“Time, time, time, see what’s become of me. While I looked around. For my possibilities. I was so hard to please. But look around, leaves are brown. And the sky is a hazy shade of winter.” ~ Simon and Garfunkel “Hazy Shade of Winter”
I’m doing much better halfway into this week after the computer plague that stopped time. Thank you to everyone who chimed in with similar tales, support for my mental suffering and tech tips. I’m on a much safer path now. 🙂
ROW80 Goals Progress
Writing/Craft
- 1,500 words of new fiction a week either on novel WIP or short stories. 875 words so far for novel WIP. The big squee is that I got 523 of them done in a quick 45 minute burst of writing right after work. Being a vampire-hours night person, I’m used to doing my writing in the late evening. My start was hard—like pulling out one word at a time—for the first 10 minutes, but then I locked in and cranked out a prologue.
Now I know some of you might be thinking, “prologue…eggads!” I get that there are pro and con arguments about using one. I’m using it to reveal a critical piece of back story on the villain. Right now, I feel it works and fixes part of the wall I’d hit with her attempting to hijack the story and chapter one can still start with the dead guy on the floor. Once I’m done with draft one, we’ll see if it makes it past the edits. 🙂
After the breakthroughs in story and writing earlier, I’m going to be tweaking my process a bit again. I’ll try this quick write after work once a week to see what comes out. Can’t hurt and it might produce some more magic tidbits. The day will fluctuate depending on schedule, but I’ll pick one where I don’t have to rush out to go to an evening appointment.
- Read at least one chapter a week of a craft book. My Saturday suddenly got super busy, so I’ve moved this to do on Sunday.
- Read at least one chapter of a novel each week. Read “Hunger Games” before the movie launch March 23. My approximate pacing is to hit 19 pages a day. I’m behind a day since I ended up starting on Tuesday versus Monday, but I’ll catch up.
- Complete assignments each week for Plotting Via Motivation class (March 5-30, 2012) with Laurie Schnebly Campbell. I’m up-to-date on the reading and assignment one. Homework two is due Friday.
Social Media
- Blog three times a week. Two done so far.
- Read, comment and share at least 10 blogs a week. Done.
- Check Twitter and Facebook at least once daily. Done mostly via tablet, which is good because it keeps the urge to dig in typing long comments back to tons of people down (that’s a time suck if unplanned).
Healthy Happy Living
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week. Nothing formally planned this week, but as I feel better, I will try to get in a walk. I have a session with my trainer set for next week to ease back into a routine. And I’m going to look for a yoga session too.
- Finish my poncho project via crocheting one hour a week. Doing tonight during Idol.
- Enjoy watching one movie a week without multitasking. I didn’t have one picked out, so I wandered by the library. “Absence of Malice” is on tap for Friday night.
How is you WIP coming? Are you on pace for the homestretch of this first round? Any new goals springing up for you to tackle in round two? Share away! Also, be sure to check out the ROW80 updates of others via the blog hop.
Barbara McDowell 
Sounds like you’re on the ball! Love the Simon & Garfunkel quote. Now off to work on my own (non-ROW80) goals.
Thanks, Jennifer. I do feel productive versus scattered on my goals this round. Thanks for stopping by!
SO glad your computer is fixed! That just sucks more than sour oranges.
Okay, that Simon and Garfunkel song is in a movie – it’s a beach movie and they play that at the end of summer when all the tourists go home and the beach is deserted. I forget the name of the movie, but every October, that song runs through my head as I stroll along the deserted beach and enjoy the quiet. We get loads of tourists up here starting around now and ending after Labor Day. I love them, but man, do they get tiresome after awhile. No one takes care of their own backyard as the locals.
Anyway, I totally get you on the commenting thing with the tablet. My favorite thing now is to read the blogs on my iPad and then swoop in later to leave a quick comment. It gives me time to actually read the blog and think of a groovy response. Albeit a long one if this comment is any indication of where I’m heading. Yikes! sorry for taking up your night with my comment!
I love long comments, Tameri! That is why I’m so glad I can do the “drive-by” reading on the tablet to stay social and connected, but not have a time stealer in the middle of the day when I should be on another task. I can catch the link from Twitter and check it out or just mark it as a favorite and come back later. Good stuff. I do the same with Google Reader. I go in and read a few really quickly, then come back to comment.
Love the beach strolling. Beaches are one of my fave things with the sound of the surf, the feeling of sand on my feet and the fresh air. Ahhh….
I encourage you to keep up with your goals. You’re doing great!!
Thanks for the support, Traci!
What a great week, Barbara! It must be a relief after your pain issues and the computer problems! Enjoy the movie!
A total relief on the computer front and to be getting back to feeling normal. Glad to have the whirlwind of that madness over. *knocking on the wooden bookcase* Thanks for your cheering and support, Marcia!
GREAT week so far Barbara – woot woot – keep up the FAB work honey! Luv it!
And I love your ongoing support, Natalie! 🙂
you’ve had a great week, Barb. well done
Much appreciated, Louise!
I like the “Enjoy a movie without multitasking…” I need to do that more often!
Watching the movie without the distraction is the best, Jennifer. Highly recommended.