I had the same experience last New Year’s day driving from Michigan to Chicago. I hunkered down in the middle lane going 45 the whole way–feeling like a granny because some cars were flying by me.

All I could think was, “You fools. You have no idea how stupid you are. I don’t care if you endanger yourself, but I’ve got a dog in here!” Of course, as I drove, I saw many cars spun out in the ditch, which confirmed I was doing the right thing.

I felt better, though, when I noticed that a guy had settled in right behind me for about 100 miles, and he also had a dog in his front seat!

Onto the topic: What we do isn’t life and death. If a client can’t handle a day or two delay because of a factor out of my control, I might as well go back to making big bucks for unreasonable partners at law firms. I’d encounter the same level of grief, but my bank account would be much fatter!

I’m in agreement with both you and Devon.

Sure, what we do is important, and clients rely on our professionalism and attention to deadlines. But most (if not all) people understand that sometimes things happen that are out of our control. That’s why force majeure clauses exist.

Glad to hear you made it home safely. Is your stepson an actor?

I am VERY deadline conscious thanks to my Saturn in Capricorn, and it does make me crazy to even consider missing a deadline. That said, I think it’s time I relax and let the world spin without my worrying if I’m doing my part. 😉

I’m of the opinion there are no true “writing emergencies.” In most cases, the deadlines are arbitrary and the lack of flexibility is in someone’s head somewhere. It’s writing. It’s not surgery or medical care. If we fail to make the deadline, no one will die.

When I’m set to go off somewhere a day or so before the deadline, I finish the project before the deadline and either send it off early or take it with me and make sure there’s someplace I can send it from wherever I’ll be.

If deadline day means I have to actually interact with the client in order to meet the deadline — well, snowstorms happen. Illness happens. The deadline set should have a bit of breathing room in it for emergencies.

Yes, we all try to make reasonable accommodations, and, especially if we haven’t established ourselves thoroughly with a client to prove we’re reliable.

But really, most of the time, the universe will not stop if we’re delayed by a day. And, if the client IS cutting things that close, there are other issues that need to be addressed in the relationship, in my opinion.

I think your contingency plan of taking the information “just in case” was perfectly adequate. It’s also your insurance policy — if you hadn’t taken it, you would have been stuck; because you had it with you, you got home.

Everybody won.