What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My Current WIP (Work in Progress):  I made some progress with revising my current manuscript. Not as much as I had hoped, but some forward momentum is better than none.

Quote of the Week: “The things you want should match up with the things you’re willing to do to get what you want." ~ Unknown

What I'm Reading:  I started reading The Lemon Sisters by Jill Shalvis on last Friday. I should finish it tonight provided I don't fall asleep reading (which is something that happens all too often).

Random Thoughts: Isn't strange that we sometimes spend way too much time worrying over something that might happen and how we'll deal with it and then the thing doesn't happen after all? I do that way too often, but I'm trying to curb the impulse when it arises.

Random Photo of the Week:

 This little cartoon perfectly describes my cats' reaction to any empty box they come across.

Books on Writing

I don't usually read books on the craft of writing. Most of them offer techniques I already utilize or ones that don't work for me or that I don't agree with.

That being said, a friend and fellow author offered to loan me her copy of Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King and Rennie Brown. She insists it's one of the best books she's read on writing or editing/revising. Her copy is from the original printing in 1994. She swears the information is still relevant despite the age of the book. (There are updated versions as well.)

Revisions and/or editing is my least favorite part of the writing process. Because of that I'm going to take her up on her offer and borrow the book from her in a few weeks after I finish reading the books I borrowed from the library. Hopefully, it will help make the revision process easier, or at least more enjoyable, for me.

This I know for sure...

I went to the library last Friday with a short list of three to four books I wanted to borrow. I always take a list so I know what I'm looking for. I don't usually have time to browse the shelves so it's more efficient to take a list of books/authors to look for.

I ended up leaving the library with 12 books. Twelve. That total doesn't include a couple of books my mom borrowed that I also want to read. I think I was being overly optimistic to think I'll get even a quarter of them read by the time they have to be returned in 3 weeks. The good thing is the library allows you to renew the books online for an additional 3 weeks as long as no one else has a request on file for the book.

So if you're wondering what I'll be doing this weekend or whenever I have some free time within the next 21 days, I'll be reading. 

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My Current WIP (Work in Progress):  No writing progress last week. I had a few things crop up that took up my writing time. I plan on getting a lot done this week since things have quieted down.

Quote of the Week: "You can't expect to win the jackpot if you don't put a few nickels in the machine." ~ Flip Wilson

What I'm Reading: I did go to the library last Friday. I borrowed Say You're Sorry by Karen Rose. I started reading it Friday evening and finished it yesterday evening. It was a long book (619 pages in the hardcover edition), but well worth reading.

Random Thoughts: I hate to complain about the weather during the summer because I hate the winter season so I feel like I shouldn't complain about the warm weather. That being said, I am so done with temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's with oppressive humidity. 

Random Photo of the Week:

    Somebody has been trying to cool off by sleeping in front of a fan with his catnip sock.

Half Year Review - Part 2

I took a good look at where I am now that half the year is gone. (I still can't believe it went by so quickly.) There are some things I can do better on, some that I feel like I'm doing okay on, and some that I'm doing pretty good on.

One of the things I can do better on is time management. I'll have the extra 3 hours in my schedule each week possibly starting this week, but definitely next week. I am devoting those extra hours to my writing goals.

I did have to revise my writing goals because at this point in time, even with the extra 3 hours, there is no way I'll meet the goal(s) I set back in January. I didn't change them too much. I did eliminate writing one new first draft.

One of the things I'm doing okay on is exercising. I know it's good for you and keeps you healthy, but I hate doing it. My goal is to exercise at least 4 days a week. Most weeks I meet the goal. There have been a couple of weeks lately that I was lucky to do one or two days, but I'll be back on track for the 4 days this week.

One of the things I'm doing pretty good on is making cards ahead of time so that I'm not in panic mode trying to get a card made and mailed before the person's birthday, anniversary, etc. I still haven't had a chance to make some Thank You cards ahead yet so I have them ready to use when needed, but overall I think I'm doing well with this goal.

One of the things I'm not doing well with is my writing goals.  With the extra 3 hours I'll have each week for at least the next 8 weeks, I should be able to meet my revised writing goals without too much trouble (provided life doesn't get in the way).

