ROW80: Round 3--Goals, sort of...

They've decided and the level is EPIC! Yes, check off another fail on my list.  This time it was JuNoWriMo.  I signed up for it (read this POST), unaware that I'd be starting a new job the first week in June.  Yup, new job equals major adjustments and unfortunately, the writing was not in the cards.  Not only did I fail at JuNoWriMo, but I also managed to totally tank Round 2 of ROW80.  Yup, I rock...not.

I'm going to be kind of vague with my goals right now because I'm still in training mode for the new job (I'm a virtual assistant...that's right...workin' from home, baby!) and my kids are still out of school and my husband works nights so I get no relief.  I will probably hopefully use July for more research and planning and I'm determined to work through Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way again (Morning Pages) and perhaps take a look at Vein of Gold.  Robin (My Two Blessings) is also going to be reading Veins this month.  I already have the start of my novel written so I can at least say that.  The bad thing is that I haven't touched it for months.  So I'm thinking...the kids go back to school August 1 and that will be my time to start getting some writing done.  Their earlier bedtime will allow me to write at night as well.  I'm contemplating Camp NaNoWriMo in August, but I'm not going to make that decision until close to when it starts.

How about you?  What are your ROW80 plans?

ROW80--finally joining the fray...and my "am I crazy?" moment

Yes, I have been grossly neglectful of my writing since Round 2 of ROW80 started.  I kept missing check in after check in.  Heck, I don't think I even did a goal post for this round.  Meanwhile, my novel languishes away waiting for my attention.  Well, here is my official goal post/check-in, even if it's the last month of this round.  So, what is my "am I crazy?" moment?  Yes, I went and did it.  Signed up for JuNoWriMo.  I know that the folks at NaNoWriMo are doing Camp NaNoWriMo in June and August this year, but I stumbled across JuNoWriMo which was created by authors Becca J. Campbell and A.E. (Anna) Howard.  Becca felt that November wasn't enough and decided that June was the month.  Now this may not be a great idea for me because I actually was just hired as an independent contractor Virtual Assistant (working from home, baby!) so I'm now a working girl again, but I have been feeling so guilty about my novel which I started during NaNoWriMo in November that I just feel like I need to do this.  Yeah, I'm crazy.

The beauty of JuNoWriMo is that you can have already started your novel.  Don't worry, I'm not cheating.  I'm only about a thousand words in anyway.  Now I only found out about this a few days ago so I don't know if I'm going to be ready by Friday.  The end of the month is always a heavy time for me on my blog what with trying to get book reviews written on the last day of the month (yeah, that's how I roll) and all.  But I'm doing this...that's it! I'm thinking that I may actually start the word count accumulation a few days in so I'm going to have to adjust my daily word count from 1667 to about 2000 daily.  This is my jumping off point, but may have to adjust accordingly.  I have to remember to go into this with an open mind and to remember that no one is going to kill me if I don't finish.  They say we are our own harshest critics and nothing could be more true about me.

Okay, so wish me luck on this endeavor.  Hopefully, I'll have something to report on Sunday (or maybe Wednesday).  If you're interested in checking out JuNoWriMo, go HERE and read more about it.

Image/poem from A Writer in Wonderland

ROW80/Round One--Final Check-In

I tanked Round One of ROW80.  Yes, that's right I'm admitting it.  No excuses to offer.  I just have not been in the writing mode (or mood) at all.  Not only did I not write regularly, but I hardly checked in either.  I think this was my rebellious time of 2012.  I will be signing up for Round Two.  I'm going to spend these eleven days reflecting on my self-imposed obstacles and coming up with a plan that I will stick to.  Wish me luck...I'm going to need it.

NaBloPoMo--Day 18 and 19

I won a perk from Klout for a Dreamworks Family Fun Night at the Opryland Hotel here in Nashville.    I have to share it with you because it was just so awesome! We received a package that included a one night stay at the hotel (man, the rooms are nice), free dinner, free ride on the Delta Queen riverboats, the boys got to meet Alex from Madagascar, and at the end of the night...a DJ dance party with Shrek, Fiona, and Puss in Boots and lots of yummy snacks and drinks and a free souvenir photo.  The cherry on top was a complimentary Shrek themed breakfast served to us this morning in the room.  What a breakfast too! Scrambled eggs (some of the best I've ever had), sausage and bacon, potatoes, Shrek shaped waffles and pancakes, fruit, muffins, danish, croissants, coffee, Shrek juice, and milk.  Yummo! We had such a great time and an added bonus was all the exercise I got walking all over the HUGE Opryland hotel and dancing at the dance party.  Such an awesome and it cost us absolutely nothing.  Pretty cool for people who are as broke as we are.  LOL! Here's a picture of my boys with Puss in Boots at the dance party last night:

NaBloPoMo--Day 17

What do you think of the saying, "A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life."

