Let's Get Physical

Here's today's progress on my fifth Clockwork Century novel - a book about teenage juvenile delinquents, hypothetical ghosts, and gangland mayhem within the walled city of Seattle ... now with Bonus! zombie Sasquatch and the return of everyone's favorite elderly cross-dressing Native American princess:

Project: Inexplicables
Deadline: September 15, 2011
New words written: 3644 (pretty good)
Present total word count: 80,021 words

Things accomplished in real life: Daily run/climb plus yoga; house tidying; errand-running; day-job work. That's it so far.

Other: Today, I successfully stood up straight and touched my toes without bending my knees. I honestly never thought it would happen - not because I'm hideously out of shape, but because I've had not-insignificant back problems since puberty.* When I was younger, I underwent physical therapy, ex-rays, anti-inflammatories, and all sorts of treatments; and eventually the pain was (largely) managed, but the flexibility in my lower back was essentially gone. But you know what prompted major improvement? Two weeks of beginner baby-steps yoga. Before I started this little regimen, I could barely reach down past my knees - and only that far because I have arms like a monkey. But now I can actually grab (and hold) my toes. Holy crap, y'all. I never thought I'd see the day!

Other, redux: My husband seems to be sick again, and when he's sick, nobody sleeps. So I'm tired. And I'm proud of my word count today but I don't have the energy to accomplish much else - ergo, I told myself that if I could hit 80K, I'd pat myself on the back and either make a nice cup of tea or go lie down for awhile. Maybe both. So...yeah. Here I go.

Total narrative fiction word count for 2011: 80,021 words


* I won't go into the diagnosis here, because it sounds worse than it really is and I don't want any weird internet sympathies.