My writer business involves an eclectic mix of stuff — this blog, books, local news, and — (Gaah! How do we turn off every beep, bell and whistle that notifies us that something new just popped up on the magic device so stop everything and come look! look! look!)

Sorry, I had to see if that bloop from the phone was important. What was I saying? (It doesn’t matter! Look here!!) I’m trying to write something important here. (It can’t be as important as what just appeared on your device!) Gaah …

Thanks for waiting. I am first and foremost a writer — I’ve been calling myself a “wordsmith and podcaster,” if you will, although it’s been some years since I broke out the microphone, so long ago that podcasts actually became popular while I’ve been gone.

(A ringing phone. A beep that indicates a new email has arrived. Another beep. Was that a text? A third kind of beep to remind me of a meeting in 90 minutes. No wonder maintaining focus is so hard.)

Excuse me, I’m going to go turn off all my notification settings, if I can find them all. We’ll pick this up another time …

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Illustration © Feodora Chiosea | Dreamstime.com

“After all,” Anne had said to Marilla once, “I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”

— L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea