I come to you this evening from the lobby of the Portland Hilton. (Side note: I think it is absolutely ridiculous that the Hilton does not provide free internet access to guests in their rooms.) I've never stayed at the Hilton before... so why am I here now? Because this is where the 2010 JASNA AGM is being held.
The what?
The 2010 Annual General Meeting of the Jane Austen Society of North America.
Yes, I am one of "those women"--the ones who will debate if Captain Wentworth or Mr. Darcy is the best Austen hero, and who knows that even though Northanger Abbey was published after Austen died, it is actually one of her earliest works. I am a Janeite, and I wear that title with pride.
The conference thus far has been amazing. We began yesterday with an exhibit of Austen and Regency first editions that was... beyond words. I have only seen two other book exhibits that compare: the British Library and the Dead Sea Scrolls. One of the works was a first edition of an Austen predecessor. That particular book was published on subscription, which means people actually paid for it before it was printed. There is a list of all the subscribers in the front of the book, and there on the first page is one Miss Jane Austen, Steventon. For some reason, that meant more to me than the actual Austen first editions, of which there were four.
The first plenary session was given by Stephanie Barron. Her sense of humor was delightful, and I also appreciated some of the things she had to say about writing. I'd never thought of laying the constructs of a detective novel over the plot of non-mysteries, but it is an interesting way to look at fiction. It might be a good plot building exercise as well.
The conference continues tomorrow and concludes with a brunch on Sunday morning. I'll come home that afternoon to rest, because NaNoWriMo begins Monday morning at midnight. We'll be meeting at Shari's at 11:00 for our annual Midnight Write. My goal is to have my first day's word count in before I go home... though that might not happen if my dictating disturbs too many people. I'm not going to destroy my wrist just to be able to say I made it to 5K that night.
My NaNo goal this year is to write the rough draft of an entire trilogy. That means I have to write 5K in a day, rather than just 1667. It also means I'm crazy, but you know that already. I've had the first two novels plotted out for weeks, but the third escaped me... until today! I was doing a character profile and the plot just appeared. I love it.
And this is my weekend... Now I'm going back to my room so I can get some much needed beauty sleep. Breakfast is at 8 in the morning... I think. I'd better make sure before I go to bed, shouldn't I?
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
NaNoWriMo and Me
I have participated in National Novel Writing Month every year since 2003. For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo is a crazy attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. There are no judges; there are no prizes; it is the biggest un-contest of them all.
So why bother? Why spend thirty days slaving over something no one will see but myself?
I believe the self-challenge is the key to NaNo's success. We all have things in life we would like to do, but oftentimes they remain empty dreams. NaNoWriMo comes with an international audience. People from around the world watch to see if you actually complete your novel. At the same time, you watch them and cheer them on. It is, in fact, the world's largest accountability group.
I wrote my first stories when I was in elementary school. With the encouragement of my middle school English teacher, I started an historical romance series. It was then I decided I wanted to be a novelist when I grew up. However, I approached this as if it were some kind of airy, theoretical future. I wrote fun stories for my friends, and, when pressed, I claimed these were practice for my "real writing."
NaNoWriMo taught me to take my writing seriously. When I told people I was going to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days, all of a sudden I had a deadline. The theoretical future was now.
I won that first year. Even though the 50,000 words became 24,000 upon editing, I still look back on it as the turning point in my career as a writer. Since then I have had three false starts and written three more novels. Two years ago, I wrote the start of Mr. Darcy novel called His Good Opinion. I recently completed the rough draft and hope to be ready to send out queries by the end of next year.
This year will be my eighth NaNoWriMo, and it will also be a first: it will be the first year that I attempt to do more than one story. I know, I know. If 50,000 words this crazy then surely 150,000 is purely insane. Why am I doing this to myself? It will take a trilogy to tell the story, and that's part of it. However, there is another secret part of me which simply wants to see if I can. And that, my friends, is what National Novel Writing Month is all about.
So why bother? Why spend thirty days slaving over something no one will see but myself?
I believe the self-challenge is the key to NaNo's success. We all have things in life we would like to do, but oftentimes they remain empty dreams. NaNoWriMo comes with an international audience. People from around the world watch to see if you actually complete your novel. At the same time, you watch them and cheer them on. It is, in fact, the world's largest accountability group.
I wrote my first stories when I was in elementary school. With the encouragement of my middle school English teacher, I started an historical romance series. It was then I decided I wanted to be a novelist when I grew up. However, I approached this as if it were some kind of airy, theoretical future. I wrote fun stories for my friends, and, when pressed, I claimed these were practice for my "real writing."
NaNoWriMo taught me to take my writing seriously. When I told people I was going to write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days, all of a sudden I had a deadline. The theoretical future was now.
I won that first year. Even though the 50,000 words became 24,000 upon editing, I still look back on it as the turning point in my career as a writer. Since then I have had three false starts and written three more novels. Two years ago, I wrote the start of Mr. Darcy novel called His Good Opinion. I recently completed the rough draft and hope to be ready to send out queries by the end of next year.
