What woman hasn’t uttered this phrase a few (dozen? hundred?) times since the legendary commercial aired?
If only it were that simple — take a bubble bath and escape.
Instead, just when I was getting back in the blog groove, I got hit with a crazy project that turned out to be much more than I anticipated (i.e., was told initially) and threatens to destroy my sanity (and possibly my reputation as a worthwhile contractor for the client). Oh, and did anybody but me notice it’s a holiday weekend coming up? One of only 3 precious summer holidays? Puhlease — no chapter rewrite for an accounting manual is worth this.
But, have I mentioned I’m a hack for hire? This is what hacks do to earn a buck. They long to write pithy, poignant, witty blog entries and end up trying to explain complicated topics of which they have no knowledge to already-knowledgeable professionals with the help of other uber-knowledgeable professionals who are too busy to explain the topics themselves.
At least, that’s what this hack does to earn a buck.
I hope to be able to get back to more interesting topics (at least to me) over the weekend. In the meantime, what’s new in your world? If you can, take a Calgon break for me.
One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown
is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.
~ Bertrand Russell
Writing by Ear 
robbie said,
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I won’t be taking a Calgon break for you, or anyone else, anytime soon. I’ve never understood the relaxing, soothing sensation of soaking in a tub that is all too often a little dirty and placing a dirty body in the water, only then to soak. Yuk! The English love their baths, an event in fact. Can’t understand it myself. Maybe that Calgon ad doesn’t show the whole story. Perhaps the woman has a scrub pad taped to her behind and is really cleaning the tub while bathing!
WritingbyEar said,
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I like the Japanese way — get clean first and THEN soak in the tub. And you’re probably right about the ad — most women I know don’t have time to just soak. Multitasking is more likely. I’ve been threatening to get the cats Swiffer booties and put my great-nephew in a Swiffer romper so he can be useful while he crawls around.
anonymous said,
Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 10:27 am
Is it me or am all I getting out of this blog stuff is bitching and complaining??? I thought a blog would be uplifting and enlarge one’s view of the world…
It is all too easy to fall into the negative given the state of things, but why not concentrate on the positive? And may I say “boo hoo life is not fair”! How ridiculous of us to wallow in complaint, we live lives way beyond the comprehension of most of the world masses….many of whom would kill for a little Calgon. Maybe I do not get it?
WritingbyEar said,
Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 10:38 am
Hmmm, I didn’t see my blog as overly negative or complaining, but perhaps I am not so impartial. Did you happen to read this post just last week https://writingbyear.com/2008/05/14/note-to-self-keep-the-glasses-on/ where I advocate keeping a rosy view?
I think a blog is about life — life has many ups, many downs, and many, many days of steady-as-she-goes. I think my posts capture that — the uplifting aspects of life as well as the inevitable downers. And yes, I usually post about how I’m feeling in the moment, so some are happy and some are sad or “bitchy.”
I realize that I live better than the vast majority of people in this world and I try to be grateful. But can you TRULY be grateful unless you’ve lived the other way, too?
I appreciate your comment and wonder…do you have a blog? I’d be happy to read your uplifting, positive view of day-to-day life.
mel said,
Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Well done, WritingbyEar. How brave are the next-best-thing-to-lurkers who pose as “anonymous.”
No one’s forcing anyone to read anything online. Or offline. Freedom of choice: a beautiful thing, and one of the many things to be thankful for if you’re blessed enough to be reading this.