Lydia Howe's Blog, page 29
November 9, 2015
NaNo Update (Spoiler: I finished it in five days) and Snippets
I know I was quite the absentee blogger last week folks. That wasn't planned. It just happened. There is a very good reason as to why it happened though, and I thought you would be delighted to share in the joy and celebrate with me.
See, see, seeeeee! I wrote 50,000 words in five days. People! The NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) goal is 50,000 words. That means I hit the goal in five days instead of thirty. Which of course means I dove right back into planning mode and worked on the plot for the second book in the series and then promptly wrote the first 1,000 words on Saturday.
And, also, if you didn't notice from this beautiful little picture (which is a tad bit off because I didn't write on Sunday which was day #1, so my average words per day was actually 10,000), I had a 20,000 word day. Yes, tis true. It was crazy. Especially since I've also been fighting a cold most of the week and I spent half of the 20,000 word day not feeling up to anything and therefore doing a lot of sleeping.
I'm very excited about this week and seeing where I get on the second book in the series. It has a promising plot and I can hardly wait to dig back into it this morning. Sadly, I will have to limit my writing at least somewhat because between typing a huge amount (I was also typing some stuff for my non-writing job) and crocheting baby blankets my right wrist is a bit sore and I don't want to risk permanently damaging it. I gave it yesterday almost completely off, to the point where I took notes in church with my left hand (not a pretty sight, people!), so it should be good to go.
I decided to do something extra special. I wanted to share snippets of my story but I'm not allowing myself to go back through and read it until the month is over so I didn't think that would work... Then as I was writing this post I was like "Ah, come on! Let's just find some random pieces of the book you can share with everyone. They'll enjoy it, it will make you happy and you don't have to read large amounts so it's a win-win situation." So of course I did.
Y'all, it was actually rather shocking because I wrote the book in such a rapid flurry that I kinda forget most of what happens. Of course the plot points stick out, but other than that? Yeah, rather blurry. By the way, I picked pretty much the first snippets I came upon... I find them rather entertaining though, so hopefully y'all do, too.
And, I'm almost late to a meeting at my non-writing job so I need to rapidly finish this. The first two snippets are actually a continuation of each other, but it was too much to use as one picture. And, sorry if you can't read them on your phone... If you click on the picture then zoom up it should work better. Also, these are completely unedited so forgive that, I was just so excited about sharing part of my story with y'all!
* * *
* * *
* * *I hope that was enjoyable for y'all! Have a great Monday and I'll (hopefully) see you tomorrow!
See, see, seeeeee! I wrote 50,000 words in five days. People! The NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) goal is 50,000 words. That means I hit the goal in five days instead of thirty. Which of course means I dove right back into planning mode and worked on the plot for the second book in the series and then promptly wrote the first 1,000 words on Saturday.
And, also, if you didn't notice from this beautiful little picture (which is a tad bit off because I didn't write on Sunday which was day #1, so my average words per day was actually 10,000), I had a 20,000 word day. Yes, tis true. It was crazy. Especially since I've also been fighting a cold most of the week and I spent half of the 20,000 word day not feeling up to anything and therefore doing a lot of sleeping.
I'm very excited about this week and seeing where I get on the second book in the series. It has a promising plot and I can hardly wait to dig back into it this morning. Sadly, I will have to limit my writing at least somewhat because between typing a huge amount (I was also typing some stuff for my non-writing job) and crocheting baby blankets my right wrist is a bit sore and I don't want to risk permanently damaging it. I gave it yesterday almost completely off, to the point where I took notes in church with my left hand (not a pretty sight, people!), so it should be good to go.
I decided to do something extra special. I wanted to share snippets of my story but I'm not allowing myself to go back through and read it until the month is over so I didn't think that would work... Then as I was writing this post I was like "Ah, come on! Let's just find some random pieces of the book you can share with everyone. They'll enjoy it, it will make you happy and you don't have to read large amounts so it's a win-win situation." So of course I did.
Y'all, it was actually rather shocking because I wrote the book in such a rapid flurry that I kinda forget most of what happens. Of course the plot points stick out, but other than that? Yeah, rather blurry. By the way, I picked pretty much the first snippets I came upon... I find them rather entertaining though, so hopefully y'all do, too.
And, I'm almost late to a meeting at my non-writing job so I need to rapidly finish this. The first two snippets are actually a continuation of each other, but it was too much to use as one picture. And, sorry if you can't read them on your phone... If you click on the picture then zoom up it should work better. Also, these are completely unedited so forgive that, I was just so excited about sharing part of my story with y'all!
* * *
* * *
* * *I hope that was enjoyable for y'all! Have a great Monday and I'll (hopefully) see you tomorrow!
November 5, 2015
November 2015 Goals & NaNo Update
Hey! Hey! Hey! I'm still alive. My brain is about ready to jump out of my head though. You should see the way that it's dancing around inside my skull as I pound away at NaNo. I've been having a delightful time with building my word count and writing this book. The words have come slowly at times and quite rapidly at other times.
I told my mom today that I think I'm going to have to go to the chiropractor when the month is over because my neck and head and back are all tight from me being hunched over my computer with my fingers flying along and concentration a mile deep. I have been trying to stretch and move around though so I don't cause too much damage to my little body. Plus I've been drinking a lot of water. That should help, right? And taking walks. (We have had the most beautiful days recently!)
This morning I've already been typing for a while, trying to build up that word count and get my story out of my head and onto the page. There are so many thoughts swirling around in my head that I can't even concentrate on them any more. I've been dealing with absolutely zero writers block, which makes me quite happy indeed. That's not to say that my mind is comprehending what's going on around me or even in the story because I'm in a constant state of "Oh yes, there's something I need to do. Focus. Stop chewing on that pen and start writing again", but it's a good feeling.
I don't know how to describe it except I'm feeling exhausted pretty much all the time and yet it's wonderful. Yesterday I had an early meeting at work and so I didn't get nearly the writing done that I wanted to (or blogging, for that matter) and yet today I got a fairly early start and so I took ahold of it and sat down and began typing without even eating breakfast.
I'm off to find something of quality to eat, but before that, here are my three November Goals.
Goals for November 2015:
1. If the Lord wills and I live I will Complete NaNoWriMo
2. If the Lord wills and I live I will read one nonfiction book and review it
3. If the Lord wills and I live I will reach Lamentations in my Bible reading.
...Mostly though, folks, I'll be doing NaNo. Lots and lots and lots of writing. Amen and amen.
