Monday, October 25, 2010

Under

So you've all heard the phrase 'bit off more than you could chew'? But how many of you have LITERALLY done that? Had your mouth SO FULL that you couldn't put your teeth together to break down the parts... worried about breathing in case you asphyxiated on something in your mouth... had to probe with your tongue and wait for aid from your salivation glands to start to break down the mass in your mouth.

When my daughter was about 3, she shoved a whole pancake in her mouth. This is something like that. What I have done is the figurative of the literal, and I know that sounds like nonsense, I just wanted you to be REALLY CLEAR about the sensation... there is so much I am almost incapacitated... yet I am not a person to go to the trash and spit part of it out. Hell, I even forgot to grab a napkin, as usual... This is a stubbornness thing... and also a refusal to buy into 'that's not ladylike', so potentially tied to feminism *shifty*.

Let me e'splain...


Underground

One week from today I will dive into NaNoWriMo.

Just so you know, I still plan to blog probably 5 days a week, but they may be shorter, and some of the content may be me flying by the seat of my pantslessness... I've got a file of helpful writing posts I've been collecting... maybe I will share some of THOSE. Whatever the case, I am keen on diving into the writing. Just so you all know where I am in PREP... I am planning on Storyboarding before starting, since I am writing a mystery and that seemed to work well for the Cozy... For MORE on that... what I've done, what I need to do, to get the storyboard written, check out tomorrow's post at Burrowers, Books and Balderdash[].


Under the Wire

What the START date means though, is a DEADLINE for a dozen other things.

 
1)  The Cozy Deadline... Oh, the REAL deadline is December 31, but I want my AGENT to have some time, and then I want some time, so I figured getting it to HER Nov. 1, and hoping for it BACK from her Dec. 1 was PERFECT... you know... for allowing me to WriMo and all... I have received feedback from several fabulous Burrowers, (plus my Cozy Guru, Elizabeth) and have some changes to get in THIS WEEK.
2)  The LEGACY rewrite... this isn't the FINAL rewrite, of course, but I am committed to THIS rewrite before the WriMo. (December I will incorporate notes, and in January I will clean it—THEN it will be done...
3)  Blogging: Not only have I committed to NaBloWriMo this month... I also joined the Blogging Crusade and have somehow ended up with 6 guest blogs to write... I LOVE having people invite me... the TIMING though, is making this just a little stressful. I have my OWN blog daily, a Burrow Blog once or twice a week, and then these guest blogs... Oi...


Underpants.

Okay, so underpants has nothing to do with this section, but calling my husband underpants at the moment is about the nicest thing I can think of. He's being a toad... he and my daughter are warring, and he was being unreasonable Friday night. He's not happy I took her side *rolls eyes *


So there we have it... the stress that is my life... I am making progress... I will do it all... but somehow I keep feeling on the verge of going under.


DON'T FORGET TO COME IN TOMORROW FOR THE TERRIFIC AND WISE WORDS OF ALEX CAVANAUGH!!!

35 comments:

Charmaine Clancy said...

Hang in there like those undies! NaNo should be crazy but fun - I'm in! Even if you fail, you get words so it's still a win (but of course we still want to win better than any other NaNo writer ever).
Your pancake story made me laugh at a memory. I have a girlfriend with a really large mouth and years ago at a bistro restaurant I dared her to see if she could fit the whole baby pumpkin in her mouth. She did. We were in awe. But... she couldn't get it out and started choking. Sorry to say, but we were no help, the rest of us were in tears laughing. Eventually a waiter noticed her turning blue or something and helped her get it out. Ahhh, good times.

Old Kitty said...

Your husband is underpants? LOL!! Awwww nevermind - it'll all soon be water under the bridge as they say!! :-) Hugs to you and your family!

GOOD LUCK with your edits and deadlines!! Wow!! I struggle to juggle two things simultaneously so I'm in AWE with not only your edits but with the Nano and the Blogging Crusade!! I'm sending you tons and tons of positive vibes!!!

Take care!!
x

Unknown said...

Pants! How annoying when things fall together like that! I hope your other half has sorted himself out by NaNo!

