Dustballs—Robin

Aaaaahhhh…I love that word. Whether I say it or write it, “dustballs” is one word that always brings a smile to my face.

There are other words I love. Like…

• pumpkin
• dingbat
• pom-poms
• cubicle (saying it, not sitting in it)
• and the ever popular…poop

Anyways, it’s the weekend and I really should be cleaning the house, which brings me back to my first word…dustballs. I have this problem—and please tell me I’m not the only one—where I find myself in that “my-house-is-filthy-and-I’m-okay-with-that” phase, and I refuse to visit any friends who have a clean house. It’s almost like I can’t handle being reminded of my inadequacies and lack of scrubbing skills. (Or maybe it’s just a motivation issue.)

So typically Eve will invite me over to her house and I’ll imagine what’s living in my bathroom, and then I’ll imagine how her bathroom is cleaner than Martha Stewart’s, and I’ll graciously reply, “Maybe some other time. I’m busy detangling my pom-poms.”

Then there are other times when my house is miraculously clean (thank you, hubby) and I’ll find any reason to show up at “someone’s” house just so I can sneak into her bathroom and look in the corners for dustballs. Aha! At least my house isn’t as filthy as these poor slobs! (Which I’ve never said at Eve’s house, by the way.)

So what do dustballs have to do with writing? I know I have an analogy…it’s somewhere around here…maybe under this pile…oh, here it is! I often find myself doing the same thing when I write a book: while I’m writing it, during the phase where it’s messy and I’m not really sure what I’m doing, I stay away from reading any book that’s similar to it. I think I don’t want to lose confidence and be reminded of my inadequacies.

Then, when I’m finished, I rush right out and read every book I can find that’s remotely similar and find all the flaws and convince myself that my book is SOOO much cleaner. (Though I’m usually really saying, “Great book…and it isn’t mine! Waaahhh!) But that’s okay, because there’s always room out there for one more good, clean book.

Now I’m off to clean up this rubble and find more analogies!

--Robin
(who also likes saying the word “dustbunnies” when she’s feeling all girly)