Friday, November 03, 2006

Are You Ready?

As I sit at my computer, trying to think of a topic, I find only one thought drifting into my head – I’m cold. Yeah, I know its November, but it wasn’t that long ago that we were still hitting the 80s here in Alabama. Then all of a sudden – BOOM – 35 degrees. I think my office building is still pumping the A/C. I have two sweaters and a blanket in here, but it’s so cold, I’ve farmed out the items to less prepared co-workers. The only warm place is my car where I can crank up the heat so high my skin starts to sizzle.

And it’s only going to get worse. It’s breezy today, but at least it’s sunny. Cold, damp, foggy days are ahead of us. We get to look forward to the weird southern winter that ices roads and chills to the bone without nary a snowflake, except the occasional freak storm.

But I’m ready for it. Once Halloween comes and goes, it’s a race through to the holiday finish line. Tuesday night, I set out all my carved pumpkins and watched Charlie Brown and Garfield while handing out candy. Now I’ve got my eye on turkey and Christmas shopping (which I’m almost done with, by the way). Gift wrapping, carols on the radio, making cookies and candy, decorating the tree... I'm definitely ready.

I would like to say that I was as prepared for National Novel Writing Month . 50,000 words in 30 days. Uh, make that 28 days. 27 if you figure that nothing will get done on Thanksgiving. I’m going on a scrapbook retreat for three days, so you can cut those out too. Ok – that leaves 24 days at 8-9 pages a day. That’s doable, I guess.You can actually go online and track your word count with them. Its one thing for me to blabber about it to you all. Not sure I want to do it there. I guess in the spirit of it, I’ll start posting my Zokutou word meter again with my new book. My goal is 90k, so this will take me through November to the end of the year but I’ve been piddling with my outline for a while so I guess I just need to sit down and start writing. I’ve been procrastinating. As I’ve mentioned, this book is supposed to be single title, so it’s different from the category style. I’ve got more time, more freedom. An intricate plot. More characters. It’s a lot to get my arms around. But I love these characters and this story so much I’m willing to fight for them.

Any of you doing NaNoWrMo? If not, what have you been procrastinating about lately? A book? A chore? A mammogram? :) Remember to comment today and one lucky blogger will get to select a book of their choice from my massive collection. There’s some great stuff, so come clean about what you’ve been avoiding and you can continue to do so by reading the book you won instead of doing it.

SP

Well, darnit. Looks like Zokutou didn't pay their webhosting bill and got shut down. Phooey. OK - this isn't quite as pretty, but : 9250/90000 (10.3% complete)

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

For NaNo? Kinda sorta, 2 days in hit 2500 words and have decided I don't like my heroine or my plot. Really hoping that's just temporary.
I am looking forward to Christmas but am SO not ready for it to be November lol

Playground Monitor said...

No NaNo for me.

But yeah, it's cold. I had the gas logs on in the great room tonight cause I was shivering. Had to pull out the heating pad for the foot of the bed too -- keeps my tootsies nice and warm so I can fall asleep.

I was at TJ Maxx yesterday and saw some really neat fluffy socks. Made me think of Problem Child. ;-)

PM

Jennifer Y. said...

The weather did kind of change abruptly here in the south...went from short-sleeve weather to coat weather quite quickly.

Minna said...

I'm writing my thesis and I'm also translating stuff.

Maureen said...

I am procrastinating on getting my housework done. We are having my family over for Thanksgiving so I should reall get things done but the more I think that the slower I am.

Theresa N. said...

I wish I was NaNoing, but honestly I can't get the stories out of my head and on paper.
Yesterday's high here was 75, they say we'll not get out of the 50's today. Big change. Wishing for a White Christmas.

CrystalGB said...

It is cold here too.
I have been procrastinating on cleaning out the spare bedroom. It has become a jungle.

krissyinva said...