* * *What about you? What are your November goals?
I told my mom today that I think I'm going to have to go to the chiropractor when the month is over because my neck and head and back are all tight from me being hunched over my computer with my fingers flying along and concentration a mile deep. I have been trying to stretch and move around though so I don't cause too much damage to my little body. Plus I've been drinking a lot of water. That should help, right? And taking walks. (We have had the most beautiful days recently!)
This morning I've already been typing for a while, trying to build up that word count and get my story out of my head and onto the page. There are so many thoughts swirling around in my head that I can't even concentrate on them any more. I've been dealing with absolutely zero writers block, which makes me quite happy indeed. That's not to say that my mind is comprehending what's going on around me or even in the story because I'm in a constant state of "Oh yes, there's something I need to do. Focus. Stop chewing on that pen and start writing again", but it's a good feeling.
I don't know how to describe it except I'm feeling exhausted pretty much all the time and yet it's wonderful. Yesterday I had an early meeting at work and so I didn't get nearly the writing done that I wanted to (or blogging, for that matter) and yet today I got a fairly early start and so I took ahold of it and sat down and began typing without even eating breakfast.
I'm off to find something of quality to eat, but before that, here are my three November Goals.
Goals for November 2015:
1. If the Lord wills and I live I will Complete NaNoWriMo
2. If the Lord wills and I live I will read one nonfiction book and review it
3. If the Lord wills and I live I will reach Lamentations in my Bible reading.
...Mostly though, folks, I'll be doing NaNo. Lots and lots and lots of writing. Amen and amen.
* * *What about you? What are your November goals?
November 3, 2015
NaNo Craziness Has Officially Started
Welcome. There's a very scary place where only a few venture to travel and that is called Aidyl's Office during NaNo. It's quite freaky indeed, but I'm reaching out and yanking you through the doorway before you even know what's going on so I can babble on and on about what's happening in this remote and amazing room.
See, there's a story taking place. No, really. A story is being written in this very room. It's actually probably more correct to say "A girl who could possibly pass as a mad scientist is currently secluding herself in a red and tan office while writing furiously and randomly throwing words on to a page with the hope that at the end of the months she'll look back and they'll actually make sense."
I don't write on Sundays (except for my 100 words) and so therefore even though NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) officially started on Sunday, I didn't begin my head long dash into the month of writing until Monday morning. Then I went at it with a vengeance. (That is totally not the correct word, but my brain has spilled out so many incorrect words recently that I'm going to act like it is.)
I had this lofty goal of writing maybe 5,000 words the first day. Then a little while later I decided to change that goal to 10,000 words. Sadly that didn't happen because I didn't hit the 10,000 word mark until a little bit after midnight... I know, right? Like, couldn't the clock have just stopped for maybe 27 minutes? (Or maybe I should have stopped procrastinating earlier in the day? Humm... That's food for thought.)
And speaking of food for thought! I'm trying to be healthy. Yes. Very heathy. You see, when I'm sitting here writing and writing and writing I like to also munch. And drink. And lick pens. So this morning for breakfast I had a bowl of crunchy veggies while working on my story. (And pomegranates. If you've never had pomegranates I'm sorry and I hope you rectify that soon.)
Okay, I might have lied when I said "very healthy" because in preparation for NaNo I went out and bought some delicious white chocolate. In fact, I found white Reese's cups for the first time ever and almost did a jig right there in the store. These chocolates are delicious. I have already gobbled down a few of them and am currently wondering why I only bought one bag. I mean, NaNo lasts a month, right? (I don't generally allow myself chocolate, people. Or candy for that matter (except life savors) so this is a special treat and I'm enjoying it greatly.)
Anyway. I shall henceforth end this post soon because I have more words to type out and I have the rest of life to live, too, although I'm trying to forget that fact from time to time so I can focus on my story. It's a beautiful story full of bitterness and rejected children and hope and love and loyalty and all those amazing attributes. Mostly about princesses though. Princesses who don't actual exist and others that act as if they don't exist. (Does this give you a little peek inside my brain? Freaky place, right? But oh, so fun!)
I shall try and share snippets with you some time during this glorious month. For now though, good bye. Be good and don't forget to dance for pure joy at least once a week.
See, there's a story taking place. No, really. A story is being written in this very room. It's actually probably more correct to say "A girl who could possibly pass as a mad scientist is currently secluding herself in a red and tan office while writing furiously and randomly throwing words on to a page with the hope that at the end of the months she'll look back and they'll actually make sense."
I don't write on Sundays (except for my 100 words) and so therefore even though NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) officially started on Sunday, I didn't begin my head long dash into the month of writing until Monday morning. Then I went at it with a vengeance. (That is totally not the correct word, but my brain has spilled out so many incorrect words recently that I'm going to act like it is.)
I had this lofty goal of writing maybe 5,000 words the first day. Then a little while later I decided to change that goal to 10,000 words. Sadly that didn't happen because I didn't hit the 10,000 word mark until a little bit after midnight... I know, right? Like, couldn't the clock have just stopped for maybe 27 minutes? (Or maybe I should have stopped procrastinating earlier in the day? Humm... That's food for thought.)
And speaking of food for thought! I'm trying to be healthy. Yes. Very heathy. You see, when I'm sitting here writing and writing and writing I like to also munch. And drink. And lick pens. So this morning for breakfast I had a bowl of crunchy veggies while working on my story. (And pomegranates. If you've never had pomegranates I'm sorry and I hope you rectify that soon.)
Okay, I might have lied when I said "very healthy" because in preparation for NaNo I went out and bought some delicious white chocolate. In fact, I found white Reese's cups for the first time ever and almost did a jig right there in the store. These chocolates are delicious. I have already gobbled down a few of them and am currently wondering why I only bought one bag. I mean, NaNo lasts a month, right? (I don't generally allow myself chocolate, people. Or candy for that matter (except life savors) so this is a special treat and I'm enjoying it greatly.)
Anyway. I shall henceforth end this post soon because I have more words to type out and I have the rest of life to live, too, although I'm trying to forget that fact from time to time so I can focus on my story. It's a beautiful story full of bitterness and rejected children and hope and love and loyalty and all those amazing attributes. Mostly about princesses though. Princesses who don't actual exist and others that act as if they don't exist. (Does this give you a little peek inside my brain? Freaky place, right? But oh, so fun!)