One thing I have realized is that I believe I can accomplish much more than I realistically can. Revising my goals helps keep me on track and makes me more likely to actually meet them instead of feeling like I didn't do enough or try hard enough when I don't.

This I know for sure...

It's been very rainy in my area yesterday and today due to the remains of Barry moving through. We're just getting the remnants of the storm. I can't imagine the amount of rain the people who were in the path of the storm when it initially made landfall had to deal with.

We are going to the library today. What better way to spend a rainy day than with a good book, a glass of iced tea or lemonade, and a cookie or two.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My Current WIP (Work in Progress):  Made a small amount of progress last week - revised 20 pages. I hope to get more done this week now that we are visitor free.

Quote of the Week: "With self-discipline most anything is possible." ~ Theodore Roosevelt (This quote is a repeat from last week. It's something I need to keep in mind.)
 
What I'm Reading:  I'm not currently reading a book right now. I hope to be able to go to the library on Friday.

Random Thoughts:  It's only July and I'm already getting tired of eating salads, wraps, sandwiches, and other hot weather food that don't require a lot of cooking. When the temperatures are in the mid 80's and higher with oppressive humidity, the last thing I want to do is stand over a hot stove.

Random Photo of the Week:

Not really a photo, but I liked the quote. I also like to read when I'm bored. It allows me to take an adventure without having to leave where I am.

Half Year Review

It's hard to believe 2019 is already half over. The first half of the year has flown by. Now that summer has come to my part of the world, the next few months will seem to go by even faster. Summer seems to be the fastest season of all while Winter drags on endlessly in my opinion.

I have Thursday and Friday off from the day job this week due to a major system upgrade that's being done. I'll be using those two days to look back at what I've accomplished so far in terms of meeting my goals. I already know the answer is going to be not very good. I'm going to take a hard look at my goals and refine them as necessary.

My schedule has changed a bit so I should have at least 3 more hours a week that I can use for writing time. The extra time and the review of my goals should get me back on track so that I'll meet most, if not all, of my goals by the end of the year.

I'll give a more in depth update next Monday after I've done my goal review.

This I know for sure...

The squirrels are hazardous to the life of my plants. I tried container gardening for a few years, but gave it up after losing every tomato, green pepper, and cucumber that grew to the squirrels. I tried every way I could think of and some suggestions on the internet to try and keep them away from the plants with little success.

I have a flowering plant in a hanging pot on my porch and even though I moved it so the squirrels can't reach it (or so I thought), I went to water it and found a half eaten apple hidden under some uprooted plants in the pot.

They don't usually bother my flower gardens, but this year they are burying things in the garden and uprooting some of the plants in the process. Yesterday I saw one squirrel running across the yard with a lily blossom in its mouth.

What's Up Wednesday

This week...

My Current WIP (Work in Progress): No writing last week as we had visitors from out of town all last week through Monday of this week.

Quote of the Week: "With self-discipline most anything is possible." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

What I'm Reading: I just started reading A Most Extraordinary Pursuit by Juliana Gray. It's a historical mystery or at least seems to be that at this point. I'm not sure if I like it or not. It's very slow going and seems extra wordy. I'm going to stick with it at least for a bit longer in hopes the pacing will pick up.

Random Thoughts:  Keeping along the same lines as what I wrote above in the "What I'm Reading" segment, do you continue to read a book that doesn't hold your interest, where you don't like one or more of the main characters, etc, struggling along to finish it or do you set it aside to read something else? I used to push through and finish every book I started even if it was torture. Now I give a book between 50 or 75 pages and if I don't like it any better by that point, I either take it back to the library (if I borrowed it from them) or donate it to the library unfinished. I have too many books on my "Want to Read" list to read books I don't like.

Random Photo of the Week:

 

Apologies

Sorry no post today. Our out of town visitors are staying a day or so longer than originally planned.  Between the 4th of July festivities and showing them around town and taking day trips to see the sights, I haven't had time to put a post together for today.

July 4th

I won't be posting at all this week. I'll be spending time with friends, family, and visiting relatives during the week and 4th of July holiday. I'll be back on Monday, July 8th with a new post.