Friday, July 11, 2008

Distractions

We went miniature golfing today. Kids had a blast (and treats). So as afternoon waned, I didn't feel too guilty heading for the computer to get in my word count.

After a good fifteen minutes of #2 trying to do everything in her power to keep me from writing, the following conversation ensued:

Mom: Cutie, I really need to get 1,100 words in today, and it's getting late.

#2: Do it tomorrow.

Mom: Then I'd have to do twice as many. If I do a little today and a little tomorrow, I'll make my weekly goal.

#2: I could totally do that many words in a day.

Mom: Maybe, but I don't have a whole day. Hey, if you go read a book or something, I could get it done in about an hour, and then you can come with me to the store.

[#2 Scoots me over and sits down in my chair.]

#2: I can write that many words really fast.

Mom: Oh?

#2: Watch this.

[#2 types the following:]

a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a

#2 (giggling with all her might when Mom raises her eyebrows): What? That's a word!

I suppose I should have been more specific. I need to write 1,100 words of a novel. In my work in progress. In a story. That make sense. That readers will want to actually plunk down money for.

The little stinker is getting too smart for her own good. But boy, is she a delight.

13 comments:

Stephanie Humphreys said...

Guess she told you. :) That's too cute. What would we do without our sweet kids.

Tamra Norton said...

How cute! She's a smart one, she is!!! :)

And Friday must be a day of distractions! Here it is at 10:30 p.m. and I'm just now sitting down to write. But I only have to reach 1000 words to make my goal! So why am I reading blogs?????

Anonymous said...

What a smartie! How sweet! Good luck on your goal!

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I can so imagine Emma doing that some day...

Jenna said...

Good one!

Don said...

Yeah, there's a difference between writing words and writing good words.

However, And then something really cool happens but I don't know what it is and I need to figure it out later has been known to add 21 words to my count.

What would we do without our little ones keeping us in line.

Stephanie Humphreys said...

Don, I think I'm going to have to borrow those 21 words once in a while.

Julie Q. said...

What a funny kid. I can think of a few cases where you might need to use her word. Like if one of your heroines is falling off a cliff. Or she just discovered earwigs in her bed.

I need to set a word goal per day. Maybe this would get me out of my rut. I can spend hours on one or two paragraphs. It's ridiculous. It doesn't help that I get interrupted all the time too. But a goal would really help me just get it done.

charrette said...

That is the story of my life, right there! There is something about a mom being on a computer that drives kids nuts. And when I ran a full-time design studio out of our house...well, I'm sure you can imagine!

She's clever. I like her.

Josi said...

How are you that patient? She'd have never made it into my CHAIR. That's why one of us is going to heaven . . .

Brillig said...

Nah, I'd LOVE to read a whole chapter of "a a a a a a a a a a". Seriously. Think of the raised eyebrows. Think of the English professors trying to find deep meaning in it. Think of the students who have to write an essay on that chapter!!!

Unknown said...

hi annette ~ awh, that is sweet. what a delight she is. i thought you were going to say she just started banging all the keyboard keys. but she really couldn't understand why that was so hard for you to type out more than 1000 "As." that's what makes that adorable.

i love it when kids say the darndest things that make us step back and think, oh yea, why am i doing this? or good point.

great day sweetie, kathleen

Jami said...

About six years ago, my J-Teen wrote a story about Barbie and N-Girl. There were pages of "aaaaaaa..." Apparently, you can get a lot of mileage out of a single letter.

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