I shall try and share snippets with you some time during this glorious month. For now though, good bye. Be good and don't forget to dance for pure joy at least once a week.
November 2, 2015
October 2015 in Review
What I focused on in October
1. The 4th draft of When Life Hands You Lymes2. Busy times at my non-writing job 3. Nicole's wedding
Birthday Challenge and Dream List Update
Birthday Challenge:
2. Pray the "prayer of Jebez" every day for three months {One Month}
3. Read the whole Bible {Read: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings}
4. Go to Wednesday night church 24 times {1 Time}
7. Read the Proverb of the day every day for six months {1 Month}
10. Make 24 meals from different countries {3 Meals}
11. Get up at 6:15 or before 24 days in a row (not counting weekends) {11 Days in October}
12. Go to bed at 10:30 or before 24 nights (not in a row) {8 Nights}
13. Write a monthly review on my blog within 5 days of the end of the month whenever internet is available {1 Month}
14. Blog my 3 (or more) top goals for each month within 5 days of the beginning of each month whenever internet is available {1 Month}
15. Write 24 book reviews {3 here, here and here}
16. Make 24 baby blankets for crisis pregnancy centers {The equivalent of 2}
23. Read 24 non-fiction books {4}
Dream List:
None
Reading Update
Fiction: 8Non-fiction: 4Reviews: 3
Traveling
Nights gone: 1New states or countries: None
October Goal Update
1. Finish the Fourth Draft of When Life Hands You Lymes - Yes2. Focus and do an amazing job with the MWR (a big project at my non-writing job) - Yes3. Read two non-fiction books and write reviews - Yes: 4 non-ficion books read, 3 reviews 4. Finish two baby blankets - Pretty much. I ran out of yarn for one blanket, so I started a new one and made the equivalent of two5. Finish figuring out my 24 before 24 challenges - Yes
What I've Been Learning
Let's not laugh at the redundancy here, but I've been learning a lot about writing. It's my job, I study it quite frequently, especially during the last few months. There's always more to learn, so it's good I find studying the craft interesting.
I'm a mixture of a plotter (someone who has a plot before they begin their book) and a pantster (someone who "flies by the seat of their pants" coming up with the direction of their story as they go along), but I'm probably more of a plotter than I realized. Plots are important, a concept that was repeatedly pounded into my head by my cousin, and I work best when I have at least an outline in front of me to refer back to. I also need to remember to email myself all my plots so I can find them even on different computers.
What I fill my mind with is very important. It's not worth it to pour junk into my brain even if I paid for that junk (not knowing what it was). I need to set my standards and not back down. That means even if the book I'm reading about writing is really good as far as content goes, if it steps across the bounds I've set for myself in regards of language I need to toss it.
I've also been learning about famous/influential people such as: Joan of Arc, Mother Teresa, and Hannah Moore. It's amazing to see how little things in our lives can end up making big differences. I won't make a good difference in the world by mistake. I have to be intentional and prioritize, grow, learn and become. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
It's recently been hitting me how much I've learned through reading. Rosa Parks? I could tell you most of her life's story including what color car her husband owned. Florence Nightingale? She was one of my good friends growing up and I was pretty convinced I was going to name my first daughter after her. (I did name a kitten after her...) Eleanor Roosevelt? Harriet Tubman? I'd probably read three Historical Fiction books about each of them before I was a teenager. Reading has taught me so much and I'm thankful for that.
Other
October started off with a flurry of activity and a beautiful bang when our 'almost-sister' Nicole got married. Our family spent several days helping set up for the wedding, the wedding itself and then tearing down everything. It was a lovely, exciting, fun-filled and busy occasion that created a lot of wonderful memories and gave me a new brother-in-law. I'm pretty sure that eating donuts in the middle of the night at the conclusion of a road trip after a wedding is an experience that I won't ever forget. Except when my brain tries to tell me it was just a dream...
We had some friends of ours visit from Georgia, so that was fun. Sadly I wasn't feeling the best during their visit (I had some weird flu-ish type of thing going on), but I still had a good time. The best part was when we had a campfire and ate chili and hotdogs and drank apple cider.
Oh! And speaking of that: October had a lot of apple cider and campfires which are two of my favorite things so that in and of itself made it a good month. Happy, happy autumn.
This month is a little sparse on the "other" section because so much of the month was filled with editing. In fact, looking back on the month I can hardly remember anything else, although I know that obviously isn't true. I had to have at least slept at some point in time...
* * * What about y'all? What did you do during October?
1. The 4th draft of When Life Hands You Lymes2. Busy times at my non-writing job 3. Nicole's wedding
Birthday Challenge and Dream List Update
Birthday Challenge:
2. Pray the "prayer of Jebez" every day for three months {One Month}
3. Read the whole Bible {Read: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings}
4. Go to Wednesday night church 24 times {1 Time}
7. Read the Proverb of the day every day for six months {1 Month}
10. Make 24 meals from different countries {3 Meals}
11. Get up at 6:15 or before 24 days in a row (not counting weekends) {11 Days in October}
12. Go to bed at 10:30 or before 24 nights (not in a row) {8 Nights}
13. Write a monthly review on my blog within 5 days of the end of the month whenever internet is available {1 Month}
14. Blog my 3 (or more) top goals for each month within 5 days of the beginning of each month whenever internet is available {1 Month}
15. Write 24 book reviews {3 here, here and here}
16. Make 24 baby blankets for crisis pregnancy centers {The equivalent of 2}
23. Read 24 non-fiction books {4}
Dream List:
None
Reading Update
Fiction: 8Non-fiction: 4Reviews: 3
Traveling
Nights gone: 1New states or countries: None
October Goal Update
1. Finish the Fourth Draft of When Life Hands You Lymes - Yes2. Focus and do an amazing job with the MWR (a big project at my non-writing job) - Yes3. Read two non-fiction books and write reviews - Yes: 4 non-ficion books read, 3 reviews 4. Finish two baby blankets - Pretty much. I ran out of yarn for one blanket, so I started a new one and made the equivalent of two5. Finish figuring out my 24 before 24 challenges - Yes
What I've Been Learning
Let's not laugh at the redundancy here, but I've been learning a lot about writing. It's my job, I study it quite frequently, especially during the last few months. There's always more to learn, so it's good I find studying the craft interesting.
