tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post6913574110994876531..comments2023-12-30T13:57:12.322-08:00Comments on Leigh Ann Kopans, YA Author: On SacrificeLeigh Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15827971896088856057noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-27169265761121893392012-08-31T07:43:10.646-07:002012-08-31T07:43:10.646-07:00yep, gave up cleaning for lent and it felt so good...yep, gave up cleaning for lent and it felt so good to have one less thing to stress over that i never went back. actually when things pile up too much and i have too many deadlines creeping up on me, everyone in the family pitches in for a couple of hours and we have a marathon housecleaning party (sounds more fun if you put on music and call it a party, not that i've really got them fooled).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-34582004418158583512012-08-27T14:04:07.435-07:002012-08-27T14:04:07.435-07:00Sooo right there with you. Four part time jobs, t...Sooo right there with you. Four part time jobs, three kids, trying to make a career of writing. *sigh* I would LOVE a Time Turner. LOL. Keep on keeping on!Larissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08874147599272424056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-48625081350601080622012-08-27T10:11:11.618-07:002012-08-27T10:11:11.618-07:00And that just about summed it all up! LOL! Yep, I ...And that just about summed it all up! LOL! Yep, I was nodding the whole way through. We don't do it all. If we're doing one thing, something's being neglected. And the guilt over that is relentless. But perhaps, if we're lucky, we'll have something to show for it once it's all over! Hang in there!!! :o) <3LTMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239077455322030275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-657141448142620112012-08-27T08:57:21.812-07:002012-08-27T08:57:21.812-07:00What a fantastic post - and much needed as we'...What a fantastic post - and much needed as we're moving into the last week of summer, my house is like Clutter Mountain, my kids have eaten junk food all summer, and oh, the baby weight? Same here. The baby starts Kindergarten next week.<br /><br />But it's been a great summer for writing as I patched up one manuscript which got a full request and made good progress on another; I've got an awesome critique group and we've got Plans for the Future; and Life is Good. Even with a crappy job, a horribly messy house and a sleep deficit approaching the millions. <br /><br />My motto for the school year: Just Say No. I've got enough on my plate with work, writing, and volunteering. I can't do anything else.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing this. Sara Birenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00232407986912820233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-2811411044054766562012-08-27T08:37:10.897-07:002012-08-27T08:37:10.897-07:00Definitely with you on sacrificing housework. Make...Definitely with you on sacrificing housework. Makes me feel pretty awful that my husband ends up doing all the cleaning, but then again, he also has a far lower tolerance for mess than I do. Also, sleep. Sleep definitely goes. My rule as I near the end of my current WIP is that I cannot go to bed until I write 1K that day. Not ideal but if nothing else it helps me finally get words out instead of sitting around trying to come up with the perfect ones.<br /><br />Having a long commute both helps and hurts - it's my designated beta time, since sitting on the subway for an hour with a Kindle gives me a whole lot of uninterrupted reading time. Of course, it means sacrificing giving solid in-line critique, which makes me kind of a lousy beta, but yeah, that's that whole "sacrifice" thing, I guess.... You can only do what you can do while still preserving your own sanity! Dahlia Adlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02265012593385220677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-19559204481812845882012-08-27T08:35:54.739-07:002012-08-27T08:35:54.739-07:00Thank you for sharing your perspective. I'm ri...Thank you for sharing your perspective. I'm right there with you, down to the anxiety and depression bit. For me, loosening my grasp on perfectionism has been the key to my sanity. And saying "no" more. Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03861057324766914245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-87184817560257298552012-08-27T08:32:50.399-07:002012-08-27T08:32:50.399-07:00My kids are grown, and I still don't clean the...My kids are grown, and I still don't clean the kitchen floor as much as I should. LOL Great post! You're aMAZing!Brenda Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263237745979525170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-83359907843925239332012-08-27T07:10:35.399-07:002012-08-27T07:10:35.399-07:00"I know I'll never look back on my life a..."I know I'll never look back on my life and say, "I really wish my kitchen floor would have been cleaner."" <br /><br />YES. This. You truly DO do it all, lady--while being a great friend and CP to boot. You just know when and how to prioritize the right things. You are amazing. Maggie Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17378337707268580252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-33949263009762257432012-08-27T06:49:24.716-07:002012-08-27T06:49:24.716-07:00You're one of the busiest but most productive ...You're one of the busiest but most productive people I know. Seriously, whenever I'm feeling lazy I think of you. I sacrifice cleaning and workouts and sleep for writing, and most of the time I STILL don't feel like I'm doing enough. It's hard, but if writing is a priority, it needs to be treated like a priority.