44.66

I know. It's cryptic, but all will be revealed.

First I need to say that today I am ALSO at East for Green Eyes and My Writing Journey, talking about my... erm... unconventional path toward publishing.

And besides that... yesterday one of our fellows had a SUPER-helpful post on all the things we sort of need to have in mind on the off chance we ever get that infamous elevator ride, and then a chance to expand on our tale...  I've actually archived Roland's Nazca lines for Writers, as I will want to come back to it, but I also wanted to share it with you.

Okay, so What's with the 44.66?

Let me e'splain... I am 2/3 of the way through my 45th year... 4 months exactly to my birthday, so 44.66 is my age today.  66 also would have been my DAD's age today, had he not died many years ago (he is 23 in the pic; I'm 2)... so I can get a bit morose, but what I really want to focus on is this:  In 4 months, I will be 45 and I have some cleaning up of my act that needs doing by then!

My writing goals are going along FINE. I am on target with my timeline--all the editing has taken just a little longer than planned, and I have not queried yet, but it was a rational decision, because the changes were bigger and I want to make sure they indeed made it ready (or near ready) before I jump in there.  But I have STARTED my next Gardening Cozy--had the first couple scenes bugging me so I went for it, even though I need to sort the plot. My cast of characters has been ready for a while now (though I added a new one recently who I think has a lot of potential).

But there is a big elephant in the kitchen who just needs to be dealt with... erm... and sadly, I am starting to look more and more like her... you heard me... it is TIME to get on that ignored-to-this-point fitness plan.  I can do it now though... let me tell you what is different:

Incentive

This is a biggie for me... WHY do I want to do this? Why put myself through the suffering life style change, if there isn't some shiny fabulousness to be gained? I'd like to tell you I want to do this for my health, but that would be a lie. My health has NEVER been an adequate reason to take on something like this. No... the only thing that has ever worked is SHAME. I don't WANT to be the elephant in the kitchen, and I CERTAINLY don't want to be the elephant at the ABNA midwest meet-up that I hope to attend at the end of June.

In fact I'd really like to be hot. There. I said it. I am vain and petty and low... erm... not low enough to wear make-up every day, mind you, but low enough that I don't want people saying “Gads, I didn't know Hart was fat.”

Now I know that is sort of an exaggeration... I've always been... erm... statuesque? And there has never been a person who accused me of being a pixie. And up to about 20 pounds lower, my weight distributes well enough that the description BIG (though would-be world dominatrixes prefer the term Amazon Goddess) has always been more apt than fat. But I've crossed the line and stayed across for about four years now, and it is time to get back below that threshold, and if tapping a little vanity is what's needed, I am ON BOARD.


Bye-Bye Obstacle #1

It is SO CLOSE to above freezing in Michigan! (never mind we are getting snow yet again on Friday)... But I can convince myself to commit to a month of the elliptical machine if I know sunny walks are on their way. Every year I live in Michigan, I think I become more 'bear'. Come November, I really just want to hunker down and hybernate and it gets SO HARD to keep up my fitness routine (oh for the day I am rich with no day job and I can go to a gym at 10 in the morning!) At the Mo, though, we are BROKE (no membership fees available) and my work hours and family life are bad for working out anyway. I've trained myself to WRITE in the evenings, the only non-committed time I have.


Incentive, Revisited

I have a book release date, FINALLY. It is a LONG time from now, June 2012, but I really need to be comfortable in goddess mode by then, yes? Erm... okay, maybe we are back to the vanity on this one...


BIRTHDAY

So I figure 45 marks my half way point in this life, yes? Isn't it really just good thinking to start that second half as hot as possible? *shifty *

The HOW

Two things: Commit and stay committed to my 4 days of power exercise (in addition to the walking to work, which I have never dropped). COUNT points (yes, weight watchers)--I can join free online. I've resisted because you know... I already live online... but maybe if that's where I am, that is where I should be... if that makes sense. I've also heard about something called SparkPeople that is a fitness online gig that I think I will look into. But I know for a fact if I really count points and exercise, that will do it. (Oh, and when my tax money shows up, I am buying better walking shoes—the last pair fell apart)

Now I don't want to bore all of you with all this, but I DO need some accountability, so... because W begins both Wednesday and Weight, I think I need to check in with just a sentence or two every Wednesday from here on out... I will keep it brief though...


So there you have it... my intention to get fit in the last third of a year in the last year of the first half of my life... erm... or something.