I'm a mixture of a plotter (someone who has a plot before they begin their book) and a pantster (someone who "flies by the seat of their pants" coming up with the direction of their story as they go along), but I'm probably more of a plotter than I realized. Plots are important, a concept that was repeatedly pounded into my head by my cousin, and I work best when I have at least an outline in front of me to refer back to. I also need to remember to email myself all my plots so I can find them even on different computers.
What I fill my mind with is very important. It's not worth it to pour junk into my brain even if I paid for that junk (not knowing what it was). I need to set my standards and not back down. That means even if the book I'm reading about writing is really good as far as content goes, if it steps across the bounds I've set for myself in regards of language I need to toss it.
I've also been learning about famous/influential people such as: Joan of Arc, Mother Teresa, and Hannah Moore. It's amazing to see how little things in our lives can end up making big differences. I won't make a good difference in the world by mistake. I have to be intentional and prioritize, grow, learn and become. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
It's recently been hitting me how much I've learned through reading. Rosa Parks? I could tell you most of her life's story including what color car her husband owned. Florence Nightingale? She was one of my good friends growing up and I was pretty convinced I was going to name my first daughter after her. (I did name a kitten after her...) Eleanor Roosevelt? Harriet Tubman? I'd probably read three Historical Fiction books about each of them before I was a teenager. Reading has taught me so much and I'm thankful for that.
Other
October started off with a flurry of activity and a beautiful bang when our 'almost-sister' Nicole got married. Our family spent several days helping set up for the wedding, the wedding itself and then tearing down everything. It was a lovely, exciting, fun-filled and busy occasion that created a lot of wonderful memories and gave me a new brother-in-law. I'm pretty sure that eating donuts in the middle of the night at the conclusion of a road trip after a wedding is an experience that I won't ever forget. Except when my brain tries to tell me it was just a dream...
We had some friends of ours visit from Georgia, so that was fun. Sadly I wasn't feeling the best during their visit (I had some weird flu-ish type of thing going on), but I still had a good time. The best part was when we had a campfire and ate chili and hotdogs and drank apple cider.
Oh! And speaking of that: October had a lot of apple cider and campfires which are two of my favorite things so that in and of itself made it a good month. Happy, happy autumn.
This month is a little sparse on the "other" section because so much of the month was filled with editing. In fact, looking back on the month I can hardly remember anything else, although I know that obviously isn't true. I had to have at least slept at some point in time...
* * * What about y'all? What did you do during October?
October 29, 2015
This Little Gal is doing NaNoWriMo (Cue Shrieks of Joy and Excitement)
Guess what, folks! I decided it pretty late in the game, but, *deep breath*, I'm planning on taking part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNo) in November. Which, in case you didn't realize it, is only three days away.
See, I've spent the last six weeks working on the forth draft of my current WIP, When Life Hands You Lymes, and I wanted to celebrate getting that draft finished (yay!), so NaNo seemed like a perfect gift to myself. It's been twenty-two months since I've gotten to work on a new book and as any writer knows, new projects and ideas are so shinny and exciting and fun.
I told myself I wouldn't do anything for NaNo until I was finished with the 4th draft of my book, so I put my head down and ran with WLHYL until I had fixed all my known problems and added details and hundreds of other tweaks. (I still have to get the last few chapters back from my beta reader and make changes per her suggestions, but I obviously can't do that until I get the suggestions back from her, so I have a free card on that front.)
Yesterday morning after I gleefully finished the editing I pulled out my No Plot? No Problem! book that I had started a few months earlier and spent several hours reading it and cramming writing info into my brain. I also finished re-reading Go Teen Writers which was fantastic as always and I should basically start re-reading it again right away. It's that good.
As of yesterday morning I still had basically no idea what book I was going to write for NaNo. I have lots of cute little ideas bumping around on the walls of my brain, but hey, choosing which story to spend the next 30 days wrapped up in is not a light matter.
I told myself that if I wanted I could just choose a fun story idea that I would write for pure practice and not worry about the results. That idea has some merit to it, especially since I've spent almost two years on a book that was very personal and rather difficult to work on at times.
Then of course I could do a story that I've had yelling at me during random moments of my life, like "HEY! We are such a cool idea! FOCUS ON US and forget about the rest of the world for a while. We'll make you laugh, and OH, oh, oh, we even have names for ourselves, so that helps you out a lot." (I have a hard time naming characters...)
And then. Then there's the story that I have been extremely excited about writing for the last three (four?) years. The one I started back when I was probably still in my teens and spent months on it before putting it aside because I realized my writing skills weren't equal to the story and plot.
It's that story. The one that as a writer I feel like I've hit a jackpot. The plot twists have come through at random times throughout the last few years and leave me feeling almost giddy with excitement. It's my favorite story idea of all time and I can still remember all the very important "ah-ha" moments in it's creation.
At first I told myself I wouldn't work on that story during NaNo. I didn't want to add any pressure to my editing-brain at the time. But, but as soon as my editing brain switched to "new story brain" it started jumping up and down in excitement saying "Do it, do it, do it!" and tickling my memory with all the neat aspects of the story and assuring me that "Don't worry about a thing, if you don't like what you come up with you can always scrap it and start over again. It won't be the first time."
So, even though I haven't decided entirely, I'm pretty sure that I'll be writing Echoes, which I also refer to as TGS. It will be a hugely amazing amount of fun and I'm hoping to go to the store and buy some fun snacks and maybe some juice and chocolate and new socks to work with. Because, yeah, new socks make writing (and life) so much better.
This morning was the first day I've been on the NaNo website for years and I'm a little bit overwhelmed thinking of all the information there is to explore and people add to my writing buddy list and announcing my novel... Not to mention plotting out my novel or anything (despite the advice in No Plot? No Problem! I plan on beginning my writing with a fantastically wonderful plot. Who cares that November is only a few days away and I have a lot of other stuff to do between then and now...
And speaking of that, I need to stop typing so I can go and get ready for my non-writing job so I'm not late to work... I'm really excited about this though and I feel like sharing all the happy info with y'all. I could continue on and on with my plans and ideas, so it's actually a good thing that I don't have the time.
* * *
What about you? Are you doing NaNo? I can't wait to see who all is taking part in this adventure!
See, I've spent the last six weeks working on the forth draft of my current WIP, When Life Hands You Lymes, and I wanted to celebrate getting that draft finished (yay!), so NaNo seemed like a perfect gift to myself. It's been twenty-two months since I've gotten to work on a new book and as any writer knows, new projects and ideas are so shinny and exciting and fun.
