There's this saying in English:
- If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
It's a good saying.
After living for over 10 years in France, I've noticed they have a similar saying except it goes something like this:
- If it ain't broke, break it, make it obscenely complicated, non user-friendly, and then make the people pay for it through higher taxes.
The French government recently reformed the primary school timetable, forcing it to go from a workable system to a complete after school mess, leaving kids, teachers, daycare, and staff unable to cope, and struggling for financial resources that they don't have. *deep breath*
But the gist of it is I'm now having to wait 2 hours in my car after lunch (because of our tight budget and limited options) to pick up my kids when school lets out. And, I'm paying higher costs for a school bus system that my kids can only use half the time. FAIS CHIER!
Now, a lot of the problems we're having with the timetable is because while the public school system had no choice but to comply with the reform, the private schools didn't, they basically gave the government reform a giant middle finger (and I don't blame them) but the trouble is they use the same bus system as the public schools....but they're on a different timetable.. and there are limited buses....see how this can, and has, turned into a mega cluster failure? PUTAIN!
Anyway, these dumbass, brainless changes have also impacted my time as a writer. Which is to say, I now have less and less time to write during the day. So, seeing how I'll be spending lots of time just waiting in my car, I've decided to make the most of a shitty situation. I'm going to pack my laptop and use that time to write. When it's hot, I'll bring some water and I'll keep writing in the car. And when the cold comes in, I'll bring an extra blanket, a thermos, and I'll keep writing. And when it rains and pours, I'll just keep writing.
Who knows, this may be the best thing that has happened to my writing schedule in a long time. No house work, no garden, no grocery shopping, no distractions, just me and my laptop. Could it be, I'm actually looking forward to this? O_O It'll be interesting to see if this works out, even if only a little. I'll let you know next month. Wish me luck and I hope you all are faring better than I am!
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Many thanks to Alex Cavanaugh our IWSG super-host and his awesome team of co-hosts this month. To find out more about the IWSG monthly bloghop, or the IWSG website, feel free to click the highlited links or the button on my sidebar.
That sucks all right. But you have your writing solution - just write in the car!
ReplyDeleteWe may have that saying in English, but it doesn't apply to upgrades. Any time my phone updates, it gets more complicated and less user friendly.
ReplyDeleteHOWEVER, it sounds like you have determined the best way to make use of this awful snafu. Turning your car into your new writing office is brilliant!
I wrote my first book in the car. My boys were playing jr. league football and they didn't like to stay there alone, so I sat in my car for two hours each evening and typed my little heart out. I'm a little envious of you! Now that I am linked to the net...it calls me...tells me it'll only take a second to check that email.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people fix things that aren't broken? Go figure!
I used to have to wait 30 minutes in my car for my foster daughter, but 2 hours is crazy. Put that time to good use and write.
ReplyDeleteYou have to work with the situation, so writing in the car isn't that bad. Like you said bring the comforts with you. I do that when I have to hang at the hospital where hubs is. I'd rather write at home, but I do character studies of the annoying employees for future use in novels and stories.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your car can be like your little writing cave.... :) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMadeline @ The Shellshank Redemption
Sounds like a ridiculous system, but at least you're making some positive out of it. Like others I have spent literally hundreds of hours whilst boys have been football training and it's not been worth coming home and going out again. The amount of studying, writing and reading I got done was impressive! Good luck :) x
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can find a cafe nearby to do your writing during your waiting time? I had my daughter in cooking camp for a week during the summer, and I got lots of writing and reading done while waiting in a cafe and in my car!
ReplyDeletePublic school buses for private schools? Wow. The two are totally separate here. Private-schooled kiddos are car riders.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, maybe you'll get some writing done. It could turn out to be a good thing, and it will be, at least partly, what you make it. ;)
IWSG #179 until Alex culls the list again.
I love that you're taking a less than stellar situation and making it work to your advantage. For me, finding time to write is always the goal of the day. Good for you! And hell yeah you should be looking forward to it! It's you and your writing time. Best time there is.
