"It's such a perfect day... I'm glad I spent it with you"

Last week was a tough one. You know those times when you're contemplating everything you've done in the past year, and then suddenly you realize you did all that stuff in the past month?
Anyway, Wednesday night, I went to bed completely rattled, burned out, and beat. Thursday morning, I woke to a phone call from a lady at my credit card company, who was calling to verify suspicious activity on my account. She was right: I had NOT purchased a song online for 99 cents the day before. (Though I had three days prior, making it a particularly clever theft for the perpetrator to have perpetrated -- but, um, still a bit underwhelming? 99 cents? Is it really worth going to all the trouble of being nefarious to buy one song on iTunes?).
Why, I asked the lady, would anyone steal my credit card info and then spend 99 cents? I dropped my credit card in the rain on 53rd and 5th once while I was living in New York. The people who got their hands on that card went straight to Saks 5th Avenue, where nothing costs 99 cents.
Because, the nice credit card lady explained to me, thieves will do this sometimes to test out the card and/or establish themselves as legitimate purchasers with the card. If it works, it means they've pulled the wool over the credit card company's eyes. Then they start making the big purchases.
I decided to interpret the entire experience as a sign that I needed a day off or I was going to die.
Forthwith, I sat on the couch for hours, ate oatmeal, and watched Buffy. Then, I carried Pride and Prejudice to my local tea shop and read it while drinking a pot of tea and eating scones and little crustless triangle sandwiches. Then, I did some window shopping, bought a greeting card I liked, and bought a used book called The Unbearable Lightness of Scones. (It's a mystery by Alexander McCall Smith, the audiobook of whose No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was my chosen listening on airplanes in March. Great audiobook, btw -- wonderfully read by Lisette Lecat.). I walked in the sun. I visited the river. I came home and cooked tilapia with portobello mushrooms, sweet onions, and white wine. (Recipe here.) I drank a beer. (I'm sure you're supposed to drink white wine when eating tilapia cooked with white wine, but, well, I didn't feel like drinking white wine, so there.)
It was a perfect day; it was just the rest I needed. So, thank you, really stupid 99-cent thief, for being the straw that broke the camel's back and gave me a day off. (Or something.)
Do you work too hard? How do you refuel?

Comments
-Jen
I feel wound up all the time. What works for me is to take a walk or hike w/my dog and listen to my iPod and ignore everything else except nature. I also read to unwind. But sometimes just laying in bed w/a glass of wine or a beer and my kitty while watching movies or tv helps too! Depending on my mood, I also like to take a drive w/my stereo blaring some wonderful rocking music and sing along like a goof.
Hope you have a better rest of the week!
My life is the opposite, actually. I turn 40 soon and I've accomplished nothing. I'm more in love with the idea of being a writer than actually writing. I am in awe of folks like you, Kristin, who make it happen. I've contemplated for years the reasons I can't write but so desperately want to. Life is funny, but not usually in a ha-ha kind of way.
So was reading that GRACELING is a first-round winner in SLJ's Battle of the Books!
Katsa-fan
Alas, I doubt they'd publish my future book from prison. In times of despair I hold a puppy. That's right, head straight to local pet store and hold one, or all, if they'll let you. Then consult the chocolate Gods. I like the Ben and Jerry's Phish food the best.
Sending you happy thoughts,
Avery
Either way it goes, thanks for the consideration
--Jesslyn
But talk about grey hairs. I think I got about a hundred new ones this morning when that mare went down and no little feet appeared. Instead we got an alien looking wad of red tissue that very obviously belonged INSIDE the horse.
Any who, I'm glad you got a day off, and are only down 99 cents. I didn't get to go to a tea house, but since I was the one up all night waiting on the mare to give birth, I've been allowed to lounge and attend our new little one, which on a horse farm is a heck of a good day off! ;)
> So was reading that GRACELING is a first-round winner in SLJ's Battle of the Books!
SPOILER!!!1!!1!!!!
I was looking forward to reading the results, and now it's all been ruined. RUINED!
:-)
Aimee -- I emailed you about the tea shop. :o)
Sam, are you sure you've really accomplished *nothing*? :o) Seems unlikely.
Jesslyn, I have zero power over how and when the books are released -- but I will say that there's a Kindle edition of Graceling on amazon.com right now, and an ebook of the UK version at waterstones.com.
katsa-fan, feeling very small
Jen, I was STUNNED that my cc company caught the fake charge. They make excellent spies!
I don't work, but I study hard (sometimes :P), in my free time I usually read or draw (I must try to draw Po! >_<)
Koa
What I usually do to relax though... I like spending a nice evening by myself, maybe with a book. Sometimes I indulge in writing simply awful poetry, or listening to some quiet music while I sew.
You should try the poetry some day - it's rather refreshing.
peace,
Rose
So far, code name Roja (play on 'red bag' birth, which refers to the placenta detaching) is doing great. She's officially reached 'pain in the ass' stage which is so typical, and just where little pugnacious fillies ought to be at her age. She weighed a hefty (for Paso Finos) 80 lbs, and her big old shoulders got wedged in her poor mother's pelvis at first during the already questionable birth, but a little wiggle solved that.
