Trying to Tackle a Writing Career

For this week's tackle, I thought I'd focus on the latest effort I've made trying to break into the writing world. I wish I could devote more time to this pursuit, and I plan to after things calm down a bit around here...hopefully sooner than later. But I'm still on the lookout for writing opportunities. Recently, I submitted a personal essay/story to a local mommy networking website to see what kind of response I would get and to put my name out there. It's actually previous blog post that I tweaked a bit. Since my target audience is moms (aka - you ladies), I thought you might be able to offer me a little feedback.

So here goes nothing...


Big Girls Don't Cry
I made a complete fool of myself today at the dentist office. I've had quite a bit of dental work done lately. First - a huge filling for a tooth that broke while we were in Disney. (That was a nice surprise as we were waiting in line to meet Ariel.) And then a crown prep a few weeks ago for a tooth that has needed one for awhile...but I kept putting it off. Getting a crown is definitely not my idea of a good time, unless I've just won the Miss America pageant.

Regardless, today was the day to have the crown "delivered" as professionals call it. I drive over to the office, cringing the entire way there. For some reason, my mouth is very stubborn when it comes to Novocain. During my last two visits, I was injected at least three or four times before the anesthetic finally kicked in. Honestly, needles don't bother me that much, but since those shots went right into the lower jaw area, those muscles were sore for days. I was popping ibuprofen every four to six hours for the pain.

When I walk in this morning at 8am, I’m still trying to figure my way out of this. I offer to treat them to breakfast instead of going through with the "delivery" (which would have been a heck of a lot cheaper than the crown), but they just chuckle and smile sympathetically. I reluctantly sit down in the dental chair, and right away, spot that dreaded syringe which pretty much resembles a weapon out of a sci-fi movie. My dentist assures me that he should only have to give me one big shot in the very back of my mouth and just a couple little ones around the tooth. He knows how much I love these shots. I brace myself and try to think about something else...All of a sudden, I feel a wave of emotion come over me. A lump is in my throat, my face feels flushed, and I am trying everything in my power not to burst into tears! I'm thinking, What is wrong with me? I've never cried in the dentist office before. I know I'm tired. Both of the kids and my husband have been sick, I’m going to bed too late, the kids are waking up during the night and EARLY in the morning…but crying? in the dentist office? Really?

I'm still fighting back tears as he removes the needle and starts to explain the rest of the procedure. My heart starts racing, my hands start to tremor, and then the levy breaks. Tears are streaming down my face....this is crazy!!! My poor dentist looks a reasonably surprised as I'm apologizing for acting like a baby. Then he asks, "Do your hands feel shaky?"

"Yes. This is so weird" I squeak as I’m laughing, crying, and trying to catch my breath all at one time.

Then he proceeds to explain that the shot he gave me had epinephrine in it which can get your adrenaline going and sometimes trigger reactions like this. He says he wanted give me the "good stuff" for this procedure because the numbness would last longer.

Here I am thinking that I’m on the verge of some kind of Mommy meltdown. The sleep deprivation, work stress, constant cleaning, endless laundry, bedtime battles, acting as a referee between the kids, and keeping my two-year-old off the kitchen counters all day has finally caught up with me, but, surprisingly enough, it was the epinephrine…What a relief!



My BIO -
Kelli is a slightly sleep-deprived, multi-tasking, former school-teaching, chocolate-loving mama of two amazing kids. She is finally pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an author and is making her first published writing debut in a bestselling anthology series, A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers (due out in April 2009).


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