But whatever passes as "normal" around here (and man, am I using air quotes), disappears when it's deadline time.
In fact, Pirate Boy did not speak until he was two and a half. Not one word. Not mama, nothing. And then suddenly, he spoke in fully articulate sentences. And I'm not sure, but his first words may have been "Mommy has a deadline."
The following things--"normal" things--disappear when I have a deadline.
- Showers.
- Showers for Pirate Boy.
- Clean clothes. For anyone.
- Any semblance of healthy eating for my children.
- Any THOUGHT of exercise, taking a walk, heck, I think breathing becomes optional.
The following things APPEAR when I have a deadline.
- Pizza boxes. Everywhere.
- Half-drunk cups of coffee. Everywhere.
- Bedhead hair. I just don't have time to deal with it.
- Dust bunnies. They breed.
- Occasional tears, panic attacks, and meltdowns. Mine and Pirate Boy's.
Yeah. Behind most writers, this ugly scene takes place in some way, shape, or form.
So 'fess up. Whether a term paper, a deadline, a big work project . . . what does it look like behind the scenes when your life ceases being "normal"?