This year will be my eighth NaNoWriMo, and it will also be a first: it will be the first year that I attempt to do more than one story. I know, I know. If 50,000 words this crazy then surely 150,000 is purely insane. Why am I doing this to myself? It will take a trilogy to tell the story, and that's part of it. However, there is another secret part of me which simply wants to see if I can. And that, my friends, is what National Novel Writing Month is all about.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Highlighting Banned Books Week
Last week I posted about Banned Books Week and Speak. I want to hit on the subject again today and take a bit more time to express why I oppose banning books.
My issues with censorship are two-fold:
First, no one has any right to tell me what I can or cannot read. What I read is a personal choice. Often times, censorship happens because we wish to abdicate that responsibility to others who "know better." Step up and take control of your life. Look at the books that are being challenged and think for yourself.
Second (and more importantly), censorship restricts knowledge. Books hold true power; new ideas can challenge even our most strongly held opinions, forcing us to grow, think, and change. That change is what most book-banners fear.
When The Rejectionist and Taherah announced a banned books blogfest, I already had a stack of books ready to review. I finally chose one of my favorites to highlight today. You'll notice I haven't commented on why it was banned, and there's a reason for that. Books are about more than one person's narrow view of them, and when we focus so much on countering that one opinion we can miss what made them awesome in the first place.
I first read Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green during my World War II obsession. Patty's strong voice drew me quickly into her world--I felt like I actually lived in this small Arkansas town. With my youthful naïveté, I immediately decided my own small Midwestern town needed a prison. Clearly, that would be the only way to add some excitement into our lives.
The first person POV meant that I experience everything along with Patty. The loving friendship she shared with Anton became my own. I cherished those moments we were able to spend with him, and I was just as devastated as she was when he died. I remember closing the book and thinking, Maybe he didn't die... maybe he was only wounded and recaptured. Alas, that was not the case and I cried once more when Ruth visited Patty at the end of the book and confirmed his death.
Now that I'm an adult and a writer, I have new things to love about this book. Greene did a fantastic turning stereotypes on their ears. With the exception of Ruth, Anton--the Nazi--is the first person in Patty's life to appreciate who she is. In a perfect world, her parents would have loved her and affirmed her special abilities but hers instead seem to take pleasure in demeaning her. Her father in particular is both verbally and physically abusive, and it is only when she sees herself through Anton's eyes that she learns she has true worth.
Her use of first person is incredible. It keeps the narrative tight and completely focused on Patty and what she's feeling. Tweens and teens often complain to me that they can't relate to books. From this book (and others), I know that writing in first person is a powerful way to make the story real to them.
I suppose I should thank the people who've banned this book. I hadn't really thought of it for several years until I chose it to blog about, but now I have the chance to rediscover an old favorite.
My issues with censorship are two-fold:
First, no one has any right to tell me what I can or cannot read. What I read is a personal choice. Often times, censorship happens because we wish to abdicate that responsibility to others who "know better." Step up and take control of your life. Look at the books that are being challenged and think for yourself.
Second (and more importantly), censorship restricts knowledge. Books hold true power; new ideas can challenge even our most strongly held opinions, forcing us to grow, think, and change. That change is what most book-banners fear.
When The Rejectionist and Taherah announced a banned books blogfest, I already had a stack of books ready to review. I finally chose one of my favorites to highlight today. You'll notice I haven't commented on why it was banned, and there's a reason for that. Books are about more than one person's narrow view of them, and when we focus so much on countering that one opinion we can miss what made them awesome in the first place.
I first read Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green during my World War II obsession. Patty's strong voice drew me quickly into her world--I felt like I actually lived in this small Arkansas town. With my youthful naïveté, I immediately decided my own small Midwestern town needed a prison. Clearly, that would be the only way to add some excitement into our lives.
The first person POV meant that I experience everything along with Patty. The loving friendship she shared with Anton became my own. I cherished those moments we were able to spend with him, and I was just as devastated as she was when he died. I remember closing the book and thinking, Maybe he didn't die... maybe he was only wounded and recaptured. Alas, that was not the case and I cried once more when Ruth visited Patty at the end of the book and confirmed his death.
Now that I'm an adult and a writer, I have new things to love about this book. Greene did a fantastic turning stereotypes on their ears. With the exception of Ruth, Anton--the Nazi--is the first person in Patty's life to appreciate who she is. In a perfect world, her parents would have loved her and affirmed her special abilities but hers instead seem to take pleasure in demeaning her. Her father in particular is both verbally and physically abusive, and it is only when she sees herself through Anton's eyes that she learns she has true worth.
Her use of first person is incredible. It keeps the narrative tight and completely focused on Patty and what she's feeling. Tweens and teens often complain to me that they can't relate to books. From this book (and others), I know that writing in first person is a powerful way to make the story real to them.
I suppose I should thank the people who've banned this book. I hadn't really thought of it for several years until I chose it to blog about, but now I have the chance to rediscover an old favorite.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Trying to speak naturally
By this, of course I am referring to Dragon, NaturallySpeaking. I have been plagued by wrist problems for the last 2 1/2 years. Given that typing is such a large part of my life, it didn't seem like this is ever going to get any better. In many ways, it is similar to somebody who has a chronic sprain. Because they continue to walk on it, the problem continues to get worse and worse rather than better. They need rest in order to heal.
