Welcome to The Monday Page. This section of the blog is for posting your weekly goals and progress. The point of this page is to help you focus at the beginning of each week and set a target to meet. Writing your goals down and posting them publicly creates a sense of accountability that for some of us is more effective than mulling our ambitions over internally.
The comments on this page are to be kept short and sweet (“Just the facts, Ma’am.”) Our main blog page is the place to talk process and share ideas and challenges.
If it isn’t Monday and you’d like to post your goals, please do. We have a rolling admissions policy 
And for your first comment, don’t worry about last week’s goal (unless you had one). Here’s what to post as a comment:
1. Your name and the date
2. Last week’s goal (page count, time quota, chapter or section milestone, etc.)
3. Last week’s outcome (achieved goal, didn’t achieve goal, partially achieved goal)
4. This week’s goal (page count, time quota, chapter or section milestone, etc.)
5. Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal (can be anything from “in ten minute stretches when my kids allow” or “between 10:00 and noon every day”–whatever is realistic)
And if you think someone is going to check up on you, you’re right!
(If the comment format becomes too laborious, we’ll work out a different structure–but for now, let’s see how this works.)
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Miranda 2/5/08
Last week: 1) Complete draft of agent query letter and 2) Finish revising story for Iowa contest and postmark by deadline.
Last week’s outcome: Completed both goals.
This week’s goal: Spend at least four hours revising the first two chapters of book.
Schedule: Three hours Friday morning and one hour squeezed in on Wednesday or Thursday.
Jenny 2/5/08
Last week: I just got here.
Last week’s outcome: Story outline complete.
This week’s goal: Finish note taking on uncontested divorce judgements in NY state (anyone who can help with this let me know!) and a bit of victorian architecture. Complete a re-read of On Writing by Stephen King (this was useful in the past). Dig out The Elements of Style (I know it’s here somewhere) and look it over. Write an opening page (or two or three…) Just get something on paper!
Schedule: None yet, just working in time each evening before bed.
Christa 2/5/08
Last week: Anything fiction-related was a goal.
Last week’s outcome: I outlined one of the short stories I’d been struggling with – it’s close to done, but I gave it a structure I’ll need to finish it. I also wrote a few sentences on the new novel. Not great, but forward, right?
This week’s goal: Um… again, anything fiction-related. I’m going to shoot for either that short story, or finishing the second chapter draft of the novel.
Schedule: Bits and pieces of time wherever I can find it.
1. Bethany Hiitola 2/5/08
2. Last week’s goal: Finish non-fic proposal and sample chapters
3. Last week’s outcome: finished/polished the proposal, drafted the chapters
4. This week’s goal: finish polishing those chapters and get agent query letter ready and query away!
5. Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Fit it in between kids, day job, and household stuff.
Status as of today (Tuesday)– chapters 1 and 2 done. 3 needs polishing. Query letter, um, drafted. Roughly.
1. Brittany 2/6/08
2. Last week’s goal: Finish novel by Valentine’s Day
3. Last week’s outcome: Wrote another chapter and a half.
4. This week’s goal: Finish the climax chapter of my book.
5. Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: During Sam’s nap time (and during play time if he’ll let me).
Status as of today (Wednesday)– I’ve written several pages of the chapter I’m working on, but I don’t like it and think it’s redundant. I will probably start from scratch today.
1. Jenn 2/3/08
2. finish the rough draft of tsunami
3. by the skin of my teeth, worst chapter yet, but yes, it’s “done” in rough draft format and sent to my students
4. PART 1 of the book is done in rough format: the interior of the earth. Now, pick ONE chapter, the best one, and get it in the shape to send to editor. Eek!
5. CRANK on Monday (1:30 – 3:30), Tues (10:00 – 11:30), and Wednesday (all day minus class preps). Figures and tables, interest boxes. Crank and PRAY.
Christa 2/11/08
Last week: Anything fiction-related was a goal.
Last week’s outcome: I finally committed to one novella, and damn, the output! It’s absolutely flowing. I am halfway into the second chapter and have roughly outlined the rest of the story. I am soooo psyched!
This week’s goal: Finish Chapter 2, start Ch. 3.
Schedule: Probably nights, along with the bits of time I can snatch during the day.
Miranda 2/11/08
Last week: Spend at least four hours revising the first two chapters of book.
Last week’s outcome: Completed (spent about seven hours).
This week’s goal: Complete chapter 3 by late Friday.
Schedule: Four hours Friday morning and two hours on Wednesday or Thursday.
Lisa D. – 2/11/08
(Note: Don’t the comments default to giving our names and the date?)
Last week: Didn’t expect to do much writing because I was in Austria
Last week’s outcome: Posted on my blog about my trip, turned in a book proposal, and drafted an entirely new short story… Wow, didn’t expect that!
This week’s goal: Write chapter two of the history book (at the very minimum), preferably chapters three and four as well.
Schedule: I am chaining myself to a desk all day Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
Lisa–The comment function does include screen name and date, but for some people their screen name and real name are different (see Jenn/caseycairo for example). As for including the date, I think that typing out the date yourself is part of sticking your stake in the ground! May also help old folks like me who can’t read that pale gray font very well
but feel free to format however you prefer.
–Miranda
Brittany 2/11/08
Apparently this works, Miranda. What a week I’ve had!
Last week’s goal(s): Finish novel by Valentine’s Day and
finish writing the climax chapter of my book.
Last week’s outcome: Rewrote the climax chapter from scratch, finished it, and then wrote another chapter and a half on top of that today. According to my outline, I have five and a half chapters to go in the next three days.
This week’s goal: Finish my novel in the next three days.
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: During Sam’s nap time (and during play time if he’ll let me). I have also excused myself from all household interaction this week. When my husband comes home, we will eat dinner, and then I will lock myself in my office all night.
Oh crap, it’s Monday!
Though, well, I got my week’s goals done!
1. Bethany 2/11/08
2. Last week’s goal(s): Get Intro, Ch1, Ch2 done, query letter done and out there to an agent or so
3. Last week’s outcome: achieved. Even got a request for the proposal and sample chapters.
4. This week’s goal: Hmmm, plot out this new novel idea I have before I “lose” the idea. This means outline and first chapter. It sets tone and tells me when I pick the idea up again where I need to be.
5. Just going to fit it between the day job (the corporate one) and the family. I
1. Christa 2/18/08
2. Last week’s goals: Finish Chapter 2, start Chapter 3
I had some paying stuff that needed attention early in the week, and then Wed. night we LOST POWER for 12 hours due to an ice storm, had to spend the night at my in-laws’, and that totally threw me off. I did manage to write a little, but mostly token stuff, and what I really need is just to dive into it…
3. Last week’s outcome: HAHAHA. Who was I kidding? No, really. I totally lost momentum.
4. This week’s goal: Same as last week. Rain Dog has his school vacation this week, and he’ll be around to take the kids off my hands so I can work.
5. Schedule: I’m hoping for one day to myself where I can really get back into a groove. Otherwise, wherever I can fit in time.
Miranda 2/18/08
Last week: Complete chapter 3 by late Friday.
Last week’s outcome: F (Had first showing on Saturday and open house Sunday; end of week was utterly dedicated to house and attending kids’ talent shows at school. Didn’t even open my manuscript file).
This week’s goal: (If at first you don’t succeed…) Complete chapter 3 by late Friday.
Schedule: Four hours Friday morning and two hours on Wednesday or Thursday. Hoping to meet Betsy G. for writing stint Friday a.m.
Lisa D. 2/18/08
Last week: Write another chapter of my history book
Last week’s outcome: Wrote 2-1/2 chapters
This week’s goal: Draft the final chapters of the history book and share with historians for fact checking; Work with publisher to choose a cover, and begin designing the photo layout. Also, register for Writers’ Institute in Madison, WI. Anyone care to join me?
Schedule: Half day Wednesday, all day Thursday, half day Friday, and half day Saturday
Brittany 2/18/08
Last week’s goal(s): Finish my novel by Valentine’s Day.
Last week’s outcome: Almost made it, and would have if wasn’t such a perfectionist. I’m finished except for one chapter I need to research and a cohesive final chapter.
This week’s goal: Finish research and finish writing the chapter that needed the research.
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Same as always–during naptime.
This outta show you how my week has gone, it’s Wednesday and I am now just posting Monday’s goals. Nice. Real nice. Here’s the skinny:
1. Bethany 2/21/08 (it’s been 10 DAYS!)
2. Last week’s goal(s): Outline new book idea and write first chapter.
3. Last week’s outcome: Ummm, I plotted. Sorta. At least the high level concept. Rest is still perculating.
4. This week’s goal: Start writing SOMETHING. Anything really. Will likely be book 1 idea or book 2 (this new one).
5. Honestly, if I get one page done in any book between now (granted tonight it is already 9pm) and Monday morning, I’ll be happy. How I fit that in, is like always. Whenever I can squeeze it in.
1. Jenn 2/23 (posting a little early)
2. Whoops, forgot to post last week!
3. Yes and no. Did finish all 9 rough draft chapters, but didn’t get a finished chapter to the editor.
4. Aimlessly bide my time while waiting for next week, Spring Break. Then the plan is 1 finished chapter a day to the publisher, 9 chapters by 3/10. So I guess fart around with these chapters now, getting them all a little less rough.
5. YAY, no kid for Sat and Sun (today and tomorrow), so do a bunch of writing this weekend. I’m liking the aimlessness for now, it’s working. Soon it won’t work. Just one week?
Brittany 2/25/08
Last week’s goal(s): Finish research and finish writing the chapter that needed the research.
Last week’s outcome: I started writing that chapter, but then spring cleaning and house reorganization took priority. If naptime is successful today and tomorrow, should finish quickly.
This week’s goal:
1)Finish chapter I’m working on and final chapter
2)Edit first 50 pages and really get them polished so that I can contact agent who requested them.
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Naptime. May also bring gigantic baby pen in from garage and see if Mr. Toddler will play happily in it for any period of time.
Miranda 2/25/08
Last week: Complete chapter 3 by late Friday (second shot).
Last week’s outcome: D+ (mysterious health issue required two lengthy doctor’s visits; then when I had a writing window yesterday afternoon I passed out on the couch–husband says chalk it all up to pregnancy but still disappointing). I did spend a little time revising the chapter while watching the Oscars last night, but not exactly quality creative time.
This week’s goal: Complete chapter 3 by late Friday.
Schedule: 1.5 hours on Thursday and 4 hours on Friday. Have put this time in my calendar. Will fit in more time if opportunity arises.
Lisa D. 2/25/08
Last Week’s Goal: Complete draft of history book; Meet with historians to fact check; Meet with publisher to choose cover; Meet with graphic designer to plan photo layout. Register for writing conference in Madison, WI.
Last Week’s Outcome: Accomplished most of the above, but still have one more chapter to go, and need to register for the conference (although I did review the program and fill out the reg form). Also outlined an idea for a new short story this morning.
