What to Do About Doing Nothing to Do
So, Ifound myself in a rather precarious situation.
Oneday, recently, I had nothing to do. Not a thing. Even the house was relativelyclean, and the laundry put away. There was nothing more I could do for thegarden, which was on its way to the summer desert-char season, where all thingsgreen are reduced to sticks and straw. I could find no new reporters, bloggers,reviewers, or book clubs to pitch my novel to. There was nothing to edit orupdate. No e-mails to return or query letters to revise. And, gosh, with schoolout for the summer, there were no teenagers to supervise, unless you count myyoungest son, who’s twenty and thinks he’s all grown up and doesn’t need myguidance anymore.
Itwas…quite frankly…frightening.
I knowwhat you’re thinking. In the inimitable words of Mrs. Blue, when she firstfaces Forrest from her porch, “What are you crazy or just plain stupid?”
Now, asa teacher, I don’t use the word stupid. Five letters, yes, but, in theclassroom, it’s lumped in with the dastardly four-letter variety. Still, when Itried to explain the cause of my anxiety to a friend, he looked at me like I’dlost my mind. Stupid, indeed.
I wentonline and, because I had nothing else to do, I took what was billed as the 7Minute Anxiety Test. I agreed or disagreed with all sorts of statements on alink called the Calm Clinic: I have sweaty or cold, clammy hands. Iam afraid of crowds, being left alone, the dark, strangers, or traffic. I amable to relax.
Thatlast one gave me pause. Even when I go on vacation, it takes me a few days tostop searching for a purpose, to find that sweet spot where I can take a nap orcrack a mindless novel in the middle of the afternoon without guilt. Thetest results showed that I’d scored a 25 out of 100 on the Anxiety Scale:Apparently, my case was nothing more than mild.
Still,why the trepidation when I’m not under pressure? I put on my Sherlockdeerstalker cap and, since I had nothing else to do, I gave it a good think. I ruminated on the fact that I have spent perhaps an inordinate amount oftime being insanely busy. Sometimes, I flash back to my newsroom days, wherethe frantic preparation for the next show could, at any moment, be wrenched ina new direction, necessitating the tossing of the previous plan moments beforegoing live on the air. (I still have nightmares about not being prepared whenthe red camera light blinks on.)
When Ifirst became a teacher, my panic at those relatively short TV segments seemedsilly when faced with the proposition of five hours each day staring downchildren in the classroom, who glared back, waiting. I felt like an animal inthe zoo. I used to be a server in a restaurant in Washington, D.C. where verybusy people wanted their food “Right now!” As a sports official, decisions mustbe instantaneous. There’s no, “Let me think about this and get back to you,”allowed when it’s time to throw a flag or keep it neatly tucked in your belt.
And then, I paused. Everyone is busy. Our world dictates that we runfrom one responsibility to another with crushing regularity. Busy defines us. And, clearly, I’m not the only one who feels a bit queasy when thingsslow down. More than half of Americans – 55% – responding to an on-line surveyadmitted to leaving vacation time unused in 2015, which totaled 658 milliondays.
Perhapswe’re just out of practice in regard to relaxing. Like anything else, one musttrain to become adept at a skill. One can’t just jump in without extensiverepetition and expect to excel. So, I’ll solve my free-time anxiety problem bydevising a plan, creating coherent steps in order to discern the proper routeto relaxation, and then…
You know, all thisthinking is making me sleepy. Maybe, I’ll take a nap and ponder the problemlater.
Here is a brief peek at Anne's Historical Fiction novel base on a real soldier.Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?
Praise for Your Forgotten Sons
“Although a defty crafted work of original fiction, “Your Forgotten Sons” by Anne Montgomery is inspired by a true story. An original and inherently interesting read from start to finish, “Your Forgotten Sons” will prove to be an immediate and enduringly appreciated pick.” Midwest Book Review
“This was a quick, riveting read that really challenged me to think differently about our servicemen and women, especially those who take on the jobs that don’t get heroically depicted in the media or news…I really highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a different take on American history. I left it with a newfound appreciation for the unsung heroes.” Bekah C NetGalley
“This is the truth. It’s gritty and painful and bittersweet – and true. When you think you’ve read every perspective of WWII, along comes Bud to break your heart.” Bridgett Siter Former Military Reporter
“Anne Montgomery writes a strong story and I was hooked from the first page. It had a great concept and I enjoyed that this was inspired by a true story…It was written perfectly and I was invested in the story. Anne Montgomery has a great writing style and left me wanting to read more.” – Kathryn McLeer NetGalley
Available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Kobo
Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces. When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.Learn more about Anne on her website , Wikipedia , Facebook , Linkedin , and Twitter .
