Ah, the Joys of Writing...

***NOTE: only after I posted this did I realize that we had a theme this month of characterization. I don't have any excuses, other than I missed a memo... somewhere. So, since my brain is fried (after reading on, you'll understand why) just imagine that I'm writing a suspense-filled plot with an accountant whose author/client dies by bleeding to death from paper-cuts. ***



It's that time of year. Tax season.

Tomorrow morning, I have an appointment with my amazing accountant for all my business related (writing/author)"stuff." He's been handling all this for several years, and as the business has grown, I've had to learn A LOT. Last year, he told me that it was a good idea to purchase QuickBooks Pro for my "stuff."

This is what has happened since:

I went straight to Costco and purchased said program.

Six months later, I realized I better figure it out to input the mountain of receipts/deposits/inventory... i.e. "stuff."

Looked at it.

Decided it was complicated.

Went and brainstormed a new book instead.

Looked again at pile of receipts.

Felt guilty.

Called a QuickBooks expert trainer to come teach me. (Thankfully this person still likes me after that craziness.)

Was so proud of myself after getting everything into the amazing program.

Then... I went on a six-week book tour.

Returned mid-November to face unpacking, laundry, the holidays, homeschool, and several more speaking/appearances.

Avoided the monstrous pile awaiting entrance into QuickBooks.

Moved my office, re-organized, scrapbooked, wrote, blogged, wrote some more, i.e. - avoided my "stuff."

Today, there was no avoiding it. And after my amazing assistant and I discovered that I had input over 200 duplicate receipts, I spent hours deleting all the doubled-up entries.

I whined and complained. Dented my desk from banging my head on it. And then moved my purple "complaint free world" bracelet several times for my behavior.

Daughter Kayla - and my writing partner on our suspense series set in Alaska - came in smiling with a hug for me and said, "Mom, I wish I was old enough to help you, you're working too hard."

What an encourager. Sigh.

Wait a second... I'm imagining a new and complex math project for the kids for school...

No. That would be cruel and unusual punishment.

***
for more information on the "complaint free" bracelet check out
A Complaint Free World

***
Kimberley Woodhouse is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 600 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family's story have garnered national media attention for many years, but most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, and Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER which premiered in 2008. Her story, Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy, is available now from Focus on the Family/Tyndale Publishers. And be watching - Coming in 2011 is the first book in a three-book series set in Alaska, written with daughter, Kayla from B&H Publishers. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband of eighteen years and their two children in their truly “extreme” home.
Check out Kim's Website to order her books!