With this in mind, I chose to take matters into my own hands. (Or perhaps I should say, my own voice.) I purchased the program about a month ago, but it is only in the last week that I have been able to to train it. There are still a few kinks; for instance, the software just tried to say Kenyans rather than kinks. However, I am learning to compose what I want to say in my mind before I can actually say it. This will take some time but once I have it down, I should be able to deliver a full stream of thought all at once without pauses. My hope is that I will be accustomed to the software by the time NaNoWriMo rolls around in November.
All the reviews for the software were glowing, filled with phrases like "I wrote this whole blog post just by using Dragon, and it was fantastic." I think those people must've had some experience with voice-recognition software. I am not as lucky. I did write this entire blog post using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. However, I had a lot of errors to correct--simple little typos that didn't take much time. The bigger issue for me was learning to think with the software.
I like to think of writing as an adventure, and I suppose this is simply the next leg on that journey.
PS: I am very amused that the software correctly transcribes its own name.
With this in mind, I chose to take matters into my own hands. (Or perhaps I should say, my own voice.) I purchased the program about a month ago, but it is only in the last week that I have been able to to train it. There are still a few kinks; for instance, the software just tried to say Kenyans rather than kinks. However, I am learning to compose what I want to say in my mind before I can actually say it. This will take some time but once I have it down, I should be able to deliver a full stream of thought all at once without pauses. My hope is that I will be accustomed to the software by the time NaNoWriMo rolls around in November.
All the reviews for the software were glowing, filled with phrases like "I wrote this whole blog post just by using Dragon, and it was fantastic." I think those people must've had some experience with voice-recognition software. I am not as lucky. I did write this entire blog post using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. However, I had a lot of errors to correct--simple little typos that didn't take much time. The bigger issue for me was learning to think with the software.
I like to think of writing as an adventure, and I suppose this is simply the next leg on that journey.
PS: I am very amused that the software correctly transcribes its own name.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Speaking out on a tough subject
"Parents and guardians are responsible for the selection choices of their own minor children."
That quote comes from the back of my library card. It does three things: 1) It states clearly that the library will not stop anyone from checking certain books out based on age-appropriateness; 2) It places that responsibility squarely on the parents' shoulders; 3) It implies that this responsibility only goes as far as their own children, not to other library patrons. That last item refers to censorship, which is what I want to talk about today.
Every year, the American Library Association celebrates Banned Books Week during the last week of September. This year it runs September 25-October 2, but it got an early start thanks to Wesley Scroggins of Republic, MO. On Saturday, he wrote an opinion piece in which he highlighted three novels he wants taken out of the school libraries: Slaughterterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. Though I don't think any book should be censored, I want to focus on Speak.
For those of you who haven't read the book, I'm about to spoil one of the main secrets. If you read Scroggins' piece linked above (which you should) you already know this anyway.
Speak is about rape. The main character, Melinda, was raped at a party over the summer. She called the cops on the party but didn't tell them about the rape. That remains her secret--something she doesn't tell anyone, even when the whole school is shunning her because she snitched. The book is about her realizing that what happened to her was not her fault and that she needs to speak out.
There are teens who need to hear this. They need to hear it because like Melinda, they've been raped. They need to hear it because their parents abuse them, or because they cut, or or or--there are as many reasons teens need this book as there are teens. We want to believe that things like this will never happen to our kids, to the teens that we know, but unfortunately that is not reality. Aren't we supposed to be preparing teens for the real world? How can we do that if we don't let them read books that depict it?
However, my anger at this censorship stems from a deeper issue. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. These victims are afraid to speak out. Some fear retribution from their assailant, but many of them fear being ostracized by society. Even if we've moved past the mentality that rape is the victim's fault, which is debatable, it is still seen as something dirty that shouldn't be talked about.
This is why I was so angry that Speak, a book that is about finding the courage to report rape, would be silenced. How can we censor something that is about fighting self-censorship? The irony is deep. Scroggins' opinion piece equates the rape scenes in Speak with soft pornography, dirty and wrong. If I was a teen rape victim in Republic, MO, I would then assume that my own story is dirty and wrong. I said it earlier and I'll say it again: Teens need Speak. They need to know they are not alone; they need to know they will be heard if they will just... speak.
That quote comes from the back of my library card. It does three things: 1) It states clearly that the library will not stop anyone from checking certain books out based on age-appropriateness; 2) It places that responsibility squarely on the parents' shoulders; 3) It implies that this responsibility only goes as far as their own children, not to other library patrons. That last item refers to censorship, which is what I want to talk about today.
Every year, the American Library Association celebrates Banned Books Week during the last week of September. This year it runs September 25-October 2, but it got an early start thanks to Wesley Scroggins of Republic, MO. On Saturday, he wrote an opinion piece in which he highlighted three novels he wants taken out of the school libraries: Slaughterterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. Though I don't think any book should be censored, I want to focus on Speak.
For those of you who haven't read the book, I'm about to spoil one of the main secrets. If you read Scroggins' piece linked above (which you should) you already know this anyway.
Speak is about rape. The main character, Melinda, was raped at a party over the summer. She called the cops on the party but didn't tell them about the rape. That remains her secret--something she doesn't tell anyone, even when the whole school is shunning her because she snitched. The book is about her realizing that what happened to her was not her fault and that she needs to speak out.