This Week’s Goal: I WILL finish the Trout Valley book. (No choice about it; it’s due to the publisher on Thursday.) I will also register for the writing conference before the late fee deadline. I’d like to find time to rewrite a short story before my writers’ workshop this week too.
Schedule: Meeting with publisher and graphic designer today. Writing this afternoon, all day Tuesday, and all day Wednesday. Meeting with the publisher on Thursday to turn in the Trout Valley book. I hope to spend a couple of hours rewriting my short story for writers’ workshop on Thursday night.
Christa 2/25/08
Last week’s goal: Finished Chapter 2, start Chapter 3
Last week’s outcome: I did it! I did it!!
This week’s goal: Whatever I can manage. I have a ton of freelance work plus I need to do taxes….
Schedule: Probably evenings. I have to do better at turning off the TV.
Look, it’s Friday night and I am now posting my Monday update.
Oh, the hell with it. Let’s just call it a truce and I’ll post early for this COMING Monday, shall we?
1. Bethany 2/29/08 (10 days again. It must be my thing)
2. Last week’s goal(s): Start writing SOMETHING
3. Last week’s outcome: oh this is good. First 3 chapters DONE. And I am raring to go. And yes, i did ALL of it before Monday of this week. I swear.
4. This week’s goal: 500 words to 1 chapter. Aiming low this week. I’m tired.
5. Whenever I can squeeze it in. Trying to avert this nasty cold that is lingering.
Lisa D. 3/2/08
I’m posting a day early this week because I’ll be spending all of tomorrow on a flight to Beijing.
Last Week’s Goal: Finish local history book. Register for writers’ conference. Rewrite short story.
Last Week’s Outcome: Completed all of the above, and turned my book into the publisher. Yippee! I already approved the cover mock-up. It’ll be titled “Trout Valley, the Hertz Estate, and Curtiss Farm.” I’ll post details with a link later.
This Week’s Goal: Read books for review. Get back to my novel. I’m not going to commit to specifics about how much I’m going to write, since I’ll be traveling and dealing with jet lag on the other side of the world.
Schedule: Maybe a little on the plane or when I’m awake at 3:00am in Beijing due to the time zone change, if I can find a plug that will work.
Brittany 3/2/08
Last week’s goal:
1)Finish chapter I’m working on and final chapter
2)Edit first 50 pages and really get them polished so that I can contact agent who requested them.
Last week’s outcome:
1) I finished my novel and wrote a final scene that I’m really extraordinarily proud of.
2) Started editing the first pages and am up to page 43.
This week’s goal:
1) Finish editing through chapter 4.
2) Compose draft of letter to agent.
3) Figure out definetively what font my manuscript should be in. (Anyone know? Courier or Times Roman? I keep reading different things)
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Naptime. Brought gigantic baby pen in from garage and Mr. Toddler immediately figured out how to climb over it. Can be pacified with animal crackers and juice if need be.
Miranda 3/03/08
~Last week: Complete chapter 3 by late Friday (third shot).
~Last week’s outcome: C+ (did have some good creative flow during writers’ date on Friday, but it wasn’t enough to finish revising the chapter).
~This week’s goal: Complete chapter 3 by Sunday.
~Schedule: 1 hour on Thursday and 4 hours on Friday (another stint with Betsy); make-up time on Saturday. Scheduled time in my calendar. With house on market, showings can throw a big wrench into the schedule–not to mention two kids home sick (still/yet/again) but I’ll keep on trying.
(Brittany–I’d go with Times Roman. It offends no one and is mandated by many. To lots of folks, myself included, Courier is too old-school typewriter.)
Jenn 3/5/08
2. submit 1 chapter to editor
3. didn’t achieve goal until yesterday (tues)
4. LOFTY goals for the week: Finish chapters 1 – 9, 13, and 14, e-mail to editor; sketch out chapter 14
5. Spring break this week, so my days are open for this. Monday I did little; Tues I submitted Chapters 1, 2, and 3; Today I submitted Chapters 4 and 7 and worked on the other chapters a good bit; Tomorrow: submit chapters 5, 6, and 8; Friday: submit 9, 13, and 14. Sat and Sunday while kid naps or EARLY AM, sketch out Chapters 15 and 16. Gulp.
Lisa D. 3/10/08
Last Week’s Goal: Return to my fiction in some form.
Last Week’s Outcome: Rewrote a short story, and submitted for a writing contest.
This Week’s Goal: Read book for review. Complete publisher’s marketing questionnaire for history book. Work on novel.
Schedule: Thursday morning, Saturday morning, and when kids are sleeping.
Brittany 3/10/08
Last week’s goal:
1) Finish editing through chapter 4.
2) Compose draft of letter to agent.
3) Figure out definetively what font my manuscript should be in. (Anyone know? Courier or Times Roman? I keep reading different things)
Last week’s outcome:
1) Edited through chapter 15
2) Didn’t get to it–I’m putting it off because the thought terrified me.
3) Changed font back to New Roman (Thanks, Miranda!)
This week’s goal:
1)Edit to chapter 30
2) Buckle down and write agent letter
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Naptime and any other time Adventuous Toddler sleeps.
1) Jenn 3/11
2) Finish chapters 1 – 9, 13, and 14, e-mail to editor; sketch out chapter 14
3) Accomplished all except send chapter 14 to editor (70% done)
4) not a darned thing
5) I need a break, we’ll talk next week!
Jenn – for March and April
2. nothing
3. goal achieved, hurrah!
4. Goal and schedule for the rest of the semester to submit to publisher: this weekend (3/16) 10- 12 ; chapters 20 and 12 next weekend (3/25); chapters 10 and 11 on 3/30; 17 on 4/18; and 19 on 4/25. Complete manuscript by 4/30 including front material, and four appendicies.
Brittany 3/17/08
Last week’s goal:
1)Edit to chapter 30
2) Buckle down and write agent letter
Last week’s outcome:
1) Edited to chapter 19 1/2
2) Decided to put that off until book is edited all the way through.
This week’s goal:
1) Edit to chapter 30 and beyond if possible
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Naptime and any other time Adventuous Toddler sleeps.
Miranda 3/18/08
~Last week: Abstained!
~Last week’s outcome: Aim for nothing, and you’ll probably hit it.
~This week’s goal: Complete chapter 3 and move on–IF the fates allow. If not, so be it.
~Schedule: When possible. Be more open to small opportunities throughout the day–a la Christa and her PDA.
Miranda 3/24/08
~Last week: Complete chapter 3 and move on–IF the fates allow. If not, so be it.
~Last week’s outcome: I didn’t spend a lot of time on chapter 3, but I decided it was complete enough to send out for feedback. So that felt like something. Moved ahead to the next chapter.
~This week’s goal: Keep working on chapter 4 and whatever else comes along.
~Schedule: 10 minutes every day; more when it happens.
Lisa D. 3/24/08
I got so caught up last week that I never did my Monday post. I imagine that it won’t be the last time, but I’m back this week…
Last Week’s Goal: Read book for review. Complete publisher’s marketing questionnaire for history book. Work on novel.
Last Week’s Outcome: Caught up on readings ARCs and wrote book review articles on my blog and in Blogcritics Magazine.
This Week’s Goal: Read a friend’s book and provide critiques before she does her first agent pitch this weekend. Spend time rewriting first five chapters of novel before upcoming writers’ conference.
Schedule: Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Brittany 3/17/08
Last week’s goal:
1) Edit to chapter 30 and beyond if possible
Last week’s outcome:
1) Edited to about chapter 30, but since I’ve been consolidating chapters, it’s not really chapter 30 anymore.
This week’s goal:
1) Finish editing the book.
2) Send it to friends for another round of feedback.
3) Attempt to edit punctuation. Argh.
Schedule for accomplishing this week’s goal: Naptime and any other time Adventuous Toddler sleeps.
Miranda 3/31/08
~Last week’s goal: Keep working on chapter 4 and whatever else comes along.
~Last week’s outcome: I did work on chapter 4, and managed to write for at least 10 minutes a day for 5 days out of the 7. On two days I wrote for more than an hour. Since I manage my life via Outlook, I set up a daily repeating task of “write for 10 minutes”–so there’s no “forgetting.” The good news is that if I don’t get to it earlier in the day, I can knock off 10-15 minutes right after my 3-year-old’s evening bath, while Daddy is getting him ready for bed.
~This week’s goal: Switching gears to complete my book proposal. Shooting for Friday, which may be overly aggressive.
~Schedule: As much time as I can spend on it, every day.
Lisa D. 3/31/08
Last Week’s Goal: Read a friend’s book and provide critiques before her first agent pitch. Spend time rewriting first five chapters of novel before upcoming writers’ conference.
Last Week’s Outcome: Managed to read half the book, critique it, and coach a friend with her agent pitch. At the end, the agent told her, “That was an AWESOME pitch!” I also interviewed NY times bestselling author Kim Harrison, and she posted a link to the interview on her website. (It can also be found at my Damian Daily blog.)
This Week’s Goal: Write another chapter of my book. Interview authors Mittelmark and Newman, and write an article.
Schedule: Half days everyday.
Christa jumping back in on 3/31/08!
Last week’s goal: none
Last week’s outcome: I started back to work on the novella after a long hiatus.
This week’s goal: Finish Ch. 3, OR complete character work. I’m delving more deeply into the story and starting to flounder a little as I figure out how to develop it.
Schedule: The usual cobbling together of time.
Miranda 4/7/08
~Last week’s goal: “Complete my book proposal. Shooting for Friday, which may be overly aggressive.”
~Last week’s outcome: Did it, finished by Friday lunchtime. My mother gave me four hours of bonus babysitting time on Tuesday, and I used the better part of two work days to get it done.
~This week’s goal: Time to go back to the writing. Will chip away at chapter 4.
~Schedule: Ten minutes minimum, every day.
Suzanne 4/14
~This week’s goal: 2,000 words on my novel-in-progress
~Schedule – 350-500 words per day on five days as time permits
Miranda 4/14/08
~Last week’s goal: Chip away at chapter 4.
~Last week’s outcome: Didn’t touch chapter 4. Had many other creative ideas–some of which I plan to work on–but couldn’t bring myself to the book.
~This week’s goal: A little something creative every day, even if that isn’t working on the book. I think nesting is starting to kick in, so I’m feeling energetic–and like I’m on a mission.
~Schedule: Ten minutes minimum, every day.
Miranda 4/21/08
~Last week’s goal: “A little something creative every day, even if that isn’t working on the book.”
~Last week’s outcome: It certainly wasn’t daily, but I managed a bit of creativity–revised a short nonfiction piece I wrote last year and sent it to an online zine.
~This week’s goal: Totally free form. I have so little time left before anticipated hatching–what will be, will be.
~Schedule: Wherever the chips fall.
Miranda 4/28/08
~Last week’s goal: “Totally free form. I have so little time left before anticipated hatching–what will be, will be.”
~Last week’s outcome: Does washing the baby clothes count?
~This week’s goal: This week’s goal is to have no goal. I will pick up again on the other side.
