Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #4
It is a frigid 37º outside right now, and with the wind it feels like 29º. But the sun is shining and the skies are a crisp, bright blue. Not a cloud in sight. On our drive home from our walk this morning we saw Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens, which always feels like a special treat. What a lovely way to start the week! But before we can start looking forward, we gotta take a minute and look back on where we started… Last Week Write 3x this week Prep Newsletter Record Podcast Read a book How’d I Do? Write 3x this week Yes! I sat down to work on the novel exactly three times this week! Prep Newsletter Yep! There’s just a couple of finishing touches, but it will be out by Sunday afternoon, yesterday as of this reading – check your inbox! Record Podcast Yep! It’s…
The Recap – December 2022
It’s New Year’s Eve, as of this writing. A chilly, rain-showery day where the sun peeks out for just a wink before retreating behind clouds again. Yesterday was a busy one, spent working an event with the spouse’s business. Today I’m sore from lifting and moving furniture and decor. A perfect excuse to sit and do some of the blogging/writing admin I’d been procrastinating. Last Month Write 20k words on the novel Read a ton Get back into workout routine How’d I Do? Write 20k words on the novel No. Not even close. Read a ton No? I read three books, which was nowhere near the number I had in mind when I set this goal. That said… I’m really happy I read three books! Get back into workout routine Hahahahaha Monthly Word Count: 1,639 I learned a lot this December. I learned that November Brittany is riding the high…
2022: The Year of Yes
Huh. For the first time in a long time, I don’t know what to say at the cusp of a new year. I still feel so close to all the things that happened in 2022 – many of them still feel in-progress! It’s difficult to separate them into one year versus the other in my brain. But, that’s what this blog post is for. A space to look back, assess, and then take the first quaking steps into the future. If you’re new to my blog (in the last few months or so), then please allow me to introduce you to this phenomena of the yearly reflection. I’ve been writing up annual goals and reflecting on them online since January 2012 (you can dig through the old site if you REALLY want to read 22 year-old B.’s thoughts). Over the years the format has streamlined, honed into something familiar and…
Three Lessons Learned at the Taco Bell at the Edge of the Universe
For your enjoyment, I present my Taco Bell Quarterly reject. This story is a Baja Blast-fueled, Speculative homage to that liminal quality of the Taco Bell drive-thru at 2am. Three Lessons Learned at the Taco Bell at the Edge of the Universe by B. Zelkovich Lesson #1: Fast, Friendly Service. Guaranteed. Ding! “Welcome to the Taco Bell at the Edge of Universe, where anything’s possible. What can we get for you today?” Often customers don’t realize these microphones are some of the best in galaxy — at the order box, we can hear everything. And I love it when they argue. “Ooh, ooh! I want that thing with the cheese and the crunch!” “There’s like, eighty things that say ‘cheese’ or ‘crunch’.” “It’s your planet’s food!” “That doesn’t mean I know—“ A third voice says, “I believe the rodent is referring to the… Cheesy Gordita Crunch Cravings Box.” “Yeah! That!”…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #42
The weather finally broke! Summer is over and Fall is here with a vengeance. Today’s walk was a bit frigid and windy and the fall colors are everywhere. And, best of all? It RAINED! It’s finally autumn and just in time for Halloween! Hurray! Last Week Finish Ramona Rough Draft Continue Research for Nanowrimo Project Workout/Read 30 minutes a day How’d I Do? Finish Ramona Rough Draft Yep! And then some, actually. The story is complete and off to the anthology for which I wrote it. Continue Research for Nanowrimo Project Yes! I spent another three hours in Portland this weekend at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Workout/Read 30 minutes a day Yes! I worked out five days this week and spent a good chunk of time reading on the two days I didn’t workout. I’m feeling very good about this routine I’ve built. Weekly Word Count: 1,686 Sooooo yeah. It was a…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #41
