My emotions felt like a game of ping-pong this week. Back and forth, up and down. You’d think I was getting ready to hit send or something. 😉 I’ve been here before. My experience with the emotions didn’t make them an easier, but I knew not to pay them much attention and to keep pushing forward. Read on to find out if I succumbed to the madness or got it done and hit…

The Goals – week-10 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
• Weekly progress in word count, editing, and/or plotting- done. I was a good CP this week. I read through her latest MS and sent it back before I started on the new set of edits from her. The big news is that I did finish the edits, a read through, AND I sent the MS to the interested editor. I’m really proud of the current state of the MS and I hope she sees it too.
• Finish reading current craft book- last week I said: Once I hit send, I really will not have an excuse anymore. So, this week I want NEED to see progress here. WEEK 11 PRIORITY.
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- done. Except I had to give myself a pass on Tuesday night at the annual evil day job holiday party. A 5-star chef give us a cooking lesson. Oh yeah. I had fabulous soup, I had tiny parmesan cheese toasts, I had a tiny puffy pastry pouch with brie and jelly, I had melt in your mouth beef tenderloin, garlic mash potatoes, a fried leek, salad with raspberry vinaigrette and dried cherries, and finally creme brulee with crushed candy canes. I blew my calorie limit out of the water, but it was so worth it.
• Study one of the Nia 52-moves each week- Touching. Use your hands simply to touch the things that are around you. Touch your own skin and the space around you. Benefits: excellent training for increasing your sensory IQ and for improving body awareness. It can also help self-heal physical trauma and naturally guide the body into relaxation.
• Finish the Nia Sanjana-routine bars and start the Nia Opal-routine bars (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- OMG I am so close on this one. I almost have the last set of bars all drawn out, but I just didn’t finish it all yesterday. WEEK 11 PRIORITY.
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. I had an easier week with this goal. One parent meeting and a couple of bills.
• Organize something in the house each week-  I didn’t actually do anything on this goal this week, but I know what needs to happen. I’m a work from home/stay at home mom which means a large portion of my day is spent in the dining room. We have a large table in here, but half of it is covered in papers, books, coloring books, flash cards, crayons… The mess stresses me out<–not something you want in a workspace. This space needs a face lift. It needs storage. It needs a new color, something that will inspire. I know what it needs, now I just need to figure out how to make it all happen.

Hope you all have a fabulous week.

What you might have missed here this week:

I Want That One by Paige E. Roberts Plus some Q and A
Spotlight: Christmas Delights by Gemma Parkes
Flash Fiction #31 – Say Yes

Weren’t we already trying to juggle the impossible, now we’re throwing holiday cards, parties, traveling for work parties (gosh, I really don’t want to go), buying stuff for everyone, baking, planning, etc. About the only thing I don’t mind squeezing into the schedule are the donations, I only wish I could do more. I love the holidays, don’t get me wrong. Once everything is done, I will enjoy them. BUT, I have a book I’m trying to finish, cant the holidays wait until I hit send?

No? Okay. Well with any luck, I’ll hit send this week and then I can get on with the next goal. Eyes forward, no looking back. Sure, we can always plan a little better, work a little harder, but we’re learning as we go, and each decision and result builds on our knowledge stores, and thus, it’s never wasted. This is most certainly the time of year to live in the moment. So, eyes forward, live, love, and enjoy these last four weeks of 2012.

The Goals – week-9 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
• Weekly progress in word count, editing, and/or plotting- done. I did finish a round of edits, a read through, sent the MS back to the CP, AND got it back. I love my CP 🙂 she told me my MS was (I’m quoting) 100% no, 200% better! She found a mess of comma errors, I know, you’re not surprised, lol, and there are two spots I want to make changes, but then…that’s it, hands off and I’ll hit send.
• Finish reading current craft book- there is only 2 1/2 weeks left in this round. I won’t be finishing my Margie packet this round, bummer, I just can’t see it happening, but I do want to see progress. Once I hit send, I really will not have an excuse anymore. WEEK 10 PRIORITY.
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- done.
• Study one of the Nia 52-moves each week- Finger Flicks. Place your thumb over your four fingernails, pushing them against the thumb to create positive tension, and then flick your fingers out, as if you were flicking water off them. Change the direction of your palms and the position of your arms. Benefits: conditions your forearm muscles and hands, keeping the energy flowing into and out of the hands and keeping tension out of the neck and shoulders.
• Finish the Nia Sanjana-routine bars and start the Nia Opal-routine bars (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- I may not have made progress on the last song in the routine, but I did a practice teach this week and it felt great. I want this goal done before that last full week check-in. The challenge is on. WEEK 10 PRIORITY.
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. I finished collecting tuition, sent out the next round of invoices, and did the monthly reporting.
• Organize something in the house each week-  done. I have an abandoned collection of products in my bathroom from when I had time to pamper myself with body scrubs and baths. I went through the cabinet and trashed all the spoiled products. I did find a few things I can still use and I have a cleaned drawer, score.

