I can’t believe the first week of January is gone already. It feels like Christmas was forever ago, and yet this week felt so short? I really dislike how skewed my perception of time is in this pandemic age. It was a busy week back at work. We’re prepping for the inevitable switch back to distance learning, which means I have a lot on my plate right now. As the Librarian, it’s my job to basically plan and coordinate technology, textbook, and class materials distribution. And, when I get a moment to breathe, facilitate curbside pick-up of fun library books and record video book reviews for students. But, that’s the fun stuff that can’t happen until all the bigger, more tedious projects are complete.
Speaking of projects, we’ve got some goals to discuss!
Week #1 Goals
- Revise at least ten chapters of Tavi
- Finish The Woman in the Woods
- Spend four hours on Victoria
- Finish reading Pity the Reader
How'd I do?
- Revise at least ten chapters of Tavi
- Yep! I really enjoyed these first ten chapters, and I’m loving the changes I made in the last revision pass. It’s feeling strong and I am so happy about it
- Yep! I really enjoyed these first ten chapters, and I’m loving the changes I made in the last revision pass. It’s feeling strong and I am so happy about it
- Finish The Woman in the Woods
- Yep! This story was close to done, I just didn’t realize how close. It took less then 150 words to reach the end of the rough draft!
- Spend four hours on Victoria
- Hahaha. No.
- Finish reading Pity the Reader
- Yep! It was a delightful book that taught me a bit about craft, but taught me a LOT about Kurt Vonnegut. I feel like I knew him, and now mourn him too.
Weekly Word Count: 148
Oofa doofa. That is not a number to proud of. I mean, it kind of is, because it means I did write this week — and even finished a story! But I’d planned for a lot more than that. So what happened? Well, I have two appointments each week where I am meant to sit my butt in the chair and write. I don’t remember what happened to Tuesday. I don’t know why I didn’t write. But Sundays are my other night to write. I chose to play a video game instead because I was feeling so low energy all day. I took a couch nap to try and banish a headache, but it just wouldn’t leave. I also tweaked my shoulder/back and was generally uncomfortable and lethargic, and I let that keep me out of the chair.
I’m not necessarily upset with myself over it. I didn’t feel good and I doubt I would have been very productive anyway. But, I am still disappointed that it was so easy to keep me from the chair both nights. That’s not great. I need to prioritize that time and fight for it, not let the littlest thing from it.
Other happenings this week included a Willamette Writers meeting about productivity on… Tuesday. Right. THAT’S what I did instead of write. The meeting was from 7p-8:30p, and my writing time is from 7p-9p. That’s the night I finished Woman in the Woods (now tentatively titled The Finest Creation of an Artful God). So… I kept that particular appointment! Huzzah! I also had my weekly SFF Critique group meeting on Wendesday night, which continues to go well. Friday night was a date night to try a new brewery in town (owned by a friend who officiated our wedding!) and Saturday was a busy day of Willamette Writers “Coffee at Your Kitchen Table” Zoom meeting, revising Tavi, and topped off with an evening singing karaoke in a friend’s basement.
So. Busy. There was a lot happening this week and next week isn’t likely to be any different. It might be even busier given the tenuous situation at work.
Exhaustion and workplace stress aside — I’ve got to set some new goals for this week!
This Week
- Revise at least 10 chapters of Tavi
- It worked last week and continues to be my top priority. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
- Spend at least 4 hours with Victoria
- I really want to try and make up for some lost time this week, and since there’s no short story to work on, I really have no excuse not to sit down and write. If I get the full four hours I’ll be happy. If I can tack on a few more and get closer to eight? Even better!
- Read Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
- This is my work book club’s January read. I haven’t started it yet, and I don’t know when we’re supposed to meet. With everything going on I’m sure it isn’t high on anyone else’s to-do list, but I’ve got a couple books queued up after this one that I really want to get to, sooooo….
Yeah. That’s it. That’s all I got. The fact that I have to go to work this week coupled with the sudden realization that we have no coffee in the house…
Fuck.
I’m going to fold some laundry, take a shower, and go to bed. Peace out, Cubs Scouts.
BZ
