A report on my first day following the program

Program? Certainly, I'm on Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, the Atkins and the C Food diets. So I'm following lots of programs.

You know, I'm lying. I am on a lifestyle change though. I'm eating far less sugar, not having snacks every night (only 6 out of 7 nights.. okay.. maybe more like 2 out of 7) and am exercising enthusiastically.

I'm down nearly ten pounds this year. Annemarie, with whom I am competing in a home-based Biggest Loser, is beating me, of course. She's down fifteen on the year.

How did I get into this discussion? Uh...

Oh yeah. Program.

So the program I really meant was the getting up early and doing some creative writing every morning. I got up early yesterday, but only just in time to make it to the gym to meet a friend and repeatedly lift iron. This morning I got up at 5AM and got right to it.

Okay, I'm lying again. Or just pulling somebody's leg. Or maybe I'm just a git.

I got up at 5 to write, but also because we needed bread to be available for breakfast and lunches. So I had some wheat flour soaking overnight and then whipped it into dough and loaves and ended up with 5 nice loaves of bread. The house smells great.

Interspersed with kneading and forming loaves and such, I did some writing on a book I started in December. This was the book I wanted to do entirely for my own ImGoToWrANoMo project, which didn't work out due to the need to make $$$. So today I wrote about 760 words in about 30 minutes of writing, but I also took time to go through the outline and what I already had. The book is now at 4387 words (about 11 pages).

So it was a good thing. Feels good to be working on it again, albeit I also felt like it was rough going for a little bit there too.

I have to get in to the office so I can make calls. I'll be back later.

carpe somnium

Yay, I'm famous!

Okay, maybe not, but I'm making progress. Once again, I am on www.helium.com 's home page. So just click on that link and scroll down until you see the article by happy me!

You know what else, you might just learn a thing or two about winter gardening activities.

Or you could just ... uh... wait, I lost my train of thought.

But at least I'll never forget the squirrel dance, which I learned from the mighty Hap the Sniffling Poodle last year.

The end.

As for ImGoToWrANoMo, it ended up being: I had a lot of paying freelance work in December, so it didn't happen. This is the month. Whew. Got that off my chest.

Oh, Annemarie and I are doing our own version of Biggest Loser. I came up with the best week-level prizes ever. Can anyone guess what they are?

Reporting and updating

Today I haven't had the time to work on my ImGoToWrANoMo work, due to a variety of reasons, including sleep deficiency, FHE (Family Home Evening for the uninitiated) in which we did the Christmas tree and decorations thing, applying to two jobs--one of which I really should get, and needing to freaking go to bed!

Last week I got in a major hole for sleep. My word count goal for this week is 15,000 and I WILL get it. I will.

Just wait.

I've pretty much finished world-building for my new novel, which has no working title yet. It can wait. I also have some major climaxes put together. I still need at least one support character and a resolution, but I'm going to write the story this week and see where that takes me. Gotta keep it organic and all. Whatever that means.

Stay tuned, or tune in later. I'm going to get this done, although the book might be longer than initially anticipated.

I'm going to bed now. I can't let bedtime slide anymore.

What's December without a little extra?

Okay, here's the deal.

I'm calling December my

ImGoToWrANoMo (pronounced however you choose).

I'm Going To Write A Novel Month is what that all means.

And it's true. I'm going to write from 2500-3000 words each day of this month, not including Sundays and perhaps including Saturdays, but not very likely. This means that I have three days this week, five the next, five the next, five the next and three the last week. That gives me 21 days of writing.

Meaning my 1st Draft of the novel will be about 50,000 words to 63,000 words.

I'm not ruling out doing more than my goal on any given day, but I will. not. do. less.

This is an experiment and a demonstration of my commitment.

It will take me about two to three hours each day to hit my goal. That means I will need to set aside some time for it. That time will be early in the morning, right after I exercise, and I will make up any additional time in the evening.

I will report daily. Possibly twice daily. Stay tuned.

Oh, and I'm really not sure what the novel's going to be about. That's what I'm going to decide tonight.

I'm out for now.

carpe somnium

By the way, check out http://www.helium.com/marketplace?placement=CL45690 to see some great writing opportunities that can actually make you a bit of cash.