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What Wonderful Wednesdays Feel Like, and Bloggers' Block

6/3/2014

7 Comments

 
Wonderful Wednesdays begin with… a session at the track. Nope, I’m not kidding. Just got back from my final speedy session pre-race on Saturday, and wow, have I turned it around with my attitude towards the track! Was keen as to get out there this morning, and when I got there ran the following: 1.6km warm-up, 9.66km at threshold pace, 1.6km cool down. Had to slow down slightly around 7kms in as the security guard had come to find me and was waving me down with a package that had arrived in the mail for us, how’s that for service?! So, I ran half of my workout holding a small envelope, but anyhoo, a great run nonetheless.

Let me tell you about these friends I’ve made down at the track. They are definitely the silent type, and mostly they like to quietly cheer me on as I pass them, while they sit at the edge of the track in the long grass. One is a redhead and one has black hair, and they are pretty damn cute. Since I don’t take my camera with me when I go for a run, this is a photo I’ve stolen from google images, but you get the idea:

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Just call me the Cat Whisperer. (Do you ever wonder if animals that have an affinity with you are maybe past souls/people you have known?) Shhh, don’t tell Puppy. She can be such a jealous bitch when we show love to other dogs, so I’m sure she’d be the same with cute, little cats.

 

Apparently blogging and writing posts on here are a lot like running for me: if I don’t do it bright and early in the morning, then there’s a good chance I won’t get it done at all, or it becomes a struggle making time for it later in the day, as things crop up and get in the way. For a couple who have just over ten hours of solid “work” per week (it’s in quote marks as it doesn’t really ever feel like work) our day can get surprisingly busy (yes, this always shocks me too). Yesterday was one of those days.

It started out all well and calm enough, and yes, although I was dog-tired, I still dragged myself out of bed early-ish (about half 5 I think) and nursed a couple of green teas for a while before heading out (in the already hot, humid day) for a 12km easy paced run. As soon as I got back from this is was rush, rush, rush, as I was trying to get showered, ready and leave it just long enough so as to hit that magical refueling period of time (refueling nutrition nirvana?? From 30 minutes to an hour after working out) yet still make it to school breakfast on time, or at least before they close for the day (there is a daily cooked breakfast as well as a school lunch here. Like I’ve said before: good gig). I made it (just), then shoveled down a breakfast of champions: vegetable noodles with added chilli and chives, boiled eggs, steamed bread, and some hot soy milk. However, this ‘rush, rush rush’ pace was then set in place for the whole day. Or so it seemed.

A ‘quick’ trip to some shops turned into a longer trip than first anticipated as apparently I had to wait for them to even open (at the, what seems, crazy late time of 10am!) so I killed time by mooching around in Starbucks with a strong, brewed black coffee, rather than cycle home again until nearer the time; it is now too hot for multiple, sweaty bike rides – we’re definitely back to multiple-cold-showers-a-day weather here.

From said (annoyingly longer than planned) shopping trip, the day then escalated into a busy day of organizing various things (offficial things to do with our apartment back in Oz, upcoming travel plans and reservations, and getting yet further red-stamped certificates for Puppy for our upcoming July China tour – and hence, an unforeseen afternoon trip to the vet’s yesterday too) before we had four back-to-back classes where we gave each student (about 44 in each class) their one-on-one final English oral exam. All of these exams took place in the hot, outdoor corridors, adjacent to their classrooms. Phew….

So, to now cut myself off from rambling about this any further: the day got away from me and therefore a new blog post just didn’t eventuate.

Not least because of something (which maybe simply by rambling on and having the written form of verbal diarrhea on here this morning, I have overcome anyway before ever getting to the point and writing about it?) which can only be described as ‘bloggers’ block’. I.e. Not having the foggiest of what to write. No inspiration. No original (or otherwise) thought for the day. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Hmm. Maybe some more sleep was all that was needed (finally got some awesome, quality sleep last night – I think due to having a total technology ban on myself from early in the evening – took myself off to a cool, dark room, and boom: loads of sleep ensued = success).

But, seriously. Anyone else experience this? Writers/bloggers’ block?

