Busy Sunday and Progress Was Made

Hello, Dear Readers!

I am a little behind and a touch overwhelmed. But, that's a normal state for me since the beginning of autumn.

With that being said, I am happy. I have my later afternoon coffee and my Yule Tunes. I braved the Sunday shoppers, something I am not terribly fond of. Something about crowds and spending money. It's not a Scrooge thing, but I always seem to think simply when December comes around.

So, I will give you my update and shorter as it is...

This past week:
    *Writing: finished the H'port Christmas show script. David's concept was chosen, Green Eggs and Hammondsport Christmas, using various Dr. Seuss and his characters and throwing in various songs. Basic plot centers around A Star Thief stealing the Who's Christmas Star. The Whos think the Grinch stole it, but this is a year after the BIG Christmas theft by the Grinch, he is reformed, so he sets out with Max and Cat in the Hat to find the star. I whole a big chunk of the dialogue and then David wrote the narration and filling out the dialogue.
           -Also have a story that I am working on tonight. It's been eating away at me for about a week now. that's next on the docket.
     *Theatre: working on getting sheet music and backing  tracks for the shoe mentioned above. Also organizing rehearsals, promotion, props, and costumes. Writer, Director, Producer, and Actor (but I have David and Sara sharing duties, many hands they says...). It's not really that bad, but when we do this show, which happens in a 2 week time span, everything feels nuts. Lake Country Improv performed Friday, good crowd, made a little money, made people laugh. So, was successful, seeing as we had a rotating audience as people came and went. But, it's our biggest audience on whole, about 40 or so, coming in and staying for a game or two, then leaving again. I feel good. Was about 2 hours straight of improv (with a break for the parade). Felt like a marathon.  Oh and working on audition material for my auditions next week, Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. Show won't start rehearsing until January, so, after the last day of auditions (Tuesday, December 16th) I will get a break.
      *Reading: marathon read the last of Maddaddam (Margaret Atwood). At first I thought the third book was slow; the pacing of the first two were far more active, with new stuff coming at you constantly. Maddaddam was different as it was set in one place and focused more on two of the characters, Zeb and Toby. While nice, I felt the pacing slowed right down. And then WHAM the last third of the book picked up, making it really exciting. I enjoyed it and the whole series. Bittersweet end, but it worked. If you want something different, go read Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood, and Maddaddam, Cork-Nut! :-)
      *Social Media/Visiting: Off and on. Missed yesterday, but I was sleeping and recovering from the marathon improv-o-ganza.
      *Chistmas prepping: shopping, decorating the house, thinking about baking cookies and breads (also the Xmas dinner - Roast Beast maybe?).

This Week:
      *Writing: try to squeeze some between the hours, even if it's just a poem or a blog. Something to keep the juices flowing.
      *Editing: time to take The Audition off the back burner and work on it. It's a re-write, but it's been slow cooking for a while and it's time to finish it. Also, I will be printing a copy of The Real Road Trip (my NaNoWriMo Novel) for editing in January, well, Round 1 of editing.
      *Reading: start The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman) and finish The Art of Asking (Amanda Palmer).
      *Theatre: See H'port Christmas Show above.

A Round of Words in 80 Days; a blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come and visit us at the Blog Hop.

So question time, Dear Readers! What do you feel about snow and the holidays? Do you like snow for Christmas/Holidays? Do you get snow? Or have a green holiday? I need some snow to complete the feel of the season. I grew up in Fredonia, NY, off of Lake Erie where Lake Effect is a state of being most winters. Don't get a lot of Lake Effect in Corning. And for that I'm thrilled, because I don't miss it, but I do miss having snow in December. I am still hoping for enough snow to make Christmas awesome. What about you?

Wednesday is...

It's a Wednesday, yes it is. And again, I seemed to have almost forgot about it. Almost because it's not 11:00 at night. So, that's good. NaNoWriMo has been done for a few days and I am waiting before I work on the revisions. I am still not sure how I am going to do it. I'm gotten some advice and watched some video blogs on the subject matter. Still not sure. I know i want to actually work on revising this sucker. I have worked too hard to not make a solid attempt at revising, rewriting, and then moving into the seek out publisher. I have a long way to go before then, but it's time to try it. I also have two other novels to do this with. Oy!

Anyway, today is really low key. I have been staying low key for the last couple of days.. It's December and I need to work on Christmas now. Funny each year I am living, I find that time passes much faster than when I was a kid. why is last, Dear Readers?

Time for the ROW80 check-in!

This Week:
     *Writing: This week I have been working on dialogue for the the KLP Xmas show that week put on every holiday season for Hammondport's Christmas in the Park. If you don't know where Hammondpsort, NY is, then you are missing out. A quaint little town in the Finger Lake Region of New York State, on the shores of Keuka Lake. It was voted America's "Coolest Small Town" in 2012. I do a bit of theatre up in this area.

Hammondsport's Chamber of Commerce.

     *Reading: finally moving on Maddaddam (Margaret Atwood), almost halfway.
    *Social Media/Visiting: I have returned to my daily goals. I went and visiting 8 blog yesterdays (for Monday and Tuesday).

To Work On (going to stick with three goals this week):
     *Editing: this has been pushed back constantly, because of other project. I am going to get to it before Round's End. I swear I will!
     *Blogging: 1 new blog this week (not counting ROW80 check-ins).
     *Goals: going to make the most of the rest of this Round.

Also, Round a Words is a Blog Challenge that knows you have a life. Check out the Blog Hop. See what we are all up to.

