I am me

I think Marilyn Monroe said it best: "Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are."

My immediate inclination upon logging back into my blog after over a year's abscense is to apologize. To say sorry for not keeping up with it and for not being able to come back with amazing news about finishing my book and querying and publishing. But I can't say those things, and I'm not going to apologize. For starters, why would you all want to listen to my lame excuses? And I spend too much of my life (not just here online, but at work and with friends and family) apologizing for things that don't need to be apologized for.

I'm terrible at keeping up wtih a blog, and I need to own it. It's me!

What I've come to realize in the last year is that we all have our own journies and we're all moving at different speeds and in the end when we reach our destination, it doesn't matter if we sprinted or took a decade because it will feel just as sweet. I'm not a fast writer, as it turns out. And that's okay. I don't have to be anything I'm not. I'm doing it because it fulfills me and makes me smile, and I'll keep at it for as long as it takes.

Not to say that I shouldn't hold myself accountable in some way. I need to be better at working on my story and checking in on my blog, but apologizing isn't going to make that happen. So, I'm going to pick up from here.

Maybe my blog and book suffered a touch, but in the last year, I:

• got married
• became a vegan (after 15 years of vegetarianism)supported my husband as he left his job as a librarian to become a full-time musician
• traveled
• worked hard at my day job (9 scientific publications!)
• entered my 8th year as a volunteer at the cat shelter I love so dearly

Whew! It's been great
. And I'm sure you all have done some amazing things- I can't wait to get caught up.

Updated Grades (aka 'Editing down a storm'?)

Le sigh. Sometimes I feel like because I'm in my late twenties, I should be a better writer/editor/whatever than I am. Then, I have to remind myself that I have never writing a story before in my entire life (unless you count the glorious ten-page saga, The Magic Ring, which I don't).

In a late night fit of something that is not editing, which is what I should be doing, I am forcing myself to revisit my report card. As you may recall, I got an A in Editing in a previous post, Editing up a storm.

I can only assume I had some sort of inappropriate relationship with the person assigning those grades, because I am not sure it was very well deserved. I've got a mean grader evaluating this time (a less caffeinated me), and here are my new grades:

School of Life
Student: Elizabeth

Thinking about editing while doing something else: A+
Turning on the computer and opening Power Trio: A
Actually editing: C-
Working an a WIP or blog post, so that at least my fingers don't forget how to use a keyboard: B
Editing up a storm: C-
Editing down a storm: What does that even mean?
Going to bed instead of editing: A+

So, maybe I like to tease myself a little bit. But I'll do anything that helps prod me into getting some actual work done. It's happening this week- no more excuses. I made a schedule and I'm going to stick to it. I will finish editing by July 31. Wish me luck.

Night everyone!

How to be a Finisher

There are three steps to being a “finisher.”

1. Start something.

2. Work on it.

3. Finish it.

Despite having all of the answers, I still fall victim to the Lethargarians sometimes (those gooey guys who live in the Doldrums- The Phantom Tollbooth is a fantastic story).

Take, for example, the last 26 months with my novel. Wow, writing that looks awful. 26. Twenty-six. 20 six! Twenty6?! Tw-one-tee-six.,, Goodness, that’s a long time. It really is time to finish it.

Remember my goal to read a YA novel each week and write a review? I blasted through the first two, and then… I’ve started four separate books, and I haven’t finished one of them. (I’m not going to name names, because if we’re being honest the problem isn’t all me. I’m amazed at some of the stuff that’s gotten published. I have a renewed hope for the future.)

The laundry from my vacation has still not made its way back into the closet.

The list could go on.

So, what about you guys? Does anyone have any great tips or tricks for staying focused? Or maybe a procrastination story you’d like to share?

You know, at least I have this blog. I think it’s really helping me to get words down on “paper” and to work on my

Hawaii 5-0

First, I'd like to say hi to the new followers. It was way cool to get back into town and see the comments and new "faces."

Next, I'd like to apologize for my electronic absence, but I think you'll forgive me when you hear the reason. I just got back from a week in Maui. Seven days of sunshine, beaches, and exploring the island.

 

 

Volcanic sand

 Some of my favorites were:

▪ sampling pineapple wine

▪ traveling on the road to Hana

▪ watching surfers in Paia Bay

▪ swimming in Wailea

▪ watching the sunset in Ka'anapali

▪ sticking my toes in a black sand beach

To make our Maui trip slightly more affordable, we flew stand-by (and didn't make two flights, getting stuck in both LA and Maui) and stayed with my boyfriend’s mom, who lives way way out in the country. No lights, no people, no drinkable water. More rustic than I was bargaining for, but it made for some incredible views.

 I had big plans this week to finish my story, but that didn’t come close to happening. I only opened the file once, and I don’t feel the least bit guilty. I wish I’d done more, but with views like this, can you blame me?

New goal: finishing the first draft before November, so I can focus my energy on my new idea and NaNoWriMo.

Also, Diet Cokes have ridges in Hawaii. Weird, huh?

Okay, time to watch some bad tv, eat some good food, and attempt to readjust to EDT before I have to work tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Aloha!