Lauralynn Elliott's Blog, page 6

ROW80 – Round 3 Goals

I seem to waffle between doing really well for a month, then slacking off for a month. I need to stop the slacking off! I got off my game because of something that had to do with my writing, but after talking to a few encouraging people, the whole thing seemed to be one person’s issue, so I feel better. Still, I haven’t completely bounced back from it. There was a lot of discouragement involved. I have to get over it.

Anyway, I didn’t make my word count goal for the month, so that’s put me behind for the year. I’m also way behind this month, but I have time to catch up, and that’s my intention.

Goals:

1. Make my monthly word count goal of 12,739 for July, 12,740 for August, and 12,329 for September. (Based on 150,000 words for the year.)

2. Finish writing the second in the mystery series written under my other pen name.

3. Write at least 250 words a day on the sequel to Soul of a Vampire until I’m finished with the mystery, then readjust the goal when I’m writing ONLY that. (I have trouble writing two stories at once, but I’m going to try to write a LITTLE on that second story.)

I’m on vacation this week, so that could either help or hinder my writing, depending on what we’re doing that day.

I’m hoping this will be a great round for all of us!

Last ROW80 Update for the round AND Operation Kick the Insulin Week 13

I just realized two things. 1) I forgot to do my final round check-in and 2) It’s been three weeks since I posted my Friday Kick the Insulin post. Where does the time go?

I did pretty well this round with writing except for something that threw me way off balance for about a week and halted my writing progress. I was spot on for getting my monthly word count goal in, but this thing really got me down for about six or seven days. It shouldn’t have bothered me, but it did. I can’t go into it publicly because I don’t want hurt feelings, but I’m okay now due to some other friends talking me down from the precipice. I’m a very upbeat kind of person, so it was really unusual for me to be down. It just goes to show our writing is very important to us. Yeah, this was all about writing. Anyway, I’m going to finish below my word count goal for the month, but I’m okay with it. I needed the time off to regroup.

Since this is Friday, I’ll also touch on my Kick the Insulin thing, although I don’t usually combine it with ROW80. I haven’t been able to cut down my dosage yet, but I’m gradually losing weight. It’s coming off about 1/2 lbs. a week right now, but I’ll take it. The only thing I’ve been doing differently (except a little exercise) is replacing one meal a day with a Shakeology shake. If I can get my other meals under better control, there will be more success. And I need to get back to my PiYo workouts, which came to a standstill while I was teaching Vacation Bible School one week. Then I just didn’t get back to it.

I’m really looking forward to the next round! See you all there!

ROW80 Update 6/14/15

I usually don’t get a chance to relax on a Sunday morning with my coffee and my laptop. But I got up early this morning, so breakfast was made and eaten early. And here I am with a little time to kill before church. :)

I realized I didn’t get all my sponsor duties done last week, and I apologize for that. I had Vacation Bible School all week, plus I’m doing a beta read/edit, so I was swamped. Things have calmed down now.

Because of aforementioned VBS and beta read, I hadn’t touched my WIP for two weeks until yesterday. I’m way behind on my monthly word count, but I managed to get over 1300 words in yesterday. Since that’s 3 times the amount of daily words I need to meet my monthly goals, it helped me gain a little. So now I have to average a little over 600 words per day to meet the goal, which should be doable.

My vacation is coming up in three weeks, and I’m really looking forward to that!

I guess that’s all!

Operation Kick the Insulin – Week 10

There’s not a lot to report. Blood sugar is staying steady. I lost another 1/2 lb. this week. I’ve been doing a lot of exercise, but the past few days I haven’t felt well, so I took off a couple of exercise days.

I’m pretty happy with my progress. I would like to lose weight a little faster, but slow and steady wins the race. Well, at least in the case of the tortoise and the hare. LOL

Here’s a hilarious video with Tony Horton about Shakeology, which is what I’m drinking.

ROW80 Update 5/31/15

I was a cleaning machine yesterday! Since I’ve been drinking Shakeology, I have all KINDS of energy. Oh, wow, I just sounded like a commercial. It’s true, though! :) I got so much done yesterday, some of it stuff I’ve been putting off.

Oh, and I got some good words in yesterday, too! I’ve been neglecting that since I had two editing jobs that needed to get done fairly quickly. Now, in order to make my word count quota for May, I have to write over 1400 words today. I usually don’t write on Sundays. But I WANT to make that quota. Can I do it? Maybe….

Operation Kick the Insulin – Week 9

I haven’t posted since week 4. There’s been so much going on with work, death, and other things.

Here’s the deal.

I’ve lost 4 1/2 lbs. That’s not as much as I would have liked by now, but I’m finally doing some serious things to promote my health. Some of you have read earlier posts and know some of this stuff. Feel free to skim.

1. I started drinking Shakeology shakes from Beachbody. This is a meal replacement shake which has more nutrition than any other shake on the market as far as I can tell. This is from their website: “You’ll get protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants, super-green foods, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and just about everything else your body could ever need.” I can honestly say I have more energy.

2. I’m doing PiYo, which is a workout that’s a cross between Pilates and Yoga. It’s really kicking my butt, but it’s going to be worth it! I also got this from Beachbody.