There are teens who need to hear this. They need to hear it because like Melinda, they've been raped. They need to hear it because their parents abuse them, or because they cut, or or or--there are as many reasons teens need this book as there are teens. We want to believe that things like this will never happen to our kids, to the teens that we know, but unfortunately that is not reality. Aren't we supposed to be preparing teens for the real world? How can we do that if we don't let them read books that depict it?
However, my anger at this censorship stems from a deeper issue. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police. These victims are afraid to speak out. Some fear retribution from their assailant, but many of them fear being ostracized by society. Even if we've moved past the mentality that rape is the victim's fault, which is debatable, it is still seen as something dirty that shouldn't be talked about.
This is why I was so angry that Speak, a book that is about finding the courage to report rape, would be silenced. How can we censor something that is about fighting self-censorship? The irony is deep. Scroggins' opinion piece equates the rape scenes in Speak with soft pornography, dirty and wrong. If I was a teen rape victim in Republic, MO, I would then assume that my own story is dirty and wrong. I said it earlier and I'll say it again: Teens need Speak. They need to know they are not alone; they need to know they will be heard if they will just... speak.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Writing annoyances and lessons
I've been spending a lot of time writing lately. I created a Twitter account, and there's a great group of writers over there. Thanks largely to their encouragement, I've made it through some huge scenes in His Good Opinion.
Tonight I hit a road block. I wanted to finish More Than Memory so I could really focus all my attention on Jane Austen and Darcy. I spent the entire day working on an epilogue... which I just realized I don't need. I've wrapped up all the main points of the story, the characters are together and happy, there is no point to an epilogue. In fact, it would really be quite superfluous.
There's a phrase writers use: Kill your darlings. It's something we have to do during editing--go through and get rid of all the extra bits in the story, even if they happen to be those pieces we loved writing. What makes me so angry right now is that I didn't want to write the epilogue! I wish I could have at least gotten the enjoyment out of it.
My frustration level is high. I could easily say this day was a complete waste of time, but there is a hidden lesson to be learned. I doubted the worth of an epilogue before I started. I've been struggling for four months to find the right way to frame it that will both make sense and add to the story. I should have trusted my instincts. If I had trusted my instincts, I would not be sitting here at 11:13 with no writing to show for the day.
Next time I find myself wondering, "Why am I writing this again?" I will listen to that little voice.
Tonight I hit a road block. I wanted to finish More Than Memory so I could really focus all my attention on Jane Austen and Darcy. I spent the entire day working on an epilogue... which I just realized I don't need. I've wrapped up all the main points of the story, the characters are together and happy, there is no point to an epilogue. In fact, it would really be quite superfluous.
There's a phrase writers use: Kill your darlings. It's something we have to do during editing--go through and get rid of all the extra bits in the story, even if they happen to be those pieces we loved writing. What makes me so angry right now is that I didn't want to write the epilogue! I wish I could have at least gotten the enjoyment out of it.
My frustration level is high. I could easily say this day was a complete waste of time, but there is a hidden lesson to be learned. I doubted the worth of an epilogue before I started. I've been struggling for four months to find the right way to frame it that will both make sense and add to the story. I should have trusted my instincts. If I had trusted my instincts, I would not be sitting here at 11:13 with no writing to show for the day.
Next time I find myself wondering, "Why am I writing this again?" I will listen to that little voice.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Turning over a new leaf
I think I'll spare us all the "I'm so sorry" song and dance. I've been a horrible blogger. I'll be better in the future. Here's my motivation.
Though you wouldn't know it to look at The List, my writing has really progressed in the last three months. I've taken solid steps toward creating a professional life, and I'm very excited by the progress I've made. (Big news? I'll be attending a Jane Austen conference in October, which will be my first attempt at professional networking.)
However, as you can see from the list, creating a writing blog is one of my goals. If I want to be a successful blogger, I must post on a regular basis. That doesn't necessarily mean daily, but it does mean more regular than once every three months. I won't start that blog until I've proven to myself that I can do that.
Things accomplished since last post:
Even though it hasn't worked out quite as planned, I'm glad I bought it. I've gotten so much use out of it in the past month, I can't imagine how I went so long without it. I don't think I would have survived this last weekend without it... the ability to read my email and tweet was really the only means of decompressing I had in a very difficult couple of days. I think is long enough. Before a week passes, I'll come back and explain the things I've changed to "in progress"; there are some interesting stories there as well.
Though you wouldn't know it to look at The List, my writing has really progressed in the last three months. I've taken solid steps toward creating a professional life, and I'm very excited by the progress I've made. (Big news? I'll be attending a Jane Austen conference in October, which will be my first attempt at professional networking.)
However, as you can see from the list, creating a writing blog is one of my goals. If I want to be a successful blogger, I must post on a regular basis. That doesn't necessarily mean daily, but it does mean more regular than once every three months. I won't start that blog until I've proven to myself that I can do that.
Things accomplished since last post:
19. Go to the dentist
63. Pay off my credit card
75. Read The Hobbit again
79. Get an iPhone
82. Backup my computer--flash drive or external hard drive
95. Get my passport
The last was actually done in March (give or take), but I never got around to discussing that section in May. That, along with the iPhone, were the big ones.
