“You’ve got to walk right through that fire, it will not burn you. And the once you may love, only life won’t make it, just burn away. It’s in the pocket, when you’re really really lucky. When your fantasy becomes reality, living inside your imagination.” ~ Laura Branigan
It’s a party, it’s a party, it’s a party! Welcome to my Sunday check-in and the kickoff of my birthday week. Yes, I’ll admit I’ve been getting down with the get down a bit this week and took a little detour *Hey, is that box of dark chocolate for me?!* away from some goals. Still, I’ve had some great successes and feel that I’m making steady progress. And as part of this week’s celebration, every post will have a musical selection. Scroll to the end of my updates for a full audio blast of Flashdance fun.
Writing/Craft
- 1,500 words of new fiction a week either on novel WIP or short stories. Not complete. I ended up doing a word sprint on Wednesday that garnered 951 words. Since I was unprepared with a point to delve into my novel WIP, I wrote from a first sentence prompt. Let’s just call it new fiction and cheer.
Then I wrote about 20 min. of my scheduled time last night before conking out with the laptop still perched on my thighs. I was exhausted. That gave me 320 rambling words. So that puts me at 1,271 for the week and with fewer words in on the novel. I’ll work to balance back out my writing time equally this week versus having to load it on the backend.
- Read at least one chapter a week of a craft book. Done. I need to go back and do the exercises.
- Read at least one chapter of a novel each week. Done.
Social Media
- Blog three times a week. Seven done, including hosting my first guest blogger (shout out to Natalie Hartford) and doing my first guest post. Double squee! I also put in time writing drafts for future posts and brainstorming new topics.
- Read, comment and share at least 10 blogs a week. Done.
- Check Twitter and Facebook at least once daily. Done. I’ve been embracing FB more this week. I even shared a link to my guest post on it. That was a first.
Healthy Happy Living
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week. Not complete. Only exercised on Wednesday for an hour. I could tell you that Thursday night was bad weather and Friday I was rushing home after work to beat the next predicted snow wave. And that I’ve been exhausted all week, not sleeping well and fighting off a sinus headache from the drastic temperature changes. You could then tell me about all the other peeps in the world who still got their exercise in. Will do better next week.
- Finish my poncho project via crocheting one hour a week. Not complete. I didn’t schedule in the time for this.
- Enjoy watching one movie a week without multitasking. Done.
Musical Interlude
How did you do this week?
Barbara McDowell 
Everyone has off weeks, and if you’ve been sick it’s much better that you rest up than stress about meeting goals. Have a fabulous birthday this week! 🙂
Thanks and you are right. The sinus blahs was part of why I was so tired. Getting needed rest is a priority. I appreciate the b-day wishes as well.
Birthday week?? My birthday’s the 24th, what’s yours?
My week went well. Busy, but exciting. Looks like you’re chipping away at your goals. Awesome job getting out on the social media stuff. 😀 Are you happy with the new wip you started?
Hope your week is an awesome one!
Keep Writing!
Dawn
Whee, Dawn, we are birthday twins. 🙂 Happy birthday week to you as well! 🙂
Thanks for the goal support. I feel I’m doing much better with social media use and tiem management. As for my novel WIP, I love the main story, but am still a bit vague on some secondary focuses. Once I take some time to tighten that up in the outline, it will make more sense for me in terms of flow.
You are doing very well it seems. Good for you! And Happy Birthday – may you week bring jolly frolics and rest 🙂 I should add my blogging goals to the ROW80 as it takes up so much of my time – it might allow me more feelings of success than the writing goals I presently fail to accomplish through one reason or another! 🙂 X
Appreciate you stopping through and commenting, Shah! I’m hoping for a week of rest and merriment too. I say go for it and modify your ROW goals to include blogging. Including it for me helped to allocate time to get it done.
We are all making progress. Looks like you’ve been killing it in terms of social media. Go Barbara!!
Thanks, Nicole! *happy dancing*
I made progress but I also had a short list on my plan for last week. This week will be back to normal, whatever that is. Ha!
You had an exciting week in so many other ways, Ali! You will definitely be back focused on your full goals once things calm down.
Happy Birthday week – party on! Your post on David Walker’s blog was so meaningful. Great to see you there! *sending hugs and chocolate*
*quickly gathering the chocolate, then coming back for hugs* I am SO stocked for the b-day celebration now. So glad sharing a piece of my 2011 experience resonated.
You’re doing great. looks like ROW 80 is working for you.