~Schedule: Nothing specific.
Miranda 5/05/08
~Last week’s goal: “This week’s goal is to have no goal. I will pick up again on the other side.”
~Last week’s outcome: Not too bad. I had vicarious creative fun and felt creatively energized even though I don’t really have anything to show for it.
~This week’s goal: Seeing as I’ll probably be welcoming a new baby to the family before next Monday, my goal for the week is to find creativity where I least expect it, and enjoy these last moments before I relocate to Land of the Newborn.
~Schedule: Nothing specific.
J Bell – May 5, 2008
Last Week (No formal goals, but accomplished a lot: 2 puzzles completed, fertilized (organic) flower beds, took Buddy to Vets for annual check-up, gym twice, 2 trail walks.
This week: Build and finish 4 frames for completed paintings, varnish paintings, build frame for Hydrangea puzzle if buyer requests. Gym twice.
Schedule: Every day – all day (Sorry all you moms with young. This freedom will be yours too, one day.)
Miranda 5/28/08
It’s not Monday, but here I am anyway.
I’ve realized that haiku is the perfect length of poem for me to compose in my head. I discovered that this morning, as I was lying in bed, nursing, and thinking up a haiku for this week’s contest prompt, “the ocean.” I enjoyed the process at lot, and remembered the haiku verbatim when I went to write it down a few hours later. Decided that I want to write a haiku every day, at least while I’m not doing much else creatively. Perfect while nursing. So that’s my new goal. A haiku a day. Will see how the rest of this week goes!
Miranda 6/02/08
Last week I decided to write a haiku a day–and I’ve been loving it. I started writing the poems in a new sketchbook, as I plan to illustrate each page (multimedia) as soon as I have a little more bandwidth. Totally enjoying the process and I don’t need any reminders.
Goal for this week: More of same, a haiku a day.
Miranda 6/09/08
Still going strong with a haiku a day–and pleased with the outcome. Some poems are a reflection on the day’s events, others are random topics. Feels like just enough to keep my creative muscles alive while I’m sleep deprived and nursing a newborn. That said, I’ve been thinking about getting back into the nonfiction ms, but I don’t want to jump in prematurely.
I’m getting lonely over here on the Monday Page–hoping for some company soon!!!
Miranda 6/16/08
I’m still enjoying my daily haiku–will be writing today one for this week’s creativity contest prompt, “margaritas.”
I don’t know if it’s the considerable amount of time that I spend just sitting around nursing, or the post-partum hormone flux, but I have been AWASH in creative ideas. I started a list of all the various things I want to try–from nonfiction essays to multimedia projects–even textile design. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to half of these things, but I sure am enjoying the creative overflow. Hopefully I’ll still be feeling this way when my hands are free for long enough to make a few of these ideas into reality.
ha! in the same postpartum state, i have a zilion ideas, too. but not a lot of non-babe-in-arms moments quite long enough to really get all te laundry folded. i am winding up toward a month w/o my 2 older children, who are off to their da’s mid july. so brewing is the idea that i will devote those 4 weeks to finishing my young reader novel. in the meantime:
this week i will pay more attention to the deconstructing decorative gardens in the front and maintain momentum on veg gardens out back.
and step 2 in organizing old stacks by desk into more specific files and place in lonely cabinet, while jotting down anything interesting that springs up from the process.
open goals, but a start. oh and cook more creative meals than the short weekly rotations (3-4 day cycle). my kids are soooo sick of the usual.
Miranda 6/23/08
Last week’s goal: Daily haiku.
Outcome: Success! Wrote one poem almost every day.
This week’s goal: More of same. Perhaps this is too ambitious a goal, but I’d also like to spend at least one hour dipping back into my nonfiction manuscript. I’m stating that as a goal, but I won’t self-flagellate if my newborn pulls rank and the manuscript doesn’t happen.
re last week’s goal : weeded much of front gardens. and set a third 4×8x2 back veg garden border. half filled it with dirt. tough shovelling at 94F!
org’d desk, but didn’t open cabinets.
i started a blog for my creativity. and made up more new baby songs. that counts big time.
kissed reluctant 13yr old on head.
snuck kisses and hugs on 9.75, even tho he acts like lucy van pelt after a snoopy kiss. kissed hubby more, too. much needed in postpartum time. i think kisses add to creativity.
made pepper and onion quesadillas one night and soup another instead of spaghetti, tofu dogs, pizza, pasta fagioli, rotation. even had a date w/hubby, and 13yr old made “brinner” for 9.75 yr old on sat. 9.75yr developed new vocabulary for eggs and toast for dinner.
this week: more garden tending. more paper org. more writing and more kisses. observe more neighborhood bunnies backlit in early am sunlit dewy grass.
1. Jen 6/23/2008 Your name and the date
2 & 3 Just got here
4. I *will* get some of those children’s book ideas out of my head and on to the page!
5. After the kids are in bed, before I crash for the night. (Hopefully this timeframe will be more than 5 minutes long!)
Miranda 6/30/08
Last week’s goal: Daily haiku, plus working on book if possible.
Outcome: Wrote one poem almost every day; did not make it to the manuscript but I did several other creative things, so I’m feeling good.
This week’s goal: More haiku, some journalling, maybe the manuscript.
cathy 6/30
re last week goals:
slipped disc yeterday moving dirt. got last of seeds in veg gardens.
no paper organization. but i did write poem for contest and a blog.
this week’s goals: take care of back. tough while nursing. pay attention to self-care and surroundings for writing. no bending over! excuse self for paper org b/c of this. yay! do not run myself ragged w/extra errands this week: babynkids potrait, dog to vet, cat to vet, prep for 4th party m-i-l is throwing here.
writing goal: blog entry, poem, some form of journaling. think about youth novel planning. find outline?
taekwondo camp over for aspie 9.75yr old creates more sibling management at home. much creative thinking will be employed to keep from sending boys to separate corners for entire week.
um, yeah, main goal in all that rambling is to pay attention.
1. Jen 6/30/08
2. Last week’s goal: get some of the children’s book ideas on the page
3. Last week’s outcome: vague enough that the page of jottings I achieved allows me to say, “yup, did that!” at least a little bit
4. This week’s goal:
For writing — start on a draft of one of the many ideas on that page of jottings. Blogging as usual.
For crafting (realized after posting last week that I’d benefit from crafting goals, since most of my creativity goes there these days!) — work on inventory for upcoming trunk show. At least 3 pairs of earrings, 3 necklaces, 3 bracelets. Work on getting second Etsy shop up and running!
5. Schedule — same old, same old, after the kids are in bed.
I hear ya, Cathy, on the paying attention and the bad back. I’ve got a herniated disc that I’m nursing. Yuck! Here’s to happy back vibes for both of us.
last week’s goal: pay attention
i took care of my back (thanks for vibes, jen) and listened to many of my mil’s friends and how they speak at our 4th party. i saw a beautiful red bird flitting through the big tree across the street , not a cardinal, after the thunderstorm. still need to look it up in my audobon book. i doled out more hugs, and longer ones, and kisses to my older, reluctant kids and watched my baby grow and change from hour to hour this week, brighter-eyed, interested, face changing, and fattening up and getting bigger in general. took kids to new indiana jones movie and watched their reactions in the big moments. like the see no, hear no monkeys, lots of fun. true blackbirds pecking the ground, and much much more.
wrote one haiku for contest and one blog entry.
this week’s goal: paper organization, esp to find outline for youth novel. shoot for some journaling, feeling the urge to get back into photography, beyond kid pics.
blog entry and something for contest. thanks, miranda, for giving me concrete goals to shoot for!
Miranda 7/7/08
Note to self: Next week beat Cathy to the Monday Page so that I don’t have to follow her impressive list!!!
Last week’s goal: More haiku, some journalling, maybe the manuscript.
Outcome: Wrote one poem almost every day; did not make it to the manuscript. Also did not make a journal entry. I did spend some enjoyable time taking photographs, including a photo shoot with my second oldest playing his guitar at a train station. Finished reading “Paris to the Moon” by Adam Gopnik, which made me nostalgic for the time I lived in Paris and brought up some creative ideas. Spent some time clipping favorite images from design magazines. After a long dry spell (we had the same three Netflix DVDs for 6 months) my husband and I watched several movies this week, which also seems to inspire me creatively.
This week’s goal: More haiku, some journalling, maybe the manuscript. (Is there a limit to how many times I can note the same goal before I HAVE to accomplish it????)
ha! i didn’t do much differently, just paid attention more. an easy goal!
cathy 7.11.2008
I found my old manuscript and it’s outline and notes!!!!
i know it’s not monday, but i was too darned excited after writing this as a goal for a few weeks. boys go to their dad’s for 1 month starting next weekend (19th). time to get back in touch with my old characters!
disheartening part: wrote outline 3 years ago, haven’t gotten much farther than where i was then, but a lot of life has happened since then: wedding, major move 2x, moved mil in with us, 2 failed pregs and 1 successful but difficult one. still getting back on my feet from that 3.5 mos later. nearly 10yr aspie’s IEP fights with new districts and 3 schools in under 2 years since we’ve been here. ok, whining, excuses over, – yay work on youth novel coming!
thanks for listening!
Hi! I’m new around here & *thrilled* to have found you!
Brava on this original and inspired undertaking!
1. My name is Christine Stump & it’s 11 July 08
4. This week’s goal: newletter out on Tuesday, 2 blogs and 500 words on “Prajna” short story
5. newsletter: Tues AM;
blogs Tues AM & Sat AM;
500 words Tues evening 7-8pm
I’m not a Mom yet, but have been re-ordering life to support it and noticing that doing so has enhanced my creativity and space to express it. I know time will be prescious once I actually become a Mom, so this foundation time feels equally as dear.
cathy 7/14/08
re: last week’s goals: found manuscript, though minimal paper org. see 62 for details. more photog, w/ and sans kids. wrote blog entry, submitted photos for weekly contest rather than poem. got wreck this journal and did a few pages, which sparked me to work on manu.
this week’s goals: paper org. erg. it’s a clean slate kind of thing for me, but difficult to carve out the time chunk to get it over with. review and work on manu!!!! blog entry and something for this week’s contest. i like shooting for the contest b/c i see it as a small way to keep in creative habit.
Miranda 7/14/08
Last week’s goal: More haiku, some journalling, maybe the manuscript.
Outcome: Last week was pretty much a repeat of the one prior. A checkmark in the poetry and general creativity column (lots of photography and Photoshop), but no journal and no ms. Yesterday I started working on a poem for this week’s contest prompt — branching out from the haiku into something much more difficult and time consuming. My head hurts! It’s not finished yet, but I’m happy with it so far.
This week’s goal: More of same. My oldest son is in the South Pacific for three weeks and my daughter is at camp for another week, so I may be able to take advantage of a slightly quieter home front until Saturday. I think I need to try to schedule some of my creative projects, understanding that the schedule may get blown, but making more concrete space in my week. I’m also trying to spend less time in front of my laptop, mainly for my 3-year-old’s benefit. During nursing breaks, will try to read my book except for designated PC time. (This is a big one for me.)
