I Go To Work…

by — May 17, 2010

First, know that I’m not giving up.

It’s just that I’m in the middle of a bear of a project, with a June 15 deadline, and mama is stressed out. I’ve been operating at a pace that simply isn’t human reporting and writing a book, regularly writing blogs for Parenting.com, Dove.com, and Unilever’s “Don’t Fret the Sweat” campaign, freelancing for Essence, Heart & Soul and Parenting magazines, and doing most of the heavy lifting here at MyBrownBaby, in addition to trying my best to pull together my duties as a work-at-home mom, wife, volunteer, and friend without looking like a total deadbeat. I simply can not keep up this pace and do anything effectively.

I was complaining about, er… sharing this with my girl Akilah of Execumama a few weeks ago when she, in all of her you can do it/nobody’s perfect/let go and live your best life ever wisdom, challenged me to come up with a list of five things I can do right now to make my life easier while I tackle this book project. “And for God’s sake, take off that cape,” she added.

For the record? I heart Akilah.

And though it took me a minute to develop it, I’ve finally come up with a list of five things I’m going to do to help me meet this book writing deadline without having to be carted away in a straight jacket. Here’s what I came up with:

1. I’m going to fully implement the sole good thing to ever come out of the Reagan administration: Just say no. No more volunteering, no more running all around town participating in events, no more extending myself to help everyone else at the expense of my own projects. I gotta focus and I can’t do that if I’m distracted by all that other stuff.

2. I’m handing off my cooking duties. I’m putting in a call t-o-d-a-y to my girl Shelley over at Naturi Beauty to see if we can work out a deal for her to swing some of those personal chef services our way, just until I get this book off my plate. She’ll easily save me a good three hours a day in grocery shopping, prep, cooking, and clean-up if she hooks up our meals while I remain tied to this here MacBook.

3. The house is gonna have to be a little messy, dammit. So if you stop by and the laundry is piled high, the floors don’t look like they’ve been swept, and it smells like Parliament Funkadelic just finished a funky, sweaty, three-hour body mashing set in my foyer, don’t judge me I’m writing.

4. Bye-bye FaceBook, Twitter, Yahoo, Gmail and all the other delicious distractions that keep me from knocking out these chapters with the lightening speed I’m capable of. Okay, well maybe I won’t drop The Face totally, but, you know, I’ll cut back some. (Sheesh–do they have a FaceBook Anonymous I can check into every once in a while? The habit is real.)

5. I’m going to have to fall back on the MyBrownBaby posts. Don’t worry you’re still going to get the quality writing and thoughtful prose for which MyBrownBaby is reknowned, but I’m only going to be posting three times a week while I pour my writing energy into the book. This is temporary, I promise. And when I come back full-time, MyBrownBaby will be stronger, prettier, and better than ever. (Yup, I’ll have a right nice surprise for you by then!)

Okay, wish me luck good people… 12 chapters in 30 days.

Watch.

Me.

Work.

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24 Comments

  1. always4evamoi

    good luck and see you a bit later…YOU.CAN.DO.IT!!!

  2. Chocolate Covered Daydreams

    You got it, Girl! We'll be here. Just do your thang!

  3. Can I be like you when I grow up?

    Winks & Smiles,
    Wifey

  4. You can do it. Work it out! 🙂

    I love your list by the way. I need to sit down and write one of these myself. Grad school in the fall? Help me!

  5. …and now, she will truly shine as she makes a full commitment to herself, free of guilt, regret, or any of the nonsense we pile onto ourselves.

    1. The book will be PERFECT, b/c you've committed to it in this beautiful way.
    2. We can read your old posts and laugh like you're still up in here posting every 15 seconds like you do!
    3. Shelley's food will remind you why loosening the cape a tad bit was a frikkin brilliant move.

    ((((HUGS & godspeed — you need both with that crazy deadline!)))))

  6. Jennae @ Green Your Decor

    You know we'll all still be here when you're done. Do what you have to do, and write that book like we know you can!

  7. Let's get!!! I have a book proposal due in a month, and I speech to give to 200 women in two weeks…

  8. That was supposed to be, "Let's Get IT!!!"

  9. Teresha@Marlie and Me

    your fans will stick around…go do your thing!

  10. GYF Executive Director

    You will deliver beautifully- as always! Let me know if there is anything that I can help out with on the home front.

    We got you!

  11. Funkidivagirl

    Impressive. And I know you can do it. We'll all be here when you finish.

  12. @MicheleDortch

    Work it! I'm going to work on my list of 5 things I can do right now list too. This mama is pulled in too many directions at the moment.

  13. Mama C/Catherine

    Inspiring–as always. You write what I needed to hear AT THIS MOMENT. Thank you for sharing it with us. We get it, we support you!

  14. OMG, I have not visited in quite some time. I love how you always keep it real 🙂

    Peace & Blessings on your project……

  15. Listen suga, u do what u have to do & ur real fans/friends will be here for you when you're done. Shoot I'm keeping my eyes out for that book too! I read almost everything you write anyway (I work in a library & always recommend your stuff)from the books to the articles in the magazines to online. You are inspiring so go ahead, we'll be here for you!

  16. I actually thought that you posted alot. You definitely don't need to post on this website daily. Although I'll miss it.

  17. You can do it!!! Good luck.

  18. Jacqueline Lewis

    Daneen,

    I'll keep you up in prayer. You and your husband are doing it, and your kids see it. We will talk to you when you finish what we can't wait to read. Just breath, step back as you have done, and give it to HIM. God will work it out. Wonderful thing about wisdom, you stepped back, wrote your list, and put it all in perspective. Thanks for this encouragement.

  19. Love it! I had to implement something like this myself…I think at some point we all do if we want to keep our sanity 🙂

  20. TellyLongLegs

    Do what you have to do! You can do it!!!

  21. Naturi Beauty

    Congrats on your acceptance that "this is what it is right now" and I am more than happy to oblige your family's palate for the while with my extraordinary cuisine 🙂 MUAH!

  22. Britni Danielle of This Side of the Wall

    D,
    you are super woman, EVEN with the cape off. i commend you for knowing when to fall back. that is the greatest thing a lot of us over-worked/ambitious mamas can do.

    Can't wait to see the book & the rebirth of MYBrownBaby!!

    Get it, girl!

  23. Arlice Nichole

    Do your thang! But what's up the 10 chapters in 20 days' deals? What about the writing industry am I missing here? I read "Writer's Digest every month." LOL! But for real though…

  24. Best wishes. You are a shero and inspiration. Sending u much creative light.

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