kageotogi

NaNoWriMo is hosting an event called Camp NaNoWriMo, which is pretty much the same 50k/month word challenge except over the course of July and then August. I signed up for it, but haven't really written a word. I was playing with several ideas but the one I really wanted to do -- a collection of short, semi-autobiographical stories (including stories about ice cream trucks, nuns, and guys who take off their pants for no good reason) -- wound up putting me in a bind. I'm really bad at beginning stories, and a collection of shorts is really nothing but beginnings. I decided to put that on hiatus. I also considered writing an old fanfic idea I'd been playing with, but scratched that as well: that's a story that, if I write it, I want to write it well, and rushing it through a month isn't the way to go.

So, finally, I've decided to skip the Camp NaNoWriMo challenge and instead just make myself write every day on a single story or script (I haven't decided which medium would be better for the idea I have in mind; I'm leaning toward script right now, but I hate writing script so I'm questioning that judgment). I'm starting that today; I sketched out an opening scene for the script version and might try writing it in prose to see how it reads later, but so far it's a decent start.

Unrelated things!

I mentioned in my last post that I was heading to Ireland this fall. I'm really looking forward to that. Things I'm not looking forward to? Well, I have to make an appointment with an oral surgeon. I went to the dentist last week and found out that one of my wisdom teeth (because I haven't had them taken out) was starting to press against one of the molars, which is a Bad Thing. So I need to have it removed, and the dentist recommended I get them all removed while I was at it. My mother has already agreed to cart me to and from the surgeon; I just need to make the appointment. (But guys, I haaaaate the dentist.) I'm going to try and schedule that for after Ireland but before the zombie run in October.

I apparently didn't mention the zombie run in my last post. Whoops! Um, long story short? RUN FOR YOUR LIVES is a 5k obstacle course in which the people running also have to avoid zombies. It's more of a speed and wit thing than anything else, and they were looking for both zombie and running volunteers... so I volunteered to participate as a zombie. I'm looking forward to it, but don't want to have my zombie moans be literal moans of "WHY DOES MY MOUTH HURT SO MUCH?". If that makes sense.

If it does come to that, then there might be heavy drinking involved. Just saying.

The other doctor's appointment I have coming up -- the one I actually scheduled, since I've put it off for over a year now -- is with a dermatologist for a skin cancer screening. Skin cancer is a huge risk in my family (my grandfather died of it) and when my mother was screened last year I promised I would do it shortly after. My appointment is the week (or two weeks? I'd have to look) after I get back from Ireland. That won't be so bad but I'm freaking out a little that they might actually find something, which is stupid because I'm relatively good about wearing sunscreen and really, what are the chances? But still, it's something I'm really trying not to think about right now.

Friend A signed up to do speed dating this evening, and because she didn't want to walk around downtown by herself and I (a) am perpetually single and (b) will try pretty much anything once, I signed up with her. I don't expect much of anything to come out of it, but it should at least be interesting, right? Right. If I get any good stories out of it, I will report back. Promise promise!

I spent all last week in San Diego (half for work, half for fun), and as glad as I am to be back, I kind of miss it. Or, anyway, I miss the life I lived while I was there. I walked every morning and I rented a bike (it's true: you never forget!) and I ate a crap-load of Mexican food (my favorite!) and guys, it was great. But I'm back now, and sloooowly getting back into things.

I think I need to find my old bike and pull it out of storage. There has to be some place in the city where I can bike and not, say, get hit by a car or hassled by a drug lord. I love Baltimore.

And the NaNoWriMo update!

Current word count: 45,080
Tomorrow's word goal: 47,000

I'd like to finish my project by the end of the weekend, and then have Monday and Tuesday to remind myself of my other projects and finish those in the first week of December. Fingers crossed!

Is this post coherent? I suspect it is not.

Things I did today instead of writing my NaNoWriMo novel:

• Slept until eleven-thirty
• Called my mother -- twice!
• Ate cake unnecessarily
• Watched free movies on Comcast On Demand
• Checked my email several times
• Painted my nails
• Took a nap
• Took another nap
• Checked (and answered) my work email
• Watched back-to-back-to-back reruns of The Nanny

Today's word goal: 3,000
Today's final word count: 2,078
Tomorrow's word goal: 5,000

50128 / 50000

I think I deserve a nap.

The kittens' vet visit went very well. I absolutely adore their vet; she's professional and very obviously cares about the animals she treats, and the kittens were only a little put out by her prodding at them. Other than Shawn freaking out when the attendants went to draw blood for his FeLV test (Gus was an angel for it, and I had a good laugh over that one) and finding out that the boys are a little tubby (or at least going through a 'fat phase', which I also find funny), everything went well. They need to get a second round of shots next month, but I don't think that'll be an issue. Then, the month after that, we get to the neutering! They're already so excited.