*shivers* Yikes almost time for nano.... no plot in sight as of now for moi...

Hart Johnson said...

Charmaine *dies* Oh, what a hysterical story! I bet she didn't try that again!

Jenny-yes... he's underpants... and nobody needs that... Thank you!

Tessa-HA! I'm glad you stopped in--my side bar to you hasn't been working, so I have my chance to fix it now! YAY for NaNO!

Unknown said...

Oh, I hear you! My parents arrive at my house tonight for ten days and I'm doing NaNo and they don't know I write so I'm going to have to make up reasons I'm on the computer for hours. I will probably have shorter blogs as well and I'm already creating some in advance and asking guest bloggers to come by.

I hope things get more cheery in your house. Have a great week.

CD

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Don't go under. YOU can do it, Girl.

Teresa

Hart Johnson said...

Clarissa--your parents don't KNOW?! But you have a CONTRACT! I think maybe that means you can tell them, don't you? The image though, of you hiding to type away on your NaNo is pretty funny.

Teresa- THANK YOU!

Carol Kilgore said...

You'll float through all this just fine. And why is it husbands never understand why they're underpants some of the time?

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

That is a LOT to have going on. Although *sometimes* I've found (not always, though) that the more I have on my plate, the more gets done. And sometimes, that I'm more immune to husbands or other people who temporarily become underpants. :)

Good luck!

Carolyn Abiad said...

I'm ditching NaNo, however unfeministic that may be. I say "uncle"! I need to focus on finishing my revisions and actually query before I start the second part...as much as I wanted to try NaNo...:(

Good luck with Captain Underpants.

Jen said...

Wow, and I thought I took on a lot at once! But the great thing is, as long as you remember to chew, you can eventually get it all down.

Sugar said...

aww Tarty!! I feel your pain girl.. I for some unholy reason..signed up for nano too :) we can be miserable together lol

I can't imagine if you were a man..can you fathom them juggling such things? me either.. lol
Good luck hun!

Hart Johnson said...

Carol-Say... FLOATING! that's a good plan!

Elizabeth-I actually HAVE gotten a ton done... the deadline helps, but there is certainly an overwhelm to it....

Carolyn-sorry to see you go on that one, but revisions definitely are important... I should spend more time on them, honestly... I just like the WRITING part so much BETTER!

Jennee-yeah, I think my problem is before my mouth empties, I just put more stuff IN THERE!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hart, you amaze me!
And looking forward to intensive snarking here tomorrow. All at my expense.

Dawn Ius said...

I should have read this post PRIOR to calling my toadly husband somthing less...flattering :-)

I've registered for NaNo, as well. It's on the list of things I wish to complete. Sending you positive deadline vibes.

lisahgolden said...

We're here to pound you on the back if you choke. I'm afraid that taking bigger bites than we can chew is a common affliction. I try to fight the urge and then my mouth is full of pancake.

Hart Johnson said...

Sugar-excellent! Are we linked? Find me: hartjohnson

Alex-HA! I forgot to give the ALEX IS COMING! ALEX IS COMING! Need to fix that!

Dawn-you don't have a toadly husband! You talk nicely about him! Maybe it was just a full moon thing... And you find me, too!

Lisa-it's a terrible habit, isn't it... Definitely thanks for the pounding!

Karen Jones Gowen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karen Jones Gowen said...

(Sorry blogger probs)

Is that your cover? Because it's brilliant, I love it!

And as for biting off more than I can chew, I do that all the time, both literally and figuratively.

Talli Roland said...

No wonder you feel a bit overwhelmed - that's a lot going on - yikes! Hope things get back on track soon in your family... eeee...

Hart Johnson said...

Karen, it's a cover a friend made for me and I LOVE IT. I will beg them to let me use it, but I have my doubts they will, as most publishers seem to have such a SYSTEM that way...

Thank you, Talli! It is a lot, but I have a work deadline Wednesday, so I am hoping after that i can take a couple days off...

James C. Wallace II said...