I told myself I wouldn't do anything for NaNo until I was finished with the 4th draft of my book, so I put my head down and ran with WLHYL until I had fixed all my known problems and added details and hundreds of other tweaks. (I still have to get the last few chapters back from my beta reader and make changes per her suggestions, but I obviously can't do that until I get the suggestions back from her, so I have a free card on that front.)
Yesterday morning after I gleefully finished the editing I pulled out my No Plot? No Problem! book that I had started a few months earlier and spent several hours reading it and cramming writing info into my brain. I also finished re-reading Go Teen Writers which was fantastic as always and I should basically start re-reading it again right away. It's that good.
As of yesterday morning I still had basically no idea what book I was going to write for NaNo. I have lots of cute little ideas bumping around on the walls of my brain, but hey, choosing which story to spend the next 30 days wrapped up in is not a light matter.
I told myself that if I wanted I could just choose a fun story idea that I would write for pure practice and not worry about the results. That idea has some merit to it, especially since I've spent almost two years on a book that was very personal and rather difficult to work on at times.
Then of course I could do a story that I've had yelling at me during random moments of my life, like "HEY! We are such a cool idea! FOCUS ON US and forget about the rest of the world for a while. We'll make you laugh, and OH, oh, oh, we even have names for ourselves, so that helps you out a lot." (I have a hard time naming characters...)
And then. Then there's the story that I have been extremely excited about writing for the last three (four?) years. The one I started back when I was probably still in my teens and spent months on it before putting it aside because I realized my writing skills weren't equal to the story and plot.
It's that story. The one that as a writer I feel like I've hit a jackpot. The plot twists have come through at random times throughout the last few years and leave me feeling almost giddy with excitement. It's my favorite story idea of all time and I can still remember all the very important "ah-ha" moments in it's creation.
At first I told myself I wouldn't work on that story during NaNo. I didn't want to add any pressure to my editing-brain at the time. But, but as soon as my editing brain switched to "new story brain" it started jumping up and down in excitement saying "Do it, do it, do it!" and tickling my memory with all the neat aspects of the story and assuring me that "Don't worry about a thing, if you don't like what you come up with you can always scrap it and start over again. It won't be the first time."
So, even though I haven't decided entirely, I'm pretty sure that I'll be writing Echoes, which I also refer to as TGS. It will be a hugely amazing amount of fun and I'm hoping to go to the store and buy some fun snacks and maybe some juice and chocolate and new socks to work with. Because, yeah, new socks make writing (and life) so much better.
This morning was the first day I've been on the NaNo website for years and I'm a little bit overwhelmed thinking of all the information there is to explore and people add to my writing buddy list and announcing my novel... Not to mention plotting out my novel or anything (despite the advice in No Plot? No Problem! I plan on beginning my writing with a fantastically wonderful plot. Who cares that November is only a few days away and I have a lot of other stuff to do between then and now...
And speaking of that, I need to stop typing so I can go and get ready for my non-writing job so I'm not late to work... I'm really excited about this though and I feel like sharing all the happy info with y'all. I could continue on and on with my plans and ideas, so it's actually a good thing that I don't have the time.
* * *
What about you? Are you doing NaNo? I can't wait to see who all is taking part in this adventure!
October 28, 2015
The Thoughts of an Author
Yesterday I sat down to blog and started a post about four times before deciding not to force it and moved on to editing my WIP. My plan was to come back later on that day and blog, but then life got in the way and I realized at about 9:00 last night that I hadn't ended up blogging.
This morning I've been staring at this blank page wondering what to write about for about five minutes. It's not that I don't have a blog post running around inside my head; instead it's that I've been editing so much recently that all my blog post ideas revolve around editing and writing thoughts and I'm afraid Noveltea is becoming a tediously redundant echo of my thoughts.
Editing does weird things to my brain. As I was writing the above sentence I suddenly thought I wonder what capitulating means and if it would fit into this post somewhere. So I looked it up. I also thought about how I would describe the picture of my cozy writing area. And then I second-guessed the spelling of "staring" and wondered if I possibly wrote "starring" instead, so I looked that up, too.
Next I reminded myself that I needed to go through and add scene breaks to the story, send the next several chapters to my beta reader, check out how all the spacing looked when I changed from double spacing on my WIP to single spacing... I should finish reading the writing book I'm two-thirds of the way through, possibly start another writing book, and maybe skim-read a couple of blog posts on writers blogs about the final stages of editing.
I should probably look at my WLHYL Pinterest boards again and then add a few more details about the characters and setting because even though I added 70 or so of them yesterday, details/descriptions make the story pop and come alive. Details/descriptions take a skeleton and give it distinct features.
I ponder over my decision to change a few key words that help progress Maddie's character arch better. Like where she's having a hard time and her mom tells her to be thankful. Originally she "wilted" in her seat at the thought of being thankful when she didn't feel well, but after looking at the over all character arch instead I made her "straighten" in her seat. It was a one-word swap but changed the tone of the whole scene. It's almost freaky at how huge of a difference one word can make.
So yes, my brain is fairly consumed with editing at this moment and so that's what spills onto my blog, and I think that's ok. Spending this month editing has been a rewarding, exciting, tiresome, and all around good experience for me. I am so looking forward to being done, though.
This morning I've been staring at this blank page wondering what to write about for about five minutes. It's not that I don't have a blog post running around inside my head; instead it's that I've been editing so much recently that all my blog post ideas revolve around editing and writing thoughts and I'm afraid Noveltea is becoming a tediously redundant echo of my thoughts.
Editing does weird things to my brain. As I was writing the above sentence I suddenly thought I wonder what capitulating means and if it would fit into this post somewhere. So I looked it up. I also thought about how I would describe the picture of my cozy writing area. And then I second-guessed the spelling of "staring" and wondered if I possibly wrote "starring" instead, so I looked that up, too.
Next I reminded myself that I needed to go through and add scene breaks to the story, send the next several chapters to my beta reader, check out how all the spacing looked when I changed from double spacing on my WIP to single spacing... I should finish reading the writing book I'm two-thirds of the way through, possibly start another writing book, and maybe skim-read a couple of blog posts on writers blogs about the final stages of editing.
I should probably look at my WLHYL Pinterest boards again and then add a few more details about the characters and setting because even though I added 70 or so of them yesterday, details/descriptions make the story pop and come alive. Details/descriptions take a skeleton and give it distinct features.