In case anyone's interested (and I'm by no means trying to lure anyone or anything) I posted three pics of Roja on my blog so feel free to stop in for a moment of "Awwwww..." if you feel like it! ;D I'd just put a link, but no one's managed to teach me that yet...
Ice cream. No matter what, ice cream works. If people gave the leading politicians in the world a lot of ice cream, I swear that war wouldn't exist. It's a theory, but somehow I think it'll be hard to send some Ben and Jerries to Obama or Brown...
I might have to get back to you on that one =]
x
Maybe you should take little breaks more often so you don't wear yourself to such exhaustion! I worry about you, which is kind of weird since we don't know each other. . . but as a fan I really want to read your books and as an author-to-be I really care about the stress this is putting on you!
I find chocolate, books, and sometimes killing people on a violent video game, to be the best stress relievers.
I have been following your blog for a while and due to lack of time have never gotten around to commenting, so firstly I adore your book and not just because it is fantastic, but because it has encouraged me to read more. Which in turn has helped me tackle many stressful and long days at work as I encountered great difficulty to just switch off and relax. In the meantime I have started writing also, which proves a little challenging with English being my second language however, it helps me learn new words and improve my grammar.
I chose not to write in my mother tongue as my German has gotten a lot worse, not that I was ever great at controlling this difficult language.
On the note of the 99cent thief - My friend had the same happen to her a few months back, also with iTunes. After further investigation it turned out that iTunes "accidentally" withdrew funds of 99 cents from various credit cards. So, might be worthwhile to send a little query to iTunes.
Elisabeth.
Okay, I'll stop now.
Have you heard of Ludovico Einaudi?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvak8NbT_Cg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM8n1yUkCFc
I kinda hate those days when I've had 1000 things planned, only to have all of them dashed. I feel lost for the rest of the day (usually a walking day)
~Aria
Don’t worry; at least that was just a couple of tough days! It’s not that bad!!
I leave my home at 7:00am everyday and return at 9:30pm. I ate my breakfast and my dinner in my car, but life still good and beautiful.
What works for my when I’m more stress than usual is exercise and reading, every time I have a chance I read something and I hear music. Also on days like today I surf on the Internet and read your blog while I’m eating a big piece of papaya...this is so good ;o)
(sorry for my English, is not my first language :o()
Have a nice weekend, Lily
Certainly, forgives if my english is wrong, is that I am a spanish girl jejeje
Aria, I'm sorry to hear about your dog :(
Koa, my Italian editor would tell you that I speak VERY BAD ITALIAN. He would be right. It was my mother's first language, but even she has lost a lot of it. Though, she studies Italian now.
Also, I'm part of the Simmons MFA class Anna is teach at the Carle - thank you for sending us the fun tattoos and answering our questions! You're a great inspiration. Best, Rebecca
Seeing that you won the first battle of the kids books! You totally deserved it, well done =D
That guy may have a 99cent song, but you have a winner's title =]
Good luck in the next round!!
x
So I literally just finished Graceling and wanted to learn more about possible sequels when I found your site! Yay!
The book is going in my "keep to read repeatedly" pile. (yes pile until my new bookshelves arrive.) I plan on sending a copy to several friends as well!
As for relaxation: Tea is always the answer. Sometimes I'll curl up in my softest sweats, break out my bone china tea cup and drink cup after cup of it while reading or writing, or playing solitare. Or perhaps if I'm feeling particularly morose, I'll take a trip to the beach and walk for miles on the sand and listen to the ocean roar and imagine myself miles away in a place that exisits only in my mind. Best vacation ever are the ones that are spur of the moment and might only last a day...
Anyhow, looking forward to keeping up with you and news about Fire and Bitterblue... I'm facinated with Bitterblue and rather curious as to what becomes of her.
I kind of suspect she might be Graced, though her eyes haven't shifted yet. Or else, she is simply very strong of mind a heart. I'm looking forward to learning what happens with her!
~ZKS
99 cents isn't that much, I'd would be happy, it could be worse. And that thief made you a favour. It's a good way of losing a credit card.
I'll keep an eye on your blog, it seems very interesting.
Sorry for repeating myself but... wow, the blog of a writer!
I'm excited, hehe :P
Ana.
Jen, I removed everything incriminating.
Rebecca, greetings, Simmons sister! I'm having Second Book Syndrome with FIRE, so it was great to get your response. I enjoyed answering those questions, btw -- they were obviously questions from writers, which was awesome (none of you asked me if Katsa and Po are going to get married! ^_^). I hope you're having a wonderful experience in the program -- and happy writing!
Kat - an undergrad english major on the path to finding a job with a degree in Liberal Arts in Sciences and realizing she needs to go to grad school!
http://katarina413.livejournal.com/
- Kat
I recently finished and LOVED Graceling after having one of my former students chase me down and promise I would read it! (Not that's a fan!) The two of us would love to read and review the ARC of Fire if you are interested. Glad you got a day off and LOVE the BWA-HA-HAHAHAHAAAA! LIES! ALL LIES!!!!! part of your secret.
Thanks for such a good read!