First ROW80 update - Sunday #1

It's true that I missed the first update on Wednesday, but in my defense I only started on Tuesday (also a day late). I wanted the best chance to see what I could accomplish in 4 days.

~VERDICT~

I am rather please with the early results. Does it mean the I can slack off? Heck no! But, some of my simpler goals are in the early stages of becoming habits. I have found that for  things to became regularly occurring in my life I have to set some guide lines/goals and then-the hard part-follow through them. It also helps to have to be accountable to someone for my goal; NaNoWriMo falls into this role perfectly. Because I had to write at lease 1667 word daily, I had to make time, there was no 'Oh, I'll do it later' or 'I only need 20 minutes on Facebook'. When I got behind, and I often did in 2011, it was a struggle to keep up the fight. I will admit that 2013 proved to be much easier to get up and write in the morning and write in the evening before bedtime. A Round of Words feels like another excellent tool to give me that kick in the arse to get moving.

Now, with that being said, I will admit that some of the writing goals I am currently struggling with. The biggest problem is inspiration. But, I do not have fear. There are oodles of writing prompts at my fingertips and friends to offer suggests. So, I feel that I will have more writing to report on, on Wednesday.

My editing goals, I have not touched yet, I think that my biggest problem is post holiday laziness. I get a little indifferent to time after a rush and since Christmas and New Year's happen almost on top of each other it's a double whammy. I know what I need to do, so I guess I just need to do it. After all, "If you really want to do something, nobody can stop you. If you really don;y want to do something, no one can help you." (James A. Owen).

I have starting my journaling again. I even found, courtesy of my friend Todd found an hours worth of Tardis interior sounds that plays for an hour. This morning's journal time was really fluid. I am decided that journaling time will be reserved for Saturdays (I miss yesterday due to plans getting shifted about with weather, vehicles, and the need to visit the Love Shack). But, after the first week of ROW80, I have determined that I like journaling on Tuesday/Thursdays and Saturday. It would be less of a conflict, because I blog on Sundays (usually). So, I have been journaling for about an hour on my journal days.

The obscure poetry month is going quite smoothly, I think easier because I have different forms to choose from, instead of always writing sonnets. But, on the downside, getting less time to perfect each form. I did not miss a day of poetry. I managed to write my daily poem before midnight of each day. I have an awesome list of topic, wide and varied, from a wide and varied group. I am looking for more to finish the month; even after the month is over I can use the extra topics, so leave me a comment below with a topic suggestion. I'd love to hear from you.

I have a goal of my Goodreads page to read 25 books in 2014. I have 2 under my belt some far. Since last week was a REALLY slow work week (only worked 3 days), I got a chance to start getting ahead, finished Brisinger and beginning to read the Doctor Who books that my sexy like a Tardis friend, Sara Love (one of the co-owners of the Love Shack) ~giggle~ gave to me sometime last year.

I miss getting up and writing. I mornings are particularly inspiring. Last week was not as inspiring. I think I need to try harder.

Also, Tempest auditions are this week and Steele Memorial Library in Elmira is showing "Birdemic" at their horrible movie night on Friday. There are fun stuffs coming. As are crazy times too! I am feeling pretty good right now. Maybe the cloudy grey skies, the Tardis sounds, and the peacefulness of today has my optimism on a high? Well, what ever it is, I am going to utilize it. In fact the later morning hours after my journal time, I manage to tidy up one of my closets (of course stuff got moved and now I have a set of plastic art drawers with no home in the closet). Where is currently is sitting is not in the way, but I wanted it in the closet. Alas, my closet shelving is not very deep and with the gambled roof the back wall shrinks the space the higher the shelves go. Oh well, where it sits is in a decent spot, for now. See the picture:

Only slightly cluttered

Clearer Closet?

It's been a good week overall. I know some things can be better and I know what I can do to improve. As for work, I can only do so much when I work in a construction based industry. They have kept me since May of 2012, so I must be doing something right, right?


 I leave you, Dear Readers with a few Haikus from the last few days. Have a Blessed week and be good to each other. I will have a new blog by Friday (in addition to the ROW80 updates).

