Rescheduled Birthday...Status Report #1

In honor of my rescheduled birthday, I just had to post this picture. Are these shoes not the cutest things you have ever seen? I love my emails from Neiman Marcus...they are filled with things such pretty things. I'm bumming around this morning which feels kinda nice. I'm sipping coffee, goofing off on Facebook, looking at Camp Pictures on Facebook, and thinking about what I am going to write later this morning. It felt kind of nice as 7:45am rolled around and I was not at work in our staff meeting. I am lucky to work with really great folks...especially those who are covering things for me today so that I can enjoy my rescheduled birthday. They seem to think I need a long weekend...so I'm going to trust them on that.

My sister...in typical/perfect birthday gift giving fashion got me some Henry. A DVD and a mouspad. I think it is pretty cool that I have a pink laptop and a fab picture of Henry Rollins as a mousepad. I so feel a picture taking session in the making. I wonder if I am the only person who could write a blog that integrates cute pink shoes and a picture of Henry Rollins. I love this mousepad...nothing better than an intense picture of mighty rollins with tattoos and all. Swoon!!!

Back to the shoes...I'm thinking I will have to create a scene for Lolly when she has an opportunity to wear them. With a frilly, ruffly pink cocktail dress. What is it about ruffles? They are so making a comeback. I like that. I'm a fan. My fun winter scarf has ruffles...I was ahead of the curve on that. Hmm...I guess reading Vogue can do that to a gal!!

Things to be ecstatic about... (Word Count = 100,020)

I have been having great success writing each morning at Starbucks...the Vera Bradley laptop bag has proven to be a wise investment. I'm in a good writing groove and managed to reach a new word count high even though I slept in this AM. I just improvised. I wrote in the cafeteria at work before work. Genius.

There are lots of things that I'm quite overjoyed about (isn't that silly?? can i be overjoyed??) and here is a list...because I am crazy for the lists!!!

List of Things to be Overjoyed About

* Hitting 100,000 words in your current "work in progress" and 230 pages. This novel may actually be born folks!!
* Dinner with the Three J's Tonight (We are quite the Trio!!!)
* Rescheduled Birthdays only being one day away
* Four Day Weekends
* Friday AM Writing Sessions with Writing Friends
* Rescheduled Birthday Celebrations on Friday Night with your Bestest Friend
* Vera Bradley Spring/Summer Accessories - Beach Towels, Flip Flops, and Sunglasses...Oh My!!
* Thinking about scheduling a Vera Party so that my fellow Vera Addicts and I can shop...I mean browse...the new stuff that is coming out. Especially since I had to miss the one in January... :***(
* Shopaholic Movie Release - just one more day!!
* Using more than one exclamation mark...cuz that is how you roll!!!
* Hearing Head Automatica on XM Radio and remembering what a good band they are. Especially live and right up front in the front row.
* New kitchen appliances that make the most used room in the house even cozier than before. I wonder if I will even learn to cook on the new stove...or just continue to perfect my "reheating" skills?
* Cleaning up your desk at work and admiring all the Daisy Daisy Vera Bradley flair you have sprinkled around.

Welcome to my Giddiness!!! :) Do you get that I'm seriously overjoyed?? There is no container big enough to hold it all in!!! ;)

Will I Ever Get to the Finish Line? (Word Count = 97,300)

Well, here I am having increased another 1K worth of words and I am a bit lost at the moment. My characters have done that divergence thing that they tend to do...which is good...but I just keep thinking back to all the work I am going to have to do once I am "done" with this first pass. I know I should just keep pushing through and get this first draft done. Then I can go back and really write this novel.

That sounds so devestating doesn't it? I will finish this first draft and then I will have to go back and really turn it into something. I'm so scared of falling into old behaviors. Will I have the strength and tenacity to do it? No amount of Vera Bradely is going to help me to truly deliver something that people want to read. I know that I can write...but my big fear stens from the fact that I do not have much confidence in my storytelling. I'm trying not to think about this minor huge point...or the fact that I wear it like a crown. Ineptitude much?

Hi..my name is Joy and I am a writer...but I can't tell a story. Hmph...I guess I won't know unless I try right? I WILL finish this novel and clean it up for consumption by those poor souls who are willing to read it. I'm in one of those dark writer moments where a pink cocktail would really help...but it is a work night...so I'll just go to bed.

Here's to a good writing AM before work at Starbucks...with my lovely pink laptop and fabulous bag in tow.

Have Laptop Portfolio...Will Write...

Did I just buy more Vera Bradley? Why yes...yes I did!! So in the interest of continued work on my novel, I have invested in a practical laptop portfolio that can house my laptop in safety when I go to write in the AM before work. I'm loving my new writing time and it seems to work with my schedule and I have been doing alot of handwriting. It hit me earlier this week that if I just wrote on my latop I would save time in having to type up my handwritten notes. That of course led to me realizing that I don't really have a proper laptop bag for my lovely pink laptop.

I mean, if I am going to finish this novel, I need to get things moving along and expedite my progress and hone my efficiency. Makes perfect sense. Of course, I love hand writing so I'm sure I will do that on some mornings too. So here is my plan for the coming week -

* Write in the AMs before Work
* Exercise in the PM after Work

This is a good balance I think. We will see how I do.