Kelly, 7/14/08: I’m jugging multiple projects this week (well, I guess that’s normal….) so I’ve much to get done! I’ll separate my goals by my different professional and creative roles…
Dir. of Student Life…Finish writing all artist copy for the collegewide calendar by Wednesday..hope to finish Tuesday.
Adjunct English Instructor…I’m three weeks behind on my online Blackboard course; Blackboard is our program for managing online or hybrid classes we teach. I hope to at least be only two weeks behind by weeks end…
Happy Shack affairs…..Finish entry 3 (Driven) and 4 (Retro) for my Fatbook swap; due in the mail to Roni July 17! Continue updating website where time allows.
Mommy time….cherish girl time at home since DH is working late ever night this week, so the girls and I will have the evenings to ourselves. I need to work on savoring that and not try to get my to-do done until they go to bed. Who needs sleep?
1. Jen — Have two Mondays really gone by? (blush!) Here it is Tuesday the 15th….
2. Goals from June 30th:
writing: start draft of children’s ms, blog as usual
crafting: work on inventory for upcoming trunk show. At least 3 pairs of earrings, 3 necklaces, 3 bracelets. Work on getting second Etsy shop up and running!
3. Outcome: happy to say I got lots done during the last two weeks — I’ve been so busy I totally forgot to come back and report! More accomplished in the crafting than in writing, though. 6 pr earrings, 6 necklaces, 3 bracelets, lots of blogging. Didn’t get to that draft but kept jotting notes.
Still working on that second Etsy shop…
If I had managed to get here last Monday, I would have set a goal to get everything ready for Renegade Craft Festival. Check that, and happy to say it was a success! Things should calm down a bit now.
4. This week’s goal: Get pics taken and descriptions written so that I can list the finished inventory and finally open up that second Etsy shop! Work on “Mama’s Magic Studio” website.
5. Schedule — same old, same old, after the kids are in bed.
Glad your back was feeling better, Cathy
cathy 7.21.08
last week’s goals progress: ok. long week, no paper org, no blog, will try to do contest thing today, and start work on novel tomorrow. instead, i ‘babysat’ 2 other kids (16 and 12) who were fine, but added a whole lot to the mix with my gang of oddballs. then i drove umpteen (i’m not kidding – it really was umpteen!) hours to drop off my boys to their dad for a month. today is the quiet reprieve before i miss them godawful tomorrow. this is the longest ever without them.
this week’s goals: paper org, 2 contests, 1 blog, review and work on novel. at least 1 chapter, per 3 days. 5-10 pages each, kid novel, less ambitious than harry potter. more like a jerry spinelli or sharon creech. complete 2 by end of week. is this unrealistic with nursing baby and mil sitting in office with me?
also get freelance work notification out locally for tutoring, editing, and writing. just ordered business cards. it’s official, going by the seat of my pants to make money come school year. still looking into districts for work in schools, but they pay about half what i made in MA 2 years ago, and don’t want to count my 20ish years experience there to raise me on pay scale. what i wouldn’t do for certification, ah me, to have more room in brain and wallet and time to go back to school for MEd.
ps: etsy looking good, jen! hope yr back feels better, too.
and i HOPE my novel is like a spinelli or creech!
Miranda 7/21/08
It’s 11:20 p.m., so technically this is still Monday!
Last week’s goal: Haiku, journalling, manuscript. I think I need to try to schedule some of my creative projects, understanding that the schedule may get blown, but making more concrete space in my week. I’m also trying to spend less time in front of my laptop, mainly for my 3-year-old’s benefit. During nursing breaks, will try to read my book except for designated PC time. (This is a big one for me.)
Outcome: Thrilled to say that I did much better on the schedule front. I decided to try and exercise every morning (after all) for 30 minutes before my husband leaves for work. I figured that if I try for every day, the net result will probably be about 3 times per week. And it was, which was fine. Went for my first post-baby run (if I can call it that). Also have scheduled PC time on the three weekdays when I don’t have a sitter, so that my little ones don’t have to compete with the laptop as much. Worked A LOT better. Three stints a day, with built-in stop time. I’m feeling like a better mom (that guilt thing). More haiku and some fun with this week’s contest prompt. Finished reading a book.
This week’s goal: Keep working with schedule. I have two new client projects on the horizon as well as a visit from the in-laws, so I may not have as much time to play with as I have in the past weeks but we’ll see how it goes. Haiku, photographs, and whatever else I can squeeze in. Been thinking a lot about the ms even though I haven’t dipped back in yet.
I’m so glad to see some new faces on the Monday Page! Jen, Christine, Kelly — keep it going! Cathy, your latest goals are ambitious, possibly do-able if you target specific times for work, understanding that the schedule may need to be adjusted (or even abandoned) but at least you have something concrete to start with. That works better than just having a goal for me, anyway — at least with a newborn around, when time seems to simply evaporate. Good luck!
1. Jen — July 21, 2008
2. Goals from last week: Get second shop up and running, work on website.
3. Outcome: opened up shop (and even had my first sale, today!). Not as many items listed as I’d like but much better than nothing. Worked a bit on website, still in process.
4. This week’s goal: prepare for trunk show on Saturday (get some more inventory done, especially bracelets… so glad you’re liking yours, Miranda!) Keep working on listings for Mama’s Magic Studio. Take enough of a break from crafting stuff to start thinking more seriously about upcoming children’s writing conference (is it really less than 2 weeks away?!)
5. Schedule — same old, same old, after the kids are in bed.
Thanks for the kind words about the second shop!
thanks for encouragement! a little “back of my mind” scheduling is happening. shooting for good baby naps for chunks of creative time. not too many of those happen, though. my mil does take chloe for periods, i am lucky/grateful for that. and when i say complete chapter, i mean get them down and pretty concrete, not polished.
7/21/08, Kelly. Day late, dollar short, right? Monday got away from me….
Last week’s outcome: finished my calendar for work! Yeah! Definitely monkey off my back. I should see the first proof from the graphic designer tomorrow. Got my Fatbook swap pages done. Decided to drop the Blackboard class instead of trying to catch up; I lost a crucial staff member to a promotion, great opportunity for her, just puts me in a bind going into fall term, our busiest of the year, without her. So no time to teach fall term. Did spend some good time with the girlies after I trudged through the first couple days of the week. No time for website…
This week’s goals: Back to updating my website and Etsy store! I need to get my camera out again and take more product pictures. Day job work front will be fairly quiet this week so I’ll have time to catch up and unearth my desk. Enjoying the creativity prompts so I hope to continue with those.
cathy 7.28.08
last week’s goals: paper org, 2 contests, 1 blog, review and work on novel. at least 1 chapter, per 3 days. 5-10 pages each, kid novel, less ambitious than harry potter. more like a jerry spinelli or sharon creech. complete 2 by end of week. is this unrealistic with nursing baby and mil sitting in office with me? also get freelance work notification out locally for tutoring, editing, and writing. just ordered business cards.
outcome: see blog.
this week’s goals: paper org – tiny bit, ugh, if i keep writing it down…..complete 1 chapter in ms. 1 blog. 1 something for contest. highminded goal: 2 chapters, beware teething baby distraction.
7/28/08-Kelly
last week’s goals: Back to updating my website and Etsy store! I need to get my camera out again and take more product pictures. Day job work front will be fairly quiet this week so I’ll have time to catch up and unearth my desk. Enjoying the creativity prompts so I hope to continue with those.
Outcome: well, not really…still doing the creativity prompts and i did manage to unearth my desk at work, so there’s something. i just got happily sidetracked preparing for my girls 5th birthday party. it was a smashing success, so there’s a bonus!
this week…back to updating my website and etsy store. i’m also volunteered to take over leadership of our north florida etsy street team since our previous team leader has been mia since march. so this week, i hope to get a new email group set up and a new blog for that group started…
happy birthday to kelly’s girls!
Miranda 7/28/08
Last week’s goal: Keep working with schedule. I have two new client projects on the horizon as well as a visit from the in-laws, so I may not have as much time to play with as I have in the past weeks but we’ll see how it goes. Haiku, photographs, and whatever else I can squeeze in.
Outcome: Let’s just say it was a challenging week. Low output on the haiku. Still working on sticking to my laptop schedule–mostly progress there. Morning exercise didn’t happen. The baby regularly starts his nighttime stint at 9:00 p.m., so I’ve turned into a night owl to take advantage of that time. I usually wake him up around midnight to feed him in hope that he will then sleep until 4:00 or so, which he generally does. But staying up that late (working, tidying the house, catching up on e-mail)–and then getting only intermittent sleep–means that I’m not ready to jump out of bed and exercise at 7:00 a.m. Plus, in-laws from Friday to Monday morning, so no weekend opportunities for much of anything.
This week’s goal: Daily haiku. Working on the ms for 30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon (I HAVE ALREADY PUT THIS IN OUTLOOK, RATHER THAN PLANNING TO SCHEDULE IT LATER). (New client project will monopolize all of this week’s babysitting time on Wednesday and Thursday.) Also on deck: discussing life/work/babysitting/future plans with hubby this week.
OK I know it is Thursday, but this is my first opportunity to get back on track. So, I’ll think about my goals for next week, and try to get back here to post them. That just might inspire me and get me motivated!
cathy 8.4.08
last week’s goals: paper org – tiny bit, ugh, if i keep writing it down…..complete 1 chapter in ms. 1 blog. 1 something for contest. highminded goal: 2 chapters, beware teething baby distraction.
outcome:
on paper organization: teamed up with dh and cleaned out garage instead. baby c was great in her standing toy thingy with us for long stretches. she learned how to wave!
garage endeavor netted more office stuff to org.
on ms: finished 1 chapter started another! a total of 6 pages, but hey, its a youth novel, short chaps! now i understand my own writing pace with babe in arms and mil in office.
blog and contest: its early yet today
this week: seriously, organize office, feeling it today, too. finish current chapter then reach crux of novel. 1 blog, maybe contest – vacation? what’s that?
Miranda 8/4/08
Last week’s goal: Working on the ms for 30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon (I HAVE ALREADY PUT THIS IN OUTLOOK, RATHER THAN PLANNING TO SCHEDULE IT LATER). (New client project will monopolize all of this week’s babysitting time on Wednesday and Thursday.) Also on deck: discussing life/work/babysitting/future plans with hubby this week.
Outcome: Not bad. I did FINALLY open my manuscript file, which felt like a huge accomplishment. I worked on it on Saturday for about 30 minutes. I’m a little overwhelmed by the ms at the moment and I need to break down the next tasks, but it was great to get back in. Also, didn’t happen on Tuesday as scheduled because I took the two little ones to the lake instead. Couldn’t do it Wednesday or Thursday because I was on deadline. But it did happen, eventually because I had that lingering block in Outlook and I had to keep moving it somewhere. (Without that visual reminder, it wouldn’t have happened at all. Was also better with my haiku.
