Thursday, October 27, 2011

No Nano for Nan

It turns out that I will NOT be nano-ing this year, despite the lead up and hype... sorry fans.


After putting my family through this torture for 3 of the last 4 years, I will spend this year editing at least 1, and possibly all 3, of my previous manuscripts - for which my darlings were forced to suffer through Novembers of no supper, laundry, housework, contact, interaction, well - you get the picture.


If there's no follow-through, then why spend the time in the first place? It's time to get those manuscripts into an actionable state, and get some queries out! After all, I've been learning a lot about the technical parts of writing in the last few years.  I have grown as an author and a person. It's time to light the kindling and get to work!


I will NOT be adding to my pile of unfinished projects. :)  Love to all!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Macadamia!

Had a blissful breakfast this a.m.... got out my blender and swirled together some raw macadamias, flax seeds, coconut milk (from a can), a bit of rice milk (to make it blend better), banana, pear, and kale!  I had a lot of fun because I put the kale in last and my blender jug was only at about 2 cups. When the kale hit the blades, everything else jumped! It was a mini giggle for me.


Anyway, it's a good thing I took a picture
 cuz it didn't last long... nom nom nom... 
so thick I ate it with a spoon like a DQ Blizzard.  
Unlike a Blizzard, I felt great after!




















And here is Prize #1, from Lisa V at 
Raw for $10/day:


Eating Animals, by Jonathan Safran Foer
2 Lisa Cole bookmarks, and
4 Lisa Viger prints! YAY!


I also received yesterday by mail, my prize
from Erin at Raw Therapy:
Raw Desserts, by Jenny Cornbleet.


I have been perusing this book and it is now covered in my drool (ick) and my dog's drool (double ick) but we can't wait to try some recipes. (My dog is a hippy, ok? Your granola bar is NOT safe around Argo!)


One more note, on my gardening successes this year.  Due to fear of frost, I brought in all my little grape tomatoes and they are now ripening indoors.  Lots, eh?  Better than the first year when I got 2 little potatoes!  Here, have a tomato and celebrate with me!




Notice my nice glass for my smoothie? Faith Hope Love Charity... :)  Happy breakfast thoughts...

Monday, October 17, 2011

So much to do.. so little time, so little organization...

I really do try to stay organized and on track... sometimes it just falls off the rails ... in every direction.

I had lists, I have an organizer on my phone, another on my desk, I have calendars to spare... but somehow things get away from me. Does this happen to you?

I nearly missed my meeting tonight, but I remembered 20 minutes before. Good thing it was in this town and not the next one over!
There's a newsletter to go out this month, a project proposal to be uploaded (only get 30 minutes, so all must be prepped ahead of time), recharge son's enthusiasm for college (guess who inherited my unorganization gene?), produce monthly reports, and create an outline for a novel that must be written between Nov 1 and Nov 30. I have to finish crocheting a blanket and a hot-water bottle cover. Oh, and I have a meeting to attend next week. I have to bring baked goods. :(
And my froat huwts.. *cough cough* :P  ad I'm snuffling... *a-choo!*  :(

I have a hard time breaking big jobs into tasks, I guess. So when big projects are looming, it's a little hard for me to find that first thread that needs to be picked up.  Then I get discouraged and start distracting myself with facebook and the like.  Three weeks later, I'm wondering how to finish said project in two days.

It must be noticeable because my brother made a wise crack about facebook today.  I did NOT say anything back. Mature, huh? It took a lot of energy to shut up, I'll tell ya. (Younger brother.)
So that's my point today: I actually did 'if the shoe fits, wear it', and it did, and I am.  So long, facebook!  We're on restricted hours now.

Friday, October 14, 2011

You are what you eat?

Took a road trip yesterday, and ate an entire plate of nachos (complete with cheese baked onto the chips)
I had been thinking of corn chips and salsa so was shocked when this enormous plate arrived.  Today I paid the price for such foolishness (even though supper was a lovely salad and breakfast was fresh fruit). :P  Feel off balance. Plus it's raining. Grrr...  After my fresh fruit breakfast (banana, pear, strawberries and raw pistachios) I had a raw kale salad for lunch with homemade hummus.  The kale had been sitting overnight after I massaged in olive oil and lemon juice (note to self : DO NOT attempt this with papercuts ever again!). It also had garlic and strips of red bell pepper. Yum. No picture- I ate it all. Okay, I shared with mum and dad, but it was gone pretty fast.

Glad to hear of Lisa Viger's interview from Raw on $10/day!  Very exciting :D  I am planning to copy some of her menus and head out to the grocery store right after work!

It's encouraging to hear good news of other like-minded people!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Old Friends

Isn't it refreshing to catch up with a friend you haven't seen in a while?  Technically, I should say 'spoken to' in a while, because I don't think I've ever seen this friend face to face!  We've only communicated by phone and email.  But today he called in on the Skype and we had a lovely chat about ... writing! Hurrah!  More than that, he said I have encouraged him and he will start writing again.  There. My job is done. :D I live to serve.


Old friends remind us of things we have forgotten about ourselves. They encourage (to give courage to) us and comfort us with their support and enthusiasm.  They swat down our negative comments and lift up our cause. They turn it around and examine it to see why it isn't functioning. Then they brush it off, tweak it, and give it back.  With a final loving kick in the backside, they send us merrily on our way, once again ready to take on the world.  What would we do without them?


The best friend anyone could have is the Holy Spirit.  He was sent to us to be an encouragement, to defend us, refresh us, and comfort us when we are lonely and sad. Then He takes us to task, because Jesus came that our joy may be full, so why are we moping?   Jesus said that God has given us everything; ask for what you need in Jesus' name and you will have it.  (Caution: what YOU think you need and what God says you need may be two very different things, and may be why you're not getting what you're asking for.)


Be blessed. <3

Monday, October 3, 2011

October is Outline Month

Surprised? Not if you're a Nano-er!  November is novel writing month, and October is outline month.  That is, if you want full-bodied, exciting characters and some idea of where your plot is supposed to go.  Believe me, I've tried it with and without an outline, and outline wins.  Otherwise your plot meanders in circles or races off into the distance... but without the supporting background, it becomes so thin that it snaps its thread and you're left either reworking the whole thing or starting over.
*SAD FACE* Just the memory is horrifying.
I actually have an idea of a plot already.... ok, what I really have is a Main Character (MC).  Now I have to put her in a 'situation', or a 'crossroads', so the story can have a reference point. In November I am supposed to issue our club newsletter, so I have to have that done in October to free up my time in November for novelling.
Since re-dedicating my life to Jesus, I now like my novels to have a moral, or show a lifestyle not usually seen on TV, movies etc., a possible alternate way of approaching problems to what people automatically fall back on.  Hopefully my novels will be uplifting to the reader.

In case you are not a 'noveller', and would like to know more, the event is National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo) and the website is www.nanowrimo.org.
Rules are easy (ok, not easy - simple): write 50,000 words between Nov 1-30. Any subject, any age, any anything! Submit by uploading online.  To do this, you go to the site and create a free account. THERE IS NOTHING TO PURCHASE. It's just for fun. (Although if you complete the challenge, you 'win' a shiny web badge!)  Before November you can do plot outlines, character developments, theme songs, art work, just no actual story.  Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide will be participating and you will get encouraging emails from the Office of Letters & Light.

Got a story? Got an idea? Feel like being all crazy and wild-eyed in November? Let's DO IT! :D