I ponder over my decision to change a few key words that help progress Maddie's character arch better. Like where she's having a hard time and her mom tells her to be thankful. Originally she "wilted" in her seat at the thought of being thankful when she didn't feel well, but after looking at the over all character arch instead I made her "straighten" in her seat. It was a one-word swap but changed the tone of the whole scene. It's almost freaky at how huge of a difference one word can make.
So yes, my brain is fairly consumed with editing at this moment and so that's what spills onto my blog, and I think that's ok. Spending this month editing has been a rewarding, exciting, tiresome, and all around good experience for me. I am so looking forward to being done, though.
October 26, 2015
Campfire Skills
One of my favorite things about this time of year is campfires. I build them quite often in my tipi and spend hours reading, writing, and thinking in their flickering presence. It's so calming and fills me with a sense of peace.
I remember back when it took me a long time to start a fire. I'd work for ages at getting the kindling just right, then strike the matches and hold my breath as they began burning. I'd nurse the little flames along, adding a few twigs here and there and hoping I didn't snuff it out. When the fire was finally going well enough that I could sit back and enjoy it I would heave a huge sigh of relief.
Nowadays I've perfected my craft. All I need is kindling, logs, a bit of cotton ball with a dab of petroleum jelly and my flint and steel. I've timed myself time after time and have cut down the duration of the fire starting process significantly. From the time I start working on the kindling until I have a fire at a place where it can last easily for seven or so hours with no additional care is six minutes and twenty seconds.
I pondered this morning how that's how it is in so many areas of life: Tasks that were once a huge accomplishment are now reduced to a blink as I work the skills I've learned. Twenty years ago I couldn't tie my shoes, now I do it without a thought. Fifteen years ago certain household chores took forever, now I do them while brainstorming for my next story.
Ten years ago when I started writing I was horrible at spelling, at brainstorming, at crafting words on a page. My grammar was atrocious; I didn't even know how to format the dialog. I would labor for hours, maybe even most of the day, to get a thousand words and would dance around the room in delight at having accomplished so much.
I began timing myself. Began racing against first the clock, then against myself. I studied the craft, worked on perfecting my skills. I learned, asked questions, grew. I tried and tried again. And again, and again, and again.
And all my labors paid off. I got better. Not just with writing, but with practically everything I do in life. Dishes? No problem. Making a meal? Sure. Sweeping the floor? Of course. Making conversation? Delighted. Writing a book? My pleasure. Living life? Still a challenge, but I'm tackling it.
My guess is that you could say the same thing. Whenever you're discouraged about how slowly you're learning a new skill set or frustrated because the little children in your life still need you to tell them to wash their hands, remember that this is just a season, it's the way life works. One day you'll be able to look back and realize you're waayy beyond that annoying place now. You're on the other side of the learning hump and you're steadily climbing upward.
Life is a process and we all learn and grow. Just because something is difficult and takes all your mind energy right now doesn't mean it's always going to be that way. You're going to conquer new mountains, move up to greater heights. You are amazing and your actions today can set in motion change that will effect the whole world for the better.
Your life matters, and what you do today matters, too.
I remember back when it took me a long time to start a fire. I'd work for ages at getting the kindling just right, then strike the matches and hold my breath as they began burning. I'd nurse the little flames along, adding a few twigs here and there and hoping I didn't snuff it out. When the fire was finally going well enough that I could sit back and enjoy it I would heave a huge sigh of relief.
Nowadays I've perfected my craft. All I need is kindling, logs, a bit of cotton ball with a dab of petroleum jelly and my flint and steel. I've timed myself time after time and have cut down the duration of the fire starting process significantly. From the time I start working on the kindling until I have a fire at a place where it can last easily for seven or so hours with no additional care is six minutes and twenty seconds.
I pondered this morning how that's how it is in so many areas of life: Tasks that were once a huge accomplishment are now reduced to a blink as I work the skills I've learned. Twenty years ago I couldn't tie my shoes, now I do it without a thought. Fifteen years ago certain household chores took forever, now I do them while brainstorming for my next story.
Ten years ago when I started writing I was horrible at spelling, at brainstorming, at crafting words on a page. My grammar was atrocious; I didn't even know how to format the dialog. I would labor for hours, maybe even most of the day, to get a thousand words and would dance around the room in delight at having accomplished so much.
I began timing myself. Began racing against first the clock, then against myself. I studied the craft, worked on perfecting my skills. I learned, asked questions, grew. I tried and tried again. And again, and again, and again.
And all my labors paid off. I got better. Not just with writing, but with practically everything I do in life. Dishes? No problem. Making a meal? Sure. Sweeping the floor? Of course. Making conversation? Delighted. Writing a book? My pleasure. Living life? Still a challenge, but I'm tackling it.
My guess is that you could say the same thing. Whenever you're discouraged about how slowly you're learning a new skill set or frustrated because the little children in your life still need you to tell them to wash their hands, remember that this is just a season, it's the way life works. One day you'll be able to look back and realize you're waayy beyond that annoying place now. You're on the other side of the learning hump and you're steadily climbing upward.
Life is a process and we all learn and grow. Just because something is difficult and takes all your mind energy right now doesn't mean it's always going to be that way. You're going to conquer new mountains, move up to greater heights. You are amazing and your actions today can set in motion change that will effect the whole world for the better.
Your life matters, and what you do today matters, too.
October 23, 2015
What I'm Doing Matters
Yesterday I got zero editing done (or blogging for that matter) even though I lugged my computer around me with me all day long as we traversed this part of the state with some friends. I have a deadline though, and that deadline is quickly approaching and this draft hasn't quite seen the light at the end of the tunnel yet.
So.
I'm up in my library with a beautiful view and more editing to do than I can accomplish today. It's exciting though, because we are getting closer and closer to the point when this book is ready to go off and explore the world on it's own. Crazy, right?
Sometimes I need to just stop my work and take a minute to remember what it actually means to be creating a book. This book may literally travel the world as it's readers take it on vacations, family trips or to college. One day my book could be stashed away in a box of treasures. It could be held tightly as an anxious grandchild sits in the hospital waiting room. Copies will get food spilled on them, coffee dripped, left out in the rain, perhaps slept on... Copies will be read by high school students, middle grade students, homeschooled kids, public schooled kids, private schooled kids.
This book will cross barriers. It will talk to people who I'll never meet. It will open eyes to a new world. Will explain, touch, heal and help. It will show people that they aren't alone, that they're not the only ones. It will inspire, entreat, encourage and frustrate.
