Back when I was a blog reader but not yet a blog writer I’d read people’s blogs and inevitably come upon the "sorry I haven’t posted for so long, but I’ve been ___________" (you can fill in the blank with sick, away, busy, whatever). 

For some reason, I always hated those posts because they were sort of sad.  Poor innocent blog just sitting there, waiting for its owner to pay it attention. 

Well, now I am writing one myself.  Although, let’s be honest, it hasn’t been that long since I’ve posted–only a few days.  But every day I don’t blog I am keenly aware of it.   The same is true with working on my novel–every day I don’t write I am keenly aware that I haven’t. 

I don’t understand people who live without creative projects pulling at them constantly.  Sometimes I think it would be a nice relief, but then I realize I would just get bored.

At any rate, my fill-in-the-blank excuse is the same as everyone’s this time of year–Christmas.  It slams me every year.  No matter how well I plan, no matter how hard I work steadily on all my projects as the date approaches, every year in the days before Christmas I end up deserting all my writing, paid and unpaid, in order to get the shopping and the wrapping and the baking done. 

And then I wander around not feeling like myself for a couple days.  Writing is what grounds me and connects me with myself and when I’m not writing I don’t feel real. 

I do love Christmas and spending time with the people I’m closest to.  But come December 26th, I’m going to be mighty happy to get back to my writing–and to myself.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas to all!