I hadn't planned to get the iPhone yet, but I was driven to it by a combination of writing and England. First, I realized that if I'm going to move overseas, I really ought to stop buying books. The idea was to use the Kindle reader on the phone to buy books. This... hasn't quite worked as planned, as the screen is really too small to comfortably read a full book. If e-book readers drop in price for the holidays, I will probably buy one.
Second, I wanted the ability to do the first read through of my stories on a portable device. I thought about an iPad, but I really can't afford one. I have the same problem here as I do with the Kindle app, but I think I can make it work. I've got Google docs on my phone, so when I'm ready to read a first draft for overall story flow, I'll upload the story to google and read it on my phone. It'll save paper, and I'll be able to make notes to myself as I go.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Almost three months later...
It's been so long I'm not even sure where to start. In the interest of organization, I think I'll take it from the top of the List and work my way down. This might take a few posts, but I'd like to get things updated here.
Writing
I'm still plugging away at #2: Spend at least 70 hours a month writing. I'm not sure if I made it in March, but I definitely passed that total in April with time to spare. In fact, this is why I haven't blogged at all lately. When you work 40 hours a week and then spend almost 20 hours a week writing, it's hard to fit anything else into your schedule.
I'm very pleased with where my story stands right now. I've done one complete revision from start to finish, and now I'm going back through to polish things up. This story isn't something I plan to publish at all, so it might seem silly to some that I'm taking the time to do a complete edit. I wanted to learn the editing process in a no-pressure situation, and this was my answer.
Health
#15: Buy a bike--and use it! has been accomplished. After some consideration, I realized that commuting to work on a bike was not a practical idea. I'll be editing that item on the list. Because I didn't need something that would get me to and from work, I bought a simple one-speed cruiser. It's a red Schwinn and looks a lot like my first bike (only without the training wheels of course).
#17: Exercise at least twice a week for two months was far too easy. I'll be editing that item as well, since I have already accomplished this particular goal.
In the interest of keeping these blog entries short and easy to read, I'm going to stop here.
Writing
I'm still plugging away at #2: Spend at least 70 hours a month writing. I'm not sure if I made it in March, but I definitely passed that total in April with time to spare. In fact, this is why I haven't blogged at all lately. When you work 40 hours a week and then spend almost 20 hours a week writing, it's hard to fit anything else into your schedule.
I'm very pleased with where my story stands right now. I've done one complete revision from start to finish, and now I'm going back through to polish things up. This story isn't something I plan to publish at all, so it might seem silly to some that I'm taking the time to do a complete edit. I wanted to learn the editing process in a no-pressure situation, and this was my answer.
Health
#15: Buy a bike--and use it! has been accomplished. After some consideration, I realized that commuting to work on a bike was not a practical idea. I'll be editing that item on the list. Because I didn't need something that would get me to and from work, I bought a simple one-speed cruiser. It's a red Schwinn and looks a lot like my first bike (only without the training wheels of course).
#17: Exercise at least twice a week for two months was far too easy. I'll be editing that item as well, since I have already accomplished this particular goal.
In the interest of keeping these blog entries short and easy to read, I'm going to stop here.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Conclusions of the week
I have come to a few conclusions this week, and I would like to share them with you.
1. The Olympics are an evil, time-sucking device. I type this while watching the men's long program. Because of the Olympics, I have gotten very little work done on my story this week--a story for which I finally have ideas, I might add.
2. It's hard to spend 40 hours at work, 20 hours writing, an undetermined amount of time trying to read every book on the face of the planet, and still have time to do... well, anything else. Like you know, sleep. So I think this conclusion is that Sleep is not for the week. (Misspelling on purpose.)
3. I might be a wee bit over ambitious. I keep thinking, "Oh, I need to work on X for my 101 things!" but I actually still have over a year and a half left. I've added a few more things that I've started on... which I'll get to next.
So, those are my conclusions for the week. Now on to the List. First, an update on the passport: I have two independent confirmations that the State Department is in receipt of my passport application: Delivery confirmation from USPS, and they've cashed my check. Hopefully this means I'll get a new passport in the mail any day now.
I've italicized a few more items. I found a beautiful 2000 piece puzzle that I can't wait to start, and I purchased a recipe book at Barnes and Nobel the other night. I'm not sure which project will take more effort--I've got to find and rewrite or type out all my favorite recipes for the book, and of course the puzzle won't exactly be easy.
I'm just itching to cross another thing off the list, but I guess I'll have to wait. Coming next week: A wrap up post on all the "once a month" items on my list.
1. The Olympics are an evil, time-sucking device. I type this while watching the men's long program. Because of the Olympics, I have gotten very little work done on my story this week--a story for which I finally have ideas, I might add.
2. It's hard to spend 40 hours at work, 20 hours writing, an undetermined amount of time trying to read every book on the face of the planet, and still have time to do... well, anything else. Like you know, sleep. So I think this conclusion is that Sleep is not for the week. (Misspelling on purpose.)
3. I might be a wee bit over ambitious. I keep thinking, "Oh, I need to work on X for my 101 things!" but I actually still have over a year and a half left. I've added a few more things that I've started on... which I'll get to next.