Joy of the Outfield

Out in the sunshine

Grass and dust kicking up high

As you run to home.

Under snuggles

Under warm blankets

Wrapped in soft folds of cotton

It’s the place to be.

Ode to a Uke

O Ukulele
When dost thou play thine notes
The world spins gaily.

A New Year and Writing Goals (ROW80 2014)

A Round of Words in 80 Days!

I have never heard of this until a few weeks ago. I am still a little unsure of what I need to do for this ROW80, but day #1 (yesterday, oops a bit behind today). Appears to be about setting goals for the 80 days. That I can do. Okay, right, Dear Readers?

There are so many things that I want to do this year. So many plans. So many everything! ~deep breath~

That my problem as a Leo, I tend to want to do and try everything, and I often get sidetracked easily. Not this year! I am going to go the distance, get a little closer to my goals/dreams, and have a helluvah a lot of fun in 2014. I always seem to do better with bullet points. I guess I should just dive in.

2014 ROW80, Round #1 - Writing

• I want to revise my first novel from NaNoWriMo 2011, "Tale of Memories". I guess I need to put a measurable date. Okay, lets aim for March 1st. (Good news I have revised it once so far).
• I also have a script that I wrote in early 2012 that needs revising. Date: March 1st.
• There is also my 2013 NaNoWriMo novel to begin work on... TBD.
• Get Beta Readers for the above said novels. Date: ASAP (actually, I have about 4 now)!
• Finish my Obscure Poetry Month with a poem a day. No missing any days. Date: January 31st.
• Attempt to finish 1 short story in the month of January. Date: January 31st.
• Write a short story or 1 act in February. Date: February 28th
• Write a short story or 1 act in March. Date: March 31st.
• Revise an old work, TBD. Date by February 28th.

Publishing/Readering -

•  Research getting my finished write published. I want something conclusive by January 20th; I want information to move this forward is what I mean.
• Get some of my finished work published/e-published. Date: February 28th.
• Get at least 100 Facebook followers by the end of ROW80 (sometime in March).
• Submit a finished piece of work to a contest(s) by January 31st. (already had one submitted)

Theatre/Reading Books - 

• Finish reading Brisinger and Inheritance. Date: Brisinger - January 15th. Inheritance - By February.
• Read the Tempest. Date: January 16th. Followed by the audition for the Tempest: 1/16 and 1/17
• Journal at least twice a week throughout ROW80 and continuing afterwards.

Health - Mental/Financial/Physical

• Spend more time outside: walking, hiking, biking (until spring I will probably be walking mostly).
• Make more of an effort to save money. Borrowed from a friend, I will place 10 dollars in my hide-away-hole, each week. To be used for fun things throughout the year. Date: each week!
• Cut out processed foods (even more than I do now). Date: each week report on how I have improved. I am not going to have a food diary, but try to note when I slip up and when I make good choices. I need to make it a habit, then it'll get easier.

That might be it for now. These are the things that I have been wanting to focus on. It'll be small steps for some of the items. The writings goals are really what I am striving for. The others are things I have been wanting to do, and since I am marking out the facets of my life I want to improve, I shall utilize ROW80 to help me.

Note to Remember: I may fall short of these. I might fail with others. Some will come easy. Some hard. I don't plan to let my failures keep me from trying to success, even if it takes me longer than the 80 days.  Thanks to Sione Aeschliman for being my first support on this new trek. Check out her blog and twitter, she's pretty cool!

Cindy, that's Me!!

I am on twitter, draconicwitch and Facebook, Here, There be a Writer. Come and visit. I am usually posting something interesting about my writing, theatre adventures, roaming the world, watching bad movies, and my obsessive Doctor Who/Sherlock habit.

A Hope-er, a Pray-er, a Magic Bean Buyer! Also, I'm a writer , a poet, and blogger. Come in a sit a spell and listen to the tales I have to tell!

I am new to this, but here is a Blog Hop! See and read others journey through ROW80, Dear Readers!