So I was prepping a story for submission to an anthology, due a few days ago, but with Mom and the bar, I didn't get it done. It's a publisher I'd worked with before, and the editor knew I planned to submit (and had my synopsis already), so I sent a quick email just to give her the heads up that I wouldn't be submitting. She not only offered me an extension, but when I let her know when I thought I could have it done, said I could have more time than that if I needed, just to keep her updated.

I didn't expect that. I have a mental block against asking for extensions. Frequently, I just don't think about it; if the deadline is Day A, I'll get whatever it is done by Day A. I have a hard time asking for help, too. If things need to be done, I find some way to do it.

It was really hard for me to ask for an extension on my finals this semester, when I needed to get to Mom's side to say good-bye just in case. I am trying to be better about asking for help when I need it -- I did ask for the extension, after all -- but my first thought is not to reach out. I think I get this from my father, because I am watching him learn to reach out to the family for help, too.

I'm on my lunch break, so I'd better get some writing done and then get back to bar prep.