My ability to put off massive projects until the last possible second is truly jaw dropping. And terrifying. I was under the mistaken impression that I would get better at this as I got older, but it’s getting so much worse. I took the idea for this blog post from some recent live blog posts from Stephanie Perkins. Maybe if I keep a visual track of how, exactly, I’m wasting my time, I might be able to better manage it. I’ll be participating in “National Finish A Revision Of Your Book I Mean Seriously Come On Month, also known by its acronym, NAFAROYBIMSCOM” in November, so I’ve got to start managing my time well NOW.
So here’s a list of things I need to do before class on Thursday: put up massive pile of clothes, write seven page paper, read Garcia Marquez for class, do dishes, go to work for a couple of hours, film a video, call my dad, print essay and Marquez for class.
Let the live-blogging begin!
12:34 a.m. (10/26): Posting this blog. Gathering materials to write paper and refilling tea glass.
12:40 a.m. — I wrote my name and the word “Title” on a Word document. Stared at blank screen. Head to the kitchen to do dishes.
1:10 a.m. — I did the dishes, hooray! but then I distracted myself by looking at Tardis hats and debating whether I want to be Amy Pond for Halloween. Must get back to the essay.
1:44 a.m. — I have a thesis statement! Of course, I also distracted myself by going online and learning hilarious facts about Halloween and sex at Cosmopolitan. No reasoning for this whatsoever.
1:51 a.m. — *yawns* It is time for me to brush my teeth and go to bed. I’ll be getting up tomorrow to get started on this all over again.
I am a sexy sleeper, let me tell you.
10:00 a.m. – Hit snooze button
11:00 a.m. – Woke up.
11:50 a.m. – Here’s what I’ve done so far: had a cup of coffee, kept cat from drinking coffee, fed cat, emailed mom and stepmom, looked for missing scissors, and began body paragraph of essay.
12:11 p.m. — Made it through the first page of the essay. Calculated how many words a day I’ll have to write during NAFAROYBIMSCOM to achieve the minimum goal of 50,000 words (1,270).
12:29 p.m. — Remembered that Mike Lombardo is playing in my home state today and tomorrow, so I gave another shout out on Twitter and Facebook for people to go see him and MC Frontalot. Got distracted by Twitter. Remembered that my favorite agent and one of my favorite YA authors @replied me last night. Reread them. Got giddy.
1:20 pm — Showered, ate lunch (fettucine alfredo), had a glass of iced tea, took allergy medicine, started thinking about the color contrast that Mudha and I will want in the music video we’re going to do. Got distracted watching this video, and thinking about how much time it took to film it.
1:35 pm – Leaving for work.
5:00 pm – Back from work and light grocery shopping: milk, bread, cat food. Had a weird conversation with my mom. Called my dad. Now, for food and coffee.
5: 42 pm – I drank the cup of coffee while watching new YouTube videos, so now I’m going to listen to John Green play FIFA while I make toast and oatmeal for dinner.
6:05 pm – Watching Hank and Katherine play Super Mario Wii while I eat dinner. Also, I fed the cat.
6:25 pm – Turning off the phone and closing the internet to really focus on this essay. It’s serious business time, mostly because I want to be done with this and my reading by midnight so I can watch the new episode of Criminal Minds. Yeah.
6:30 pm – Glass of tea ready, dishes from dinner rinsed. Time for serious business.
6:38 pm – Updated my tumblr with my post for Original October. Now I really am getting off the internet. I swear.
6:42 pm – RSVPed to a Facebook event. Serious business time?
7:40 pm – Two and a quarter pages in. Score! Sort of want a nap though.
8:12 pm – On the fourth page. Just realized this paper only has to be six full pages. Over halfway through! *throws fist in the air Judd Nelson style*
8:41 pm – Oh, no! I got distracted by Sudoku! Must get back to the essay.
9:05 pm – I am on the fifth page! Huzzah! A glass of chocolate milk to celebrate.
9:30 pm – 4 and 3/4 pages in. I cannot think of anything else to say about this novel. *headdesk*
9:50 pm – I am on the sixth page! *goes happy dance*
9:57 pm – Done with the body of the essay. Time to go back and write an introductory paragraph and the conclusion.
10:10 pm – I am done! And I have a title that doesn’t completely suck! This deserves a snack.
10:40 pm – Watched new Vlogbrothers video and Dr. Noise Trock song. Now, to watch the latest episode of Unforgettable while munching on cheese dip and salsa and chips.
11:30 pm – Reading for class. Bring on Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
11:50 pm – Read the first piece. Time to set up a queue for my tumblr again. It’s running dangerously low.
12:10 am (10/27) – Right. Done with that. Now to read the second Marquez piece (and last for class tomorrow), and then hopefully watch Criminal Minds.
12:35 am – Done reading, but CM still isn’t up. Why?!? So, I’m watching NCIS and waiting.
2:14 am – Given up on CM. Maybe I was mistaken about them showing an episode tonight. Did win a couple of games of Sudoku, so now I’m left to debate: sleep or Cradle of Rome.
3:00 am – Cradle of Rome won. I’m going to regret this in the morning. Off to bed!
11:22 am – Phone goes off. Unhappy Jenna. *looks at time* *leaps out of bed* Alarm didn’t go off!
11:42 am – Had one cup of coffee. Time for quick shower. Have Indiana Jones Theme Song stuck in my head.
12:35 pm – Leaving for school/to print off stuff. Have all essentials in hand.
1:25 pm – At school, and everything is printed. Time to kill before class? I’ll post an Original October entry on my tumblr and read City of Bones. Later, I’m going to the graduate reading.
Success! I have achieved success!
