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This program is not responding!
- Jul 8, 2009 at 9:19 AM
- By
- Comments (26) Total Views (729) Everyone can see this journal post.
I was in the throes of writing; inspiration was flowing from the pool of brilliance. I couldn't stop my fingers that were flying across the keyboard if I had wanted to. I didn't want to. Everything would have been fine except for the interlopers that were invading my space; also known as my children. For some reason they had been born with a deep resonating need to inform their mother (ME!) of every single move that their siblings made-ever. It was like a patriotic duty to them...
He's touching me.
She took my book.
He spit water on me.
She's sneaking into the ice cream.
He's not doing his chores.
My concentration was being broken and I needed to face the inevitable-parenting. I followed the guidelines of my Mothering Handbook; I disciplined with love, mingled with a touch of wrath to do bodily harm if necessary. I made them recite the laws and regulations of our household. I got out the rope and showed them the chairs that they would be tied to if they didn't adhere to my wishes. What can I say; my kids are visual learners...
On this day they impishly felt like testing the waters. They could sense my weakness; not being fully focused on the realm of mothering. I knew I should put aside my work and deal with the situation. But if any of you are writers or someone who has an activity you are passionate about, it is really hard to just STOP when you are at a crucial point in your creativity. It's like when you are giving birth and the head is ready to pop out; do you really want the doctor to say: don't push anymore! I don't think so...
I was getting beyond frustrated as we continued with our battle of wills. (Insert the music: "Dueling Banjos".) My computer sensed my dire mood and immediately did what computers have the tendency to do when you are working on something important. It froze up. I am very technologically challenged, but I did the one thing that someone taught me a long time ago-don't know who-don't know where-but it is my old standby when trouble hits me in the computer world-CONTROL-ALT-DELETE. It taunted me with a message about how "this program is not responding..." I quoted my children: DUH!
I repeatedly hit-control-alt-delete and yelled at my kids in succession-over-and-over. The only response I got from the computer was "this program is not responding"; the only response from my children was more whining and tattling and fighting. It was then that I burst out laughing at the irony...or was it simply a psychotic episode?
I reread my computer screen:
This program is Your children are not responding. To return to windows your happy place and check the status of program sanity, click cancel. If you choose to end the program screaming immediately, you will lose any unsaved data leverage from your scare tactics...
CLICK.
CANCEL.
Sometimes a mom has to do what a mom has to do; I grabbed some chocolate and locked myself in the bathroom...
Comments:
LOL! - Excellent journal....You had me giggling in anticipation for more at " It was like a patriotic duty to them..."
*Smiles*
"Press Any Key. Press Any Key? Where's the Any Key...?!? - D'oh! - H. Simpson
What program were you using to house your writing. If it was microsoft word it automatically saves every few minutes and you may be able to recover it, just let me know if you need help.
LOL!! Chocolate IS the answer! :-)
Too funny! And so true on all accounts!
Wow! Your journal posts are always so well timed....my program child is not responding today! l needed this laugh...now I wonder if we have any chocolate!
Thanks for the laugh - man, did I need it today! LOL
that was great. i can see that actually saying it on the computer
good one
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LOL !!!! I would of done the same thing....chocolate is the best medication for stress.