The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Checkout (06/09/11)
In grade school, I used to check out of the tedium of listening to thirty children stand up one by one and recite their numbers from 1 to 100. I would daydream until the teacher got to my row and then I’d wave my hand in the air and ask to go the bathroom. Any teacher who features this type of activity in her lesson plan is not likely to connect “but I have to go now!” and “I’m so bored I don’t trust myself to count to 100 with a straight face.” Do the math. That’s 3,000 repetitive utterances within the space of 30 minutes. To this day even thinking about it makes twitch.

Now that I’m grown, I find myself doing the same thing. When we’re 15 minutes into a meeting and still complaining about the rising cost of gasoline instead of the budget review and the action plan, I check out. I put on my meditation face and get very still. It makes people uncomfortable. Although that’s not my intent it gets results. Invariably, someone will shift in their seat, drop their gaze to the carefully prepared agenda, notice that a 15 minute discussion of gas prices is not on it and move us to the first item.

It never works to suggest to the teacher that an activity she has planned is mind numbing or to a committee that they should get down to business before the horse that’s taking a beating expires. Far better to put an expression on you face that says, “This is all so compelling that I’m contemplating my next move.”

I suspect that a number of us who became writers are actually masters of the art of the check-out. When decorum dictates that you return from a lengthy stay in the ladies room or whatever island in your mind you’ve flown to, furnished and found delightful, you can always pull out a notebook and check out what’s going on around you.

Notes to self:
Cunning choker necklace Jacqueline has paired with retro blouse and boyfriend jacket -- look for one.
Sue Miller’s new book is out – Google that.

As conversation whizzes over your head, you can snatch bits of it for the new characters you are developing to chew on.

Active listening or a furtive scan of the Wall Street Journal you have folded up in your binder of agendas and minutes could yield new themes for your blog, such as: Flirting with disaster – are you two clicks away from exposing yourself to career suicide?

I’m thinking of starting a checkout movement. I need to make room for all the writing I’ve been planning instead of engaging in the business at hand. Don’t think it won’t be painful and shocking. I will begin with this pledge:

For the sake of my sanity I will try:
To stop recycling and all attempts to compost, quilt or perform automobile maintenance,
To avoid activities that hold mild interest for me in favor of adventures of the mind, body, heart and soul for which I have true passion and flair,
To shirk at least one deadline a day.

This movement has a pledge but no meetings, minutes or expectations of anyone but myself. Also, I’m not cancelling my monthly date with my Pinochle pals – they are a hoot and checking out the hand you’re dealt has some cosmic value.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 1069 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Cheryl von Drehle
06/16/11
This certainly well describes "checking out" that many of us are familiar with. I like how you carry through the theme from childhood, business, and writing careers. Can identify with your descriptions, which are fun and spot on. Great job!
Charla Diehl
06/17/11
This was an entertaining entry which had me smiling. I think every person that reads this can relate to it on some level--whether it's daydreaming or checking out--we all do it from time to time. Your title fit this perfectly. Good job.
Noel Mitaxa 
06/23/11
Finding the adventure that's lurking within the everyday - or tracking down the adventure that's sitting beside it - is part of the fun of being a writer. Then to communicate your discovery to your reader(s) increases the fun level. You've had fun with this, and I thank you for sharing the fun...