It's NaNoWriMo Time Again

We have, yet again, come 'round to the Month of November.

For some this means more facial hair (or the unsuccessful attempt at more) in their lives, whether it's on their own face or their partner's. The photos and status updates have been... interesting, thus far.

For others it means Thanksgiving is fast approaching and so is all the excitement/joy/family togetherness/stress/anxiety/depression that goes along with it. My Facebook feed is filling up with posts about what people are thankful for, and what they plan to make for their big family gettogether.

Then there's the group who realize it's go time. That novel they planned to write "someday" isn't going to write itself. Those are the NaNoWriMo-ers. Those are the people who ignore everything but their notebooks or computers and the voices in their heads telling them to "WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!"

I am in my fifth year of NaNo, and while I'm struggling to get my word count (the goal is 50k in 30 days) I know I still have time to catch up. It's only the 6th after all. I'm letting my novel lead this time, and already in the first 1200 words, I've had two major surprises. I'm starting to like my novel. It's taking longer than usual, but it is happening, and for that I am thankful.

NaNoWriMo Ate My Blog Post

Dear Little Blog,

I have forsaken you. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month nanowrimo.org) didn't really eat your posts, but it has eaten my time usually allotted to creating those posts. I haven't done Silent Sunday for two weeks, and I missed Wordless Wednesday too. Those two posts should happen no matter what, if for no other reason than because they are simply photos with tags. No writing involved. Just a few clicks and there you go blog updated. *Sigh* Well, I'm three days in now, and behind schedule (as usual) so I guess I should say it's ok for you to see other people. Well, only for the next 27 days (18 if I'm able to get my fingers moving and get those words out by my deadline) then it's back to just me and you.

And I promise not to make you read a hand written 18 page (front and back) letter. I'll just agree that we were on a break.

See you soon... I hope.

It's Almost NaNoWriMo Time

The past two years I have been able to donate to the OLL, and have felt good about my helping bring the joy of creative expression through the written word to 100's of 1000's of people. This year, I am unable to find the money to donate to such a worthy cause. Our budget just doesn't have the room. That's where you come in. You can donate to the OLL for me. And, as an added bonus, you can encourage, harass, and poke me with a stick if I start to fall behind, since you are sponsoring me and my novel. Now doesn't that sound like fun?

Back In The Swing Of Things

I have to admit, I’m really enjoying the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that goes along with completing a writing project. I haven’t felt that in ages, not since I was writing for KCCI’s Local Voices. Now that I’ve put up a few new posts on my personal blog, I want more.

There's nothing like a fresh cup of coffee and a fresh page

I want to work on my 2009 NaNoWriMo novel, and get it finished (this is especially important now that I have joined a critique group, and have handed out my first chapter to several near strangers asking them for their input.) I just hope I can keep the momentum going. I’d really like to write “The End” on my first novel.


That will have to wait until tomorrow though, because it is nearly 2 am, and I am falling asleep at my keyboard.

Why I love Fall (Orig Post Date 10/19/10)

As the sticky heat of summer surrenders to the refreshing cool of fall, my favorite season begins.

 From spring to summer, the only real change is more heat and less rain. But the slide of summer into fall means crisp nights that are perfect for sweatshirts and hot cocoa; beautiful fiery leaves clinging to trees lining the roads and peeking out from behind houses; and frost sparkling in the bright morning sun.


Fall is also when some of my favorite activities happen. Back to school, National Novel Writing Month, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and my birthday all happen in the fall (though back to school seems to be creeping farther and farther into the summer). Then there’s apple picking, pumpkin hunting and carving, and hay rack rides with hot apple cider.

The view from by grandma's back porch in Penn.

I look forward to fall every year, but this year I have a few new reasons. With the baby due soon, I’ll have another birthday to celebrate as the days grow short and the nights get chilly. I love birthdays and having parties just to celebrate another year of life. I also love to make birthday cakes. My daughter has had at least one every year, everything from butterflies to mermaids and horses. Invariably, my daughter will walk into the kitchen when her cake is half done and tell me: “It doesn’t look very good” or “I don’t think that’s going to work” or (my personal favorite) “That’s not what I wanted at all,” but once I pipe that last flower, sea urchin, or rosette she is able to see the grand plan, and suddenly I’m the hero of the day. (If only I could get her to remember that from year to year.)


This year, the best part of moving from summer to fall has been the return of my ankles. With my daughter, I was at my most pregnant in early July, so it was hot, but not the infamous “State Fair Hot” that all Iowans are familiar with. My feet would swell daily and I lived in flip-flops, but thankfully it was only for the last few weeks. This time, things were a little different. There was a stretch of about six to eight weeks where my poor feet were unrecognizable as feet. If I slept with them elevated, they looked a little better for a few hours in the morning, but it rarely lasted past 10 am.


Then the weather started to cool and the humidity dropped off, and suddenly I had my feet back. I could wear shoes again! Putting socks on and getting the shoes tied is still quite a production, but I’m managing.


So, while the highlight of the seasonal shift this year is the return of my feet and ankles, I know that that is only temporary, and soon will be eclipsed by the joy I’ll feel as I hold this perfect new person for the first time. I’m already looking forward to Thanksgiving (mere days after the baby should arrive) when I’ll have one more thing to be thankful for, and I’m even looking on to next year when I’ll have another life to celebrate, another cake to bake. I can’t wait to find out if it will be a flower or a fire truck.