The Edge

So, I decided I would officially call NaNo "done" for this year. I reached 50K words a few days ago, but held off on validating in the hopes I could get a lot more writing in. With Thanksgiving and family obligations, that didn't happen. I decided I would validate tonight so that I didn't forget to do it on November 30 ('cuz that would SUCK! >.O)

Anyhow, my official end-of-NaNo word count was 51,070. I feel pretty darn good about this, considering I hadn't written in nearly a year before deciding to take on NaNo. I feel great about writing again, and I hope I can continue with the good habits I started establishing during NaNo. For me, it seems that it's important to stick to that schedule and get the heck out of the house in order to get some work done every day.

But for now ... a web badge! (woot!)

Feeling marginally better today. I was actually able to keep food down, although my stomach is still not all that thrilled with "being me". Urgle-snark.

I had nightmares last night about stacks and stacks of Girl Scout cookies falling on me, until I was buried in an avalanche of sinfully-addicting baked goods. I do not think I am going to enjoy being the cookie mom, although I feel I should try and adopt a more positive attitude. As I go through this experience with my own daughter, though, I realize, more and more, why Girl Scouts was probably never the thing for me. I wanted to do it as a kid, and my parents would not let me (because they did not want to sell the cookies -- how ironic -.-"). But I figure, even if they had, I probably would have lasted maybe one year before I got the whole thing out of my system. Ah well. Live and learn, I suppose.

I did actually know someone once who got buried beneath a falling toy display in a store. True story. o_o

Last night, I made chicken curry with apples. Served it over jasmine rice. It was yummy, and my inner Domestic Goddess was quite pleased with herself. Sometimes, she can be so smug. Really.

I think Fae broke her tail. Poor little pin-head. She has not been very waggy for the past couple of days. >.O

Aaaaand, the latest progress meter thingy:

Another tough writing day. Not so much tough as in being blocked or anything like that. But tough to find enough alone time to get some work done. I ended up having to wait until my daughter and mom had both gone to bed. I had hoped to work earlier in the day, but I had to do the grocery shopping, then a trip over to Best Buy, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Still, I managed to eke out my "required" 1667 words today. That makes me happy. I am entertaining the pipe dream of, maybe, getting in some serious writing time during the day this next week. But ... I am not so sure that will happen for real.

Progress meter thingy:

So, today, I paid for the fantastic writing day I had yesterday. Because I had to do all my cleaning today, instead of half yesterday and half today, as planned. Bleh. Needless to say, I wrote ... NOTHING ... today. >.O (Maybe I'll manage to sneak in some writing time before I go to bed, but it looks doubtful at this point. Double Bleh.)

I am OK with it, though, as I am much farther along than I expected to be at this point. I keep getting this panicky feeling of: zOMG(!) Time is running out!!! But then I remind myself I still have half a month to go, including a few of those days that will be spent out of town next week. So, I think I am in pretty good shape. Doesn't mean I won't still blow it; anything is possible, after all. Just means I have to remind myself not to panic so much.

In other news ... Cleaning was the SUK. Gah. I freaking hate cleaning. A domestic goddess I am NOT. I love how the house is when things are all clean and everything is put away. But it discourages me, too, as I know it will not stay that way for very long. Plus, I feel really irritated with having to do all the cleaning. I am not the only one who lives in the house; why should I be the only one cleaning anything up?

I had a hard time motivating myself to do any of the housework today. Even though my parents arrive tomorrow afternoon, so I have officially hit the Zero Hour. I managed to get most of it done, but I'm not totally finished. The bathrooms are clean, and pretty much everything is straightened up. And I dusted. And cleaned the kitchen. And vacuumed the second floor. And did laundry, although there is always more laundry waiting. I swear, dirty clothes multiply in the hamper! I still need to vacuum the third floor, but I think I will have time to do that tomorrow before we leave for the airport. If not, I'll just do it (or talk hubby into doing it) when we get back from picking them up. These are my parents, after all. They know I am not an award-winning housekeeper. >.O

For now, I think I just want to take a nice, hot shower. *sigh*

UPDATE:

I managed to squeak some words in just under the wire (as it's 11:30 PM right now ... yikes!). So, final tally for Day 13: 27,827 Words!

Marginally easier writing day today. I kind of wanted to hit 20K, but I'm still more than satisfied with what I managed. Woot!

So, now ... this whole forcing myself to write every day thing is going to make the writing easier, right? Right?!? Cuz so far, that ain't happening. I'm still hopeful, though. >.O

Seeing as how it's now 11 PM, I just barely squeaked in under the deadline to get my word count written for the day. Yikes!

Progress meter linky-thingy below (if it works, that is ...):

Well, not nearly as far as I had hoped to get, word-wise, today. I had hoped to make up for the "no writing" day yesterday by doubling up on the required word count today. Instead, I ended up getting just a bit over the 1667 words I need to stay on target each day. I'm semi-OK with it, though, as I am still a little bit ahead of where I need to be in order to finish the challenge by Nov. 30. And there is always the hope that writing time (and desire) will pick up a bit along the way.

So, fun progress meter-thingy:

I actually started at midnight last night, just trying to get a jump on things. So, my word count today is probably higher than it would be at the end of a "normal" day. Still, it's good to try and bulk up now, when I have some time.

My chosen project is proving to be emotionally draining and difficult for me, which is probably not a great thing considering how I've been in such a black-mood funk lately. Then again, maybe it's a very good thing, because I can use that funk to my advantage. Hmmm. Anyhow, we shall see how it goes.



Linky to Progress Meter!