Change

Those who know me well, are looking at the title of this post and thinking  "but Laurie doesn't like change."..  and they're right.  When people describe me, they're much more likely to use words like 'rigid', rather than words like flexible.  That's ok.  I know who I am, and they're right.  So, when we go to a restaurant we've been to before, you can usually count on my to order the same thing I ordered last time, and the time before, and the time before.  While it's true that I might miss out on something I might like better, I'm more concerned that I'll end up with something I like less.

But every now and then, circumstances compel me to change, to try something different.  The other day, I got to work, and remembered that I was out of tea.  I didn't really have time in my schedule to go back home, and I knew I wouldn't find Typhoo Tea, or even Bewley's, at the store, but I was in desperate need of some tea.  So, with a big sigh.. and some degree of trepidation..  I headed to the store.  Hmm, Nestea, Lipton, instant tea, herbal crap  (sorry), decaf...  oh, wait!  here was a tea with mandarin orange....  I like tea, I like orange... I can see those flavors working well together....  so what the heck,   No guts, No glory.  (actually, more like 'if I don't compromise and pick something, I have to do without).

I returned to my office, with my tea.  The teabags were pyramid shaped,  rather than round (Typhoo) or square (Bewley's).. but that was ok.  I poured the hot water over the bag, and after a moment, I could smell tea, and orange.  Hmmm, maybe this would work out.  I like my tea strong, so I let it sit a bit longer, and the aroma got better.  I removed the teabag, and with great anticipation and great expectation, I took a sip of the tea.  YUCK.  But I was desperate.  Maybe it would taste a bit better, if I let it cool a bit.  A few minutes later, I took another sip.  Still yuck.
Sigh.  Mom, I'll bring this with me when we come out for a visit later this month, perhaps you'll like it. I'm certainly not going to drink it.

And this is just one more example of why I don't like change.

But....  I'm working on my nano story.  And I'm not thrilled with it.  In fact, I don't like it.  I'm blaming it on the fact that I already know the end -- which is spoiling things for me.  What's that you say?  Don't use that end?  But don't you understand.. this isn't the end that I chose, it's the end that the story chose.  And, contrary to the usual pattern, where the end is revealed, only as I approach it, this time the end was revealed even before I started.  Someone suggest I change the POV  (point of view).  Uhm.. I'm still a novice at this writing stuff, I don't quite know what that means, or how to do it.  It sounds like I would change my main character, and that's not going to work.  And we're not supposed to edit, during nano.. no time to edit.  But I have to do something.

So I decided to jump ahead, and write some portions that belong later in the story.  I'm not willing to write the end yet, because I'm still hoping it will change, but I can write some middle bits.  And it is helping.. except that now it makes part of the beginning not work quite right.  But editing is something we're supposed to try to avoid.

AHA!!!  I've got it.   I went back to the beginning of my story... I did NOT edit  (I am an inveterate rules-follower)...  but I changed the opening scenes.

Ta-dum!  See, I can make changes, after all.  And I'm back to drinking my typhoo tea, so perhaps this will be a good nano, after all.