There was also a flute concert. That was about what I expected. For said concert (or, rather, for the reception that followed) I made a cake and a blueberry cobbler-esque thing. The cake is pretty much gone. The cobbler... Well, I neglected to bring a spoon with which to serve the cobbler, and thus only a little was consumed. However, this is no terrible thing; I will have cobbler for a month and very likely hit 50,000 pounds around the same time my novel hits 50,000 words.

It's a good thing.

Speaking of NaNoWriMo, things are... going. I'm barely at par for my solo project (I hit 15k last night) and not as far ahead as I'd like to be. I would like to hit 18k tonight but I get the feeling I'll be lucky to get anywhere near 17k. We'll see. And aside from that, I have fic idea. Why does fic idea always come during NaNo, when I don't really have time to write it?

Whaaaaatevs. I'll be cruising by punctuates's place tonight to drop off some yarn and to perhaps pick up some delicious chili spaghet (which is, if you aren't aware, the Best Meal Ever). Post that, my plans consist of DwtS (Team Donny! Team Kelly! Everyone else can fall on their faces!), trying to knit around the kittens, and working on NaNoWriMo. Big surprise there.

15110 / 50000

How was your weekend?

First off. I promised to post a picture of my Halloween-cube as soon as AI sent me the pictures, so here it is.

Second, it's NaNoWriMo time! I finally decided to work on yet another zombie story, and I managed to get to 4,360 words last night before I totally zonked out. Today I'm aiming for 6,000. We'll see how that goes. Also, masteroftrouble and I decided, somewhat last minute, to start a collaboration. We're still in the planning stages; hopefully we'll get that started soon. How is everyone else's project going?

Third, there is no third. Does anyone mind that? I hope not.

4360 / 50000

masteroftrouble! I have not seen you all day, and thus can only assume you are (a) working or (b) dead. If it is the latter, then I am very sad for you. If it is the former, then I am still sad for you but also have a question. ♥ Are we doing a collabo for NaNoWriMo this year (and if we do it, I think we should consider trying it in novel-novel form, and not what we usually do -- just to see if we can. However, I'm completely not opposed to keeping with our normal procedure)? If so, do you have any ideas? Maybe we can discuss that tonight/tomorrow.

Last night marked the third night the kittens had run of the first floor (instead of just the basement), and thus far the experiment has been an overwhelming success. I have a baby gate separating the first floor from the second, and they have only managed to knock it down once thus far (partially my fault; I was late getting downstairs and they got impatient waiting for me). The noise freaked them out and they ran to the basement for cover. They haven't tried it since. My furniture is all still whole, nothing seems broken, and all is well! We still haven't graduated to being out of the basement while I'm at work, but that should change soon enough -- possibly once I get back from Michigan...? We'll see. I'm really not sure how to pace all this, honestly. Small doses seems to work fine. The whole day might be disastrous. Especially if I add the second floor to the mix (I have no plans of doing so in the near future. At least, not yet).

Blaaah. I think it's time to go home.

I've decided to forfeit the PreNoWriMo project for this month. I mean, it's mid-month, I haven't broken 5,000, and I'm way too distracted by kittens to bother catching up. I feel a little bad about this, as I've never not completed a NaNo project, but I think I'll live. And if I manage in November, it'll be all good. So that's all right.

And did I mention kittens? I mentioned kittens.



See? I did mention kittens.

I'm still working on that to-do list (go to-do list!) today, so that's fun. But in the meantime? Yes. mortenavida posted this up on her journal, and I think it's a fine idea -- especially since I'm so far behind on my writing page counts! This can only help, right?

November is right around the corner, and that means NaNoWriMo is very nearly on its way. However, it's nice to get into that writing groove well before the actual event, so Jay is going to do a test-run in September. I'm joining her. But there's a twist. For the September test-run, all participants have to take one picture (any picture!) off DeviantArt (or iStockPhoto or whatever. She said DeviantArt specifically, but DA and I have unresolved issues) and write their stories around that picture.

I'm in, and I'll be choosing my picture tonight. Does anyone else want to join us? It's like NaNoWriMo: the Prequel.

Edit: I'm so unbelievably pleased with myself today. Do any of you follow You Suck at Craigslist? No? Well, you should. It's awesome. And they just quoted me on a t-shirt. Seriously. It's here (and I made the original comment in this post, if you insist on having context). I half-want to buy myself a coffee mug because of it.

I'm just that easily thrilled.

Edit: The shirts are back up, but they're here now.

Novel + November = NaNoWriMo

Strawberry Wine + Chocolate Wine = Awesome Wine

NaNoWriMo + Awesome Wine = Laughable


I was hoping the Awesome Wine would help me write my NaNo-novel, but thus far no luck. It's really only succeeded in making me a little more heavy-headed and all the more willing to procrastinate.

None of the people I really want/need to talk to are online (I'm looking at you, mortenavida. The collabo won't write itself, probably!). Lame, guys. Lame. :P

Why do I own so many wine glasses? This doesn't make sense. I'm totally not benevolent enough to share my booze with that many people. So why?