pre-historic monsters

Scientists have discovered something that I think is going to keep me up tonight: the fossil of an 8 foot long bug.

I saw the article a little earlier today, and I admit I'm a little conflicted. The urban girly part of me shudders at thought of super-sized spiders and other creepy insects (yes...I know they're an important part of the ecosystem and I think that when you look at how interdependent beings are in the ecosystem, it's really incredibly interesting...but...that doesn't mean I have to like them). This is the part that's going to by lying awake tonight trying not imagine a giant spider in my tiny apartment.

And then there's nerd in me who is fascinated by these new discoveries thinks it's incredible that there were bugs of this size.

400 million years ago. That's when this thing was around. I wonder what the world will be like in another 400 million years. That's really...too long of a time to even comprehend.

Did anyone else do that timeline of the earth in grade school? I think it was...8th grade that we did it, where you use what I think may just have been receipt tape and measure out the earth's time periods, with mankind taking up only the last inch or so.

Just wanted to share one of the interesting articles I've read lately. Another was the discovery of Jezebel's seal, and the vacuum mouth dinosaur (haven't read that one yet).

current word count: same as yesterday. I'm about to head home and get some writing in.

10 more days?

So...10 more days until the end of the November. 10 more days to write just under 24,000 more words.

A lesser person might stop here.

Especially considering that for six of those days I'll be on vacation. But I'm going to put my mind to the task at hand and write those words, hopefully getting some out during my time in the Big D. I'll remember to email myself the story to write while I'm there, and then of course remember to email myself the updated version so I'll have it when I get back to DC.

Yes, a short but sweet post. I'm hoping that by stating for the record that I'm going to finish this, that I will. This will hold me to it.

current word count: 26,427

california dreamin'

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray
I've been for a walk on a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm if I was in LA
California dreamin' on such a winter's day

It's official. I bought tickets yesterday and I'm heading out to Southern California in February for a nice long weekend of sunshine and warmth. It's possible this may not have been the most responsible of decisions. Those who know me know I'm working hard to get my finances in order and save for more foreign trips (like Paris, Greece, Italy, etc.) but...I miss California. In May of 2008, if I wasn't going, it'd be three years since I'd been back.

I am so excited.

I'll stay at my old roommate's place who has told me that she actually works at our University now. And she is wonderful. Most of my best times were with this girl. She lived down the hall from me Freshman year and we roomed together the next two years (and honestly, I think junior year was the best year of the four...though Senior Spring was nice too).

And my best friend has said she'll drive down from Northern California to see me while I'm there, a girl who we can pick up the phone and talk for hours like we just saw each other the other day, but whom I haven't seen in almost three and a half years. Ahh...sunshine, warmth, mountains....palm trees...this will get me through the cold months coming up. That and the fact that I've recently learned Texas is having 70-80 degree weather in the next 10 days when I'll visit. My mother isn't liking that weather, but I'm looking forward to it.

I know I have until February, but I'm already planning the things I want to do and see while there that I think we'll have time for. And hopefully this will cure some of those pangs I feel when I miss California. Because I've said I could move back in a heartbeat. Of course...it could also be that I go visit and re-fall in love with that place and definitely decide to move back.

I feel like a slacker

After two...ok, maybe three days, of business, I have fallen behind in my word count. Today I wrote a brilliant sentence in the novel. One. Granted, I was instead working on a short story for my writers' group, so I was still writing (ok...editing). But I'm consoling myself with the fact that I do have the weekend. And there is the chance I will write on vacation next week.

I have of late been saying that I write more in Texas. Time to put that to the test.

On a completely different note, is anyone as stoked as I am about fall finally settling in? Yes, I know I complain about the cold, but that's usually only when it drops below 45...maybe 40. But this is only my third fall in DC and I'm still in awe of the leaves. I didn't even really mind the rain on my walk to work this morning, and it was a wonderful walk home with the pink sky and light orange toned buildings from the setting sun, and then the colored leaves and the dampened pavement with the traffic headlights reflecting on the puddles.

There is something to this whole season changing.

Anyway, the posts have been slow but I admit, it has been an absolutely crazy few months at work. But I've been reading some fascinating news articles I've wanted to comment on and hope to get around to. And if not, well, I'm sure there will be new and exciting things in Dallas.

Although honestly...I think the only things that are going to happen are Scrabble games, quality cat and family time, and the house will get mostly decorated for Christmas, since the day after Thanksgiving is traditionally the day we do that. We're not crazy. We don't shop that day (and believe me, after working retail the day after Thanksgiving, you wouldn't either).

current word count: 21,040

20,000 words...finally

My grand plan to get well ahead of the game isn't quite working. I've been getting only a little ahead each night, giving me enough time to get in the day's average 1,667 words. Getting ahead is important because of that little Thanksgiving holiday. I will be spending six days with my lovely family and while the weekend will be more than relaxing, I'm not sure I'll have the time to write a little over 10,000 words.

