Confessions (#4)

As I mentioned in last week's post, I am careening towards an important deadline. But now it  is only a week away. This past week, I have been moving along at a good pace. Then, tonight, I hit a roadblock. But I have decided, just now, I am not going to let it get me down. It is not going to interfere with my personal goals. I plan on writing a blog post tonight, and getting to bed at a decent hour. Then, waking up bright and early tomorrow, work on my to-do list for the project (but not before exercising and doing the morning chores). After that is done, I will be spending the rest of the day focused on my own goals.

Sigh.

I was all set to share with you my reasons for placing TNT's A Christmas Carol slightly ahead of the Muppet Christmas Carol, both of which are my top favorite film adaptations of the famous Dickens' story.

Then, two things happened: a distraction and a realization. The distraction was a funny chat with a friend. The realization came from the research I was doing just now for this post. Neither of them were bad. In fact, they were both necessary and good. Without either of them, I would have left you with a crappy version of what I originally wanted to write. 

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite stories to analyze and enjoy. There are important themes in those pages. For the past few years, I have tried to read it at least once during the holiday season. Five years ago, I began to watch the various film adaptations of the book--I am up to seven. Ever since my first blog attempt, I have wanted to share this journey in written form. However, as I have confessed before on this blog, I have a problem following through.

Tonight I thought I would change that habit, without any preparation or outline. Just jump right into. I mean, I have been processing this stuff for years now, correct? I should be able to write something from it all.

Well, I started to research and write. There is a scene from the story that I wanted to examine. A scene I find very relevant today, especially in the midst of a pandemic and a critical election. So I searched online for video clips. One was available for the Muppets Christmas Carol, but not the other. So, I searched for a transcript. No luck for either. Then I considered typing it up, but that would mean setting up the DVD of the TNT adaptation. And sitting at my computer, transcribing for at least an hour. It is already 9 pm.  While this was going on, I was putting down my jumbled thoughts onto the screen. Trying to make sense of them. Rendering them logical and coherent.

And failing miserably. 

Oh, also I was chatting it up through texts, getting some much needed laughs--who doesn't love a good GIF, or three? Some distractions are required in order to keep sane.

So, 9:30 pm quickly approaches. However, I  have managed to shift gears to a topic I am good at covering: not completing my goals; therefore, I am able to eek out a Sunday night blog post.

In the end, I am now ready for next Sunday's post, with a clear outline and schedule. Instead of doing it all next Sunday night, I am going to break it all down into steps to be completed throughout the week. Finally, I have to stop worrying so much about how things will play out, and have a little faith in myself. 

Hopefully, in a week, I will produce my first post on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Because tomorrow is a new day.

One day at a time.

It is what it is.