Super Quick Update...Then Back to Homework!

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I am starting a master's in English program and my financial aid and all that fun stuff didn't get finalized til over the weekend.  Classes started Monday, which was the day I was able to register for classes.  So I've been a ball of anxiety trying to get things in order and keep up with the work.  I also started teaching a writing class one night a week, which I've been doing for about 7 years, but this on top of my day job and the school thing has been wiping me out, energy wise.  Because of all this I haven't gotten any writing in since Sunday. I actually don't think I'll get any writing in until this coming Sunday, but I am okay with that. I need to get myself organized and then, once I have filled in my day planner with highlighted areas (in different colors of course!) for "work time", "school time", "working out time" and "fun time", I will add in that one hour a day for writing.  With everything on my plate, I know that organization is going to be key to my success here.  I hope everyone has a good week and I look forward to checking out everyone's progress in the next couple days! Now back to reading This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald...

ROW80 Update and A NaNoWriMo Decision

This is going to be a ROW80 update and blog post combined in one.  It's just easier to do it that way today since I am heading out to brunch with my best friend to hash out some major decisions I'm in the process of making in my life.  I need to bounce some ideas off of her and I know she will help me find which direction I'm heading in, instead of flailing about.  

First, I'll get my update out of the way on the ROW80 goals.  I continue on target for the activity goal, 6 days of activity out of 7, on top of the 6 out of 7 before that!    Woot! *pats myself on back*  Sundays are my day off, and thankfully so, because my muscles are screaming for a little R & R.  Though, I may sneak in some belly dancing later this afternoon--I'm trying to get this one move down and its driving me crazy.  As for writing, I'm plodding along, but this part of the WIP is going slower than the first half.  I think because the work has taken such a different turn than what I initially expected.  I need to adapt the ending I had planned for the twists and turns the WIP has decided to go in.  But…slow and steady wins the race right?

So with ROW80 going well, on to the next question that has been stirring in my head recently:

Halfway there….ROW80 Update

I'm going to be upfront here.  I was doing so damn well.  But…Monday and Tuesday I didn't get my writing in.  Work was just way too busy and there weren't enough hours in the day to fit everything in.  However, despite not meeting my goal, I've decided to look at this recent misstep as not necessarily a bad thing.  As I mentioned in my last update, I have been chugging right along on the longer WIP.  I'm a little more than halfway to the end which is both exciting and scares the hell out of me.  So missing two days in the scheme of things--well I am okay with that.  I think also, it gave me time to let step back and breathe.  I needed time to think and go over my notes and outline, and especially stew over the "how I am going to get this to the ending I had planned" thought that has been poking at me at random times in the last week and a half.

A Quick but Late Update

So here is a quick and dirty update on ROW80.  The reason it is quick is because I have a another blog post here, Blocking Out Meanies and Kill Joys.  Read it over if you'd like and please leave a comment if you choose...I'd love to see what people think on the topic. I could be completely off-base, or crazy...or maybe both. But any thoughts would be appreciated as always.  But anyways, here goes for the challenge update:

Blocking Out the Meanies and Kill-Joys

*Block out the negative…block OUT the negative…block out the negative….*

Seems like I've been doing a lot of that in my life recently--saying that mantra over and over again, in many parts of my job and personal life.   So what type of negativity am I pushing out exactly?  Constructive criticism?  No.  Not that. I need that.  In fact, I LIKE constructive criticism.  It's hard to hear sometimes, but I take that over just plain ole meanness any day.  I guess what I'm talking about are the negative attitudes, thoughts and comments of certain people in my life, that seem to pop out to ruin a good thing at the worst possible moments.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not expecting all things to be rosy and perfect.  That would just be delusional.  But I don't want the 'You can't do that(s)', the 'you shouldn't try that(s)', the 'why would you ever think of doing that(s)', and the 'what the hell did you write about this for(s)' kind of people in my life anymore.  And I'm especially done with people who think everything in life is a competition and it's all about "winning".  I'm not going to fight and try to claw the eyes out of these people anymore--even if they keep trying to do it to me.  I'm just done.  I'm turning my back and walking away…

It's Been Too Long Since My Last Update...

To quote the white rabbit, "I'm late I'm late, for a very important date."  Things have been crazy hectic lately in my life, and I haven't blogged in well, way too long in fact.  I've been lax in my challenge updates and haven't had time to do anything other than work, get started on this grad school venture and try to keep up on my daily writing goal.  In terms of the ROW80 challenge the only thing I've stuck to is the writing a minimum of an hour a day.  The plus side is that I have come a long way towards finishing the book I've been working on.  I have actually surprised myself in the turn it is taking plot wise, but am super happy and excited by it.  For me, there is nothing that gets me to want to write more than when suddenly the story I'm writing takes a zig, when I had planned to zag.  The downside of this is, I have had little free time between that and well, work,  to actually blog.  That changes today.