ReplyDeleteWell at least you are making the best of it and can write away. But yeah that is one big pain in the arse
ReplyDeleteAt least you can write in your car. Why does that not make me happier for you? Anyway sorry for the inconveniences Elise. IWSG Co-Host
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for the mess. It sounds like a disaster, yet I can see you're making something good out of it anyway. And undisturbed writing time, even trapped in a car with no internet, is nothing to sneeze at. Maybe there will be time for a little reading too. Sigh. As a brand new parent of a two year old I'd love to go to the bathroom without someone pounding on the door.
ReplyDeleteomg, I feel for you, I truly do!! Government inefficiencies are screamingly maddening!
ReplyDeleteInvest in audiobooks. They are a lovely way to pass the time in a vehicle while waiting.
Got to love government inefficiencies ;) Well, when the world gives you eggs - make eggnog! (I'm sure that's not the original saying, but that's all I could come up with at the moment). Good luck with the writing.
ReplyDeleteTwo hours is freaking ridiculous. But yeah, make the best of it you can. If you have to sit there, you might as well get some writing done. No distractions. It almost sounds peaceful. :) I hope they come up with something that actually works soon, but in the meantime, make lemonade, as they say.
ReplyDeleteI hope they don't try to fix it and end up somehow making things worse. That would be the real icing on the cake, wouldn't it? Good luck with finding time to write.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got a plan in place to make it work, but gosh, do I know the frustrations. How many times I cried my eyes out over the bureaucracy of the school system - and it's failure to help the students it was put in place for!
ReplyDeleteYou go girl!
Trying to find time to write is hard enough without having to deal with all of that. I hope they can fix it, and that you can get back on track with your writing. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you are able to make lemonade out of lemons and get some writing done in your car. Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at the French version of the saying because I have a dear friend who is French and I can imagine her saying that very thing. I also know how popular "merde!" is in France so that made me laugh.
I had to read your opening to my hubby, who got a good laugh. Too bad it's real life. Glad to read you have put a positive spin on the waiting time.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a big cluster over there. On the writing side, I had three summers when I would take my daughter to hockey practice and hang out for two hours until practice ended. I wrote tons during that time.
ReplyDeleteYou have the perfect solution: writing in the car. My writing is going at an snail's pace from the past two weeks.
ReplyDeleteThis could be a blessing in disguise... ?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you'll need to develop a new mindset... the car as your writing nook!?
Good luck, Elise!
Hi Elise .. .what a pain to put it mildly .. that derriere will be hurting soon ... and I didn't mean from sitting on it .. I just meant from being bummed out ... oh crumbs - getting in merdey muddle!
ReplyDeleteWell good luck is all I can say ... perhaps a tape recorder too .. that means you could wander around on lovely days ... talking happily to yourself .. and no counting hairs on your palm ..
Sorry - bureaucracy just recreates messes seemingly ... take care - Hilary
I love how you're turning a crappy situation into a writing adventure!!! I NEED to do that... write in the car or somewhere away from wi-fi because I'm easily distracted. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWow! That sounds really horrible. There would be a riot of that happened here. Oh wait, since I live here in St. Louis, that's probably not appropriate.
ReplyDeleteAt least you're taking it in stride.
I can't wait to see the results of all that writing in uncomfortable/cramped conditions. Perhaps you could answer a question for me about the French. Why are there apparently so many of them that are joining up with ISIL? Is there a huge population of radical extremist muslims in France?
ReplyDeleteWriting on a laptop in your car sounds awkward, but at least you may actually have more time for writing. I just hope the kids are suffering from the changes.
ReplyDeleteMake lemonade out of lemons. Sounds like you've got a plan to do just that! I really hope this works out as a blessing in disguise for you. Can't speak for the countless other moms who really won't find this situation useful at all. But, for you, Miss Author, it could be really great! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely making the best of a VERY challenging situation! I'm feeling for you. Bring gloves for typing. If you're feeling nostalgic, wear the ones with the holes cut in the finger tips. Those are retro-bad ass!
ReplyDeleteLove you!!
I can see how your car might become the perfect office without all the distractions associated with home - good for you thinking how to make the best of it.
ReplyDelete