Sure, I could probably have dashed out a few sentences of how I went for a run / my legs feel great / I’m tired / It’s only two days until I leave for Beijing / yada yada yada…But to be honest, apart from the weirdly busy day that got away from me, I also just didn’t know where to even start with the blog post. So, umm, I didn’t. I left it. I procrastinated. I did other things. Then I went to bed extremely early with neither internet nor even an air conditioner turned on (I clearly wanted NO electrical lights or sounds at all hey. The only sound was a gentle whirring of the ceiling fan. Ahh, bliss…).

Aaaand, low and behold: you leave it long enough and your blank post turns into this: a sizeable chunk of a blog post (who cares that it’s been quite nonsensical for the most part?!) Ok, ok, sorry – I will reign in the weirdness now. The point is that I was drawing a massive blank in terms of writing, and more to the point, was aware of maybe boring you guys with what I had to write about (my run / the weather / our job etc). Surely, it would have been like every other post I’ve put out there thus far, and surely you guys reading it would be bored of that by now?? Hence you’ve got this weird ramble from me instead, oops… (Maybe I should have kept things simple after all, and short and sweet. Something like: Ran today. Tired. Busy. Started exams with students. Not much else to report. Oh: excited for Thursday….)

 

So, tell me (if you’ve stuck with me this far!) do you ever get writers’ (bloggers’) block??

 

Do you procrastinate with things much? (I am a huge procrastinator – very much a list maker and tea-break-er).


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7 Comments
dawn
6/3/2014 12:39:32 pm

so, my husband just read a book called "wait" about taking your time, and the science behind waiting. interestingly, it describe procrastinating as choosing to do other things first. it's not really not doing anything...because that would be sloth. it's just about how things get prioritized and accomplished. so, when i'm procrastinating i'm doing something of lesser priority instead of something of high priority. so...i've been thinking about that a lot lately. so, when i notice myself "avoiding" an activity/task i try to pay attention to what i'm choosing to do. and be more aware of the decisions that i'm actually making. cause for me...it just happens, i don't ever think about it.

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Lou link
6/4/2014 09:28:10 am

This is very interesting, thanks Dawn. When I started to procrastinate with some things yesterday, I thought of this and it got me to actually just think about why I would be putting them off and so I ended up just getting on and doing them. Thanks!

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Kristina link
6/4/2014 12:06:39 am

So sweet that the two little kitties come to cheer you on at the track!

When I start the day out rushed that feeling always extends into the rest of the day for me also. I try to remind myself to calm down and breathe, but sometimes there's no time for that! :)

I would love to hear more about the oral exams. What did you talk with the students about? Is it just like a five minute conversation? I remember taking spanish in middle and high school and having to do oral exams. In high school we had to have our conversation taped and it was then sent out to a third party reviewer who determined if we passed or not! So stressful!

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Lou link
6/4/2014 09:31:42 am

Yeah, I had similar, extremely daunting oral exams for French too, I remember those being awful and dreaded them!

We try to make it as easy going on them as possible (and to be honest, we're not sure that their marks go anywhere other than a drawer full of papers, so it's kind of just a final wrap-up/motion going through for the end of term). We try to make it fun (ish) too. So, we ask them to read a short passage from their English books, then ask them one or tow fixed/written down questions, and then part 3 is a couple of free/random questions. The whole (non-daunting, we hope) process takes about a minute per student usually - they are speed readers. So far, so good! But I really feel for them, they get so nervous and stressed, and on top of all their other exams too, so we try to keep it as simple and painless as possilble. :)

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Kristina link
6/4/2014 12:29:15 pm

All of that in one minute?! Wow! I don't know if I could read a passage and then answer three questions in one minute :D

I took French in college and it was awful. It's so much harder than spanish!

Kim link
6/4/2014 07:28:27 am

HaHa - when I was younger I was a huge procrastinator - grad school was the worst. Every paper I wrote (40 pages being the longest) was done the night before it was due - on a typewriter because I'm old and computers weren't common!!!
Isn't it funny how some days you don't even realize how much you have to do until you get into it and then it is a never ending list!!

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Lou link
6/4/2014 09:33:25 am

I hear you Kim! I always think that pressure helps with essays and coursework :) (i.e. leaving it to the last minute.)

Yep, I have a never ending list to try to tick off most days, but then it just becomes the next day's list instead. But that's life hey?

:)

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