So, those are my conclusions for the week. Now on to the List. First, an update on the passport: I have two independent confirmations that the State Department is in receipt of my passport application: Delivery confirmation from USPS, and they've cashed my check. Hopefully this means I'll get a new passport in the mail any day now.
I've italicized a few more items. I found a beautiful 2000 piece puzzle that I can't wait to start, and I purchased a recipe book at Barnes and Nobel the other night. I'm not sure which project will take more effort--I've got to find and rewrite or type out all my favorite recipes for the book, and of course the puzzle won't exactly be easy.
I'm just itching to cross another thing off the list, but I guess I'll have to wait. Coming next week: A wrap up post on all the "once a month" items on my list.
Friday, February 5, 2010
The more things change...
I found a quote on a blog that I think summarizes this entry really well: "If more than five percent of your experiments turn out as planned, you're probably not being creative enough." I've read over enough 101 blogs to know that my list will change and adapt over the next 2+ years. I will change, my interests will change, my place in live will change, and thus my list will have to change to keep up.
In fact, it already is. I was in a rush to finish my list, and many of the things I found from others sounded interesting but as I've thought about them, I've realized that to fit me they need to be tweaked. I haven't changed the core purpose of them, but the expression is different.
#25 is now Order something healthy six times. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with my love for hamburgers. I like them because they are a safe menu item, and when I stray from that I am frequently disappointed. However, they are not a healthy choice. This option actually fits the category of health better.
#27 is now Take care with my appearance every day for two separate weeks. The original thought about leaving my hair down is interesting and might be part of how it turns out, but what I really want is to have two separate weeks where I take the time to think about how I look rather than just putting on the first convenient top to go with my ubiquitous jeans.
So far that's it. I know other things will change, but for now...
Oh! Status update: I have ordered my passport. This is one thing I will wait to change to "in progress" until I actually have it in my hot little hands. There's just too much that could go wrong still... though I did actually open the priority envelope to make sure I'd signed the application. (I had.) Hopefully it won't take too long to get here, simply because I'm dying to see it. :D
In fact, it already is. I was in a rush to finish my list, and many of the things I found from others sounded interesting but as I've thought about them, I've realized that to fit me they need to be tweaked. I haven't changed the core purpose of them, but the expression is different.
#25 is now Order something healthy six times. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with my love for hamburgers. I like them because they are a safe menu item, and when I stray from that I am frequently disappointed. However, they are not a healthy choice. This option actually fits the category of health better.
#27 is now Take care with my appearance every day for two separate weeks. The original thought about leaving my hair down is interesting and might be part of how it turns out, but what I really want is to have two separate weeks where I take the time to think about how I look rather than just putting on the first convenient top to go with my ubiquitous jeans.
So far that's it. I know other things will change, but for now...
Oh! Status update: I have ordered my passport. This is one thing I will wait to change to "in progress" until I actually have it in my hot little hands. There's just too much that could go wrong still... though I did actually open the priority envelope to make sure I'd signed the application. (I had.) Hopefully it won't take too long to get here, simply because I'm dying to see it. :D
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Early successes
I admit, I cheated a little. I put a few things on my list that I was already in the process of doing. You'll notice there are several that have been italicized now to indicate that I'm working on them.
The big news of the day is that I have crossed #85: Set up my home office off the list! I knew it would be one of the first to go, because this is where I planned to spend my tax refund. However, I did not anticipate that I would complete it today.
I put this on the list because spending a lot of time on the couch typing on my laptop is bad for me in so many ways. It's caused back problems, wrist problems, and probably other problems I'm not aware of. If I'm serious about #2 (Spend 80 hours a month writing), then I needed to find a way to make this physically possible for myself. My list of needs included a desk with a keyboard tray, a mouse that would fit my hand nicely, and possibly a new ergonomic keyboard.
I went shopping with my family yesterday and found the perfect mouse... except there was no receiver. Of course its a discontinued model, so I couldn't just look for it at a different store. The salesman tried to tell us that we wouldn't be able to find it online because it's a Best Buy brand, but he was wrong. Within five minutes of looking on Amazon, I found the same mouse for ten dollars less.
We also spent time looking at desks. I looked around more after Mom and Dad went home, and finally settled on the first one we saw at Staples. Heather helped me set it up (no, we weren't done by 9:00... or by 10:00...), and I think this will be a big help in my ongoing attempts to be more... um, writerly oriented.
And finally, the keyboard. I have an old Microsoft ergonomic keyboard that I love. The design really works for me. However, the key action is very stiff, which puts more pressure on my wrists and also makes a lot of racket. I tried a Logitech model last week, but it just didn't have the nice rounded form that the Microsoft ones do. I played around with the newest version from Microsoft while we were at Staples, but with a budget conscious mind I decided to attempt cleaning the old one first to see if that helped. It didn't. Back to Amazon I went. Once again I found it for ten dollars less than it is in the store, and this time it qualified for free shipping with Amazon Prime!!
I suppose technically this goal will be in progress until I receive the mouse and keyboard, but since I've paid for them I'm considering it a done deal.
