I Win the Marathon!

I did it! I did it! And the crowd goes wild!

Now to collapse for a few days while I recover...

Almost There!

Covering the final distance to tomorrow night's finish line. Only 1500 words to go. I'm going to make it! (Puff, puff, pant.) But until then, miss me. (*Blows a big kiss to her adoring fans*) Back to the race...

More in December, I promise!

Na Na, WRIte MOre!

In lieu of a real post, I'm going to follow Purple Elephant's lead and present you with this little quiz for N... you know, that novel-writing thing. (Those of you who aren't participating, answer as if you were.)

Here's my results. Enjoy!


Hooray for you! You're going to win Nanowrimo!
Persistence and hardwork reap great rewards.


It's Nanowrimo Time! Will you reach 50K? What kind of novel will you write?
brought to you by Quizilla



[Edited just before midnight, 11/17: And Scone pulls ahead! She's passing the daily word average and is more than on-track to finish this blasted novel. Huzzah! And there was much rejoicing.]

Why I'm (Still) Behind on My Novel

Oy. Dead tired. I had counted on tonight to catch up on my novel, but no. I forgot that The Man had a late study group in Nearby College Town from whence I'd have to pile the children in the car and pick him up-- at bedtime. I also didn't anticipate #1 Son being hit in the head at school today. Despite losing his vision and becoming extremely dizzy, he didn't think to tell anyone, go to the nurse, or anything, until I came to pick him up a few hours later. I wavered about taking him to the doctor, planning to talk it over with The Man when he came home-- but I didn't realize he wasn't going to come home at the normal time until after I'd piled the kids into the car and driven in a snowstorm to the bus stop a few miles away. Because there has to be a complication. Foolishly fed the children spaghetti (ever tried cooking anything while a 35-pound toddler head-butts you repeatedly and two other children scream and fight in another room?); had to bathe two youngest (without being able to bend over or lift either of them, don't forget) and get everyone ready to go yet again before urgent care clinic closed. Then got lost in the dark and the snow and went around in circles. Fortunately, #1 Son is OK aside from some inner ear jostling. Younger ones entertained the front office staff while I was chaperoning their brother. Then Punkin Boy escaped just as we were leaving (nearly too late to pick up TM) and ran up this stone stairway that looked as if it had no railings at all between him and a 30-foot drop. Argh.

Oh, I could go on. But I won't. Must sleep now. Got to get up in 5 hours and do it all again. Maybe I'll catch up some other time.

What's Wrong With Me, Anyway?

I don't know why I'm writing this. I only have a few minutes before I have to go pick up the kids. Somehow, I've got to get food ready for my writers group banquet tonight right about the same time as I need to be picking up The Man from the bus stop. (I feel really rotten that he won't be able to go for the first time in 5 years.) I'll have to just dump everyone and leave, and I won't be home until after the kids' bedtime, and I haven't written on my novel today, and...

I have something weird in my breast tissue.

I had a second mammogram today because the first one showed an "anomaly" (whatever). The perky technician came back in after showing today's results to the doctor and with a smile told me that I was done. I almost stopped listening at that point, but it's a good thing I didn't because she went on to say that I'd have to come back later for an ultrasound--nothing to worry about, no big deal, the doctors had wanted to do it anyway... Sure, fine, OK. I'll schedule that later. I was fine, too, until she went out. Then I burst into tears like an idiot.

So here I am, just sure I feel something weird in there, trying to tell myself that just because this same thing happened to my mom and hers turned out to be nasty it doesn't mean that it will be the same for me (sure it won't), and feeling guilty for worrying about how much it will cost, since we're still bringing in very little money and Christmas is coming. And tonight I get to hang out with a bunch of wealthy people who will wonder what on earth is wrong with me.

Glorious!

I've broken the 20 percent mark, and only 23% of the way through the working month. (Omitting Sundays does put a cramp in my word count, but I'll make it anyway.) Over ten thousand words into my novel, I still haven't gotten to the main action, and that's OK. I've been fascinated to see what the early bit has turned out like.

For anyone who hasn't tried this experiment before, I totally recommend it. What a rush!

Four days down...

... and I've reached the 10% mark on my novel. Don't do the math; I know I'm still behind, but I'm making up ground, and I'm making progress. And I haven't even gotten to the good part yet.

I love this stuff. Am I crazy?

Yee-ouch! Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Is it really the 3rd already? (Well, technically the morning of the 4th now.) A tenth of the way through the month: Got to get moving on that book...

I've been typing nonstop for the past 3 1/2 hours, and ooh, does my right arm ache! (Why not the left one, eh? What has that slacker been doing all this time?) I'm still behind on where I should be by now, but I did a good 1800 words this evening, and the weekend is coming up. So I'm hopeful for a good conclusion to NaNoWriMo.

Meanwhile, I finished the first part of my freelance work for the month. I clocked only about 8 hours' worth of work on this thing, when I had budgeted for closer to 12 or 15. I've got to either start working slower or start charging by the project instead of the hour. Oy. Let me sleep on it.

I Got It Going On

Testing... Does this show up? Finally?



In case anyone was wondering where I am lately. Dig the new photo, too.