Ring-Master's Law of Deadlines

When you are on deadline:

1. You will always get sick—usually with something that affects your brain power and/or your ability to speak.
2. At least one child will also get sick, miserable and clingy.
3. None of your sources will be available to talk to you in the few hours that all of your children are at school.
4. Your child will not be able to amuse himself, remain quiet or keep himself out of trouble for the two minutes it takes to double-check something by phone, no matter how content, quiet or out of trouble he was before you picked up the phone.
5. Because of the above, you will be plagued with self-doubt about your writing, editing and time management skills.
6. You will get the assignment done on time anyway and move on to the next one. There are no excuses.