The big news of the day is that I have crossed #85: Set up my home office off the list! I knew it would be one of the first to go, because this is where I planned to spend my tax refund. However, I did not anticipate that I would complete it today.
I put this on the list because spending a lot of time on the couch typing on my laptop is bad for me in so many ways. It's caused back problems, wrist problems, and probably other problems I'm not aware of. If I'm serious about #2 (Spend 80 hours a month writing), then I needed to find a way to make this physically possible for myself. My list of needs included a desk with a keyboard tray, a mouse that would fit my hand nicely, and possibly a new ergonomic keyboard.
I went shopping with my family yesterday and found the perfect mouse... except there was no receiver. Of course its a discontinued model, so I couldn't just look for it at a different store. The salesman tried to tell us that we wouldn't be able to find it online because it's a Best Buy brand, but he was wrong. Within five minutes of looking on Amazon, I found the same mouse for ten dollars less.
We also spent time looking at desks. I looked around more after Mom and Dad went home, and finally settled on the first one we saw at Staples. Heather helped me set it up (no, we weren't done by 9:00... or by 10:00...), and I think this will be a big help in my ongoing attempts to be more... um, writerly oriented.
And finally, the keyboard. I have an old Microsoft ergonomic keyboard that I love. The design really works for me. However, the key action is very stiff, which puts more pressure on my wrists and also makes a lot of racket. I tried a Logitech model last week, but it just didn't have the nice rounded form that the Microsoft ones do. I played around with the newest version from Microsoft while we were at Staples, but with a budget conscious mind I decided to attempt cleaning the old one first to see if that helped. It didn't. Back to Amazon I went. Once again I found it for ten dollars less than it is in the store, and this time it qualified for free shipping with Amazon Prime!!
I suppose technically this goal will be in progress until I receive the mouse and keyboard, but since I've paid for them I'm considering it a done deal.
Monday, February 1, 2010
The List!
What's this all about, anyway?
101 things? 1001 days? What on earth am I talking about? I'm talking about the Day Zero Project. The idea is simple: Create a list of 101 things you would like to complete in the next 1001 days. The tasks must be specific and measurable, and should require some amount of work on my part. The time frame allows for more in-depth goals, such as learning a new language or traveling abroad.
I have about 60 things on my list right now, and I've set the start date for February 2--my birthday. I'm hoping to have the list complete by Tuesday, but we'll see how that goes. If you have any suggestions to make, I'm open. I'd also like to organize it into categories before I post it here.
Coming soon: The List (complete or not)
Edit: The list is complete!
All right, here it is. I stayed up ridiculously late finishing this, but I wanted to get it Done. I'm attempting to separate these into categories, but I don't know how successful I'll be... Here goes nothin'
Legend:
plain text--not started
red--goal changed
italics--in progress
purple bold--complete
Writing
1. Join/start a writing group
4. Do a writing prompt from creativewritingprompts.com every day for a month (0/30)
5. Read five books on the Regency period (1/5)
8. Write 100K in NaNo 2010
9. Read a book on professional blogging
12. Begin querying process
2. Spend at least 70 hours a month writing, or 60 in February (3/31)
3. Keep a writer's notebook every day for a full month (0/30)4. Do a writing prompt from creativewritingprompts.com every day for a month (0/30)
5. Read five books on the Regency period (1/5)
6. Finish His Good Opinion
7. Begin another fiction work8. Write 100K in NaNo 2010
9. Read a book on professional blogging
10. Start a writing blog
11. Read five books on writing/publishing (0/5)12. Begin querying process
Health
13. Lose 25 pounds
14. No fast food for a month
17. Exercise at least two days a week for two months (0/8)
18. Sleep eight hours minimum every night for two separate weeks (0/7) (0/7)
14. No fast food for a month
15. Buy a bike--and use it
16. Walk to Rivendell 17. Exercise at least two days a week for two months (0/8)
18. Sleep eight hours minimum every night for two separate weeks (0/7) (0/7)
19. Go to the dentist
20. Give up soda for three separate months (0/3)21. Try pilates at least once a week for two months (0/2)
22. Use my pedometer again
23. Commute to work by bike twice a week for 36 weeks (0/36)
24. Take vitamins daily for one month six times (0/6)
25. Order something healthy 6 times (0/6)
26. Take one day off from the internet each month (3/31)
26. Take one day off from the internet each month (3/31)
Beauty
27. Take care with my appearance every day for two separate weeks (7/7) (0/7)
28. Get a mani/pedi
29. Get a LBD
28. Get a mani/pedi
29. Get a LBD
Cooking
30. Make a custom recipe book
31. Attend a cake decorating class
32. Try at least one new recipe a month (3/31)
33. Bake a loaf of bread
34. Trade out all my most used spices for Penzey's
35. Try five new dessert recipes (0/5)
36. Learn how to make a soufflé
32. Try at least one new recipe a month (3/31)
33. Bake a loaf of bread
34. Trade out all my most used spices for Penzey's
35. Try five new dessert recipes (0/5)
36. Learn how to make a soufflé
Fun and Relaxation
37. Spend six rainy days watching films in my PJs (1/6)