This week’s goal: Daily haiku. At least one hour on the ms. (Added to schedule for tomorrow.) I purchased DVDs so that I can sort and burn all my digital photos–a huge project that requires a lot of editing, but many creative opportunities too. Will start chipping away with the editing as I can. Will see how it goes: two kids came home today after a week at Grandma’s; oldest son returns tomorrow from three weeks away; three large client projects in the works so I may be working nights and over the weekend.
fullhouse, miranda! must feel nice, even if it impinges on writing time. good you got some time on the ms last week. i know it’s close to your heart.
cathy 8.11.08
last week’s goals: seriously, organize office, feeling it today, too. finish current chapter then reach crux of novel. 1 blog, maybe contest – vacation? what’s that?
outcome: a little paper org, also packed up smallest baby clothes(did she really have THAT many?!) to give to friend having a girl in about a week. got vaca submission in, got circles submission in, but feel eh about it. one blog, kind of a repeat of a previous topic, but a little better. mulled lots on novel, not much writing. today, i swear. stripped boys rooms and got them back in order, beds anyway, for their arrival this weekend coming up. packing up house for paint job while i’m out of town getting boys and visiting family. my late fil was an artist and his paintings are on massive display in house!
this week: continue paper org, packing up house and packing for trip. i hate packing of any kind. i’ve moved far too many times. at least mil is a motivating factor. write in novel, prob skip blog due to packing and desire to work on novel. we’ll see about contest, too. playing it by ear, really want to get this box of papers out from behind my office chair.
Miranda 8/11/08
Last week’s goal: Daily haiku. At least one hour on the ms. (Added to schedule for tomorrow.) I purchased DVDs so that I can sort and burn all my digital photos–a huge project that requires a lot of editing, but many creative opportunities too. Will start chipping away with the editing as I can. Will see how it goes: two kids came home today after a week at Grandma’s; oldest son returns tomorrow from three weeks away; three large client projects in the works so I may be working nights and over the weekend.
Outcome: Yes on haiku, no on manuscript, no on photo organizing. I am totally overrun with client work and won’t be getting to much else until September. I think I can make it; at least it’s not forever — and the bank account will be grateful. I did get a great shot for this week’s prompt yesterday, although I didn’t realize that until looking through the photos last night. Wrote a complementary haiku as well.
This week’s goal: A few haiku. Anything else that happens in the creativity department will be magic.
Whew! I should call this the monthly Monday page, since that’s about when I’ve been able to get to it! (not that bad, really, but almost.) Things have been good and busy, though. Attended the west cost conference for the SCBWI (society of children’s book’s writers and illustrators) which was hugely inspirational and also provided many potential publishing contacts. Even sent off my one finished ms. this past week to one of those contacts. Wish me luck!
So even though I’ve been MIA, I’ve been good, I promise! (Lots of action!)
Here’s the lowdown for this week
1. Jen — August 11, 2008
2. Goals from last posting (ahem): prep for trunk show and start prepping for SCBWI conference.
3. Outcome: trunk show was pretty good, conference was awesome. Didn’t do as much prep work for either as I’d hoped, but I did enough. (You know how that goes!)
4. This week’s goal: new listings in both shops (which means taking decent pics, always a challenge for me). Work on ideas for picture book ms.
5. Schedule — same old, same old, after the kids are in bed and stolen moments here and there.
Miranda 8/18/08
Last week’s goal: A few haiku. Anything else that happens in the creativity department will be magic.
Outcome: Yes on haiku. Also, photography, a few notes about a new short story, and the usual blog activities (which usually take 5-6 hours a week). Feeling OK despite working about 30 hours on unusually difficult client projects. Went running twice. Two more weeks of this and then a bit of breathing room.
This week’s goal: More of same. Will begin more concrete goal-setting in September.
Kelly 8/18/08
I guess I’m with Jen on the “monthly” instead of “monday” goals.
This week’s and for the next few months, it’s all about keeping my head above water….
On the work front, I lost a crucial staff member to a promotion..great opportunity for her! Just leaves me down that crucial staff member going into my busiest part of the year….Fall term! I’m working on hiring an intern to help me temporarily until I can trudge through the long drawn out HR process the college has and officially fill Kristy’s position.
On the art front…I’ve hit my big festival season. I have a juried arts festival the first week of every month Sept-Dec. At least I managed to space them out equally this fall! So I’ll be cranking hard on jewerly designing.
And then there’s that whole first week of kindergarten issue I’m dealing with. Can you believe the batteries in my camera were dead this morning!?!?! Of all mornings! So I guess we’ll have to have second day of school pictures…
Jen — August 18, 2008 (yep, made it this week!)
LOL Kelly — thanks for letting me know I’m not alone! Such a bummer about the camera, though! Yikes!
Last week: new listings in both shops & picture book ms.
Outcome: Got the listings done (yay!) but not much progress on ms. Probably because most evening time was sucked up watching the Olympics. Sigh. I NEVER watch TV, so I don’t feel that terrible about it, but it’s time gone nevertheless.
Schedule — I’m hoping that once the games are done, I can return to using my night time somewhat productively!
This week: Butt In Chair To Work On Picture Book! Also jewelry for upcoming Baby fair on Sept 6th.
cathy 8.19.08
last week goals: continue paper org, packing up house and packing for trip. i hate packing of any kind. i’ve moved far too many times. at least mil is a motivating factor. write in novel, prob skip blog due to packing and desire to work on novel. we’ll see about contest, too. playing it by ear, really want to get this box of papers out from behind my office chair.
outcome: wrote blog, thinking about choc – but that’s not new! box of papers still sits. great very full long weekend trip, introduced my family to their granddaughter/niece/cousin!!!! house has new colors downstairs and when i walked in this am, i didn’t die! (a little allergy to paint humor). kitchen and tv room now robin’s egg blue and lr-dr now a blushy beige, perfect! ceilings a nice subtle white, too – called wedding cake. long drive back from ct to southeast va. the boys are back home, yay!!!! and a couple of paragraphs and some dialogue.
this week: exhausted and it’s already started w/o me
. vacation from vacation? nah. ok, find an old poem that may or may not be in this computer….or jot something quickly for chocolate contest today. blog, hug boys lots. k is nearly taller than i now. new contest, and a bit more on ms as i go. move furniture back into house, and rehang paintings, reset gegaws, etc. unpack trip. shop w/ gcs everyone gave us for baby c! hmmm…start getting in shape seeriously, i look fat in all the trip shots. check 80+ emails…
cathy 8.24.2008
getting a jump this week, partly b/c i got a late start last week. so sunday it is.
last week goal: exhausted and it’s already started w/o me
. vacation from vacation? nah. ok, find an old poem that may or may not be in this computer….or jot something quickly for chocolate contest today. blog, hug boys lots. k is nearly taller than i now. new contest, and a bit more on ms as i go. move furniture back into house, and rehang paintings, reset gegaws, etc. unpack trip. shop w/ gcs everyone gave us for baby c! hmmm…start getting in shape seeriously, i look fat in all the trip shots. check 80+ emails…
outcome: found old poem for chocolate contest. got ‘the wedding’ contest out of the way simply, hopefully humorously. 1 blog. spent time with kids, hugs. house is slowly coming together. anyone have ideas on getting baby to sleep off of me for more than 5 mins? did laps in pool yesterday, and swam with boys in their battle game until they kicked me out. got thru emails. no ms. thought about it a bit, didn’t even plug in usb.
this week’s goals: ms, some actual writing again, but low pressure. 1 week before school, S is in rare mode after dad visit. S’s 10th bday tues. family celebration. bake cake, have been ordered to have no candles in the cake, but dinner candles on table. can do. wrap presents he already found. 1 something for contest, 1 blog. buy 2nd new pair of sneakers for K, since he outgrew the ones i bought before dad visit, worn once. any one else experiencing teen stretch? wed: museum date with dh! important to schedule in. next weekend:va aquarium trip w/aspie group and for S’s bday treat. oh, use exercise ball, more laps before pool closes with start of school, yoga tape?
Miranda 8/25/08
Last week’s goal: A few haiku. Anything else that happens in the creativity department will be magic. Will begin more concrete goal-setting in September.
Outcome: Spent more time with photography and less time with haiku. But feeling totally jazzed creatively. I just spent some time creating my weekly time map for the fall (the general routine of every day, in chunks of time) and I’m feeling optimistic. I am really leveraging the baby’s early evening sleep stint. I can rely on 9-12 every night. Even if I’m sitting on the couch next to my husband with one eye on the TV, I’m busy on the laptop taking care of easy work tasks, personal e-mails, blogging, etc. Once I finish up the two big client projects on my plate, I will use some of that evening time for writing — with concrete goals for the week, to be posted on this page.
This week’s goal: More of same: haiku, photography, keep working on schedule, prepare for start of school next week, make headway on client projects so that my load lightens a little.
doesn’t that baby sleep chunk in the evening do wonders?
i need to add a bit of extra writing i did today: an essay entry for the the readers write section of the sun. i had been mulling it for a few days, and got jacked about it this am. check! i even got it in the mail.
Miranda 9/01/08
Last week’s goal: haiku, photography, keep working on schedule, prepare for start of school next week, make headway on client projects so that my load lightens a little.
Outcome: checkmarks on all counts. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the client work front. Will finish another project by Thursday, and then just have one more big one to plow through. Still being mega-productive in late evening hours.
This week’s goal: more haiku, more journal notes. On home front, focused on successful launch of four kids going back school — one starting pre-school — and enjoy the arrival of September, my favorite month. If I end up with any “extra” time, want to do a visual journal page.
cathy 09.01.2008
last week’s goals: ms, some actual writing again, but low pressure. 1 week before school, S is in rare mode after dad visit. S’s 10th bday tues. family celebration. bake cake, have been ordered to have no candles in the cake, but dinner candles on table. can do. wrap presents he already found. 1 something for contest, 1 blog. buy 2nd new pair of sneakers for K, since he outgrew the ones i bought before dad visit, worn once. any one else experiencing teen stretch? wed: museum date with dh! important to schedule in. next weekend:va aquarium trip w/aspie group and for S’s bday treat. oh, use exercise ball, more laps before pool closes with start of school, yoga tape?
outcome: did i really write all of that out? ms: nada. bday stuff: check. sneakers: check. date: check. aquarium: check. exercise: not in the ways mentioned, but check. contest, blog, and an essay submitted to the sun mag: check. handle one trauma: check. not a bad record, except manuscript.
this week’s goals: school days! ok, here comes the strict stuff: at least 1 hour in am per day, during baby nap (likely)on lap: manuscript devotion. other than baby, house to myself, except thurs am. i want to crank this puppy out! 1 blog, 1 contest, 1 exploration of a paying submission. working out an idea for a parent mag on blended family/later baby.
i forgot to mention: find new ways to drum up clients.
Jen — Sept 1, 2008 (September?!?)
Last posting’s goals: work on picture book and jewelry for baby fair on Sept 6th.
