Making Word Count With Nicky Valdes

This was originally published on my Substack: Everything—Like Ever—With Nicky Valdes.

I guess you could say it hit me like a truck. No, no, we can’t use that! That’s a cliché! Hit me like an open cabinet to the head when you’re standing up and not looking? No, too long and specific. Hit me like a staple gun? Eh, kind of violent. Hit me like… like… when your butt meets hits the sidewalk. Were you not wearing the right shoes? Jeez, be careful out there, my friend.

Source Why is a giant picture of Penny Lane from Almost Famous here? Keep reading, ya goob!

Anyway, it was a tremendo cocotazo*, if you will. I woke up last Thursday morning with some sort of illness. A stuffy nose, sneeze after sneeze, a headache that would not quit. I thought it was just another allergy, but alas, a sick day was called in and then another. 0 words written.

Saturday was a travel day, full of goodbyes to family before heading on a late flight leading to a lack of sleep that made me sicker than the day before. I chose rest above all else, watching every episode of Heated Rivalry (FINALLY) and, guess what? 0 words written.

Monday, I felt a little better but I had to work and unpack and meal prep and you know how it goes. Then Tuesday I had to go into the office but left early because, somehow, once again, instead of feeling better, I felt worse than the day before. 0 words written.

Is this a log of my week in being sick? Is it? No,—well, at least I don’t think so. It’s about how sometimes life happens and you have to work and your body is falling apart and then the 🧊 of it all comes together in the most heinous way to make you not do the one thing you set out to do.

Why does it bug you so much? You don’t subscribe to hustle culture. You’ve always danced to the beat of your own drum, right?

But then you think about it and you promised to yourself you’d start this series on writing a book this week (!). Plus, it’s January and everyone is like “new year, new me,” and apparently Neptune is moving out of your rising sign and that’s really important according to your Instagram astrologers. In the words of Penny Lane from the beloved film Almost Famous, “It’s all happening.“ But, (and there’s always a but) maybe “it’s all happening“ but not in the best way, and that’s okay and not okay at the same time. Because you’re sick and you don’t feel like anything’s changed with Neptune (you’re still delusional as ever), then you read the news and, man, you’re bummed (and overwhelmed and don’t know what to do).

So, my question to myself is, where’s the rule book, silly girl? That’s right, there is none. Take your sick days, rest your body and your mind, post the blog post, and don’t write a single word of your manuscript. Feel kinda weird for a few days. You’ll write next once you’re better. You know why? Because, as much as we’d like to be perfect, we’re not. Instead, we just keep going in this messed up world.

That’s my consejoª for the day. I’m sorry everything is big bad right now. I love you.

Words in first draft: 30,122 / 80,00

Words written this week: 0

*Tremendous hit. No seriously, that’s what it means.

ªAdvice