It's NaNo Time!

6 days, 13 hours, 22 minutes
OR
157 Hours
OR
9442 minutes
OR
566,520 seconds

My time is ticking away! 

That's how far away we are from the start of NaNo (Kuwait time).  In exactly that time (which I can feel ticking away as I type this) I will be joining thousands of other writers as we race the clock to reach 50,000 words before the month is over.

Nothing But the Truth

Today's post is inspired by the truth!

I've taken the plunge.

I have (finally) started to admit to (real life) people that I write.  For the past two years I hid this away like it was my dirty, little secret.  Just tucked away in the back of my closet, so no one would discover the truth.

This way, no one would ever notice if I failed.  I went to big extremes to hide this from people.  I didn't even tell my husband for the first year.  You know who I did tell?  My students.  It's whats great about kids, they never judge.  And most the time they won't even remember that big, dark secret you told them.

The truth is, I was afraid. Of the same things most A type personalities are afraid of...of failing.  Or, even worse, failing and having the whole world realize it.

So why did this fear apply to my writing?

Knowing the Process

Today we had PD.  PD is a day for teachers to be students and learn a little more about how to be teachers.  We do this 2-3 times a year.

I chose to go to a workshop that was about organization and avoiding procrastination.  I could use the avoiding procrastination help :)  We were also told to bring a major project, which was the main reason I went.  I was hoping for some book writing time.

I didn't get it, but I did get a bit of a funny story.

Part of the workshop was about setting goals.  So he put up a sentence starter "If time were not an issue, I would..."

He looks for answers and eventually asks "Who would write a book?"

I raise my hand (sidenote, before this year, I probably never would have admitted I was a writer--I was too afraid I'd fail).

So he starts asking questions.  And I think, from the start, that he expected this conversation to go a very different way.

30 Things

It's my last year in my 20s!

And I am not freaking out.  I promise.  Well, I mostly promise.  I can't promise how I'll feel next  August.

I'm celebrating my last year in my 20s by making a list.  A list of 30 things to do before I turn 30.  30 reasonable, achievable goals to reach before I reach 30.

This is not because I think life ends at 30.  I just think it's a milestone and I'd like to celebrate it properly. (I can imagine myself doing 40 things for 40 and 50 things for 50, etc).  Plus, it's a great excuse to kick my butt into gear and accomplish some of these goals I've been putting off.

But to accomplish a list, first I need a list. This is what I've come up with so far.

1. Win NaNoWrimMo (or one of the other Wrimos)

2. Get a full request (which means I'd have to start actually querying)

3. Run a half marathon (already signed up)

4....????


Clearly, I need a lot more ideas.  Got one for me?  Leave it in the comments!