Hope you all have a fabulous week.

What you might have missed here this week:

Claimed By Dragons by Amber Skyze & Katalina Leon
Spotlight: A Man To Trust by Cheryl Yeko
Flash Fiction #31 – Her Scent

I’m not sharing 6-sentences this week, but I am posting my ROW80 (A Round of Words in 80 Days – the writing challenge that knows you have a life) update, which I also post each Sunday during the 80-day challenge. I’ll be back next Sunday with a new 6.

Disappointment can be caused by simply having your expectations too high. How much should I have expected out of a holiday week? Well, we didn’t travel this year, although I did cook quite a feast, and we did have company for two days. But. I’m just getting a handle on my new normal, so, yes, my expectations were a bit high, My goals needed a good week. I enjoyed my family, I enjoyed the holiday and for that alone I can’t be disappointed, but my results were a mixed bag.

I did make a change in my schedule that will help week-9. I didn’t sign-up for Six Sunday this week and instead I will spend several extra hours on goals today. Triple word score.

The Goals – week-8 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
• Weekly progress in word count, editing, and/or plotting- done. I made huge progress on edits this week. Today I expect to finish a round of edits and make a huge dent on the next read through. My CP is expecting my MS this week and I’m very much looking forward to sending it to her. Boo-ya!
• Finish reading current craft book- here’s the first victim this week. I’m working through Margie’s Empowering Characters Emotions packet. I need to figure out a way to fit this in, I’ll keep at it. WEEK 9 PRIORITY.
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- done.
• Study one of the Nia 52-moves each week- Pumps. Squeeze and then relax the palm and fingers of your hand, as if you were milking a cow. Change the tension of the squeeze. Sense for an increasing sensation of relaxation in your hands after each pump. Benefits: reminds you to keep tension out of your neck and shoulders by keeping your hands active. Builds power in the forearms and fingers.
• Finish the Nia Sanjana-routine bars and start the Nia Opal-routine bars (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- second victim and it’s even more painful because I’m so close to done on this whole goal. WEEK 9 PRIORITY.
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. I handled tuition payments this week.
• Organize something in the house each week-  we have art work from our boys all over the house, but new stuff is constantly coming in and it’s a big job sorting and shifting through it all. Each piece needs time on the frig and in the gallery (in the basement hallway, at the bottom of the stairs, I have a tack strip made out of homasote that holds dozens of pieces for each boy). This week I updated the gallery. First, I took pictures of the works of art for the archives and then I got a new series up. I think I need to add curator to my list of titles, lol.

Hope you all have a fabulous week.

What you might have missed here this week:

Random Stuff: Liebster, Sunshine, and more
Flash Fiction #30 – Finding Her Human

Persistence can pay off, thankfully. I kept trying to get back on track and this week I finally felt back in it. The key to my recovery was remembering my passion. Before I continue that thought…

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I hope you all have safe travels and yummy eats where ever you celebrate this week.

…I have a passion for telling stories. Life just doesn’t fit right when I’m not paying attention to my stories. It has been a struggle to shape my new normal, but once I let myself remember why I do it, I fell right back into line. I took back control with persistence, I kept trying and I kept working at it.

It wasn’t a perfect week, but I feel great about it

The Goals – week-7 results

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters- done.
• Weekly progress in word count, editing, and/or plotting- done. I got a ton of editing done this week and by the end of Thanksgiving week I hope to be ready, again, for beta readers. WAHOO! 😀
• Finish reading current craft book- I spent some time with Margie this week. I’m working through her Empowering Characters Emotions packet. I would like to see more weekly movement. WEEK 8 PRIORITY.
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep and my calorie limit- done.
• Study one of the Nia 52-moves each week- Strikes. Strike out with the heel of your hand, as if forcefully pushing someone out of the way. Stop suddenly before your arm is fully extended and sense the positive tension in your arms and hands that protects your elbow joint. Benefits: helps you to learn to move with precision and for developing quick reactions.
• Finish the Nia Sanjana-routine bars and start the Nia Opal-routine bars (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)- I started mapping out the last song in the routine, but it’s not yet done.
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities- done. Just a couple of emails this week. Lovely.
• Organize something in the house each week-  I completely forgot about this goal. WEEK 8 PRIORITY

Hope you all have a fabulous week and Happy Thanksgiving!

What you might have missed here this week: 

Tantalizing Tuesday #3 – Time to Dance
Delilah’s Passion by Sarah Bella & Writer Advice
Review: Hear Me by Skye Warren