Outcome: have been beading like crazy but only thinking about the book. Between camping, camping prep, and camping detox, the writing time just didn’t happen.
Schedule — Son starts preschool this week (sob!) for two days a week. I am looking forward to being able to work through daughter’s naptime, even if it’s just Tuesdays and Thursdays!!! I also expect to be burning a lot of midnight oil.
This week: Beading and preparing for Saturday’s show. Need to come up with creative display options, too…. wish me luck!
Miranda 9/08/08
Last week’s goal: more haiku, more journal notes. On home front, focused on successful launch of four kids going back school — one starting pre-school — and enjoy the arrival of September, my favorite month. If I end up with any “extra” time, want to do a visual journal page.
Outcome: I was slayed by a stomach virus and ensuing migraine. Managed a couple of haiku, but that was about it. Fell way behind on client projects and had to work 8+ hours on Saturday to catch up.
This week’s goal: This will be the first week of real school for the older kids and pre-school for the 3-year-old. A busy week full of appointments, but I’m hoping that the baby and I start settling into a new creative routine. Will report back!
cathy 9.8.08
last week’s goals: school days! ok, here comes the strict stuff: at least 1 hour in am per day, during baby nap (likely)on lap: manuscript devotion. other than baby, house to myself, except thurs am. i want to crank this puppy out! 1 blog, 1 contest, 1 exploration of a paying submission. working out an idea for a parent mag on blended family/later baby. find new ways to drum up clients.
outcome: see comment on kate blog today why i didn’t do nearly what i thought. much twarting, not as lazy as i was beating myself up about. anyway, no ms to speak of, 2 blogs, 1 essay, listed myself on craigslist for tutoring. didn’t really look into paying submissions.
this week: commit to ms: 1 hour per day of WRITING. not thinking about, doing. 1 contest. already wrote this week’s blog. so, ms, ms, ms!
Hey Miranda. Just stumbled across your website again, not having checked it since we first made contact. Very serendipitous. I had provisionally set aside September to do some writing – finally! – as well as (here comes the Blakean worm) lots of small necessary tasks and jobseeking letters that I don’t get round to when I am actually working. And already I can see the month disappearing down the plughole of getting up late, pottering inefficiently all day, taking all day to complete one or two tasks, staying up late but still failing to finish, wasting HOURS online… etc. I am far more efficient when I am busy and trying to do five things at once – but then I never do any writing.
I suspect that Monday creative resolutions are just what I need. Which means I have to finish all the silly stuff (tax, tiling, telephone calls) by Sunday… It is inspirational to see how you and all the others with multiple children and other people to take care of still squeeze in (or try to) some time to write, paint etc. I have absolutely no such excuses (the screaming baby behind the bedroom wall belongs to my neighbour… grrr!!).
Please prod me hard if I’m not back by Mon.
Love, Charlotte x
Right. Here we go. This week’s goals:
MON – Money-work day, but at least print out and send an old poem I’ve been hoarding.
TUES – Finish that wretched short story, for goodness’ sake! It only needs another page…
WEDS – Start brainstorming radio play.
THURS: At least 2 hrs on play in the morning.
FRI: Read through play stuff if time in evening.
SAT: Radio play (daytime).
SUN: Radio play.
Other, general stuff:
On fully free days, aim to write (or stare at screen) for at least 4-5 hours.
Make notes of other stuff that floats through my mind as it drifts past, even if it’s just snippets that don’t seem to constitute a story.
Don’t listen to the radio.
Don’t go online until the evening.
Start the day with T’ai Chi.
Possibly try to get up very early and nap in the afternoon instead of sleeping late. (I tend to go to bed extremely late, as I work best – or think I do – at night. I then find it virtually impossible to get up at any sort of normal time unless I have a reason. I sometimes work night shifts or very early mornings, so my body clock is a bit of a mess. Am wondering whether 6am might possibly work better than 9, because of feeling that I am getting up FOR something…)
Most importantly: Think of all this as something I’m *looking forward to* and *really want to do*. i.e. NOT the default attitude of forcing myself to attempt to perform a task I have consistently failed to complete.
Other stuff that needs doing if I get desperate: call and write to agents and theatres. Ha! The fun alternative!! Now THAT should keep me glued to the screen…
hey charlotte, sunday’s cheating! just kidding! i’ve posted on sunday, too, in fact:
cathy 9.14.08
last week’s goals: commit to ms: 1 hour per day of WRITING. not thinking about, doing. 1 contest. already wrote this week’s blog. so, ms, ms, ms!
outcome: wrote some dialogue (about a chapter.5) and did some plotting into the next bit. 1 blog(today for upcoming week) 1 contest thing (surprise for wed). photos and i also sketched and wrote a bit by lake while baby c pretended a stroller nap. and i cooked a few ‘different’ meals this week, which, loving cooking, but ignoring lately, i believe counts. today i even made homemade sauce from fresh tomatoes and got kudos from the italians in the house – a very big deal! and had appts and 2 sick kids on different this week. all in all, a pretty good week creatively speaking.
this week’s goals: ms, ms, ms; blog and contest. re: ms: 2 major scenes for the book minimum, during morning free time – ha-ha- still have baby, who is still exclusively nursing. 2 weeks and counting til oct 1 and first spoonful.
2 sick kids on different*days* this week
and i’ll add i’m running on major sleep deprivation these days for sympathy plea to gods…
ooo, lucky 100 spot!
Welcome to the Monday Page, Charlotte! Did you print and send that poem yet? How about the short story?
I hope everyone is having a fun and productive week. Want to join me in a Wednesday challenge? Commit to at least one hour of creative time, even if it’s broken up into little pieces. Dowload TraxTime for your PC (it’s free: http://www.spudcity.com/traxtime/traxtime.htm) or something similar and time-clock your way to an hour if need be!
Miranda 9/16/08
I delayed posting yesterday, because I had this irrational hope that I would find a few moments for creativity before posting, in order to have something to show for myself. I should have known better; Mondays are booked solid and there was no miraculous parting of the domestic seas.
Last week’s goal: This will be the first week of real school for the older kids and pre-school for the 3-year-old. A busy week full of appointments, but I’m hoping that the baby and I start settling into a new creative routine. Will report back!
Outcome: Not exactly “in the saddle” yet. Still working too hard with client projects. I thought I’d be done by now, but I’ve taken on another step for both clients. I thought I was going to have time for a visual journal page over the weekend, but alas, I didn’t schedule it in, and of course the time evaporated.
This week’s goal: Seriously, try to slow down a little. Haiku, ms, journal. Anything. Must work it into this ridiculous schedule or won’t happen. Have committed to one hour tomorrow (Wednesday). Very much looking forward to a lighter work load!!!
i take the challenge! esp since i stared at but didn’t write in my open ms doc today. last night was a nursing marathon for baby c, i’m pretty braindead. yesterday netted a few paragraphs, though. any particular time you’ll be at it, m?
I’m shooting for 10:00 eastern. Work for you?
Related to Cathy’s comment, and creating more brain space for creativity: at 4-month checkup today, doc said that since my little guy (87% for weight; 97% for height) is only doing a 4-hour stint at night between feedings, he is probably hungry and we should start an evening cereal feeding and see if that makes a difference. Baby is 4 months 10 days now; no allergies in family. I was going to hold off for 6 months, but now that seems silly. He really does seem hungry. Thoughts?
i’d feed him since no known allergies risks. wish i could feed c and get some sleep. 2 weeks, 2 weeks, 2 weeks…
as long as 10am and not pm, that’s perfect, tho someone may be kicking keyboard….
(enters sheepishly)
Hello, um, Miranda, er… well, Monday started OK… does spending all of Tuesday doing circular googling and pointless e-mail checking (and I mean ALL of Tuesday) count, if some of the googling was checking flights to Creative Boot Camp?!
Had to follow-up on creative challenge morning: At 10:15, after posting the weekly contest blog post, I finally turned to my manuscript. I was conflicted, because a client job is sitting here that I must complete by tomorrow, and I will barely have enough time to finish it. The phone was ringing off the hook; e-mails; the usual. But I knew that Cathy had also committed to working for an hour this morning. Honestly, that knowledge was the main reason that I persevered and decided to put my own work in front of my client work. I spent a full hour on the manuscript before rushing off for pre-school pickup. Got a ton done, totally satisfying, delighted with output.
The virtual buddy system — a strategy that I outline in my book — really does work. Cathy can post her own update, but I gather things went well down in VA too….
@ Charlotte — well, dear, you know the answer to that question! Remember that starting is often the hardest part. Procrastination (no matter how well spent!) is not going to get you there. Tell yourself that you’re going to work on X project for just 20 minutes. You can stand 20 minutes of just about anything, right? Close the e-mail, close the web browser, ignore your phone, and work for 20 minutes. I bet you a gourmet vegetarian dinner that after 20 minutes you won’t want to stop. Please report back….
20 minutes just isn’t enough for me. After 20 minutes I’ve usually just about managed to drag my wheeling mind back down from the ceiling; it’s very unlikely indeed that anything will actually have been written. I reckon I’m looking at a 2hr minimum at the moment to get something down “on paper”.
I went to a cafe today while waiting for a visa. Managed 2 hours in the cafe and another one later when I got home. It amounted to a grand total of one paragraph(!), plus some polishing, but the story is finished bar the final tidy-up.
charlotte, honestly, 2-3 hours and a paragraph is a wonderful start, esp with some polishing. i’ve been ramping up slowly for months to about that pace in general.
re: miranda’s and my virtual meeting: a godsend, really. just knowing miranda was going to ‘be there with me’ allowed me to get cracking. i ended up going from 930-3. i got an earlier start b/c c was napping. she woke right when miranda emailed me she was starting at 1015, i managed to nurse her back down and go go go on the scene i wanted to write since 2004, after finishing up a blog i was inspired to write in the shower earlier this am. i broke at noonish for a dog walk and lunch, and my usual sit by lake, which also netted photog and a small poem, and a chance for my numb hand from typing to come back. then when i finished lunch, i wanted to knock out the end of the scene before the boys came home, and even with mil and baby, and the off-kilter ticking of the ceiling fan as distractions, i nailed down the bones of it. i also realized most of what i’ve written in the manuscript can be flushed out more once i get the plot down from begining to end. i can flush out the descriptions, etc later.
so does everyone hate me now? i hope not! it was wonderful and i recommend a few more of us get together for the next one. i’m sure the rest of this week will be dry as a bone for my writing. i used to regularly meet with a couple of creative women’s groups years ago which included poets, fiction, songwriters, musicians, textile and papermaking artists and visual artists and potters, too. even if i was technically sitting by myself, i felt miranda was plugging away, too. just being ‘in the company’ of creativity is fuel for more. i realized today how much it means to me to get together on creativity.
