Thanksgiving 2013

I'm thankful for a lot of things, four healthy children, my mother, sister's and brother, sister's-in -law and brother's in-law. Wonderful aunts and uncles, cousins too!

A smart dog, good job, comfortable home, brothers and sisters in Christ, health.

The list goes on and on. It reminds of the song Count Your Blessings. I love the stanza that goes 'count your blessings name them one by one.'

In times of trouble or when things seem more than I can bear I think of the many things I'm blessed with and the day goes by so much better.


Thank you Lord!

That reminds me of another song I love!

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving.

WEEK THREE OF NaNoWriMo

It is week three of the National Novel writing month and I'm still writing.

Some Firsts

 I have written everyday straight for 23 days.

I have written in short spurts (during commercials).

I've gone over the rough draft and resisted the urge to let my inner editor edit (Not until after November 30th will she be allowed to come out.)

I've actually told friends, family and coworkers that I'm writing. When they ask what it's about, I resist the urge to tell them. (They will have to wait until the rough draft is done.)

I lost Microsoft Word! Right in the middle of typing away madly I got an error that said it had quit working! Thank you for automatic save. I now have it all backed up on a flash drive.

Going into the last week, I have less than 9,000 words to write.

NaNoWriMo Sponsors have some great offers and I'm thinking I just might reward myself with one. But not until the last word is validated.

SECOND WEEK NANOWRIMO

I have successfully completed the second week of National Novel Writing Month.
I have completed 30,506 towards my finished novel.
This is the farthest I have ever come to completing a novel.

Some of the things I have learned:

1.   I can get up early  in the morning and write, and stop on time to go to work.

2.   My muse will work on demand, if I just tell  it to write something, anything, to
      get the juices flowing.

3.   My story flows better if I write everyday, even if its only a few hundred words.

4.   I'm more alert to my surroundings, always looking for characters in the people I  
      meet.

5.   I don't need to be afraid to add descriptions.

6.   I'm learning how to weave subplots by sheer necessity.

7.   I've also learned to confide in my husband about what I'm writing or what  
      my writing goals are and he keeps me accountable.

Fisrt Week Of NaNoWriMo

I made it through the first week of NaNoWriMo. I haven't given up and except for one day; made my minimum goal of 1667 words.

So far I have completed 15672 words towards my 50,000 novel. I like seeing my scale go up and up.
I did some preplanning and read up on how to tackle this goal.

I started with a completely new story idea. I did a little bit of plotting before the month began. (I wish I had done more).

The three act novel idea is beginning to sink in. I don't know yet if I will go back and revise this novel or perhaps continue the work on the WIP I have been dragging out.

But just by the shear will of sitting down and typing words, trying to make them fit into a plot, I   understand more now what I need to do before writing.

I also know that even if I have only a few minutes, I can get a lot accomplished. This has been very rewarding for me.

I do have the first week doubts to conquer, but conquer I will. If I complete this challenge, then I will have completed my first ever novel from beginning to end.

Also, I have found my husband to very supportive in this effort. He checks to make sure I have met my goal for the day.

Happy Anniversary Baby

Today twenty two years ago, Ken took off work (it was my day off) and we went to courthouse to be married.

He has been a rock, my best friend. He has really supported me everything I ever wanted to do and gives me courage to try.

I may have created a task master though. I told him I was doing NaNoWriMo this month and he makes sure I write every day (or night), but he is letting me off tonight. Hehehe.

I did get some writing done early this morning so it's not bad and I'm still on track.

Charleston South Carolina Aquarium

 

 

Charleston, South Carolina Aquarium

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divers at the aquarium swim with the sharks and turtles and various other sea creatures.

 

 

 

While everyone was looking at the group photo I noticed this single diver with a message on her  pumpkin. Pumpkins were carved while under water.

We also got to see a barn owl and learn about it. There was even an eagle that had been hurt and couldn't go back into the wild.

 We had such a fabulous trip. We went to the 4D movie and watched Sea Monsters and saw what was discovered in Kansas. We followed the life phase of a mammal similar to a dolphin complete with being sprayed water and poked in the back by sea creatures.

If you are ever near Charleston, check it out.