The Morning After

You know that feeling when you're racing against the clock, and your own fatigue, to finish editing the piece you've been working on so you can make the deadline?

I'm sure anyone who's ever submitted to a Vocal Challenge can relate. The ever-looming 11:59PM deadline.

This week, there were not one but two Vocal+ Challenges that had both interesting topics and alluring cash prizes. Write about a first date involving a glass of merlot. Write about your pet adoption story. Great! I thought; both things I can go on for hours about.

I started writing these pieces nice and early, remembering how I had given up on a previous challenge because I had played it too close to the deadline. I am a master procrastinator, by the way. Sometimes I am convinced it actually helps me produce higher-quality work. This time, I was betting against myself, drafting two full weeks in advance.

Come the week of submission...I was still far from done but I had two great drafts in front of me. I actually felt happy, reading them over. I felt hopeful. I was also hard strapped for cash; to the point I was manifesting every night before bed to receive a random sum of funds...these pieces were going to be my golden ticket to dump out my bucket of money-related stress!

It was submision day. I got up bright and early, and worked on fine-tuning each detail of my two drafts. I was particularly excited to submit my story about my cat. There were so many adorable and hilarious photos that I dug out of the archives to add to my post. Here's a few for your enjoyment:

Alright. Still about five hours to submit. I was almost done. Just had to copy + paste it into Vocal, and hit the glorious 'Submit for Review' button.

As I was finishing up my edit, I'm feeling good. I think I really have a chance with these stories! Everything is looking up.

The guy that I'm seeing comes over as planned, and we start chatting about the news and other stressful events going on in our lives. This is happening as we're cuddling on the couch. Things got heated real quick, as they do sometimes. Moving to the bed (not going into any details, mind you), the stresses of the day started to dissolve away....until suddenly the question pops in my head - what time is it?

Glancing over at the clock...it was 1:14 AM. I had missed the deadline. I had completely missed the deadline! I screamed internally. AGHHHHHHH!!! WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF!?!? I spent two entire weeks working on these pieces! We're still in the midst of it though, so of course, this all went down in my head. Whatever, forget about it for now. Can't do much in my current position...

Finally, we finish and I get off. I burst out in tears. I laugh-cry. I air-punch myself. He wonders what's up with me. I tell him what I had suddenly realized while we were doing the deed. That's what you were thinking about? He asks me.

The morning after, as I woefully stare at the two closed challenges that I was supposed to submit to, I see the title '(No) Regrets'. Ha, thanks Vocal! Well, let me tell you....

As I write this and expose this tragic private moment on the Internet, I realize perhaps this is the truly embarassing moment...YOLO!