My Own NaNoWriMo

Really fast, cuz I wanna go play Sims 2 with limited free time: I didn't end up finishing... or really doing much of NaNoWriMo due to many many circumstances but largely because of depression. I feel like I am coming out of it now and really want to finish NaNo. SO, I have decided to have my OWN National Novel Writing Month in January! Brandon and I were laughing about how strange it is to have NaNo in November when it seems the holiday season is just picking up and the sickness season is beginning and everyone is busy. And why on earth do they not have it in a more boring month, like, say, January or March or really almost any month in the beginning of the year?!

I was going to do it in December but realized I wanted to relax and enjoy my Christmas without the stress. So January it is. I'll try to keep a running word count on here. A little disappointed... or a lot.... that I didn't get the award screen and possibly even t-shirt from finishing in November.... but oh well. Anywho, hope it works in a month.

Critters

I am thinking it is time for a pet! Bowen is at an age that he knows when to be gentle and listens to my instructions pretty well. Winter is coming and we are going to be cooped up indoors, in need of some extra fun and activity. He has been asking sweetly for a puppy dog for a long time, but we can't get one for many reasons. Most importantly, I don't want to coop up a dog, too. Most need lots of room to move, run, explore, and we can't offer that in a little apartment. Also, as I mentioned, winter is coming, and we would have to walk it outside in the cold alllll the time. Especially to let it go potty. I have heard you can litter box train dogs, but I think with a toddler who I am already trying to potty train I don't want to be doing the same for another living thing!


So, I have read a few articles and thought about solutions and have concluded we may get a guinea pig or a rat! Both are very friendly, become loyal and loving to their owners, like to be held and petted, don't usually bite unless provoked (unlike hamsters and gerbils), and are appropriately small for the size of our living quarters. A few drawbacks: cleaning cages when I have a lot to clean already, buying cages, toys, food, etc., rats are highly social and need other ratty companions which would require buying more than one, need to rat/guinea pig-proof the areas of the house we are going to play in, space needed for cage in already cramped quarters, eventual death of said pet resulting in toddler sadness.


Anywho, thoughts are much appreciated if anyone has anything to add! I really want a pet because they bring so much joy! I know Bowen and I would have fun with some small furry creatures!!! I think, first, though, I might take Bowen to the pet store and see if he can really handle it well.

If...

I would love to be a professional dancer; a serious, multi-style, classically trained dancer... and I may have possibly pursued this dream.......

.....if I did not have boobs the size of Alaska!!!!

LOL!

Ggggggggggggah!

I am wimping out. Big time.

I feel like I have some huge invisible wall standing between me and my ability to just open up my damn word document and write my NaNoWriMo novel. I have 4,000 words. I already started. Why can't I write any more?! Why the crap don't I believe I can do it?!?! I have half the story mapped out! What is wrong with me?!?!?!?!

Is it really that I am tired? Because I am, all the time, all year round. I can't remember the last time I regularly got enough sleep. That shouldn't stop me.

Is it that I am so starved for free time that I view even my recreational writing as work now?! Am I so socially isolated that the few hours of surfing the interwebs makes me feel more connected and when I don't get even that I feel completely locked inside my own head? Especially when my free time in spent in an even more introspective, self-contained, imaginary world???

I think..... yes, yes to some degree to all of this. And so many more stupid things getting in my way. I gotta do it. Even if I don't make the 50,000 word goal.

Oh, Happy Day!

This is how I feel, like a kid on Christmas morning!

Waking up today was like waking up on Christmas morning!!!

Like Amanda said to me, I was slightly anxious, just wanting to make sure that last night really happened. Brandon and I sat and watched t.v. for a couple minutes, making sure nothing had changed and all was well. It was such a relief to see all the happy faces and celebrating people on lots of stations.

It feels like such a GOOD DAY!!! I am overjoyed and hopeful. I have no illusions; I have never believed the President of the United States to be so all-powerful that s/he could bend the country to their will, but I know that things will get better. We have a long hard fight ahead of us. There are many things to repair and many more to change. But we have taken a step in the right direction. There will be many more small steps, many setbacks, but I feel the massive support for Barack Obama has been reflective of our collective desire to move forward.

My heart almost bursts. I cannot say how proud I am now to be able to teach my children that there are NO LIMITS. I am so proud to have watched the first African-American President be elected!!!!!!! We are still struggling to overcome our history of hatred and violence and prejudice in the United States, but we are making progress. Bowen may not remember last night, but I will be able to tell him and any of my other children all about it. And they will not grow up taking for granted the fact that only old, white men can be the leader of this country. There is so much more filling my mind and heart; maybe I can write down a lot of the details of this whole election so that I can share it with my kids when they grow up and ask me about Barack Obama winning in 2008. Oh, joy!

Small moves, Ellie. Small moves. - Contact

Presidential Election 2008

I am nearly speechless! I just wanna say:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! President Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More later.

NaNoWriMo 2008

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am starting to get really excited! Nation Novel Writing Month is coming up again this year and I am really gearing up!!!!!!!! I am really hoping to make the goal of 50,000 words this year! I know I can do it if I just stick with it. No quitting out of despair this year! lol.

I looked back at some of my novel info from last year and was shocked to find that I had made 30,000 words. It kinda gave me a kick in the pants, enabling me to realize that I can really make the word goal this time around. I have a couple of plans that will help me make the word count every day.

Oddly enough, I'm not sure I want to write the story that I have been outlining in prep for this year! I chose not to do this particular story for NaNo last year because I felt I wanted to really do it justice instead of banging out 50,000 words in the frantic and less skillful way that it necessary when trying to make your goal. And I had not yet figured out enough of the story by November 1st last year to really write about it.

This year I have been outliging, have a lot of great ideas, but am still unsure for a number of reasons. Maybe I will write something else that will come more easily to me? Something that I do not have to create an entire, rich universe from scratch? Something that I have less invested in, that I can butcher for word count and writing experience only???

Eh, we'll see. Regardless, I am psyched! Hopefully no one will get sick this year and Thanksgiving will be a casual affair! Wish me luck!!!!!