Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Waiting Game

When I was in grade school, I had a teacher who always said a quote that has stuck with me to this day:

"Patience is a virtue... (big pause) that I definitely do not have."
-Sister Pam

Now this was usually said when my class was acting up during art class or religion class or whatever subject she taught that year. I think it was supposed to be a warning that we needed to sit down and shut up before she went crazy, but coming from a lady who told a bunch of six-year-olds that if we didn't hold onto the railing on the stairs we would trip and smash our head open like pumpkins on Halloween, it wasn't the clearest warning she ever gave. 

Even this picture makes me nervous
 
 
Still, it always stuck with me. Mainly because I followed in that lovably crazy nun's footsteps when it comes to patience. I really can't stand waiting. So when I sent my first submission for a short story out, I forced myself to forget about it for the month that it would take for a response. It's only a month, right?
 
Needless to say, I checked my e-mail every day, hoping for a response, until the 31st day when I got a rejection letter. Bummer. It's okay. Move on.
I chose the next place to submit and sent it. That was a week ago. Their response time? THREE MONTHS!
 
I repeat: THREE MONTHS!
I'm pretty sure I'm going to go nuts.
 
Then again, I don't have to deal with 19 screaming second graders, so I guess I'm better off than Sister Pam.



1 comment:

  1. Hehehe. Your last line made me chuckle. My patience varies. I need more of it, but I don't do well sometimes. I have learned, however, to not ask the universe for more patience, because sure enough I'll get something happening that will require it.

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