I concur on all points, Cathy. Bravo! Charlotte, bravo to you too! I know everyone has their own creative process, but I wanted to say that when you describe spending three hours on one paragraph, I can totally relate. Except that I finally realized I couldn’t write like that. (Well, I could, but I wouldn’t ever get very far.) I think that when your professional life involves writing and editing, it is VERY difficult to separate the writing from the editing in your creative work. I began enforcing word-count quotas to my writing sessions, so that “success” was measured by total output, not by a single, sparkling string of prose. Keeping my hand moving (a la Natalie Goldberg) and working to hit my quota really frees me up because it gives me permission to be imperfect (perish the thought, I know)–in fact, forces me to be imperfect. Interestingly, when I’m banging out the words instead of agonizing over each turn of phrase, my writing is often improved. You will always go back and edit, many times over, but if any of this resonates with you I strongly suggest you try to turn that editor off and save her for the second go round. Then again, if you are happy with your process, please ignore all of this and stick to what works!
I also wanted to add (now that we’ve totally hijacked the Monday Page) that I used to turn up my nose at any creative window that was less than several hours or involved the presence of family members. This is probably the most fundamental change that motherhood has brought. It is so rare that I have a substantial amount of time and solitude that I finally had to face the question: do I want to be creative on my own terms, or do I want to be creative?
I learned to make do with the snippets of time and opportunity that I could scrounge together. I’ve written nearly 400 manuscript pages “in the cracks.” Christa Miller is the master of this approach (I interviewed her for my book in early 2007). In fact, Christa’s approach really helped me to refine my own, and reexamine the possibilities. So, all that goes to say that if you have the ability to make your “ideal” creative situation a regular reality, that’s great. But if you don’t, your other option is to challenge your can’ts and find new ways to be creative within whatever parameters you face. (And please don’t take any of this as a lecture, I’m just trying to push back with another perspective for anyone who finds it helpful!)
amen. before kids, i always resented life getting in the way of writing – little did i realize how much time and brain power i really had available, and how, after kids it would be sucked into the kid vortex. it took me a loooong time to figure out how to live creatively with kids and for me, so that i can ’squeeze in’ productivity.
so, charlotte, also not to lecture, if you really look at your days and nights and figure out where you can fit writing in, do it! prior to kids, i took a little notebook with me on boston’s public transit and would not just make mental notes, but actual notes of random thoughts, the guy on the platform in the damp sweater picking his stuffy red nose, the way that woman in high heels charged thru the crowd past the old lady to scoot into a seat or wondered how cats communicate so much just by blinking at each other – is it cat telepathy?
if you start with a little here and there, you’ll find soon enough that you’ll find the time and ability for more.
Thank you both for the advice. You’re right insofar as I will tend not to write at all if I don’t have a chunk of time (or have frittered away the majority of it – “might as well not bother now”). I have tried on occasion this week to be alert to good opportunities for making time between appointments, in a good place like a cafe or a library. I desperately need to get better at working at home. I just don’t. It’s much easier for me to focus in a cafe where I don’t have internet or the phone or the kettle, or other potential distractions – though it has to be the right cafe (no music, which is rare; conversations not so loud and close as to be intrusive…)
Cathy, I take your point about making notes. However, I have years of notebooks of pretty observations, sentences, paragraphs, pages even, that I either forget I ever made or don’t know what to do with once I’ve made them. I want to be able to string some of these pretty fragments together to make a coherent whole that actually has a plot, or even a point! In retrospect, I think it horribly prophetic that my second-year dissertation was on “Keats and the Necessity of Fragmentation”.
OK, so what DID I achieve this week? I feel as if I have failed dismally. However, SOMETHING did get done. And something is better than nothing, right? So I guess I have made a start of sorts. Perhaps I was being over-ambitious. At least writing is on the menu again.
Monday – I did print out the poem and put it in the envelope. Tuesday was a total washout. Felt guilty on Weds – posted poem, wrote for 3hrs and more or less finished story. Hurrah! Thurs: another 3 hrs of writing (well, staring at screen). Simply could not get started on play, so wrote something for the competition prompt instead, trying not to self-edit. Finished polishing story. Felt pleased with self. As a result, on Fri, Sat & Sun very little got done, apart from several hours’ translation which doesn’t count as it’s not my own creativity. Am stuck with beginning of play. Not sure whether this means I’d be better off starting one of the other projects instead, or whether I just haven’t really tried and this is another avoidance technique.
This week’s goals: I have 3 12-hr night shifts in a row so will be a zombie until Thursday. Aim to try to write a few hours each day on Thurs, Fri, Sat. But what?? The play? Start planning the novel, which will be the priority for my upcoming retreat(!) in October? Write a short story/poem, or just write whatever I feel, something manageable, because any writing is better than none (even fragments that lead nowhere – in my writing, as in my life, I need to learn structure).
Any thoughts welcome. And apologies for hijacking the Monday page – I haven’t quite got the hang yet of doing my own posts or sussing what goes where (feel free to redirect me!). Oh, and concision isn’t my strong point either, as you may have noticed.
(P.S. It’s already Monday in London!)
cathy 9.22.2008
first: hurrah for charlotte! now that you’re dipping your toes in the water, all those notes you’ve taken will start to take form where you need it. and time difference noted! maybe flip an old notebook open, grab one and run with it?
last week’s goals: ms, ms, ms; blog and contest. re: ms: 2 major scenes for the book minimum, during morning free time – ha-ha- still have baby, who is still exclusively nursing. 2 weeks and counting til oct 1 and first spoonful.
outcome: from 111 above: re: miranda’s and my virtual meeting: a godsend, really. just knowing miranda was going to ‘be there with me’ allowed me to get cracking. i ended up going from 930-3. i got an earlier start b/c c was napping. she woke right when miranda emailed me she was starting at 1015, i managed to nurse her back down and go go go on the scene i wanted to write since 2004, after finishing up a blog i was inspired to write in the shower earlier this am. i broke at noonish for a dog walk and lunch, and my usual sit by lake, which also netted photog and a small poem, and a chance for my numb hand from typing to come back. then when i finished lunch, i wanted to knock out the end of the scene before the boys came home, and even with mil and baby, and the off-kilter ticking of the ceiling fan as distractions, i nailed down the bones of it. i also realized most of what i’ve written in the manuscript can be flushed out more once i get the plot down from begining to end. i can flush out the descriptions, etc later.
rest of the week was a washout re: the ms, interruptions galore. at least i had one fantastic day in which i vomitted out the writing – vomit is appropriate to the ms! even if it’s a gross writing metaphor.
this week: at least one hour devoted to ms per day. one contest something, one blog, unless you are sick of me! hee-hee.
Miranda 9/22/08
Last week’s goal: Haiku, ms, journal. Anything. Must work it into this ridiculous schedule or won’t happen. Have committed to one hour tomorrow (Wednesday). Very much looking forward to a lighter work load!!!
Outcome: As you will have read from Cathy’s post above, our impromptu Wednesday creative date was a success. I wrote for an hour — jumping back into my nf ms after a long while away — and it was GREAT. I stopped after an hour only because I had to run out for pre-school pickup. I also had fun with my camera over the weekend, went running twice during the week, made a few more notes re a new short story (or something).
This week’s goal: My mother is coming to help me ALL DAY tomorrow and I plan to work like a dog all day and try to get caught up in several areas. I need to prepare for family guests coming for the weekend, and still the mountain of client work that never actually seems to stop — there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s not getting any closer, lol. I’d love to have another virtual “date” with Cathy and anyone else who wants to join us. Wednesday morning, eastern time, work???
@ Charlotte & Cathy — well done!
Charlotte, maybe prioritize your list a little bit — have the one totally manageable item you will positively finish before going to bed, and then the rest of the list for the event that things are going swimmingly? You don’t want to feel defeated by overreaching with your goals.
wed, 10amEST
today was in the toilet. no writing at all. and only managed to wash the still flea-ridden dog and hold fusspot.
It’s going to have to be a Tuesday page for me because I arrived a little late to the party. But I started my goals on Monday so I hope that counts.
My goals for the week are to paint 4 or 5 paintings (most will be small), to update my mailing list with new addresses from the past two shows I’ve been in, catch up on correspondence, attend a really nice artists reception on Thursday and meet new folks, pick out what I’m going to enter into a competitive show this Saturday, sort out what I’m going to take to two upcoming show/sales in the next six weeks and do a plein air paint out on the weekend at a fund raising event.
And sleep a little, maybe!
Karen Winters
http://www.karenwinters.com
http://www.karensblog.com
welcome, karen, can’t wait to see more from you here!
I’ve finished 3 paintings of the 4 to 5 I hoped to get done, I caught up on correspondence, attended last Thursday artists’ reception and had the chance to talk with some people I knew and made some new acquaintances. I got my things together and entered that show I was talking about, all the pieces were juried inn and I found that I won a prize, to be announced in three weeks at the reception. I’ve sorted out what I’m going to take to those two upcoming October show/sales so I can start packing for the first of the two and avoid a last-minute rush.
I did the plein air paint out Sunday evening, made some really great new contacts and saw a old friend I hadn’t seen in years – so I have a bunch of follow ups to do based on that event. I still haven’t updated my mailing list but I have written a promo email listing my October events, and that will get sent out today. Today I also have a new uninstructed figure painting session to attend which will make the 4th painting for the week and keep me on-plan.
New goals: I have about 100 signed greeting cards to make before Oct 11 – to take to the ArtWalk in Pasadena. The images are all printed but it will take a few days for assembly. Each one is also sort of like a business card and I put a lot of care into making them nice. I’m going to try to get another 4 paintings done this week, and to get some prints made also. I have several different club meetings to go to this week, which will provide involvement and networking opportunities as well as new things to learn.
I have a reception for a show opening on Saturday, which means I should update my website with some specific new work that I might want to share with those I meet.
So, most of my non-painting and study time this week will be involved in PR, writing and networking activities – just like last week.
Karen
http://www.karenwinters.com
http://www.karensblog.com
cathy 9.29.2008
last week’s goals: at least one hour devoted to ms per day. one contest something, one blog…
outcome: 1 contest, 1 blog; 1 day of research, 1 day of writing, 1 day of planning and minor edits on ms. approx 2hours per each of those days. so my schedule isn’t exact, but stuff is happening.
this week: just spent this am’s hour writing a letter of reference for a friend’s child to get into a school that would be better for him. 1 blog, 1 contest or 2 since i haven’t done this week’s yet, ms, ms, ms. have a hair appt fri! hallelujah, but just found out my mil is out of town that day and need to find a sitter for baby c.
Miranda 9/29/08
Last week’s goal: My mother is coming to help me ALL DAY tomorrow and I plan to work like a dog all day and try to get caught up in several areas. I need to prepare for family guests coming for the weekend, and still the mountain of client work that never actually seems to stop — there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s not getting any closer, lol. I’d love to have another virtual “date” with Cathy and anyone else who wants to join us. Wednesday morning, eastern time, work???
