Nanowrimo Update

Dude, why is it always so late when I talk about Nanowrimo.

I have been working very hard at school this week, not to mention with a zillion meetings and presentations and what nots. My sleeping schedule is permanently messed up and I’ve given up on it now…as long as I get some and I get my work done I’m happy. I’ve been playing a lot with Rotary stuff, which is fun, but the heavy rich meals are getting to be rough on my stomach (its a plot to clog my arteries). I need to realize free dinners (free, expensive dinners) equals not “must finish food on plate and all courses that keep coming.” I’m just so not used to food of this quality and so many types and so much variety and yumminess that I just think I owe it to myself to eat it all. Because its like one of the many experiences that will never come again. I sound like a glutton, but its not like that, its just that usually I am a very light eater and eating meals with people in formal settings is starting to get a little rough on my body.

Where was I? Oh Nanowrimo. So yes, I have been working very hard and playing some, and truthfully have not been such a great writer. On the positive side, I have reached 6034 words, but only 15 days are left. I’ve finished one story, and I really love it. Its turning out to be a collection of short stories, which is usually the case for me, I find I get a lot of satisfaction with a short piece than attempting a novel. A short story can have so many angles and you can play with it as much as you want, and then you can close it, softly and elegantly, before it wanders off too much. That’s what I think. Anyway, I do love the first piece I’ve written and I’m proud of myself for that, but I have a bad feeling that I won’t be able to win the challenge! Despite the force of the shame! (One thing is that no one really asks me about it, so the shame thing is kind of moot. I think people figure that i’m so busy i’ve probably already given up on it).

I need to write a report first, and work on a project, and attend a bunch of stuff this weekend, but i do want to go back and start developing some other ideas. Lets see what happens.

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Ze Progress, it goes slow…

The first two days of NaNoWriMo I essentially ignored it. Who signed up for whaaa when? I’m not the kind who sits and waits for the bug to strike. I kind of dilly dally and do a million other things and wait until I feel it. Which doesn’t mean much, because feelings are slow to come by, especially when you’re busy with other things. I don’t think its a smart strategy, and its probably why I haven’t written that much in years. I don’t prioritize it enough to focus on it, sit down and make the time and take a breather and munch on stuff and let it come to me.

So today after my class (to which I showed up late, great example to my students), I wandered for a long time procrastinating and finally found my way to a Starbucks. After some snacking, which is a must for all writing universally, I stared at my screen and lo! Ze writing, it begins to happen! And ze words, they begin to make ze formation on ze white screen! Aha!

I’ve almost hit 2000, but considering its already Day 3 that’s not much progress. I like my story, but I have a feeling when I reopen it my brain will do crazy things and want to trash it, but the beauty of NaNo is that I can’t. I have to just keep vomiting it out, so to speak, which does help I think a lot. I will do my best to do something like this a few more times this week, just go to a nice cafe, stare out at the crowds and type type type.

Happy NaNoWriMo ‘ing to everyone out there!

EDIT: Is it obvious that I’m clearly avoiding the subject of utmost importance? Couldn’t stop myself anymore…I am following the news but as little as possible because it freaks me out. Living abroad makes that easy. But. So. Scurred.

I hope everyone is sensible enough to at least not vote for the [visibly] stupid person. Everyone should know who that is. If we can just steer clear of that kind of incredible ignorance, we will at least be in somewhat better hands. I know everyone has a tough choice to make, but I hope you don’t make it too tough, or the next few years will be lookin’ really rough.

According to HK time…it is election day! EEEEEK!

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NaNoWriMo!

I’ve joined the 2008 NaNoWriMo! What better thing to do at 3 in the morning when you’re clearly in a very sane state of mind? 😉

I believe in signs, and Javabeans posting about it on her open thread was sign enough. A push, rather, or a direct shaking that I needed, at least it feels like I did at this time ;). I know that this year one of my goals is to write, but I haven’t been doing it. I mean, not write on my blog, but really write. Fulfill that dream that has always been on the backburner, and this is the only year I can really feasibly do it. Also the only year I can feasibly join NaNoWriMo before med school swallows me up. And I do have so many ideas that keep floating, I just don’t focus when I sit down to it. So: this will be it! The drive! The motivation! The force!

So…I joined! Here’s my profile to prove it to you, and to make it so public I can’t take it back and MUST work on it out of guilt and to save face….

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/440851

There it is! Whoa! This is somewhat scary. If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, explore the site and maybe you’ll be driven to join too! And add me as a buddy if you do join! Wish me luck!

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