These are the things I need to remember as a sit on my window seat with a pile of blankets and begin yet another day of editing. I'm not just working on a book for something to do. I'm not just working on a book for my job. I'm working on this book because it's a deep part of me that I can share with others and help make their lives a better place.
I am the creator of worlds, of stories, of tickles that will take the imagination to soaring heights. It's not a task I take lightly and I'm determined to stick in there and continue editing and perfecting and moving this story to the next level. Because it isn't just a story. It's, in a way, my story. It could be your story. It could be your neighbors story. This is our story. One that many people can relate to. And it's important.
* * * What about you? Do you have to sometimes remind yourself why what you're doing is important?
So.
I'm up in my library with a beautiful view and more editing to do than I can accomplish today. It's exciting though, because we are getting closer and closer to the point when this book is ready to go off and explore the world on it's own. Crazy, right?
Sometimes I need to just stop my work and take a minute to remember what it actually means to be creating a book. This book may literally travel the world as it's readers take it on vacations, family trips or to college. One day my book could be stashed away in a box of treasures. It could be held tightly as an anxious grandchild sits in the hospital waiting room. Copies will get food spilled on them, coffee dripped, left out in the rain, perhaps slept on... Copies will be read by high school students, middle grade students, homeschooled kids, public schooled kids, private schooled kids.
This book will cross barriers. It will talk to people who I'll never meet. It will open eyes to a new world. Will explain, touch, heal and help. It will show people that they aren't alone, that they're not the only ones. It will inspire, entreat, encourage and frustrate.
These are the things I need to remember as a sit on my window seat with a pile of blankets and begin yet another day of editing. I'm not just working on a book for something to do. I'm not just working on a book for my job. I'm working on this book because it's a deep part of me that I can share with others and help make their lives a better place.
I am the creator of worlds, of stories, of tickles that will take the imagination to soaring heights. It's not a task I take lightly and I'm determined to stick in there and continue editing and perfecting and moving this story to the next level. Because it isn't just a story. It's, in a way, my story. It could be your story. It could be your neighbors story. This is our story. One that many people can relate to. And it's important.
* * * What about you? Do you have to sometimes remind yourself why what you're doing is important?
October 21, 2015
Welcome to My World
Welcome to my world. I'm a quirky and random human who breaks the bounds of stereotypes and has an unstoppable creative streak. As a blog reader I often enjoy learning more about the blogger, so here's a little bit about me.
Some of the things I enjoy are:
*Lists*Candles*Autumn*Cutting grass*Reading*Writing *Cooking *Maps*Post cards*Flowers*Traveling *Soft colors*Words*Campfires
My days consist of:
*Reading the Bible while huddled under my covers on chilly mornings*Blogging and randomly taking pictures to use on my blog *Writing, editing, brainstorming and all those non-glamrous parts of being an author *Mixing and tasting and cooking *Immersing myself in words through reading and studying and writing and hearing and talking*Spending time with my family and co-workers and friends *Cutting grass, cleaning, doing dishes, laundry and those normal, every-day activities*Walking and being thankful and abiding and existing and living
Some of my least favorite things:
*Interruptions*Manipulations *Misunderstandings *Selfishness*Deep pain
Qualities I treasure the most:
*Love*Generosity *Peacemaking *Forgiveness *Joy
Words I would use to describe myself:
*Loyal
*Creative
*Country-girl
*Unique
Words others have used to describe me:
*Weird
*Crazy
*Creative
*Friendly
*Out-going
*Random
*Free-spirited
*Strict
Words I wished described me more:
*Loving
*Thoughtful
*Deep
*Faith-filled
*Christ-filled
Some of the biggest influences in my life:
*Jesus. I met Him when I was jut a little girl and He fills my life with love. He is my Lord, my Savior, my King. Without Him my life would be nothing. I want to become more like Him each day and to have His love, kindness, power, joy, strength and peace to flow out of me and shine as a bright light to the world around me
*Words. Somewhere along the way I fell for the way they sound and look and the meanings they convey. My life is wrapped around the written word and I read and write for hours each day. I am a published author and dream of one day being a best-selling author
*Traveling. I've been blessed to be able to travel extensively and every where I go I'm astounded by the beauty God has created and the depths that we as humanity have fallen to. From the breath-taking Swiss Alps to children living in falling-down hovels, the sights I've seen and worlds I've experienced have changed me
*Lyme disease. From the time I was fourteen until I was in my early twenties I battled an unknown illness that we finally diagnosed as Lyme disease. Those years were filled with pain, fighting, hurt and victories. I've spent the last (almost) two years of my life writing the story of a fictional girl who has Lyme disease
*My Family. I've been surrounded by love, encouragement and support since the day I was born. I'm not sure how I would have survived my sick years without my family and I'm so thankful I won't ever have to find out. I'm the seventh out of ten children and have lots of nieces, nephews, cousins and various other family members to fill up my life. I also have my adopted family
And that, folks, is a glimpse of who this blogger is. If y'all have any questions I'll be happy to try and answer them. What about y'all? I'd be delighted to find out a little bit more about all my lovely Noveltea friends if you care to share.
