Musician's Widow

Oh November. You are one busy, crazy month, and you are almost half-over. Which means, NaNoWriMo is almost half over.

I have a whopping 3,000 words of the 50,000 needed to win. Things are not looking good.

I am not conceding defeat yet. Even if I don’t make the November 30th deadline, I plan to finish this book. I’m too giddy about it, and I’ve talked about maybe writing it for too long, to not finish. However, reality is setting in quickly. Between birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, the month is just too much already. Add in that I’ve picked up a bunch of extra nights working, and you find yourself with even less time to write. On days I plan to write, I just don’t have the interest.

Take yesterday for example. I had the whole day to myself to write. And I didn’t get a single word written. I had the Word document open! I stared at it. I meant to do it. But the story just would not flow. So I went for a drive. Then I did some laundry. Then I cleaned the kitchen. Then I cooked myself a nice, healthy, huge supper. Then I talked to my Mom. Then I talked to a couple girl friends. Then I talked to my husband. Then I took a super long, hot shower. Then I watched some TV. Then I tinkered on the CD cover project I am working on as well.

Then… well… then it was time to call it a day. In other words, in my writer’s block I found ways to procrastinate. Productive ways! But I didn’t write, nonetheless.

Again, I am not giving up. I fully intend to keep writing. I have a few days coming up that are prime for writing! I may still knock this sucker out after all. But in all reality? In all honesty? Chances of winning this year are getting slimmer by the day.

It is what it is. The book will get finished, and I will feel proud of my success, whether it is November 30th or January 30th. It will be done.

We’re only three days into NaNoWriMo and I’m already further along than I’ve ever been. That gives me a lot of hope I’m going to pull this off.

I have a lot more dedication this year. I have a solid story to share, and its falling together nicely. I’m finding that writing just before I go to sleep works well. I bring my laptop to bed, and I write until I get sleepy. With my crazy schedule, it is the only time I know I can set aside every day to do it. So I do.

My only fear is making sure it actually reaches 50K words. I’m a huge fan of short stories, which I am finding to be a hurdle to jump as I want to gloss over details that I later find I need to flesh out.

I’m resisting the urge to go back and edit every time I sit down to write. I keep wanting to go back and add details! Partly for story strength. Partly just that fear of not reaching the goal word count.

I won’t let fear hold me back, though. Especially not a fear as dumb as reaching the required word count! I can do this! I AM doing this. In fact, its time to get back to the story…

Word count as of this post: 2248

Words left to go: 47752

I tried the last two years.

I failed miserably.

I’m going to try it again.

NaNoWriMo.

National Novel Writing Month. It begins on November 1st. The goal is to complete a 50,000-word novel from scratch by the end of the month.

Yes, you read that right. 50,000 words in 30 days. Yes, all us participants are crazy.

For me, the hard part is that November is just BUSY. Lots of birthdays, not to mention Thanksgiving and getting ready for Christmas. Last year, I think I made it three days before I realized it was a fruitless attempt.

This year, I am more confident. I actually have a book idea. It just happens to be one I joked about writing already years ago, and my last week brought back my interest in writing it.

Tales from the hot dog stand. Or maybe the hot dog diaries. Or Chronicles of a Hot Dog Queen.

I don’t know. The title will come in time. But you get the point. Over the last several years, I’ve had many entertaining experiences in the hot dog stand. Its time to share some of them. Oh I’ll change the names and embellish to protect the not-so-innocent. But I think it’ll be fun to write, and maybe it’ll be just as interesting to read.

We will see! I am determined to finish this time. Third times a charm…

…I hope.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo for the first time last year. The goal of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

I failed.

Miserably.

So I, of course, decided to set myself up for failure once again this year and sign up. Without a topic in mind five days out from the kick-off.

Go me.

I figure maybe if I keep signing up, one of these days I’ll pull it off.

Okay, in all seriousness, what it comes down to is the fact that November is just a crazy busy month for me, with birthdays, holidays and anniversaries. I have several other writing projects on my plate already which will be taking my attention first, as I committed to those first. So, in all seriousness, don’t take my “sarcasm” as anything other than being realistic. I can only do what I can do. I’m not superwoman.

Who knows. Maybe I’ll pull it off after all. Sometimes, I get started writing and I don’t know when to stop. Perhaps that will happen again when/if I come up with a plot idea and characters.