Still in my two weeks of theatre craziness. If I seem a bit befuddled, that would be why. I have a Christmas Tree up (alas don't have a picture to post, yet). I feel like I should be writing, Dear Readers. I have seen others comment on the NaNo withdrawal, other call it mourning, some are glad for the break. What are you up to post NaNo, pre-holidays, snow or no? Me, working on the shopping part, trying to get done before it get too late, getting yuletide cards on the mail, and other holiday prep work. Feeling cheerier than some, but also a little overwhelmed. No real happy medium this month it seems.

Ah well! Have a great week, Dear Readers!

Post Thanksgiving Progress

Today's been a quiet day and the end of November. NaNoWriMo will be over in 5 hours and I am done. Well, I still have a bit more to write, but I hit 50393 words on Friday. It was the first time that I finished NaNo early.

It was very exciting to hit the 50000+ mark on November 29th! There was much happy dancing and back patting. So, I sat back and enjoyed visiting with my Dad and Aunt. Have some exciting this weekend, see below for greater details.

It'll be December tomorrow, the year is winding down and feeling good. Yet,  I am really surprised that the year has gone as fast as it has. I've been busy, maybe busier than normal. 2014 I keep busy. But, when I look back on it I am pleased with myself and how much I have accomplished. Much more to be done though; writing and editing and then get the writing out there, but it's been a grand ride overall.

Now, I have decorating to do, holiday specials to watch, yuletide cards to make/send, shopping/wrapping to do, and love to spread. It's been a good year.

The holidays used to make me grumpy. I had a few bad years some time ago, but over the last couple I have  found my happy, been inspired, found a good group of people to love and be loved me, and make my life something to be proud of. I spread the love, even when the world hands me lemons, I will persevere.

Get ready to enjoy my tribute to December as I make holiday magic in theatre and with words, Dear Readers. I have some new ideas for blogs and stories. I will find a way to fit them into the month. I always do.


This week:
     *Writing: wrote over 4000 words on Friday. Completed NaNoWriMo, The Real Road Trip. Also this The Real Road Trip. And for a LONG TERM GOAL, I want to work on Tale of Memories and All of Those Goodbyes, my past NaNo novels, 2011 and 2013. Not expecting work on those until Spring at the earliest. 
weekend I met with Allison, my friend from way back, fellow writer, and NaNoWriMo writer angelgal3276 (on twitter) and hashed out some details about my novel that I will work on with my January revisions. In January, between rehearsal for CSCT's spring show, Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap and surviving the winter, I will be revising
      *Reading: plugging through MaddAddam (Margaret Atwood) and The Art of Asking (Amanda Palmer). I read Friday for a bit, but nothing else. Will pick back up on reading either before bed tonight or in the morning.

There really wasn't much going on this weekend, just traveling to Fredonia and eating turkey (actually Cornish game hens) at my Dad's with my aunt. It was a quiet and restful weekend.

To work on this week (Now that I have SOME more free time):
       *Editing: working on editing The Audition. Finally. I will have some time to look at this. Felt bad that this got pushed on the back burn, but time weight for no NaNo.
       *Submitting: 3 submissions this week.
       *Visiting: get back into 3 to 4 blog visits per day .
       *Theatre Stuffs: Working on the H'port Xmas show (in 2 weeks), Holiday Improv in Watkins on Friday, and begin to gather my Mousetrap audition materials for auditions in 2 weeks. Whatever doesn't kill me, right? :-)
      *Blogging: once a week (in addition to Round of Words updates). I like the ROW80 check-in, keeps me in line and connects  me to others.

Pile o' Reindeer

The holidays are coming and Xmas is beginning to throw up all over the Scott Household. Come over and visit the Round of Words in 80 Days Blog Hop. Come and meet some new friends and learn about things and stuff. Good times!!

Xmas Mantle

Merry Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, and warm wished to all!! 

Almost missed Wednesday...

Yeah, I am writing this at 11:49 pm EST. I seem to have forgotten A Round of Words in 80 Days, a Blog

Hop. Going to get this clocked in before midnight. It's been a week. Yes, a week! I started getting the H'port Xmas Show together with Sara and David (goes up December 13th). I met with my set designer, I have my audition dates for The Mousetrap (December 14th, 15th, and 16th) and show dates now. So happy to do directing another show. Improv show to be built in the coming days (goes up December 5th). Again, this is what I do.

I have been going since the beginning of the year with theatre projects. And then there are the writing projects. Yeah, I'm crazy, but it's what I do.

This week:
     *Writing: been keeping pace with NaNoWriMo. I'm at 43,377 words. The story feels reals and maybe a little autobiographical in parts. I guess that happened sometimes.
     *Reading: I finished The Year of the Flood (Margaret Atwood) and started MaddAddam (also Margaret Atwood). I am so hooked. The books are good, that is all I can say. There is a realism and a truthfulness to the present world in them that is scary, but intriguing.
   
To work on:
     *Writing: finish NaNo Novel, Road Trip. Write a new short story, one seems to be brewing. Write some for the Xmas Show.
     *Blogging: been slack on these, hoping to dedicate more time to this next week.
     *Reading: Finish MaddAddam before The Mousetrap auditions and The Art of Asking (Amanda Palmer).
      *Editing: work on The Audition re-write.
      *Submitting: Get on this for next week.

It's been a busy week, some stuff fell to the back burner, while others were the focal point. I feel good overall. Theatre was created last week, more to be birthed in the coming weeks. A road trip to visit my Dad and Aunt this week (after working Black Friday, it'll be slow, trust me I don't work retail). Christmas is soon! Wow, the year 2014 is over, well almost over. Time to make the lat of it as awesome as the rest of it.

Have a fantastic week, Dear Readers!