Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Back To It


Thank you friends, for being so amazingly patient with me and my summer of maladies. I really needed that time, especially my August time with my aunt and sorting her estate. It was good, as processes go. I feel like I know her better now for the time I spent with her friends. And it was a few days of time travel as I ran into things from my grandparents' house that I hadn't seen for decades. There is still the probate piece, but I have a lawyer who I've given everything, so I will follow her lead... mostly it is just a long waiting process, I think.


But now... Low and Behold... my life NEEDS me again. My writing has been neglected. My job has been neglected. A few tasks for friends have been neglected. My family... well, mostly I've been on top of that, except the school shopping piece, but they knew that would drag into football season anyway (whereby we earn parking money to dress the childings). And the REALLY big neglect... I haven't managed to take care of myself physically since my husband's health problems started last January. So I've got some stuff to get back on top of.


The Writing Plan *BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA*

I am leaving the last few scenes of A Shot in the Light for the rewrite. I just really am not yet in a writing frame of mind. But I DO want to be in an EDITING frame of mind and think I can. I have a week worth of READING to do first, then I plan to start first edit on Medium Wrong. Remember for me first edit comes in three rounds—a read and comment, fixing small stuff, a BIG FIX (based on comment) then a polish. I figure that puts me into mid-October and I will send it to first readers.

Then I will finish TYPING What Ales Me and planning for NaNoWriMo.

In December and January I will take my next crack at Medium Wrong and submit it for ABNA.

MEANWHILE: September I will research agents, make my list and prioritize. October I will query.

During this, I will blog 3-4 days a week, I think...


The Organization Plan

My home is a disaster. I have a couple new (to me) computers from my aunt, so a process needs to occur of getting them checked and rearranging the office space. In the end, it will be good. The new computer is much smaller than the old.

I also have some special family things so our storage needs to be rearranged and I'd like to find some space to have some things out.

I dread this part. I hate cleaning and organizing.


The FITNESS Plan.

I desperately need to do this. Yet each time I hear an option, part of me cringes at the idea. It just is so TIME-consuming to obsess about eating and exercise all the time.

Finally, though, my Couch-to-Keg buddy Jackie started talking about nutrient rich foods and this plan she wants to do. Now she is going to be paying attention to some index that rates foods (and you saw the work work work, bit, yes?) but the GIST of it is LOTS of fruits and vegetables. And when I've been really successful with Weight Watchers in the past, this is part of it. I'm a volume eater—I just feel really unsatisfied on miniscule portions, but a big plate that is mostly veggies and just a little caloric other stuff—THAT works.

So I am going to follow Weight Watchers, but using that super-dose of fruits and veggies and call it good.

I ALSO am going to add in some stretching and muscle work on top of the tons of walking I do (that is clearly not enough).


The Bad News...

I am going to make a serious effort at getting around to blog friends, but my day job is on high pace right now, so I am TRYING, but there are only so many hours in a day. I will keep a list though, and make sure I get to folks at least somewhat regularly.


17 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Hart!! Good to hear from you. Knew you just needed some time, but it did leave a naked hole in the blogging universe without you.

Karen Baldwin said...

Wow, what a busy summer you had. Glad your back and up for blogging again.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I'll second Alex. A naked hole. :)

I understand all too well how life can toss a wrench into our writing life.

Old Kitty said...

Beautiful Tart!! Well I know you are most NAKED already so no need to fret about blogging visits!! Yay! Take care
x

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Don't worry about visiting around! Just take care of yourself. Sounds like you've got a good plan for doing so. :)

RaShelle Workman said...

Sounds like you are doing well. It's good to have a plan. :)

Jan Morrison said...

You have a plan! Don't worry about us bloggers ... why I happen to know that many of us are in similar boats ... just floating along hoping we snag on something sometime.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

We are here for you Hart! I'm glad things are starting to settle down a bit. I've been doing okay on my fitness goals (down ten pounds). I wish you the same with yours.

Christine Murray said...

Sounds like you have a lot going on Hart. Glad you're back though :)

Sarah Ahiers said...

Yay! Glad to see you back! I just got back to blogging to. It takes some time to really get back to the swing of things.
And i'm like you, totally a volume eater

M.J. Nicholls said...

Wow! You are writing a lot of books! Make sure you keep your characters in check, don't want them slipping into a Stephen King or ER James behind your back . . .

Cherie Reich said...

Best wishes for all your plans. Glad to see you back to blogging. :)

Helena said...

You've been going through such a tough time, how could you possibly stay on top of everything? Just one suggestion: instead of working out/ exercising again, maybe you should just play. Go outside and play and have fun, put on some music and dance, or whatever else makes you romp around for the hell of it. Personally, I know I need more play and less workout.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Oh my gosh, Hart ... you are so busy! I know that you can do it all, but the stuff that doesn't have to be done immediately will filter down to the bottom of the list on its own.

I wished that I lived closer because I am really good at organizing and cleaning and most of the time I actually enjoy it.

I am glad that you are taking time to focus on yourself in the middle of it all. Hugs!

Kathy M.

J.L. Campbell said...

One day and one thing at a time is the only way you'll make it through this tight stretch. Hope you're doing okay.

Joe said...

We're lazy, so we get our veggies delivered to us by https://michigan.doortodoororganics.com

We're making a similar attempt at more fruits and veggies. We found that when we focus on it we're actually pretty good at doing it, but we don't always focus on it. Having a service like Netflix for veggies helps us not have to think about it.

This semester I start the loooong process of writing my dissertation. I may come by and bug the local author about writing and stuff ;-)

JCS said...

Couch to Keg must be revived soon! It will help us manage all the stress.
Here's some info from the Eat to Live diet. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/oz-approved-7-day-crash-diet

We can do it!!!!