ROW80 is working, Louise. Thanks for your support!
You’re making good progress. Keep pushing forward, and Happy Birthday. Have a great one:)
The forward motion feels great, Stacy. Thanks for the support and birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday! And good job with the goals. Keep it up!
Thanks for stopping by and the support, Angela!
Happy Birthday! Be happy also with the progress you made! Good job!
Thanks for the kudos, Marcia! Progress is progress. 🙂
Happy BIRTHDAY week!! Woot woot – it’s a season so enjoy the celebration darling and here’s to an incredible year ahead!
I think you had a great balance on your goals this week. Love the writing sprint on a sentence prompt. And you never know when something will be useful in your current or future WIPs so it’s never wasted. Writing is writing girl!
You rocked it OUT!!
Thanks, Natalie! You know me, I’d like to have a “plan of action” for sprints. Especially with the novel. I know I’m writing some stuff out of order and feel a little scattered. The normal pantser in me is getting nervous. Heh. I do think that writing stuff away from the novel (like a few words towards a story) will keep things fresh and the text moving forward.
Off to get the partying started for Monday. 🙂
Oh…and thanks for the FAB shout out!! I had a BLAST guest posting!! So thank you for hosting me….
Loved it! 🙂
your birthday your chocolates and dont let anyone say any different – ill is correct excuse – exercise when ill is BAD for body – be kind to body and it will reward you:)
keep smiling
Thanks for that comment, Alberta! That is how I felt–that I wasn’t “on” and just needed to rest. Me scampering on the treadmill when dizzy woudn’t be a good thing.
Happy, happy birthweek! It sounds like you’re having a great time and getting a ton of things done! Watching a movie without multitasking…I like that goal. What did you watch this week?
This week, I went to the theater and watched Joyful Noise. A bit cheesy, but entertaining with uplifting music. Most of the time I watch DVDs while sitting in the dark or with my hands under a blanket so I don’t multitask. Thanks for the B-Day wishes!
Happy Birthday, darling! Cut yourself some slack during your BD week 🙂 Hugs.
Will do, Angela! The partying rages on…
Barb – ALL boxes of dark chocolate are for me! Congratulations on your steady progress and…Happy Birthday!
Ha! I bet there are some that will fight you for the chocolate, Maidrya. Thanks for the birthday wishes and ROW80 support.
oh, i hope that means you watched flashdance! haha. birthday wishes (we january birthdays rock!), and happy writing.
I didn’t watch Flashdance, but that would be a great future option. That one always makes me smile. And January b-days do rock! 🙂
Well I’d say you’ve had an awesome week! Congrats on the guest post Barbara! And thank you so much for always giving me the support that I have needed! 🙂
Thanks, Karen! I appreciate the comment and hope things get back to normal for you soon.
Awesome, Barbara! Cutting yourself some slack when life throws you a curve ball is totally okay. I really enjoyed your guest blog, too. Great job this week! Keep it up!
Thanks, Diana! I’ll hunker down once I’m back home more and done celebrating. 🙂
I like that you have watching a movie w/o multi-tasking on your list. I always multi-task! You’re doing really well! The blogging is a home run. Wow! Maybe swap a blog for some exercise? Barbara and her health should come first, don’t you agree? Or maybe I’m talking out of my *** (Oh, sorry. I got caught by the edit police). Any hoo….
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope your entire week is amazing and filled with tons of birthday excitement.
Debra, you are right that I need to hit the exercise goal more. It is pretty small for the week. I just got out of the habit and now need to amp up harder.
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday!
Overall you did really well this week and you’re correct on the exercise, you could tell us and “some” of us would respond the way you imagined, but then what would be the fun in that *wink* Good idea to spread out the writing and I’d suggest putting it earlier in the day if at all possible. Hard to be creative when exhausted, unless you can dream type, and if you can, that would make for a great story.
Have a great week, Barbara 🙂
Heh, heh, Gene! I knew my ROW80 exercise buddies woulda give me the side eye. 🙂 Not feeling 100% could turn into an easy winter excuse. So I’m making a deal with myself that if I scrap a scheduled day, I have to have a replacement plan. Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy Birthday Week! It’s so hard sometimes, to get everything accomplished, esp when your ready to conk out at your laptop! Even still, you sound like you had a very successful week. That’s something to be proud of! Take Care and Happy Birthday wishes!
I appreciate that, Juli! My goal is to hit the targets I can.