How to Succeed in Procrastination Without Really Trying: A Five-Year Case Study

We B Late turned ten years old last October, but had become so dormant that it seemed a funeral was a better idea than a birthday party. Instead, earlier this year, it was given a new look to start its second decade. I resolved at that time to bring and keep it up to date. So far that promise has been as empty as my waiting blog pages.

You know how it is (well, you procrastinators like me do). The longer you put it off, the bigger and more overwhelming the task becomes. You stand back, look at it, become paralyzed, and go off to do something else—or possibly nothing—and leave the task for later. And later never seems to come.

Well, later is finally here, after five years. Since everybody loves lists (which sounds so much nicer than excuses), here’s a brief recap of the major events of my life since 2020:

• Welcomed three new grandchildren (including two princesses). Grand total: 6!
• Lost my dad, Vince O’Connor, my cousin Philip, and our beloved dogs, Pepper and Matca.
• Mike and I took our first cruise – a trip of a lifetime through the Greek Isles.
• Was published in both The Saturday Evening Post and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
• Expanded our never-quite-empty nest to include a cat, Opie, and two dogs: Ernest T. Bass and Millie.
• Attended my very first author event, and got to meet Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry who encouraged me to, “Keep writing!”
• Mike had successful quadruple bypass surgery; scary then, but now he is healthier than ever.
• It’s been déjà vu all over again attending my grandson’s swim meets, just as I had his mother’s.
• Entered dozens of writing contests; won none. Preparing to publish an anthology of that extensive portfolio of work.
• Experienced the majesty of the Rockies visiting Sammi and her family when they lived in Denver.
• Two grandsons (and counting) eclipsed me in height.
• I had a knee replacement eighteen months ago. Mostly wish I hadn’t, but the jury is still out on whether it was a good decision in the long run.
• Milestones: our 42^nd wedding anniversary, the 20^th anniversary of Mike’s business, and my 13^th anniversary at my “day job.” And oh yeah—my 50^th High School reunion is this month.
• Won a trip to the Chicago Spring Training Crosstown Classic in Arizona. The baseball season was cancelled due to COVID-19 while we were waiting at O’Hare.

Speaking of COVID, although I certainly experienced it from the societal standpoint—shutdowns, working from home, missed holidays, and the like—I never actually (knock wood) contracted the coronavirus. But guess who did?

My blog. That’s right. I finally figured out why it’s taken so long to get my blog back up and running.

We B Late has been suffering from long COVID. Fatigue, brain fog, difficulty concentrating… all the symptoms were there. But thankfully, I’m confident the patient has turned a corner. (I’ve been re-watching Call the Midwife, so my medical prescience is pretty keen these days).

You know what else I’ve figured out? That list of quasi excuses also looks like a great starting point for future blog posts if I’ve ever seen one. I’m going to get right to work on that before the patient has a relapse.

If you’re still reading, I thank you for not giving up on me or my blog. I won’t make any lofty promises about how often I’ll post something new, but I do promise the interval will be weeks and not years. Feel free to hold me to that! Now that the blog is out of the ICU, visiting hours are 24/7!