3. My blood sugar is staying really good. I just wish it would stay that way without insulin. I actually forgot my insulin the other night, and 24 hours later (when I realized I had forgotten it the night before), my blood sugar was only 167. That’s really not bad for no insulin. When I was first diagnosed, it was almost 400 without insulin.

I fully believe I’ll be able to kick the insulin by the end of the year. I’m really going to try hard. Wish me luck!

ROW80 Update 5/25/15 – Yeah, I’m Late Again

I missed check-in yesterday, but at least I’m doing it today. Here’s what’s going on.

1. I finished one of my proofreading jobs and am well into another one.

2. Saturday, I wrote about 1200 words on my own WIP, which sort of surprised me.

3. I’m continuing to drink my Shakeology shakes, and I’ve lost four lbs.

4. I watched the first PiYo workout to see how hard it’s going to be (I start it today). Wow, I’m going to be in serious pain.

5. Hubby and I are going to see The Avengers: Age of Ultron today.

6. Hubby always goes to visit an elderly lady who’s bedridden on Mondays, and today I’ll get to go with him since I’m off from work. She’s a hoot. :)

That’s about all. Boring, huh?

ROW80 Update 5/20/15

I’ve had to let my writing go just a bit. I have two proofreading jobs I’m working on right now. I’m about 3/4 finished with the first one, and I’m a little way into the second one. I hope to wrap up the first one by the weekend. I just can’t do all three things at once.

I probably wouldn’t have to set my writing aside, but I have a bunch of things going on besides the proofreading. I went over some of these in my last post, so I won’t bore you with all of that. The only change is that one of our church elders who was very sick has now passed away, so there will be a funeral tomorrow night. Life just gets all kinds of crazy.

I interviewed someone yesterday to replace my assistant, and I really hope she takes the job. This will be the first time in a long time there’s been another female besides me working here if she does. I guess I’ll have to share my bathroom. The upside is, she seems to be very organized, and none of the guys here are, so I’ll have a kindred spirit in that respect. *keeping fingers crossed*

I really hope life slows down some. Not the proofreading jobs. though! I want them to keep coming! :)

ROW80 Update 5/18/15 – A Day Late

I almost didn’t post at all. I’m so overwhelmed. But I know that keeping a routine is always good. Here’s what’s going on.

1. I got a book I was supposed to proofread late, so now it’s bumping up against another proofread.

2. I’m trying to keep up with two pen names, which means writing two books, maintaining two Facebook profiles, maintaining two websites, checking yet another email and trying not to mix everything up. (This doesn’t include my personal FB and email.)

3. One of the elders where I go to church is at death’s door, and it’s really sad.

4. The father of one of my best friends is very sick.

5. A person on my husband’s side of the family is being abusive to another family member, and we’re having to deal with that.

6. I’m teaching Vacation Bible School in June, which hinders the proofreading and the writing. I envision a lot of late nights.

But…

1. I’ve started drinking Shakeology shakes which have a bunch of awesome ingredients, and I already feel like my energy level is up. (I hope it’s not just the power of suggestion.)

2. My blood sugar is down, and I’m hoping this is a good sign for me trying to get off my insulin by the end of the year.

3. I’ve lost a couple of pounds.

4. When I don’t feel like writing, I’ve been making myself sit down and write anyway, promising myself it’s just for at least 500 words or so, but I’ve ended up writing more.

5. My husband is awesome and understands that when I have a lot to do in my proofreading and writing business the housework might have to wait (and he does it).

6. I’m teaching Vacation Bible School in June, and it’s a very rewarding and uplifting experience.

7. I have proofreading jobs, for which I’m very thankful.

8. Even though book sales for Lauralynn are in the toilet right now, the Catherine pen name is doing well.

9. I have the most awesome friends in the world.

ROW80 Update 5/13/15 – With Some Whining

Writing is still going pretty good. I’m still on target for my monthly word count goal.

Here’s the whining part, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.

We are so far behind at work. Farther behind than I realized. We had an employee die about three weeks ago, and now they’ve taken away my assistant and put him in that position. It’s better for him but awful for me. Now I’m even more overworked. I went into the other office and found just HOW far behind stuff is. And I’m the only one who is available to do it except our truck driver who SOMETIMES comes into the office and helps me. I’ve had a headache all week by the time I get home in the evenings. My acid reflux has been acting up the past two days, even though I’m on medication for it. I’ve been on the verge of tears for days. Part of it is because I’m missing the employee, a good friend, who died. But part of it is the frustration of trying to do the work of about three people. I hope all this stress doesn’t seriously impact my writing.

/end of whining

On a more positive note, I’ve joined a FB group started by a friend who is a coach for Beach Body. I signed up for a free membership on the website. I’m seriously thinking about using their meal replacement shakes (Shakeology) for one meal a day. There’s stuff in this shake that’s not in any other, including a BUNCH of super foods. It’s expensive, but if it replaces lunch AND my vitamins/minerals, then it’s actually saving me money. I bought a sample pack with one of each flavor to see if I like it. It’s got so much good for you stuff in it, it can’t taste THAT good. LOL