Excuses and Thankfulness

I didn't realize how few posts I've done lately. As usual, I have several good excuses:

1- My husband retired so there were dinners and such to attend.
2- Spent 8 days in Los Angeles visiting our son.
3- Getting ready for Thanksgiving i.e. volunteering to clean up church grounds, practicing bell music for Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Eve services.
4- Working to finish a novel overhaul
5- Working on selling stuff out of garage so I can put my car in there before the snow (anyone need some great toys or bedroom furniture, check out Craig's List or comment me....)
6- Spending time with family because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

I'm taking the easy way out here and am just going to say:

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Photo courtesy of Fauxels, Pixels.

I'll sign off for at least a week by giving you 5 things I'm grateful for:

1- Family and friends.

2- To live in a country where there are opportunities for self, for others, for the world.

3- For health.

4- For the ability to make a difference, however small, in the lives of people, animals, the environment, the nation.

5- For my talents/skills either natural, limited, or learned that I can use on my life journey.

Wishing you all health, contentment, and peace.

Char

Reality vs. Fantasy

The fantasy was to complete everything on my list for January. The items on my list were:

1. Do the critique for my group.
2. Do two revisions for Sirenz 3: A New Trend.
3. Revise my Island Girl manuscript.
4. Outline the third book in my twisted classics series.
5. Outline a new romance.
6. Set up some advertising for the Evolution Revolution series.

I knew it was ambitious, and I didn't really expect to get everything done. 

The reality: I didn't even get half done. But to be fair, I got other things done.

This is what I accomplished in my writing:

1. The critique for my group.
2. One revision for Sirenz 3.
3. Made notes for a 4th book in the Evolution Revolution series.

Here's what I accomplished elsewhere:

Um... 

1. Time with family and friends.
2. Resting up after the holidays.
3. Cleaning up after the holidays.

I know, not very impressive. And I won't finish the list in February either. (But I have a good excuse! Actually, several.) I hosted a Super Bowl party, with my mom I cleaned out and organized every closet and most of the drawers in the house (except for my sons', they can do their own), I spent a week at my parent's house, helping with my stepdad who had knee replacement surgery, and worked on preparing my sci fi for my agent to send on submission (which required a great deal of swearing at Microsoft for glitches). 

Phew!

There are still a few days left, but I'm working on another manuscript revision (my Faery tale) so it can get sent out. I've booked two book events, wrote a few blogs, and did some book research. 

Sometimes, a list is a good reminder, and other times it's a pain in the butt because it shows how much I haven't accomplished. But, as my example above showed, tasks get accomplished which aren't on the list. And most importantly, some things take priority- like taking care of family, spending quality time with them, and sometimes, just getting away from the grind of writing to do mundane things to give the brain a break. 

So what I didn't accomplish in January and February will go on the list of To Do for March, no doubt with several other tasks added onto the list. And I know I won't get them all done (I still foolishly hope I will, but I'm not holding my breath or taking bets that I will.) I've learned not to get frustrated (well, mostly). Eventually everything gets done. As the saying goes, "Don't sweat the small stuff." 

Photo courtesy of Pixaby

And I can be happy all my closets look this neat. :) 

Char

It's Time to Talk Turkey!

I'm a little behind in my NaNoWriMo words (about 3,000 and it only looks to get worse with the holidays coming). I have to clean and cook for family coming both on Thanksgiving Day and the 3 days after. I have meetings and bell practice, then there's the Thanksgiving service at our church on Wednesday night when I'm playing bells (and one piece is a real doozy). Plus I want to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade. Phew!

So I'm going to cheat and just post a cute pic:

I wish you all a day of peace, family, friends, or other loved ones, and bountiful blessings.

Char