Our weather keeps flip-flopping as well. One day it's 72, the next it's 54, and then followed by 39. Which leads me to my biggest procrastination, my attic. In the spring I decided to start cleaning out my attic, well I started off good. It became what seemed to be an impossible task and I gave up after doing about a fifth of it. Well of course during the summer, it being 100 degrees or so here it was really too hot to mess with the attic. Then all of a sudden the weather was 35 degrees, what???okay so now it's freezing up there, whats worse is that now all my Christmas decorations are buried, so now I have to do something about it, just not today,lol!!

Angel said...

I Love, Love, Love Christmas shopping! I started several weeks ago and am so excited!

I've been procrastinating on my proposal lately, but finished the synopsis last night. Got to read over everything one more time and have it printed and ready to mail by November 21, the luckiest day of the year according to astrology zone.

Angel

Problem Child said...

I'm freezing this morning. I don't know why, but it seems like the heat isn't working properly.

Me? I'm procrastinating on EVERYTHING. It's November, and not only have I not started shopping, I haven't even made a list yet either!

Oh my, I must go lie down.

Katherine Bone said...

I've been procrastinating on everything, most especially my writing. Lately, it seems everything else has taken priority over my life. I've got to take our dog and cats to the vet but that's going to be a horendous bill. Then there's the cleaning, mending, ironing, quilting, reading.... the list goes on.

Last game is tonight. I have to drive to Anniston. We're heading out early. (Spent all day yesterday making competition ribbons for the HS squads.)

Thinking about going to the store and shopping really excites me right now. Then I think about how much time that will take away from my writing and I want to wince.

Calgon, take me away.
Kathy

Playground Monitor said...

I forgot to tell what I'm procrastinating about. Maybe I'm procrastinating about it. *g*

I have had a short story idea in my head for 2 weeks. I have it plotted out and I just can't seem to sit down and write the darned thing. Well, last night I did scribble out the first 3 pages, which I've re-read this morning. It's a HUGE backstory dump. I'm just gonna leave it though and mush onward and then move that information to other parts of the story during the edit process. That is if I don't start procrastinating again.

Anonymous said...

I'm doing NaNoWrMo. I've written 2500 words in 2 days. Hoping to double that today. As for the putting things off, my list includes going to the doctor, dentist and doing certain housework.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

This kind of reminds me of that "would you rather" game...

Would you rather write 10 pages of your manuscript or scrub your bathtub?

Would you rather finish your synopsis or regrout your tile?

Would you rather finish the critiques you owe or reorganize your closet?

Would you rather copy edit your MS for the 19th time or eat a bowl of live crickets?

SP

Meljprincess said...

I'm not procrastinating. I'm sick as a dog!

Anonymous said...

Definitely procrastinating on the dental and mammogram front...and laundry...I do believe it multiplies in the dark faster than rabbits ;)

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Unfortunately I couldn't do NaNo this time. Every year I mean to do it and every year I'm in the middle of a project when it rolls around...

Favorite procrastination technique? Reading or watching TV. The playfriends always know when I'm really avoiding because I start scrubbing bathrooms. Never a good sign.

Instigator

Jennifer Y. said...

I forgot to tell what I have been procrastinating on...hmm...maybe cleaning and sorting my books. I need to get rid of some, but have been putting it off (plus life gets in the way). Who knows when I'll get to it?!?!

Carol M said...

No NaNo for me either. lol I'm not a writer!

It's cold in PA. We even had a very light snow flury last week! It's too soon!!!

I don't even want to think about all the Christmas shopping I have to do! I try to start early but that doesn't seem to be happening this year!

Cheryl said...

Cleaning. I always procrastinate on cleaning. So not domesticated.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

I procrastinate about cleaning too. That is, unless I *should* be writing, then I get fixated on weird stuff like organizing my shoes or scrubbing baseboards. :)

SP

Anonymous said...

I'm doing NaNo this year. I prepped for it all through October...and then woke up November 1st with the flu and an eye infection.

I'm just now FINALLY writing again. You'd think since I'm behind I'd cut the procrastinating, but nope. Here I am blog-hopping. :)