<br /><br />Also--you DO do it all. Just not all at the same time :)Amanda Olivierihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17893676136045249980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-86873885587615248702012-08-27T06:26:29.737-07:002012-08-27T06:26:29.737-07:00What a great, inspiring post and how refreshing to...What a great, inspiring post and how refreshing to hear somebody simply say 'I don't'. I wish you well dealing with your anxiety/depression also.<br /><br />I think it's hard to find a balance and also important to find ones own balance. Sometimes I look at others and think, how can they fit such and such in or, I just can't get up any earlier to fit anything else in, but it's finding your own balance and carving your own time out!<br /><br />Good post, thank you.VikLithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675200811539358961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-27783819959082467642012-08-27T05:59:45.717-07:002012-08-27T05:59:45.717-07:00L, you are absolutely AMAZING and GORGEOUS. You wi...L, you are absolutely AMAZING and GORGEOUS. You will find the right balance and it'll be glorious :)<br /><br />I've been thinking about my answer to the balance/sacrifice question forever... And I can't come up with one. In a way, I would say my social life, which is pretty non-existent now that all my best friends live in other parts of the world. But my social life has mostly been online since the start of internet, and I have Wanderlust in my heart.<br /><br />Perhaps I do sacrifice my sanity. For me, the biggest challenge has always been balancing life and writing with disability. So balance means pushing the limit as far as I possibly can, and fly as high as I possibly can before I crash. Lather, rinse, repeat.<br /><br />I think the right answer is I don't do balance. At all. :)Mariekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16383960692054256957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-40453370050321641482012-08-27T05:59:08.939-07:002012-08-27T05:59:08.939-07:00I honestly think you are one of the most amazing p...I honestly think you are one of the most amazing people I know - I have no idea how you keep it so together with so much going on. It seems like learning to be ok with the sacrifices you have to make is half the battle. I know I'm always trying to figure out what's gonna get cut so I can sneak some more writing time in. And yeah, my house hasn't been truly clean in years. I figure when I get that big book deal, I'll just hire a maid :)<br /><br />You are my hero, L!Jamie Greyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07504892632149036762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-14977601585728357522012-08-27T05:58:03.513-07:002012-08-27T05:58:03.513-07:00Thank you for this post, Leigh Ann! I love your ap...Thank you for this post, Leigh Ann! I love your approach to time management. I always have to remind myself that it's okay for me to let a ball drop once in a while. (And that one of these days I will give myself time for a love life... possibly.)Becky Mahoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16891727235981320025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-36261589331439434302012-08-27T05:51:47.495-07:002012-08-27T05:51:47.495-07:00Sacrifice. So true! my house is almost always a me...Sacrifice. So true! my house is almost always a mess, I do the minimum needed to keep it afloat. Hanging out with friends? yeah not so much. And oh boy, I'm going back to work, part-time just for a a couple of months to cover for a friend who is having a baby... and I'm panicking, because all I can think about is that it's going to cut into my writing time. <br /><br />The only thing I don't sacrifice is sleep, LOL I'm a monster without it, hehe!Cristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15064636500827230911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-26353012032257068932012-08-27T05:30:31.319-07:002012-08-27T05:30:31.319-07:00*Hugs* You're seriously Superwoman. And I'...*Hugs* You're seriously Superwoman. And I'll happily drop ears of corn on anyone who tries to say you're not.<br /><br />And yup, totally forgot to pay my bills yesterday because I threw myself into finishing a 3rd manuscript. The scales are never quite balanced, but at the end of the day, we should be proud of everything we manage to get done in spite of it all.Gina Cioccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18024256412233972412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-57990568428177862762012-08-27T05:28:55.205-07:002012-08-27T05:28:55.205-07:00I don't think anyone assumes I can do it all. ...I don't think anyone assumes I can do it all. One peek inside my front door, and they KNOW I don't do it all. My family is happy and healthy. I always find time to write. Everything else goes out the window (or into the pile of junk accumulating on the dining room table, or under the coffee table, or onto the couch in the guest room, or into the pile in my closet, etc.)Laura Hughes, MittensMorgulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934132671168843593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-20255267911361650652012-08-27T04:51:28.772-07:002012-08-27T04:51:28.772-07:00I tell them I don't have a life, which is true...I tell them I don't have a life, which is true! I also cut corners on housekeeping and cooking; do you think those are always the first things to get sacrificed? <br /><br />Great post, thanks for sharing. The Mansfield park redux sounds interesting!ClareMDavidsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991198230954154810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058856697581528687.post-28714301591474068842012-08-27T04:42:39.312-07:002012-08-27T04:42:39.312-07:00"I know I'll never look back on my life a..."I know I'll never look back on my life and say, 'I really wish my kitchen floor would have been cleaner,' but I definitely would think, 'Damn, it would have been awesome if I had just made the time for that Mansfield Park redux.'"<br /><br />THIS. You couldn't have put it better. Awesome post.Emma Passhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18209194238119830841noreply@blogger.com