I’m experiencing a little setback. My computer either has a cold or it’s dying; I can’t determine which.
As you might imagine, a computer crash is bad news for a blogger, especially one who scans his drawings and drops them into his posts. At the moment, I’m forced to borrow Carol’s laptop when it’s available just to get a simple post out and check my messages.
I have two choices. I can either panic, which is what I’ve been doing for the past four days, or I can take a step back and decide what I’m going to do next.
I think I’ll go with the latter. After all, a step back is all a setback really is, unless we treat it otherwise.
If you and I panic in the face of one, we turn it into a monumental road block and everything comes to a screeching halt.
But if we can remember to take a deep breath, step back, and take a longer look, we might find an opportunity. I wish I could have remembered that four days ago.
If I had, I might have noticed that I had an opportunity to work on my book and forget about the blog for a few days. I don’t know what you think, but I think that may have been a better option than pacing the floor and swearing.
Tomorrow morning, I’m hauling in my computer and handing it over to a professional. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to repair, or how much it’s going to cost, or if it can even be done.
But I do know I have a bundle of ink pens, a stack of sketchbooks, and a lot of free time to write and draw. I may not post every day, but I can still work every day. Who knows? This could be the most productive time I’ve had all year.
That is, of course, if I don’t panic.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I needed to read this post today…a reminder to optimize set backs…I’m sure your computer will be up and running in no time and you’ll have a stack of great new stuff.
.-= Sheila´s last blog ..Fishegg # 100 Love makes the world go round. =-.
It’s very wise to turn a setback into an opportunity like you’ve done.
I’m going to Paris for a few days tomorrow, and my plan is simply to walk, eat, write and photograph. I’m looking forward to being disconnected from the online world for a few days, and it’s taken a physical break to do what I haven’t seemed to be able to do at home with my MacBook ever calling me!
Thanks for the wisdom, as always.
.-= Dan Goodwin´s last blog ..How To Stop Counting Old Beans And Past Harvests And Start Sowing New Creative Seeds =-.
Good advice Ken. I spent much of February and April with this as my mantry – DO NOT panic. I still don’t really know how I managed not to except that chanting was involved… DO NOT panic. What I learned was that each of the horrifying set backs that I was faced with ironically created wonderful new opportunities to be creative and made my finished product BETTER. GO FIGURE! Enjoy your “downtime” …