38. Have one lazy Monday each month (6/31)
39. Have a traditional picnic in a park
40. Go ice skating
41. Go to the zoo
42. Buy myself flowers
43. Finish a 1000+ piece jigsaw puzzle
38. Have one lazy Monday each month (6/31)
39. Have a traditional picnic in a park
40. Go ice skating
41. Go to the zoo
42. Buy myself flowers
43. Finish a 1000+ piece jigsaw puzzle
Arts and Crafts
44. Finish afghan
45. Finish senior year scrapbook
46. Finish baby book
45. Finish senior year scrapbook
46. Finish baby book
47. Get my NaNo prints framed
Personal and Spiritual Development
Personal and Spiritual Development
48. Don't complain about anything for a week
49. Identify 101 things that make me happy (0/101)
50. Create a list of ten flaws I have
51. Create a list of twenty things I like about myself
52. Journal every day for a month (0/30)
53. Write down one thing I'm thankful for every day for a month (0/30)
54. Blog about something positive every Wednesday for two months (0/8)
55. Memorize 101 new Bible verses (0/101)
56. Read through the entire Bible in one year
49. Identify 101 things that make me happy (0/101)
50. Create a list of ten flaws I have
51. Create a list of twenty things I like about myself
52. Journal every day for a month (0/30)
53. Write down one thing I'm thankful for every day for a month (0/30)
54. Blog about something positive every Wednesday for two months (0/8)
55. Memorize 101 new Bible verses (0/101)
56. Read through the entire Bible in one year
Travel
57. Go on a random day trip to someplace I don't usually go
58. Go hiking three times each summer (0/9)
59. Spend three days inPortland
60. Take a road trip
61. Go toDisneyland
Financial
58. Go hiking three times each summer (0/9)
59. Spend three days in
60. Take a road trip
61. Go to
Financial
62. Build an emergency fund
63. Pay off my credit card
64. Pay off Mom and Dad65. Pay off Dr. Lewis
66. Make no extraneous purchases for 31 days (0/31)
67. Shop for a week of groceries using only coupons or sales four times (0/4)
68. Save money by not going out to eat for a whole month
69. Save as much spare change as I can, not touching it until the 1001 days are complete
70. Track daily expenses for three months (0/3)
Learning
71. Learn Italian
72. Learn Elvish (Sindarin)
73. Watch ten documentaries (1/10)
74. Try something I might be terrible at
72. Learn Elvish (Sindarin)
73. Watch ten documentaries (1/10)
74. Try something I might be terrible at
75. Read The Hobbit again
76. Complete current reading project77. Read the entire History of Middle Earth
78. Read at least five more books from The Guardian's list of books we can't live without (0/5)
Organization
79. Get an iPhone
80. Sort through all my papers; bin/shred the ones I don't need, file the ones I do81. Change our phone/internet service
82. Backup my computer--flash drive or external hard drive
83. Be to work early every day for two separate weeks (0/5) (0/5)84. Throw out or donate clothes that no longer fit or are worn out
85. Set up my home office
Do unto others
86. Pay for the person in line behind me
87. Send a letter to a friend once a month (1/31)
88. Send someone a care package
89. Finish sending Christmas cards
90. Have ten dinner parties (0/10)
91. Have five tea parties (1/5)
92. Convert to entirely reusable shopping bags
87. Send a letter to a friend once a month (1/31)
88. Send someone a care package
89. Finish sending Christmas cards
90. Have ten dinner parties (0/10)
91. Have five tea parties (1/5)
92. Convert to entirely reusable shopping bags
93. Randomly give flowers to three people (1/3)
94. Send someone an encouragement card95. Get my passport
96. Take a trip to England97. Take high tea in England
98. Decide details regarding my move to
Meta-tasks
99. Donate $5 to charity for every task I don't complete
100. Blog the results of this list
101. Evaluate after 1001 days are over: Was this good/fun/profitable?
Some of these are already in progress (notably #95 and #62), others are things I've thought about doing, but never gotten around to it (e.g. #34 and #45), and there are a few that I never would have contemplated if I hadn't trawled other lists for ideas (#49). If anyone has a suggestion for #74, I'm all ears.
As you can see from #100, my plan is to blog my way through this list. I'll be sharing both success stories and failures, as well as funny anecdotes that happen along the way. This is my first foray into purposeful blogging, which I hope will be helpful when I'm ready for #1.
If you're also participating in the Day Zero Project or if I've inspired you to do so, please post a link to your blog so I can follow your progress. I think a little camaraderie would help the 1001 days pass a little more quickly.
100. Blog the results of this list
101. Evaluate after 1001 days are over: Was this good/fun/profitable?
Some of these are already in progress (notably #95 and #62), others are things I've thought about doing, but never gotten around to it (e.g. #34 and #45), and there are a few that I never would have contemplated if I hadn't trawled other lists for ideas (#49). If anyone has a suggestion for #74, I'm all ears.
As you can see from #100, my plan is to blog my way through this list. I'll be sharing both success stories and failures, as well as funny anecdotes that happen along the way. This is my first foray into purposeful blogging, which I hope will be helpful when I'm ready for #1.
If you're also participating in the Day Zero Project or if I've inspired you to do so, please post a link to your blog so I can follow your progress. I think a little camaraderie would help the 1001 days pass a little more quickly.
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