In Steve Martin’s autobiography, “Born Standing Up,” he writes about his love of comedy and magic. He spent so much time as a young man observing the great comedians of his time – Jack Benny, Laurel and Hardy – before he finally became a legend himself. He found his own teachers and mentors wherever he went, who would cheer him on. He discovered books that opened up a whole new world of showmanship and performance art.

After reading only a few chapters of his book, I’m relating to one of my favorite comedians in a whole new way because I am also finally at peace with pursuing my passion–writing.

This past Sunday, I spent 2 hours in a room full of strangers at my writing workshop. I thought what I wrote in class was total shit, but it still received praise from my fellow writers.

Today, I read an article about semicolons. A whole article just on semicolons! By the way, I have a strict policy on oxford commas and the appropriate number of exclamation points to use in a blog post.

And, the cartoon below was sent to me by one of my co-workers because she knows me so well.

I also listened to the latest Grammar Girl podcast about never being too old to write your first novel. I found a top 100 list of websites for writers and wished I could justify taking the day off from work to explore every single one of them. And like an excited child waiting for her big present, I walked past the side door to my house, hoping to see the latest subscription box from Scribbler waiting for me.

Just like Steve Martin found his love of comedy and magic, I’m sitting with my passion for writing every single day with intention. And it makes me so happy.

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This past August, we moved our daughter into her dorm room and set her up for her freshman year at college. I remember thinking that her entire senior year was a complete blur to me. Every weekend was filled with Class of ’19 activities. She attended the last homecoming game, the last Coronation Ball, and the last winter concert. Not to mention senior prom, a trip to Disney World, senior cut day, college visits, and so on and so on.

She had a car last year, so between her boyfriend, a part-time job, and her dance group, she was almost never home. And that’s what is supposed to happen! It is a process that all parents must go through. If we do our jobs right, our children will live independently and happily going forward.

The seismic shift of her absence during her first semester was not lost on me. I turned her homework desk into my writing nook so that a) I’d have a quiet space with a door to close and b) I had an excuse to spend time in her room.

Of course, it is wonderful to have so much free time now to focus on our son. When you have two teenagers at home and one is about to go off to college, the other one can sometimes feel left out. But, we are making up for lost time now. At 16, I’m sure we cramp his style at times since he is now the only child living at home. I promise not to embarrass him in front of his friends, although I don’t always know I’m doing it. 🙂

Over Thanksgiving, she came back to visit for a week. She hadn’t been home since we dropped her off, and we were a family of four again. I was so happy that I even posted a screenshot of the Find Your Friends app showing all of us in the same place at the same time–home.

And then, she went back for finals and finished out her first semester. Her winter break is longer than other schools, and right now it is like she never left. She helps around the house and takes her brother to wherever he needs to go. I hear the two of them laughing, screeching, and fighting upstairs over the shared bathroom or random annoyances. I don’t even bother to go up there and referee. I like the noise. It’s just like old times.

In the back of my mind, I know she is going to leave us soon. And while there was a set process for sending her off to college, there is none for sending her back again. In some ways, this is going to be harder for me, but, I will adjust.

Meanwhile, the other night, my husband started discussing college plans with our son. I told them both to stop talking. I’m not ready to start that process.

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“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.”

– Author and journalist, Karen Lamb

I don’t know who Karen Lamb is, but she is absolutely right. A year from now, I will have wished I started on my book and gone to the gym. If I started this time last year, I would be well on my way to a first draft and a bikini body by now. But alas, that didn’t happen.

Seriously, what the hell am I waiting for?! I had plenty of time this weekend to take an exercise class or do a little research. Not that I was sitting around doing nothing.

Hey, here’s something. I cleaned out my kitchen pantry today. I felt productive, and the pantry looks so neat and organized. But I know it’s an exercise in futility because I can almost guarantee the cereal boxes will be wide open again next weekend with stale Cheerios inside.

And, did a few loads of laundry, so we all have underwear this week.

Cool.

(Cue the eye roll)

You guys, weekends are supposed to be relaxing and maybe even fulfilling. I did chores on the weekend when I was a teenager. Why am I still doing them now? I have teenagers of my own for G-d sake. It’s their turn!

Ok, time to get motivated. So, I’ll end with this quote from another author–who I also never heard of before ?

Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals, and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.
     – Les Brown

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