I have had several women friends who have sons and they told me that once they were grown, they grew apart.  I know my husband and his brother are not close with their mother at all, but that's not completely a fault of theirs.  On the other hand, my sister is still very close with her son and my aunt seems to be close with her grown sons as well.  On the daughter side, I know that I'm virtually inseparable from my mom and my sister is very close with her too, even thought she lives out of state.  I sincerely hope that this will not be the case with my sons.  I am working very hard to keep close relationships with them and I'm hoping that I can be accepting of the women they choose as their partners in the future.  So, I guess the saying is subjective.  It really depends on the individuals and the family circumstances surrounding them.

NaBloPoMo--Day 16

Respond to the proverb: "Treat your family like friends and your friends like family."

I've heard it said before, "You treat your friends better than you treat your family." I guess what it means is that we are just really comfortable with our families, and usually feel certain that we can speak to them and treat them however we want, whether it be good or bad. This is because our families (usually) love us unconditionally. This isn't always the case with friends. So, the proverb is stating the obvious. We should treat our families like our friends and treat our friends more like our families. Makes sense to me!

NaBloPoMo--Day 13, 14, 15 and ROW80 (FAIL) Check-In

ROW80 Check-In after the jump (below)....

What do you think of the saying, "blood is thicker than water."
I'm not sure what I think about this saying.  I mean, are there things that a family does that are unforgivable?  I think about people like Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy.  Their families loved them and I think, in Dahmer's case, that they still loved him even after all the horrible things he did.  I know I always say to myself that I will always love my sons, no matter what, but what if (God forbid) one of them was to turn out really bad or commit some horrible crime.  Would I be able to love them still?  I really think that this is something that a person just will not know until it actually happens to them.  So, what do I think of the saying?  Well, I know that we are more able to forgive our families than anyone else so in that sense, I would have to say that it's true.

Tell us about someone you love -- your partner, spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, best friend, dog...

Since I mentioned my sons above, I just want to set minds at rest that my sons are two wonderful individuals.  

My son, Gabe, has had a lot of problems and struggles over the years.  He has ADHD and severe anxiety.  School, and life in general, has been a constant struggle for him.  Yet he perseveres and continues on.  As he is getting older, he is becoming more conscientious and despite all his problems at school (he has been bullied and shunned by other kids), he never gives me a hassle about going and he keeps trying.  He was lucky enough to be picked to attend a magnet school for junior high and I'm so excited for his future! 

My son, Reece, Gabe's little brother (well, they're only 14 months apart) is my little smart one.  He has consistently been an A and B student for the past several years.  He learns very fast.  He also shares my adoration for reading which I am absolutely thrilled about.  He makes friends very easily and he is a very kind and conscientious child.  He still has a bit of immaturity which can lead to some bratty actions at times, but overall, he's a good kid.

They are loving sons and I love them more than anything in this world. <3

Joyce Brothers said, "When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." True or false? 

I would have to say 'true'.  I wouldn't trade my family for anything in this world and I didn't have them, I know I would not be as happy of a person as I am.  I am very close with my mom.  She's really my best friend.  I'm close to my dad and my aunts and cousins.  Although my sister lives in another state, we are still very close and I'm also close to her kids, my nieces and nephew.  My husband and I are somewhat close (we've grown apart over the years).  Although things are not like they used to be, we still have a relationship that I can only describe as comfortable.  But the two members of my family who have truly made my happiness are my sons.  Being a mother has been the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me.  So yes, family happiness is the greatest happiness.

ROW80 Check-In

Yeah, you read the post title correctly.  FAIL  Not a big surprise coming from me.  I've failed at pretty much every goal I've set for myself for the new year.  I'm still trying and I'll never give up, but it's hard not to get discouraged.  One day leads into the next and before you know it, another week has gone by.  Another week of epic occurrences of not accomplishing anything productive.  *frown*  Ah well, a human being is a work in progress and this human being is going to be up on that easel for a long time.  But you know what?  Just like that painting is eventually finished, so will I be.  I have faith in that fact.

I have decided that the only way I'm going to get anything done is if I remove myself from all distractions.  My kids are at school during the day, but my husband works 2nd shift so he's home while the kids are at school.  Then at night, the kids are home.  So I have family distractions and TV and internet....aaarrrgh!  I'm sure you all can relate.  Then there's the fact that we live in a small two bedroom aparment.  There really is no escape here.  I'm seriously considering renting me a small, climate-controlled storage space to use as my little writing retreat.  It may sound crazy, but I'm serious.  They're actually relatively affordable, but I'll most likely have to keep it a secret.  My husband will probably think it's dumb.  He just doesn't get the artist's life.  In the meantime, I'm going to...

--continue research

--reading on the craft

--do more planning to continue where I left off with the WIP

Thank you for listening to me whine.  ;O)