I really and truly think NaNoWriMo is a brilliant idea. I do, and I’m curious if any of my readers are signed up to do it and would like to be writing buddies over there?

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In a related topic, what is your favorite book genre? Do you have a must-read to recommend? Hit me with any and all suggestions!

November was once a month I would become downright GIDDY about arriving for the simple fact that it meant my birthday was near. Today? I look at my November calendar and all I see is… a lot going on!

November Birthdays

First and foremost is definitely BIRTHDAYS! My friend, Anne, has her birthday on the 5th. I’m right behind her on the 10th. My husband is the 19th, and my Mom’s is on the 22nd! Not to mention the countless other friends whose birthdays land this month… I think if we tried to have one big joint birthday party we’d have to have two full size sheet cakes to fit all the names!

Right there with birthdays, I can’t forget Anniversaries. My brother and sister-in-law got married on the 11th (14 years!) and our friend’s Brian and Kristen got married on the 19th (4 years!).

Important holidays: Veterans Day (11th) and Thanksgiving (26th). And of course we can’t forget National Deviled Egg Day (today!), Pack Your Mom Lunch Day (15th), and Stay At Home Because You’re Well Day (30th). (For more of these days, visit this list on About.com.)

Among these days, I am participating in NaNoWriMo. I’ve mentioned this before, but now its begun. I’m glad to say that as of right now, I am right on target to do this. Ask me again in a week how I’m doing. Then again, don’t ask. I’ll tell you on my own soon, I am sure.

On November 9th, I end my very first Project 365. In one way, I will be really glad to see it come to an end. In another, I’m sad to see it end, and I am trying to come up with my own project to replace it. I might continue on with it, but give it some sort of twist. I don’t know for sure yet. I have 8 days to decide. I’ll let you know what I decide then.

10 Years Later...

November 18th is the 10 year anniversary of the Aggie Bonfire collapse. You can rest assured I’ll have a full entry that day about it, but it is yet another anniversary that lands in this month.

In another sad memory, 10 years ago my brother was in an auto accident (on my birthday) that certainly changed my driving habits, what I drive, and without a doubt made me stop taking mine and my family and friend’s safety for granted.

Finally, big games to be played by Aggies this month. They will face Colorado, Oklahoma, Baylor and Texas this month. The Texas is back ON Thanksgiving, where it rightfully belongs. Again… that’s another entry for a later date.

Lots going on this month! I just hope I can keep up!

“I’ve learned…. That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.”

– Andy Rooney

I know I’m only 28 — I’ll be 29 in 19 days, feel free to send me presents — but already I see life spinning by faster and faster each year. I remember the year dragging by as a kid, and today I feel like the month is ending before I’ve gotten used to it even BEING that month! Christmas is only two months away, and I still haven’t gotten used to the idea of Fall being here!

This month has been quite busy, and as a result many things I’ve been trying to keep up have once again fallen by the wayside. There’s only so many hours in a day. So many days in a week. So many weeks in a month.

I’m 10 days from NaNoWriMo. I was so jazzed for it at the end of September. Ready to start writing immediately! Now, it’s 10 days away and I can’t fathom how I’m supposed to pull it off. I’ve hardly been keeping up with my Project 365!

Its at this point in which time and ambition collide, and you have to decide which is more important. Succeeding in your goal, or conceding that maybe time just isn’t going to allow it to happen. Which takes precedence?

When in school, there was no option. It didn’t matter if you had an organizational meeting after school, then had a game to go play a couple hours later, and in one class you had to read three chapters and in another write an essay! Sleep suffered, and you got the jobs done.

Today, for me, I am my own boss in many of my projects. And I do find myself to be a pretty relenting boss at times. At others, I’m a total softy on myself and I extend my own deadlines past what I should. (I like sleep these days! What can I say?)

Good thing I’m my only employee! What mixed signals I give!

That being said, I’ve never not attempted a goal. I’ve never given up before I tried, and with that fact I am going to do my best to do NaNoWriMo. Right along side my Project 365, my blog, my jobs, my husband, our home, and everything else! I have to try — time be damned! It’s amazing what a person can do when they put their mind to it. I continue to challenge myself every day to do everything I possibly can and be the best me I can be.