N-9 Balancing Act or Olly Olly Oxen-Free! Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are!

This is the latest I hope to post a countdown this year and I hope that I never have to post this late after November 1. Today has been a balancing act of the highest order.

At what I refer to as my other life, working as a supervisor in a hospital, throughout the day I had two people call in sick, and one call in with an ear infection and another go to the ER with a possible heart attack. This gaping hole left me with one cook the whole day who has three ruptured discs in her back, and it was a wonder she could even walk. Everyone, to my delight, pitched in and really made this the best worst day ever. It was a balancing act of laying bacon, sausage patties and links and pouring liquid eggs into pans, all the while thinking about the coleslaw that hadn't been made, and the phone that was ringing, and, and, and...

And it made me think about National Playwriting Month.

If you're on the fence about doing it, this is for you.

If you think you CAN'T do it because the kids are in school, you have Halloween costumes to make/buy, you have work and the home and <insert whatever other obligations you may have> and HOLY CRAP CHRISTMAS IS 63 DAYS AWAY, then know this. YOU CAN.

Yeah, it will be hard and tiring and you will have things fall to the wayside but that's okay, especially if you have a really understanding family. I have spent the last two Novembers letting things fall to the wayside, all to give myself the opportunity to participate.

And so can you. I know you can do it.

However, if it does become a life and death thing, then, really, DON'T DO IT. Example, the fiance told me he was going to do NaNoWriMo for the first time this year, but he realized between his classes he's teaching, a job search and tutoring, he will be letting these three things fall to the wayside. That is not good. Don't do it if that would be what would happen.

And if you're too busy to let us all know you're going to be here for NaPlWriMo, stop it! You're making your forums mod crazy. I know everyone is just saying, oh, I'll post tomorrow, but I'm waiting, and I'm sure everyone else is waiting for someone else to go first. Whose going to be the brave one to step forward to 'The Starting Line' and post the name of their play in a forum and describe it? Even if you don't have a title, just toss something on there. Even if you don't have an idea, just toss something on there. It will form up. I mean, my description is a dictionary entry for the word 'Mine' for crying out loud.

So, come out, come out, wherever you are! This is going to be a GREAT year, and I want ALL of you to be a part of it! Come join the crash!