I've done Nanowrimo twice and its a piece of cake. It just takes patience and dedication. Once you really get into it, everything else fades away.
It's how I write anyway, so I haven't had to modify my style to adapt.
A word of advice though...
Destroy your phone, disable your Facebook account, dispose of your friends and ship your family off to another country for the month. LOL!!!!!
Seriously though, completing the Nanowrimo is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as a writer. It clears the mind and empties your head of stray thoughts.

Par Ardua Ad Alta!!!

LTM said...

you really are under a lot, and yet you still manage to be so helpful and encouraging... sainthood! :D <3

Hart Johnson said...

James-I've done it twice now, and it has really caused me to reevaluate how I write. I used to be persistent, but if I got stumped, i wrote something else for a while... Now I mark the hole and keep going... it is easier to fill in those holes in the rewrite anyway, and I think the final product is better.

Leigh--Saint Tart?! *snort* Oh, that would be good. This what havok I could wreak as a Saint!

Aleta said...

NaNoWriMo, I want to give this a try, but I don't have a story in my head. How pathetic is that? Lol.

You will do wonderful and I'm impressed that you'll keep blogging as well. I'd miss you if you didn't!

Jan O'Hara (Tartitude) said...

I'm tired just looking at your list, Hart. But if anyone can do it, you can.

I know you've been by already, but you missed the relevant post today! The one in which you're thanked! If you get a chance, come on over. If not, I'll just bug you again.

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

This sounds highly ambitious to me, but I have no doubt that you can handle it!)

RaShelle Workman said...

Hart - Ha ha ha ha ha ha - Underpants!!! I love it. I may borrow it for when I want to use my "OTHER" words. My not so nice potty-mouth words.
Wow, you sound like you are a busy, busy, busy, busy, busy . . . yeah!!!
xoxo

jenny milchman said...

You can do it!! You go, girl! Fly by the seat of those pants!

Mustang Sally said...

Oh my! You are a crazy woman LOL I got sneaking suspicion you can handle it though. Thanks for the encouragement this morn.

Helen Ginger said...

You are one brave woman to plan 5 days a week of blogging WHILE doing NaNo! Go for it!

Arlee Bird said...

Sounds like you went to the buffet and really filled your plate. Now that's some pure naked ambition.
Don't know what I'm going to do yet, but I plan on being at NaNo for the 2nd year. My NaNo name is wordleeness.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Jan Morrison said...

yo - do I know what you mean! My husband is also being an underpants. He shushed me last night and I'm still steaming. SHUSHED ME! Also my dog ran away when I was in Cape Breton and is still not home - oh he's out there but he's not coming in - that is since Thursday - yep this would be his fifth night. I cannot stand it which is why I'm up writing to you in the middle of the night. I'm not going to regular nano like I did last year. I'm going to rebel nano and just decide that I will spend the time revising. ten hours a week ought to make me nuts enough.
underpants, stoopid dog and don't get me started on the kids. I think I'll go make myself a drink. yes. and read Jane austin.

Cheeseboy said...

Still not sure I understand the underpants reference, but it's all good. Life seems very busy for you. I'll have to deal with the shorter posts.

Hart Johnson said...

Aleta-Lots of people start with no ideas! You should give it a try!

Jan-*hugs* Thank you! Love the citrisy award!

Jane-So is ambitious a euphemism for nuts?

RaShelle--do you have loved ones who inspire such language, too?

Jenny-Ha! No pants for me! But I will fly by the seat of my pantslessness...

Sally-we all need some extra hugs sometimes!

Helen--Oh, but... I HAVE A PLAN *evil cackle*

Lee--yeah, I always take a full plate, then usually go back for seconds... it is just sort of how I roll. I will look for you!

Jan-Oh, what I wouldn't GIVE to be shushed! Bloody favortism! Wait... erm... sorry, you dived me into my alternate reality. I happen to know your sweet patootee has a few redeeming qualities, so I'm sorry he's acting an underpants at the moment. And sorry about Hoagie! Maybe you and I should run away from home... (editing sounds perfect--I am still working on that, too...)

Cheeseboy--there is no rottener word to a nudist than underpants... and that is what the hubby is being...