We’re in full on summer mode here. My kids have been out of school for almost two weeks and in that time we’ve gone swimming several times, spent a day at Six Flags, hosted visiting relatives, gotten too much sun, caught fireflies, climbed boulders, picnicked alongside a babbling creek, played with friends, and stayed up too late. It’s been a busy, fun couple of weeks, but it hasn’t left a lot of time for blogging.
I’m going to be honest here. In between loading the cooler, packing and unpacking the car, and keeping up with the mounds of laundry produced by so much summer fun, I have given very few moments of thought to this week’s blog topic. Frankly, I haven’t come up with much because I’ve been preoccupied. And why do today what can be put off until tomorrow, right?
I figure if Mozart could manage to write the overture to Don Giovanni the night before its scheduled premiere in Prague, surely I can rattle off a post at the last minute.
According to somewhat well documented legend, Mozart went out for a drink the evening of October 28, 1787, where he encountered someone who reminded him that his opera collaboration with Italian poet Lorenzo da Ponte still lacked an overture. Mozart, who surely knew this already, allegedly pointed to his head and responded, “It’s all in here.”
Apparently it was, because the composer returned to his boarding house where he enlisted the help of his wife to regale him with stories and keep him awake while he worked. By 7 o’clock the next morning, the copyist set to work and the evening of October 29, 1787, the orchestra sight read the overture in front of the audience. The talented musicians knocked it out of the park and the audience went wild, because Mozart. He tweaked the piece a little for later performances, but there’s no question Mozart demonstrated that procrastination and greatness can coexist.
Of course I’m pretty sure this post won’t go down in history as a great example of the best that history/humor blogs have to offer. If I had allowed myself more time, I could have written something much better, more humorous, more thoughtful, or more profound. It might even be already composed more or less entirely in my head, but I’m no Mozart. And I’d rather get back to the pool.
Author Sarah Angleton 
Mozart never caught fireflies! I’d rather be in your shoes!
I wonder what kind of wonderful music it might have inspired if he had.
Possibly “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” (A Little Night Music!)
Hey, everybody needs a break. Sometimes I think posting every other Wednesday (my schedule) is too much. 🙂
Yes, I’ve thought about dropping to once every two weeks for the summer. I used to take the entire summer off when the boys were smaller. What’s really amazing as I look at that list is that it’s despite the fact that I was almost completely out of commission for a couple days this week with another terrible summertime cold. Hopefully the last.
I actually think this post is quite fabulous. Because Mozart 🙂 Enjoy the pool!
We will. Thanks!
My newest procrastination hero! (Sorry for any confusion — I’m meaning Mozart. Because you almost never procrastinate, and he’s Mozart.)
I work almost entirely under deadline pressure. Sadly, it’s obvious. That’s why I rely on a good critique group.
Will sunstroke and the aromas of chlorine and charred hot dogs with relish interfere with the joy of words on the page — or screen –? Tune in next week to find out …
Um…yup. This is the only thing I have written in the past week. But there’s always tomorrow.