The Dam has Burst

by Camela Thompson

I have words! Perhaps it's closer to a trickling stream than a geyser, but words have made it onto pages. Scenes have been crafted. The best part? They weren't bad! At the risk of sounding like a braggart, they were good. The effort and strain were gone. Images and conversations flowed through my mind and onto the screen. It was like the good old days.

What opened up the block? I had a week between jobs. Annie and I spent a glorious nine days alternating walking around the neighborhood, running errands, and sitting on the couch. I learned she hates running and would rather be left at home than be coaxed around the neighborhood (it's twice the workout, but she wins - no more runs). She's a master at enforcing break time, and she seems to know when I wasn't being productive anyways.

The first two days I did little. The next two were filled with false starts. Finally I relaxed a little and worked on scenes that involved characters in The Hunted series. Perhaps the words flowed because of the break. Maybe it was because of the switch to a new job. The most likely answer: it was a combination of a return to familiar characters, the break, and a need to avert my thoughts from the stress of starting at a new company.

After almost nine years, tomorrow marks my first new day at a company. The business knowledge that made daily tasks easy is gone. A great deal of being successful at a job has nothing to do with having all the answers. It is important to know who to go to and what the rules are. I have confidence in my system knowledge, and I'll ask a lot of annoying questions. It will all work out. It's new and nerve wracking, but I have hope that things will go well. I worry that the stress will slow the words. Perhaps it will for a while. Time will tell.

I'll miss Annie during the day. I have to hope she'll fall back into our routine. She's the first dog I've had that doesn't get stressed when I leave the house and looks at me impatiently to put her filled Kongs down and go. The girl has her priorities straight. Maybe I can learn from her and worry a little less, take more breaks, and slow down. There's no need to run everywhere.