Okay... here's the deal.

I've missed y'all! Been REALLY busy with... well, life. I've fallen very behind in my NANO endeavor. However, I know where I'm going. So, I hope to be back on track real soon. (I've not updated my word count, UGHHHH! Need to do that, like now.)

I've had major computer issues as of late. It even made me cry for a few moments the other day. (Out of absolute frustration, I'm sure.) My laptop (where I type my NANO WIP) cord broke so now I can't charge my laptop. As I watched with horror as my battery level drained and melted away like Frosty the Snowman on a warm day, I hurriedly attempted to email myself my manuscript in order to open it up on my MAC. However, I didn't realize that my two word processing programs are not compatible. What does that mean? It means that I couldn't open my WIP on my MAC. "No comprende," Mr. Mac said. "No hablan Gateway."

Anyhoo, I now have a partial on my laptop until I can run out and buy the $105.00 cord that I need to recharge my battery (that won't be until Thursday). And, the remainder of my WIP is on my MAC. Divide and conquer. I feel like that's about what has happened to me. That and I'm still dealing with a parent at school who feels like I'm contributing to pagan rituals by having allowed the children in our preschool to paint tiny miniature pumpkins during the week of Halloween. We've still not come to an agreement. And, I don't think we will on that score. But, that's a whole other story.

However, I will say, "Push on!" That's what I'm going to do. In spite of my hectic schedule, crazy people, a house that looks like it threw up on itself, a dog who has (well, not technically on himself, but on my oriental rug in the dining room that I now get to go and clean), and all the little fleas on the dog of life that would love nothing more than to suck the blood right out of my creativity and drive. We can do this, people... whether or not you're participating in NANO, you do have a WIP that you're working on, right? Push forward. Forge ahead. Completion or bust!

Well, I have parent teacher conferences beginning tomorrow. So, I'm needing to go now, and complete the remaining student assessments (after I clean the puke stain out of my rug).

XOXO CJ

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, today is my birthday. I won't tell you how old I am, but I will say that I'm one year shy of being 21 twice. Anyhoo, I'm really excited about this birthday, because it's special in a big way. Why? Because I kept a promise to myself and attended my first writer's meet-up. That was my present to myself. Putting a fire under my bumm and participating in my writer's group.

I've been a member for 9 months now. But, I've yet to get to any meetings. That is, until today. I'm so happy with myself. It was just another small victory in my determination to re-identify myself as a writer.

There's something to say about getting to know other writers, whether they write in the same genre or not. We all have many of the same challenges, disappointments, and what-not. It's important to understand that we are not alone in this journey.

It may not seem like a "big-deal" to others. But, to me, it was. When you break enough promises that you've made to yourself, you find that you just quit making them altogether. That's where I was. I just gave up because I had lost my resolute attitude. So, when I quit making excuses, and signed up for NANO, and RSVP'd for my meet-up, and told my family that I was getting back up, brushing myself off, and going for it again, this time with all the self discipline and resolve that I could muster, I realized that I was not only making a promise to self, but to others. A sense of accountability rose within me. I would not only be disappointing myself, but I would be breaking promises to others who believe in me.

I am a writer. Writers write. It's as simple as that. Happy Birthday to me!

XOXO CJ

Ready... Set... WRITE!

Okay, for those of us who are participating in NANO, today was the big day. I hope that you were able to start off with a "BANG!" I'm sitting at 1008 words so far. I'm not finished for the day, just taking a little break. I wanted to update the word ticker on the NANO site, but I can't seem to sign in. I guess there's been an influx and the server can't handle it right now.

I'm really excited about this current WIP. I have a problem though. What is it? My "inner-editor" is creeping up. I feel her. She's standing over me with her librarian spectacles, waiting and watching for grammatical errors and what-not. She and my muse are at each other's throats today. My muse loves artistic abandon. She enjoys the free-spirited writing that I had promised to give her. However, "Lady Editor" came for an unexpected visit and is determined to make me abide by the rules of proper literary etiquette. I'm hopeful that this can be a peaceful venture. The jury is still out.

How about you? Do you find that you stop yourself in the midst of a flow and correct things that honestly, could stay put until a later revision? This is my first time attempting NANO. I really thought I could just sit and write without my perfectionistic ways dominating my creative process. I'm truly a both sides of the brain type of gal. I'm 49% left and 51% right, or is it vice-versa? Does it really matter? I'm basically 50/50. And I find that my artistic side and logical side often go to war over creative control. I guess I just have to have a talk with "Lady-Editor" and let her know that I'll call her when I need her services. Until then, I'm going to have to simply "court the muse" if I'm ever going to get through this thing called NANO.

XOXO CJ

Word count update: 2238