Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related: Another good writing week last week. I also fit in a writing related class that I hope will help with future releases.

Motivational Quote:  "Where you are today is a result of your thought of yesterday." ~ Halima Musa

What I'm Reading: I picked up two books from the library on Friday. One is Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score. I've never read anything by Ms. Score but I've heard great things about the book. I have to admit I'm a little wary of starting it. The book has 552 pages. I didn't realize it was that long. My concern is I don't have a lot of free time to read and am worried I might not be able to finish it before it's due to be returned to the library. The second book is Atomic Habits by James Clear. I'm trying to build better habits this year and hope this book might help me achieve that.

Random Thoughts:  I eat a snack after dinner two or three times a week. I have the snack even if I'm not hungry. It's become a habit that I don't need to be doing. One of the ways I'm trying to break the habit is by crocheting in the evenings while I'm spending time with my mom or watching TV. If my hands are busy, I'm hoping it'll keep me from needing the snack. I also won't want to eat anything while working on a project so nothing happens to it. Hopefully, I'll break the habit and end up with a new throw blanket for the sofa in the process.  

Random Photo: 

                          Mrs. Green keeping me company as I write Caine's book.
 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  Another good writing week last week. I should hit my goal of being at the 30k mark by the end of the month without any issues. 

Motivational Quote: "Inspiration is highly overrated. If you sit around and wait for the clouds to part, it's not liable to ever happen. More often than not, doing the work provides the inspiration." ~ Chuck Close

What I'm Reading:  I'm reading Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich. This is the 30th book in the Stephanie Plum series. I enjoy the series but I really wish the author would decide which man Stephanie is going to be committed to instead of changing between the two main male characters nearly every other book.

Random Thoughts: I set up a Kanban board for the first quarter of this year. I included both writing related and non-writing related things I want to accomplish/do by the end of March. It seems to be working in terms of keeping those things at the forefront of my mind and helping me get things crossed off my never-ending To Do list. But then I've only been using it for two weeks too. 😀

Random Photo:

     How I felt my writing sessions went this week. Most writers can probably identify with this.
 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  Good writing week last week. I was worried it would be hard to get back into the flow because I hadn't written since the Thanksgiving holiday. It wasn't an issue. I hit the 15,000 (15k) word mark on Saturday. My goal is to be at the 30k mark at a minimum by the end of the month.

Motivational Quote:  "Begin with that most terrifying thing of all: a clean slate. Then look, every day, at the choices you're making, and when you ask yourself why you're making them...find this answer within you: for me, for me." ~ Anna Quindlen

What I'm Reading: I still reading You're the Duke That I Want by Lenora Bell. I didn't have a lot of free time to read last week.

Random Thoughts:  I'm reading up on manifestation and how to manifest things you want to bring into your life. One of the things mentioned is doing a vision board. I've done vision boards the last few years, but never really thought about them as a form of manifestation. I use them as a visual reminder of what I want to accomplish that year. Do you practice manifestation or use vision boards? If you do, I'd love to hear what works for you. 

Random Photo:

                    Mrs. Green looking less than thrilled with her New Year's Day gift.

 

Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  I used the week to set up my writing wall calendar where I keep track of the number of words/pages I write per day and what I want to accomplish by the end of each month. I also set up a Kanban board for the first quarter of the year for both writing and personal goals. No actual words written but I'm diving back into Caine's story this week.

Motivational Quote: "We cannot welcome the New Year by holding on to the old. We can welcome it only when we are ready to transform ourselves." ~ Sirshree (Indian spiritual teacher)

What I'm Reading: I started reading You're the Duke That I Want by Lenora Bell yesterday. It's a historical romance and is the first book in the Thunderbolt Club series.

Random Thoughts:  I had very little holiday spirit after Thanksgiving, not wanting to do any holiday shopping, baking, and all of the other things that come with the December holidays. I finally put up our Christmas tree about a week and a half before Christmas, grumbling the entire time. I started to look forward to sitting in the living room with the tree lit up every evening. I even delayed taking it down until New Year's day. After all the decorations were put away and the living room back in order, I found that I missed having the tree with its decorations and twinkling lights in the corner of the room. I guess I had more holiday spirit than I thought. 

Random Photo:

  A poinsettia "tree" at a local plant conservatory. It was much prettier than the picture shows.

Happy New Year

 Happy New Year!!

                                    Here's to an amazing 2024!