I tinkered with the lyrics, you know the tune.
Everybody sing along!
On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
12 months of a patient husband
11 wandering characters
10 journals overflowing
9 thousand emails blinking
8 parties tempting
7 overdue library books
6 social networks friending
5 miles on the treadmill!!!
4 kids doing laundry
3 long to-do lists
2 pots of coffee
AND
1 killer novel deadline
What is your version of the song?
This is the shortest day of the year – a very, very good day to reflect and write.
Looking back on my 2007 goals, here is what I accomplished:
1. No melanoma, no cancer. Yes!!
2. Finish CHAINS. YES!!
3. Blog regularly, don’t let it take over. Check.
4. Finish first draft of YA due in early 2008. (Working on 2nd draft today!)
5. Do more fun things. (Canning! Knitting!)
6. Don’t waste time on stupid websites. (I got rid of a lot of bookmarks and keep a real book next to my computer when I feel the need for distraction.)
Here is what I almost accomplished:
1. Run consistent 9 minute miles by December (I am running consistent 9:15 minute miles.)
2. Exercise at least four times a week. (This was ruined during book tour and spring travel, but I am back on track now.)
3. Complete plot outlines for next two historicals. (Still doing the research.)
And this still needs work:
1. Website overhaul.
2. Deal with fanmail more efficiently
3. Run half-marathon and 10Ks (I did a couple of 5Ks, but didn’t get in enough mileage for longer races)
4. Read more for fun.
5. Ski. (didn’t make time or room in the budget for it)
Unexpected challenge: my brain was so tired in August I could not write. Don’t want to get that tired again.
Unexpected joy: The trip to Poland was incredible. Still thinking about it.
(There are a couple of more personal items, too, but I don’t have to tell you guys everything.)
From now until New Year’s I will ponder next year’s energy and where I want to spend it. The rest of the day for me will be writingwritingwritingwritingwritingwritingwritingwritingwritingwritingwriting.
I leave you with this. Solstice always makes me think of Stonehenge and this is lovely.
Christmas #1 is over.
I had to work more than I wanted, but we squeezed in lots of laughs and good food, late nights and much cuddling by the fire. The College Tribe has now moved on to other branches in the Family Forest and the house is very, very quiet.
But we took lots of pictures!
Choose one:
A) You can stay up very, very late with the college students who are home on vacation and do silly things and talk too loudly and have a blast.
OR
B) You can go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up before dawn to write.
Doing both is not recommended. Doing both for three nights in a row is just plain stupid.
So how much sleep did you get last night?
Group One of our College Horde arrived safely last night. Group Two should be here by lunch. Our plan is to feed them a pound of sugar each, then hand over all the Yuletide decorations and let them deck the halls.
We are expecting 25 people for the family Christmas dinner (a little early this year because of various schedules) on Sunday. We are also expecting a blizzard on Sunday, with several feet of snow and 50 mph winds from the Arctic. I foresee half a ton of extra food lingering in our fridge for weeks.
Remember the mass of yarn I was untangling at NCTE? Project finished!
I made fingerless gloves because it gets a little chilly in my loft.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHARYN NOVEMBER!!!! Go tell her thank you for being such a great editor and helping her authors produce fabulous books!