I have a feeling that when I'm not eating Thanksgiving food (minus the turkey in my case), watching movies or putting up Christmas decorations, I will be engaged in other pursuits that will at least be related to words: reading and playing endless amounts of Scrabble.

I would love it if I could get to 40,000 by next Wednesday night so as not to feel guilty if I get little to no writing done. Maybe 45k. I can dream, can't I?

Oh, and there's also the fact that I've been itching to work on the first novel in this series which I haven't had time for since I've been trying to finish this second one.

The good news, in terms of writing I guess, is that it's cold. The cold is here, and though it's supposed to be up around 60 early this week, it's supposed to get cold again at the end of the week. Those of you who know me know that this Southern girl prefers to hibernate in the cold weather rather than go outside and get assaulted by the bitter wind and freezing moisture in the air that makes it hard to breath.

I prefer to stay inside with hot chocolate/coffee/tea/sherry with sweats, a down comforter and that will give me more than enough time to write. I have a feeling this will be a very productive winter.

If only I had a fireplace. But...I guess I can't have everything.

current word count: 20,039

daylight savings

I realize I'm a little late with this post. But this morning was the second morning in a row that it was just rough to wake up early. Normally it's not too much of a problem. I wanted to get in either a workout or some writing (and I did finally get out of bed, just not as early as I'd wanted). My first thought was to blame what many others blame: Daylight Savings.

Only one little problem with that. It's fall. We fell back. So my 6am wake up call was really 7am, which is what time I'm usually sure I'm up by. And it's only been two days so it's not like I've had a lot of time to adjust.

The other thing is walking home with a setting sun. Normally I like this because it's calming and makes me want to go home, curl up with a book or a movie and some tea...take my time making dinner, etc., etc. But maybe it's because I'm not ready to admit that it's already November that it bothered me yesterday.

Oh well, since I can't change time, I guess the only thing I can do now is sit back and wait for my favorite Starbucks holiday cups. I get so stoked when I see my first one, either in a Starbucks or out on the street because to me that means it's officially the holidays.

current word count: 9327

"if you really want this, it will happen"

The title of this post comes courtesy of Owen in the senior year season of Felicity. The two of them are going around to show their artwork to galleries and are getting rejected without even having their work looked at. Felicity is starting to get a little worried since it seems that everyone else has a career path and a plan of what to do next.

So Owen tells her that she has talent and that it will happen. You just have to want it and work after it. And it'll be a struggle. There aren't really any degrees you can get that says you're a writer. Granted, you can take creative writing classes or major in creative writing (senior year in high school that's what I listed as my applied for degree...I ended up changing it the summer before freshman year for the same reason: I wanted something with a possible career. And I really do nothing related to economics at the moment).

And it's the same with writing. Felicity's mother was taking writing classes and then decided to get into real estate because writing wasn't realistic, she said. And it may not be.

But earlier today I got to thinking about it, when I'm frantically writing my word count for the day and my inner editor is sitting there staring at the screen thinking...wow...this isn't good. So I started thinking this isn't good. But you know what? I love writing. I love creating worlds and characters, these story lines that take on a life of their own and go in directions I didn't think of.

And here's the other great thing about ignoring the editor. I'm working on the second part of a series I have in mind, and it's flowing. I'm just trying to get my count down and the story is sort of writing itself, for now anyway. But the first book in the series took awhile. I tried plotting it out in my head and then with each page I wrote, I wanted to know what the scene ten or fifteen pages later was going to be. And of course I had to edit everything I wrote and get stuck on that part, forgetting what was coming up. That kind of hinders the writing of the story, I've noticed.

A colleague corrected me the other day when she asked how the writing was going with the Bali novel (which I'm putting aside for awhile until I can get to Bali...seeing as how I've been to Java and Sumatra, but not quite Bali). I told her I'd let her know if I ever get published and she smiled and said "when you get published."

While positive thoughts won't necessarily get me published, if I just keep writing I'll improve my writing and improve my chances of seeing "this" happen. And that's something to look forward to, and knowing the challenges will make it sweeter.

current word count: 7510

it begins...

It's November 1 and the National Novel Writing Month has begun! I normally try to wake up early to get my workout in and over with (key word: try), but this morning I woke up early to start writing.

Granted, I didn't wake up as early as I wanted to and I was slightly distracted by other things on the internet, but as of this moment writing this entry, I'm about halfway through today's allotment. I think I can definitely get the rest done this evening.

And as much as I hate it, I'm not doing any editing right now. Normally when I hit a wall with the current scene or upcoming scenes, I'll try to go back through and edit. But I think over the weekend I'll be able to make time to go back and edit a little bit. This will still be a very rough first draft.

I'd also like on the weekends to write a lot and build up a nice little safety net for the day or two when I just don't write (although I hope that won't happen) or write under the daily minimum, imposed by me. This way I'll definitely be able to write at least 50,000 words by November 30.

Good luck to those participating!