. Those birds are so small and so beautiful.
Those few moments made me realize how many things I miss. There are times I’m so focused on getting things done I forget to stop and take a breath. Does that ever happen to you?
Even Alaina in Ruby Red Metallic took some time to appreciate the park like setting that Scott took her to.
Alaina got out and strolled around the car, making sure to examine the well-shaded rest area. Many trees surrounded it, flowers bloomed in pots placed around the little building that housed the bathrooms, and a light breeze passed by. The air smelled fresh and sweet. – from Ruby Red Metallic
From now on, I’m going to try and take some time every day to “stop and smell the roses” (as the saying goes).
How about you? Do you take time out from your busy schedule to “smell the roses”?
****
Casey Sheridan began writing erotica on a dare, and she loved writing it so much she never stopped. Her work has been published by Breathless Press and Cobblestone Press, and has appeared on The Erotic Woman, Every Night Erotica, and RSVP-Erotica.
Read an excerpt from Ruby Red Metallic
Purchase Ruby Red Metallic
You can find her on the Web at:
http://www.casey-sheridan.com
http://casey-sheridan.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/authorcaseysheridan
Tweets by CaseSheridan
http://www.myspace.com/officialcaseysheridan
Loved this blog post because so many of us can relate to it. We all have things that take up so much of our time during the day that by the time we are done at the end of the day we really haven’t done anything to make ourselves smile.
I have 4 rats that require my attention during the day, no matter what I am doing they make me smile.
I got a new camera for Christmas and after getting used to it I have found that when I am outside I see things that I keep thinking to myself that it would make a great picture if only I could remember to bring the camera. lol
we all need to stop at some point during our day and open our eyes to see something around us that makes us smile. We just don’t do that nearly enough.
That’s exactly how I felt the other day, Mary.
Life is so fast paced sometimes it’s easy to forget to appreciate little things that make us smile.
4 rats? My brother had a pet rat. His name was Ratman. He was the most entertaining and lovable little guy. Be sure to give my love to your 4 friends.
Thanks for stopping by.
I think sometimes our life get so busy we don’t have time to smell the roses as one says. We forget to just stop and take a break..
It’s funny because I’ve been thinking about this topic recently. During the last two months I’ve worked on three books back-to-back with writing. edits, FLEs etc. I’m driven to write, but after two months of constant grind, I’m finding I’m having trouble sitting down to write. I clearly need a break.
Yesterday, I took the day off and went walking. The physical exercise was great and blew away the cobwebs.
Like Mary, we have a pet – a puppy – and taking a few minutes to play with her or take her for a walk makes both hubby and I feel better. It usually brings smiles too.
Blowing away the cobwebs is an excellent way to put it, Shelley.
I know exercise is good for doing just that, but when you get caught up in doing so much it’s easy to forget, or pretend to forget. :wink:
I try to take some time every morning before going off to the day job to spend with my cat. It’s what I call Cecil Time. Just a few minutes to hug or play with him and my day always starts on the right foot.
Great post Casey, really puts things in perspective. How many of us race around daily and don’t even realize we are on auto-pilot? We barely think before we do things at times, and that’s not good.
Your post reminds me I have to catch up writing in my journal which I’ve fallen behind on, and maybe tonight…I might even have some wine with dinner and slow it down.
Thanks Casey for a great post, and thx Shelley for hosting this lovely lady – Casey is simply lovely.
Eden
Thanks Eden. You’re making me blush.
I think I might join you with a glass of wine tonight.
:wink:
I’ve been lucky. I was able to get out of the rat race early. Took early retirement and, for the most part, I’ve stopped to smell the roses (in fact, I have a minature tea rose bush in my front yard that blooms numerous times during the year – even in the Texas heat). I remember the 50-60 hour workweeks and I feel your pain. Would it help to know that your audience is very appreciative of all your efforts? No words of wisdom; if I had any, I’d be rich.
Yep, 4 rats. They sometimes remind me of small dogs. lol Ratman is a cute name. I think animals help us take time to smile during the day, I think every home should have a pet of some kind.
You are so right. Its challenging to take time out for what really matters when you work full x, write and try to have a life.