Some of the things I enjoy are:
*Lists*Candles*Autumn*Cutting grass*Reading*Writing *Cooking *Maps*Post cards*Flowers*Traveling *Soft colors*Words*Campfires
My days consist of:
*Reading the Bible while huddled under my covers on chilly mornings*Blogging and randomly taking pictures to use on my blog *Writing, editing, brainstorming and all those non-glamrous parts of being an author *Mixing and tasting and cooking *Immersing myself in words through reading and studying and writing and hearing and talking*Spending time with my family and co-workers and friends *Cutting grass, cleaning, doing dishes, laundry and those normal, every-day activities*Walking and being thankful and abiding and existing and living
Some of my least favorite things:
*Interruptions*Manipulations *Misunderstandings *Selfishness*Deep pain
Qualities I treasure the most:
*Love*Generosity *Peacemaking *Forgiveness *Joy
Words I would use to describe myself:
*Loyal
*Creative
*Country-girl
*Unique
Words others have used to describe me:
*Weird
*Crazy
*Creative
*Friendly
*Out-going
*Random
*Free-spirited
*Strict
Words I wished described me more:
*Loving
*Thoughtful
*Deep
*Faith-filled
*Christ-filled
Some of the biggest influences in my life:
*Jesus. I met Him when I was jut a little girl and He fills my life with love. He is my Lord, my Savior, my King. Without Him my life would be nothing. I want to become more like Him each day and to have His love, kindness, power, joy, strength and peace to flow out of me and shine as a bright light to the world around me
*Words. Somewhere along the way I fell for the way they sound and look and the meanings they convey. My life is wrapped around the written word and I read and write for hours each day. I am a published author and dream of one day being a best-selling author
*Traveling. I've been blessed to be able to travel extensively and every where I go I'm astounded by the beauty God has created and the depths that we as humanity have fallen to. From the breath-taking Swiss Alps to children living in falling-down hovels, the sights I've seen and worlds I've experienced have changed me
*Lyme disease. From the time I was fourteen until I was in my early twenties I battled an unknown illness that we finally diagnosed as Lyme disease. Those years were filled with pain, fighting, hurt and victories. I've spent the last (almost) two years of my life writing the story of a fictional girl who has Lyme disease
*My Family. I've been surrounded by love, encouragement and support since the day I was born. I'm not sure how I would have survived my sick years without my family and I'm so thankful I won't ever have to find out. I'm the seventh out of ten children and have lots of nieces, nephews, cousins and various other family members to fill up my life. I also have my adopted family
And that, folks, is a glimpse of who this blogger is. If y'all have any questions I'll be happy to try and answer them. What about y'all? I'd be delighted to find out a little bit more about all my lovely Noveltea friends if you care to share.
October 20, 2015
The Passage of Time
It's that time again. The time when I suddenly stop careening through each day and realize that Wait a second, this year is almost over! and those plans, goals and ideals I had laid out for 2015, yet haven't started on, are no longer easily within my power to complete because, yikes, there's only 72 days left, not the seemingly abundant 365 I started out with.
Each of us has lived almost 300 days of the year 2015 so far. 300 days to accomplish and learn and grow and make and change. 300 days to become and overcome and face challenges and succeed. 300 days to make memories and love and wake up thanking God for a new day.
It's thoughts like this that make me stop and wonder what I'm really doing with my life, and if what I'm doing is the right thing. There are so many good things that I can do each day. They vie for my attention, challenge me, excite me, overwhelm me. But I don't want to do what's good. I want to do the best. It's difficult though, knowing how to classify the best. I want to make a difference for eternity, but how do I do that?
Each day I'm surrounded by a host of younger siblings and cousins I can pour my life into. At church I bask in the love of children running up and giving me hugs. I have meetings at my job with my co-workers. I have family members and friends to talk to. I have dozens of story ideas running around inside my head begging for their own book. I have thousands upon thousands of words to edit. I have techniques to learn. I have blog posts to write. I have a huge pile of books to read. I have baby blankets to make. I have grass to cut, meals to cook, book reports to write, rooms to clean, clothes to wash, miles to walk, animals to take care of, dreams to accomplish, nights to sleep and a life to live.
Some times it feels like each day and week and eventually month is passing by to quickly. I wake up Monday morning feeling exhilarated at the days to come and then zoom, it's suddenly Sunday evening again and Monday morning is just a few hours away. I think most people have the tendency to bemoan the lack of time they have.
Do you know what though? I have enough time. I just need to figure out how to use it wisely. Each moment I have a hundred choices of what I can be doing and in that moment the choice I make directly effects the subsequent seconds, minutes and sometimes even days and weeks of my life.
Right now I'm choosing to blog. Why? Because I know blogging is important. Not only do I get to expand and strengthen my writing, but I get to challenge myself to share my thoughts clearly (and in doing so I clarify them in my own head) and I learn to step out and be myself even when it can be slightly scary. I also get to share a bit of my life with y'all and that, to me, is huge. I like to imagine that my blog posts have the power to encourage and inspire and amuse; that these posts I write make your world a bit of a better place.
I know for a fact that I don't always use my time wisely; I spend far too much time dilly-dallying around. I'm not doing anything bad per se, but when it all boils down wasting time is bad. Today I want to take ahold of the time I've been entrusted with and use it as tool. I want my life to make a difference and that starts with making my seconds and minutes count.
Each of us has lived almost 300 days of the year 2015 so far. 300 days to accomplish and learn and grow and make and change. 300 days to become and overcome and face challenges and succeed. 300 days to make memories and love and wake up thanking God for a new day.
It's thoughts like this that make me stop and wonder what I'm really doing with my life, and if what I'm doing is the right thing. There are so many good things that I can do each day. They vie for my attention, challenge me, excite me, overwhelm me. But I don't want to do what's good. I want to do the best. It's difficult though, knowing how to classify the best. I want to make a difference for eternity, but how do I do that?
Each day I'm surrounded by a host of younger siblings and cousins I can pour my life into. At church I bask in the love of children running up and giving me hugs. I have meetings at my job with my co-workers. I have family members and friends to talk to. I have dozens of story ideas running around inside my head begging for their own book. I have thousands upon thousands of words to edit. I have techniques to learn. I have blog posts to write. I have a huge pile of books to read. I have baby blankets to make. I have grass to cut, meals to cook, book reports to write, rooms to clean, clothes to wash, miles to walk, animals to take care of, dreams to accomplish, nights to sleep and a life to live.
Some times it feels like each day and week and eventually month is passing by to quickly. I wake up Monday morning feeling exhilarated at the days to come and then zoom, it's suddenly Sunday evening again and Monday morning is just a few hours away. I think most people have the tendency to bemoan the lack of time they have.
Do you know what though? I have enough time. I just need to figure out how to use it wisely. Each moment I have a hundred choices of what I can be doing and in that moment the choice I make directly effects the subsequent seconds, minutes and sometimes even days and weeks of my life.
Right now I'm choosing to blog. Why? Because I know blogging is important. Not only do I get to expand and strengthen my writing, but I get to challenge myself to share my thoughts clearly (and in doing so I clarify them in my own head) and I learn to step out and be myself even when it can be slightly scary. I also get to share a bit of my life with y'all and that, to me, is huge. I like to imagine that my blog posts have the power to encourage and inspire and amuse; that these posts I write make your world a bit of a better place.
I know for a fact that I don't always use my time wisely; I spend far too much time dilly-dallying around. I'm not doing anything bad per se, but when it all boils down wasting time is bad. Today I want to take ahold of the time I've been entrusted with and use it as tool. I want my life to make a difference and that starts with making my seconds and minutes count.
"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered--how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." Interlude - Psalm 39:4-5