This was a busy and very productive week, complete with a trip to Portland to do some research and see some writing friends! Let’s get to talking about it! Last Week Submit Victoria Workout and/or Read 30 minutes a day Decompress from Fiction How’d I Do? Submit Victoria Yes!!!! Yes Yes YES! Workout and/or Read 30 minutes a day Yep! Decompress from Fiction Yes? Maybe… not? Weekly Word Count: 2,517 Let’s get the screaming over with: VICTORIA IS DONE! She is DONE! The novella is revised and submitted and she is DONE! She’s gone, flew the coop and into someone else’s brain! GOODBYE! Okay. Now that’s done, I’ll admit I didn’t feel so giddy about it in the moment. I felt nervous, sending out this little, but ambitious book. It’s strange and complicated and carries a lot of my darkness in it. Actually sending it felt weighty, and I was very somber…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #40
Okay. Look. This post is late, and I’m also running late on my final proof for Victoria, so I’m gonna keep this brief. Last Week Victoria Revision #2 Read/workout 30 minutes a day Edit + post podcast Survive Homecoming Week How’d I Do? Victoria Revision #2 Yes! All the substantial edits are done, and now I’m in the proofing process. Wooo! Read/workout 30 minutes a day Yes! It was a very active and busy week, and I definitely burned some serious calories. Edit + post podcast Yep and yep. The new episode is out now! Have you listened in yet? Survive Homecoming Week I’m here, typing, so I guess I survived? I’m still exhausted and vaguely sore (from dancing for 3 hours straight), but it’s over. I made it! Weekly Word Count: 0 Honestly? The week was such a blur, I have basically nothing to say by way of reflection. Last week…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #38
Someone needs to get ahold of whoever is in charge of time and tell them to take a chill pill. I cannot keep up with this calendar, folks. It’s going TOO FAST! Is Ricky Bobby at the helm of this year or what? Last Week Victoria Revision Pass Write 1500 words Read 20 minutes a day Prep Newsletter How’d I Do? Victoria Revision Pass Hahahahaha *sobs* No. Write 1500 words Nope. Read 20 minutes a day Yep! I’m still working my way through The Story of the Hundred Promises, but the Ghost Files series premier came out on Friday and then Trev and I spent Saturday playing silly video games together and split a pizza. I have no regrets. Prep Newsletter Yes! The newsletter is written and scheduled and will be out before this post is published! Weekly Word Count: 870 Look. This isn’t the greatest word count ever. But it…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #36
Well, as anticipated, the start of school threw me for a loop. Y’all. Kids are a lot. And add to it that I had to checkout a chromebook to every single student in three days? I’m exhausted. Or, at least, I was by Friday. Luckily, this weekend was very relaxing and I’m feeling fairly high energy as I write this. I promise that isn’t just the Cold Brew talking. Let’s take a look at what happened last week: Last Week Victoria Query Package Rough Draft Read 20 minutes/day Write some fanfic? How’d I Do? Victoria Query Package Rough Draft Nope. One might even argue that I actively avoided this. Read 20 minutes/day YES! And yes, I’m counting fanfic. If I tell students it counts as reading, then it counts for me too. I read A LOT of fanfic this past week (was it mine? Maybe….) Write some fanfic? Yes! I FINALLY returned to…
The Recap – August 2022
Oh, Blogland… How is it September already? Surely that’s illegal? It ought to be illegal for summer to go by without my enjoying a single hike! I want to talk to time’s manager! August Goals Read + Revise Victoria Read 4 Books Survive this month How’d I Do? Read + Revise Victoria Yep! I have read it through (twice!) and finished the first round of revision! Read 4 Books Hahahahahahahaha. No. Survive this month I suppose that, since I am typing this, I am technically alive, which would suggest survival. Sanity is a separate matter… Total Word Count: 2,497 If July was lovely, then August was…. bustling. Between twitter pitch events, day-job responsibilities ramping up, a writing conference, a family reunion, and a pretty ambitious set of goals, it’s a miracle I’m upright! It’s also been hot as balls this month and when I tell you I am sick of sweating… Anyway.…