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A good friend of mine, Terri L. Austin has not one, but TWO books on sale here! There are more, but I know this chick. She’s good! You have until the 13th of January to get some great deals on some great books! Now, go forth and read 😉
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According to Agatha Christie, I’ve been doing it wrong.
“The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” Agatha Christie
I have a YA Paranormal that I’ve been developing since November 1st. I’ve tried to write it, but it feels forced. So I think I’m missing something somewhere. Regardless, it’s not cooperating, which can be frustrating.
Instead of banging my head against the wall and writing just to erase the words, I listened to a new idea in my head.
Have I mentioned before that showers are magical? Well, they are.
I have tons more plot on an idea that formed yesterday in the shower than I do for the idea I’ve spent the last month and a half working on.
I’ve shelved the current project for the time being. Hopefully, because I’m not obsessing over it, the missing piece will show up. In the mean time, I’ve got a story “talking” to me and I’m going to play with that one!
Take that high maintenance project! Feels like I’m grounding that project. I can hear myself saying–in my best mom voice– “Go to your room. When you can play nicely, you may join us again.”
I will admit the holiday season is hit or miss for me. Sometimes I’m in a grinchy mood. Other times a jolly mood. Last year I forced joy by turning up my favorite Christmas music and dancing with the children. It worked.
But one thing never fails to place my feet solidly on the jolly side. Tonight, like we’ve done for the past five years, the women and young women from our church went to a women’s shelter in our neighborhood. We decorate the dining room, bring in Christmas dinner, and gifts.
Each year, in preparation for the event we get together and make small pillowcases the children can color and keep for themselves. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but many of these children have fled their homes, or been taken from dangerous situations with nothing more than what they have with them at the time. This pillow is one of the few things that is theirs. Even the women enjoy coloring their pillowcases.
We eat with the women, visit with them. We play with the children, help them color their pillowcases, and entertain them.
I always leave there feeling better than when I arrived, no matter the mood I was in. I realize how truly blessed I am, and how much I take for granted.
I work with the 12-13 year old girls at church, and I was so proud of them tonight. Most of them want to come back and volunteer at the women’s shelter. I think they might understand the true meaning of Christmas better than I do. It’s something that seems to fill their hearts through out the year, not just at Christmas time.
Yesterday’s ride was on a trail at a nearby lake. We have to share the trail with wildlife. This is where my kids learned the valuable cycling lesson of: don’t run over a stick. It might be a snake. My girls weren’t so fond of this lesson. Or the snake.
Anyway.
I heard a sound off to the side. All summer the bunnies have been trying to take me out on my rides. Okay, maybe that’s stretching it, but at least twice they’ve tried to kill me. So every time I hear a sound, I check for those little fluffy tailed assassins, just to be sure.
It wasn’t a bunny. Something large dove into the brush and trees. My first thought was werewolf…
Yep. I’m in writing mode. Crazy thing is, I’m not even playing with werewolves in this new project.
Yesterday, I hit my mileage goal for cycling this year 😀 Hello 2012 miles!
I started out the year with a goal of 500 miles. It was my first full year of riding and I had no idea how far I could go. I remember thinking how nervous I was that I wouldn’t reach it. I’m looking forward to next year and considering different goals.
Right now, I know I want to hit around 1100 miles by mid July, but I’m aiming higher for mileage.
I’d also like to increase my speed, so I’m looking into those scary clipless pedals. One of my goals for this year had been not to break anything. I accomplished that. I’d like to keep that on the table for next year, but being locked into the pedals makes that a little tougher. The good news? Typically falls in this situation happen at slower speeds – like stopping at a stop sign because the cyclist forgets to clip out soon enough. Also, this tends to happen once or twice. Pain and embarrassment are quick teachers.
In addition to my cumulative miles and speed goals, I’m tossing in a century ride to aim for. In June, there’s a flat century – at least they claim – a few hours away from us. My hope is that it’s a good one to start with. I’d also like to do the century on the MS ride next year, and it’s a tougher route. And maybe, if I’m really lucky, I’ll get to sneak away for a weekend with the husband and do another flat century on the east coast. I’ve got a big birthday coming up in 2013, and I’d like to do a century before I hit it 🙂
Wow. What a great cycling year.
Photo courtesy of Becky Dodd
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