During my write-a-thon, I also ignore my sweet little black pug, Ruby, more than is allowed. So she does very bad things to get my attention. Like bring me shoes from my closet, or toys from the boys' rooms, or q-tips from the trash can. She goes and gets whatever she can find that might possibly pull me away from my computer.
So when she trots under my desk and gets especially quiet or starts making a loud crunching noise, I stop writing, and pull whatever she has out of her mouth and absentmindedly throw it on my desk.
I would also open up the mail and leave it on my desk. Kids' school work, school calendars, important stuff I should sign...ON MY DESK. And during the occasional procrastination trip to my attic, I'd dig something else up like pics and leave them where? You got it...on my desk.
By the end of my six week hiatus, my desk looked like this:
Can I tell you how glad I am that you can't see the dust? Whoa.Yesterday, I took a Claritin (seriously, that was some kind of dust) and I got busy. And this was the result of a few hours of cleaning and dusting:
So much better.What's your work surface like? Do you prefer neat and orderly or do you wind up with cluttered chaos?
I usually wind up with chaos. I need enough space for my arms so my hands can reach the keyboard comfortably, and I usually have it. (Except when the cat decides to lay in that space.) But the other half of the desk is piled with stuff, and the piles usually flow over on top of my printer/scanner. And on the shelves beneath. Occasionally onto the floor, too.
ReplyDeleteI'll clean eventually, but it'll only stay clean for a few days before the piles come back.
I prefer neat and orderly and usually get close to that, but every few months I have to take a hard look at the crap covering the surface. It piles up so fast! Your desk looks great.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I see my book in the background!! Hee!! I feel so The Famous. Can't wait to read yours!
ReplyDeleteStacey Jay (who is procrastinating when she should be writing grown up books. Oh, grown up books, why must you be so grown up?)
B.E. I'm really kidding myself when I say uncluttered desk leads to uncluttered mind...my desk always winds up a pit of destruction after about 3 days...but I like to pretend I'm neat and orderly for a moment.
ReplyDeleteKristen, my goal is to keep my desk this way for 1 week. LOL
Stacey--yup, that's your book...and my 11 year old son promptly announced today he would be reading it this afternoon...I'll keep you posted on his thoughts. :D
My desk is actually a kitchen table in my spare bedroom. its a huge open space for junk to pile up. I wish I had a smaller desk.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious what the chart thingy on the wall is?
My Scottish friends mailed me a 'wit and wisdom of the Scots' chart. Says things like "Cock the wee finger" which means "have a small drink" etc.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a neat desk! I need more room. And I need some way to keep my cats off the keyboard and mouse!
ReplyDeleteCara
ROFL--OMG that looks just like how my desk does now...I'm the SAME WAY--I clutter clutter clutter when in crzywrtr mode. Then, I purge and clean when it's over.
ReplyDeleteStacey, I HAVE YOUR BOOK ON MY DESK, TOO!!! I can't wait to read it. :D
Chaos rules the world in my house. I am so not organized. I totally need a housekeeper.
ReplyDeleteOr a house husband.
I have a house husband.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a desk.
I write on the laptop whilst sitting on the couch, and my area is clutter free. Well, okay, I have a basket. It's got yarn and k-nitting k-needles (remember, I'm prouncing the silent k from now on), my mp3 player, books, my arm warmers and pens and notebook in it. But it doesn't look cluttered.