Monday, November 6, 2017

How Bad Do You Want It?

I have been completely and totally out of focus when it comes to blog posts the last several months.

Yeah, I'm real broken up about that.

I'm a little bummed in that I had, with a few slow times, kept up to a twice a month posting schedule a LOT longer than I expected. I could highlight how everything going on can be best summed up by describing my life as dangling off the side of the Titanic just before it makes its final descent.

But that would be a bit dramatic. Plus, it's just not that cold where I live.

Social media reminded me that about this time last year I wrote a blog post about that nerdiest of nerd holidays: National Novel Writing Month.

That's right, it's NaNoWriMo time, kids! That batshit crazy time of the year when thousands of people lose all good sense and try to cram writing 50,000 words into 30 days and try to act like it's the most fun ever. All while trying not to crack like Humpty freaking Dumpty.

For all my bitching and moaning (a beloved past time, frankly), the idea of NaNoWriMo in October is kind of thrilling to my creative-esque brain. The idea of it November first is still kind of thrilling yet slightly daunting. Beyond that it's a mad dash of swear words, caffeine, loathing (both self- and for those who interrupt your process) and anxiety. There may or may not be a serious chocolate addiction to make it through the day as well.

We're one week in (Sweet baby arugula, one week down already?!) and I've already had to play a bit of catch up. But I rallied. And stumbled. And hopefully I'll rally again, because the quicker I rally, the less daunting my catch up mode has to be.

My family... Ahem, my husband and dad are supportive. And distracting. They really do mean well. And they patiently inquire about word counts and how I'm doing for the day.

And none of them know what I'm writing. Yes, I'm terribly squirrelly about explaining what I'm working on even to them and they have not, in the history of the universe, ever asked. Probably because I'm squirrelly. Or they're afraid it's about people talking about angst. Or wallpaper designs. Who can say?

The nice thing about this year, because I'm all about grasping for silver linings at this point, is I've conned my friends into doing it I have more friends participating than before. It's easier to stick with it in the rough moments when you're in this with other people. Mostly because you don't want to be the one who doesn't make it to the end and get all bitter when they celebrate.

I'm still on the mend from that broken bone (without the joy of prescription grade pain killers), my mother is still so far off her rocker she's in a different galaxy (and as loving and charming with me as barbed wire), and life in general has the audacity to continue on as if I'm not chest deep in a bizarre writing event. Must be November.

Good luck to everyone participating in NaNoWriMo - or any other nerdy endeavor that may be going on. May you be inspired, properly caffeinated, supported and a bunch of other stuff that helps.

To the End

When I began this blog 5 years ago, it ended up being a catch-all for whatever slogged through my brain, mostly writing and the difficu...