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There are 2 people in the world who count on my posting first thing in the morning. One is The Spouse, who has specifically requested I post by 8 a.m. because then reading me is one of the first things he can do after settling in at the office. (Isn't that sweet and supportive of him? Really? Because I'm sure there are many people who are connected to bloggers who think it's all a little silly or a waste of time or whatever and The Spouse totally gets why I do this, what I get out of it and furthermore, has very much enjoyed the Blogtopians he has met along with me. And yeah, he blogs, too, but we all know he doesn't do it with the same sort of regularity he expects of moi but that's ok because he's out winning bread and making movies. Digressing here).

The other person clearly wishes to remain anonymous because he/she (I'm super good at protecting identities) has been reading for some time now but he/she never leaves a comment. He/she instead just emails me. Which I rather like because I wouldn't have my email on my blog if I didn't want people to email me. Point is, I have recently learned that he/she reads at around the same time in his/her day, each day, because he/she emailed to make sure I was ok the other day when I had posted somewhat tardily.

Oh, those people, you say. Telling you what to do like that.

Au contraire, mon ami. That is EXACTLY what I was hoping for when I first started this blog. After two years of writing a regular column for the school newsletter with deadlines and an editor and everything (except, you know, money, fame and syndication) I moved The Child to a new school, the gig went away and there I was, just getting started on a "body of work" and then left to my own devices. Which is not a good thing because my devices are rather like the clockwork of a toy you found in your grandmother's attic; all the bits may be intact but unless someone is there to wind it up, it just sits collecting dust.

I need to be wound up. Not in a "Holy crap, did you see this in the Times today?" sort of way. Although sometimes that works.

What I mean is that no matter how much desire or vision I can possess, I am a procrastinator of the worst order. Don't believe me? Ask The Hat. Ask The Neighbor. I procrastinate about things I don't love but I also procrastinate about things I do love. So knowing that there are people who count on having a little "Here's the Thing" with their morning coffee or whatever they are having at the time, gets me motivated to write instead of spending the first hour of my day cruising the interwebs and generally fiddling around. I am very grateful for that motivation and accountability. Thank you, Spouse and Person Who Wishes to Remain Anonymous.

Now if I could just figure out how to wind myself up for every other area of my life that seems to be sitting stalled at the moment. Creak. Creak.

(I am amused right now because I was just going to write a quick "hey, I know you're expecting something but the morning is a little busy and I might not get to it right away so don't worry 'I sneezed'" sort of post....hence the title... but then I actually got inspired to write something. I'm not saying it's a profound something, but it's mine and it goes to the heart of something that has been weighing on me in unique ways lately).

This is the smallest sort of example of the phenomenon but I've noticed that about writing...you can start out with an idea but once you get going you may end up in places completely other than you intended or expected.

Anyway, seriously, I've got too much to do this a.m. Deep thoughts must wait until later)