Outcome: The day that my mother helped me out was an AWESOME success (all of you who are in my Facebook network have already read my ravings about the day). I took care of a lot of little (and not-so-little) household projects that have really improved quality of life around here
Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to our virtual challenge on Wednesday — simply too much going on and I was totally unable to focus. I did have some more Fun with Photography and organized some of my creative supplies. Also went running twice. Good news is that I should be ALL DONE with my extra workload by the end of this week. I cannot wait. I feel like I’ve been hurtling along at top speed for two months now, and I really, really need a little break.
This week’s goal: I want to spend at least an hour on the manuscript. Photos, haiku. More than anything, I just want to catch my breath and have a few moments to do nothing. I don’t know what that looks like, but I’m eager to find out. I do think I’m on the verge of a productive return to creative life.
@ Karen & Cathy — bravo!
Charlotte 29/9/08.
Last week’s goal: write a couple of hours on Thurs, Fri, Sat.
Outcome: didn’t. Well, I wrote a couple of paragraphs of an idea for a story at 5am Friday morning having avoided doing so for the 12hrs before. And I sent the German short story off to be checked. Fri and Sat a mixture of faffing and trying to finish stuff including translation and tidying up before going away.
However, I have just arrived at Miranda’s and am on my way to stay with her mother (who is my aunt). The generals are in charge! No more excuses!
This week’s goal: Brainstorm and write general outline and character notes for reworking of idea for a half-written novel. Start (fresh) writing proper by the weekend. Get up early and work on this for at least 4-5 hours a day.
Here goes…
hey, miranda, can i rent your mother for a reasonable fee?
i haven’t popped in on this page in a while…weekly goals just don’t seem to work for me, but we’ll shoot for monthly again.
i just came home from the thornebrook arts festival and did very well so my major goal for my art will be rebuilding my inventory! my next show is the halifax arts festival in daytona beach the first weekend in november. i also have to complete my last two entries in my fat book swap by oct 17.
on the job front…we’ll be interviewing to fill my staff vacancy this month. rumor has it that we’ll see another round of budget cuts in november, so it’s imperative i get this person on staff by nov 1 or i may lose the position altogether.
still pondering the shift to teaching elementary school. i plan to sit in on a 2nd grade class and a kindergarten class this month. i think elizabeth beck had the best of both worlds….she was an elementary school art teacher! that would be my dream, but those opportunities are few and far between here, and this switch will only work if i am at the same school my girls attend.
cathy 10.6.2008
oh yeah, monday.
last week’s goals:just spent this am’s hour writing a letter of reference for a friend’s child to get into a school that would be better for him. 1 blog, 1 contest or 2 since i haven’t done this week’s yet, ms, ms, ms. have a hair appt fri! hallelujah, but just found out my mil is out of town that day and need to find a sitter for baby c.
outcome: ms? what ms? lost a couple of ams to other commitments. anyway, haven’t blogged as of yet, but did hunt down old poems for contest. wrote that letter and experienced loads of sleep deprivation, even though we started baby c on solids; joined the obama rally with 13yr old and infant: awesome! with a dose of heat stroke. hair appt was a luxury. dumped baby c on dh at work for 2.5hours. staying up too late for red sox in playoffs.
this week: volunteer for campaign, back to ms, 1 blog, 1 contest.
Charlotte 6/10/08
Last week’s goal: Brainstorm and write general outline and character notes for reworking of idea for a half-written novel. Start (fresh) writing proper by the weekend. Get up early and work on this for at least 4-5 hours a day.
Outcome: did all of that, with the exception of one day I think, but feeling extremely dissatisfied with both self and work. Averaging about 500 words a day on about 5-6 hours a day at the computer, which is just embarrassing. I can only hope it will get better. Am trying just to keep plugging away at it even though I am not experiencing any joy in doing it, and it doesn’t seem to be either flowing/jaunty/readable enough to be commercial or good enough to be literary. Not sure why I’m doing this. Why bother if it’s not going to be any good. Why bother at all. And so on.
This week: keep going. try to work out why I’m doing this. try to keep writing so the characters have a chance to take over, instead of killing it stone dead by reworking every paragraph.
Aaargh.
Miranda 10/06/08
Last week’s goal: I want to spend at least an hour on the manuscript. Photos, haiku. More than anything, I just want to catch my breath and have a few moments to do nothing. I don’t know what that looks like, but I’m eager to find out. I do think I’m on the verge of a productive return to creative life.
Outcome: Amazingly, I actually finished the last of the big projects on Friday. Now I’m back to just the regular (quite manageable) workload. I spent much of yesterday cleaning out my closets — a very rewarding activity (more on that later) and a nice transition out of overdrive. Ran three times, including a 5K road race. Yes on photos, but little else in the art front.
This week’s goal: Am planning a family party for Saturday but will still have time for creativity this week, for a change. Manuscript, here I come! Will write on Wednesday.
@ Charlotte: This does not sound good! I do want to point out that 500 words are still 500 words. That’s a good thing, and those words are adding up. Perhaps you are being too hard on yourself. More problematic, however, is that you aren’t enjoying the process OR the outcome. Two ideas:
1) Perhaps you need a reality check on your piece; it may in fact be much better than you think it is, which would at least suffice for the pain and suffering. On the other hand, if that ISN’T the case, then you can decide if being patient and pushing through a bit longer might yield the desired results, or if in fact you should abandon this particular ship.
2) Some people find that working on something else even just for a session (or a day) is just what the doctor ordered. How about taking a brief hiatus to write a few poems or finish a short story? The sense of accomplishment will bolster your efforts on the novel, and may provide the creative perspective you need.
For me, writing is not always a joyful pleasure either. But considering how immersed you are right now, I would think that you’d be having at least a little bit of fun, or that the project would have taken over of its own volition and you would just be trying to type as fast as possible just to keep up. I don’t know your creative process, of course, but it seems to me that even if you aren’t creating a masterpiece, you should either be having a great time OR be producing a good quantity of words and enjoying the knowledge that you’re “getting back in shape.”
Lastly: get quiet and listen. What do you really want to do? With this project in particular, and Creative Boot camp in general? You have the answers. Trust yourself. Maybe take an objective step away, if you can, and try to take care of Charlotte the writer. What does SHE want to do?
ok, charlotte, my 2 cents’ worth: you’re in new england, right? go for a long beautiful woodsy/beachy walk with a thick wooly sweater and don’t forget the gloves. preferably at dawn or dusk. 3-4pm is great for creepy long shadows and the bluest sky you’ll ever see, esp against red/orange/yellow/brown trees. or maybe it’s grey, but boy do those colors pop against it. kick up some leaves. smell the air. there should be some metal in it.
now go back and look at your 500perdiem. if it reeeeeally sucks, you had to write that to break through your walls to writing. if any of it is salvageable, great. if not, keep plugging away, but do so backwards or with your other hand or just spit out random grandiose statements until something moves you to keep going for the joy of it. wrie about your fears, all of them til they start to haunt you. remember henry miller:
The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.
and write from that.
It’s been another week of more networking than painting for me, but I have gotten a few new ones done. The plein air painting that I did a week ago Sunday sold to one of the people featured in it, and may lead to other places and opportunities to paint. I spent one weekend day shooting reference photos because the trees are turning NOW and won’t wait for a more convenient time.
I spent a lot of time this week going to receptions, some other people’s shows, making contacts, and so on. It’s all important to do but I want to paint, too!
The cards for the weekend aren’t done yet – but they will be in a day or two. This week I’ve got framing and tags to make, then catch my breath and try to make sure all the bases are covered.
I’ll set a more reasonable goal of 3 paintings this week since things are so busy. Finished one today …
Karen
@ Karen: I love reading your posts on the Monday Page. Makes me think about what life might be like if I made the leap to full-time creative focus, and if I could scrounge together your level of commitment. Inspiring.
1. Debra 10.07.08
2. Last week: I think it’s a bad sign that I’ve been meaning to post since last week.
3. Outcome: Well, I’m here now!
4. This week: Rewrite Chapter 1 of my family history project, start the first draft of a story that I’ve been thinking about all week.
5. Noé is sleeping like crazy since he started walking, so I’m hoping to have some big chunks of time. now I just have to get used to the idea of using some of them for writing, rather than surfing the internet for election news. I will spend 2-3 hours writing on Tuesday afternoon, depending on nap-time, an hour Wednesday morning and an hour Wednesday afternoon, and two hours on Friday between classes.
cathy 10.13.2008
last week’s goals: volunteer for obama campaign, back to ms, 1 blog, 1 contest.
outcome: it’s nice when they’re simple, eh? i squeezed a couple of days in on the ms, pecked away at it. i’m right at the major turning point in the story and approximately halfway in page count goal of 100-120. i think i wrote 2 blogs since last monday, feel like contest piece is coming today. i am volunteering regularly.
this week: contest piece today, volunteer for campaign, ms and prep for s’s iep mtg scheduled for next week- this is a highly stressful and overwhelming process for me because i’ve had such a hard time with his school needs for the past 2 years. it’s an overwhelming process even w/o the school struggle glitches since our move; strictly from the emotional standpoint of being a mother who wants not just the best, but what’s right and appropriate for him to succeed as a human being and be respected in the process, which i know, right now, he doesn’t feel is the case.
Miranda 10/13/08
Last week’s goal: Am planning a family party for Saturday but will still have time for creativity this week, for a change. Manuscript, here I come! Will write on Wednesday.
Outcome: I bailed on my Wednesday writers’ date with Cathy, and never made it to the ms. I blame a tidal wave of distractions and client requests, but really I just missed the boat. I really have no legitimate reason for not making progress now. It’s true that I don’t always anticipate as much time as the blog work sometimes takes, but I should have that figured out by now. Today and tomorrow I am working on a new writing plan and will report back.
This week’s goal: Develop workable plan for finishing the manuscript. Enact plan, and actually WORK. Also, running. And the usual photo fun. I’d also really like to do a bit more reading.
Miranda, thank you.
Keep in mind, though, that my children are grown and flown. When I had little ones in the nest I was not able to do personal creative projects full time. And my creativity was more engaged in writing ads and producing videos and making digital graphics not creating fine art. The needs of a young family meant doing what pays the bills. In other words, it hasn’t always been so for me, and I don’t think it’s possible to be a full time creative while being a mom. Call be old-fashioned but the muse can wait, parenting can’t! So my hat’s off to you and others here who honor the awesome responsibility of being a committed and loving parent.
Charlotte, 13/10/08
Last week’s goal: keep writing and try to feel better about it.
Outcome: didn’t write every day, struggled on with something on one day then gave myself a break/gave up for about 3 days, felt a lot happier, then came back of my own volition(!) and wrote 1000 words. So maybe the trick is not after all to force myself to stare at the computer every day for hours on end, just to make sure that I don’t shirk more than is healthy. Will have to find out how much this is, but I suspect it’s probably around the point at which the characters have wandered off out of my head and I can’t remember what I last wrote.
This week: Boot Camp ends on Thursday, after which I’ll be travelling about and doing some editing as well. So aim to write something at least 3 days a week. Try for 2000 words+.
I was wondering if perhaps it was just too much to go from 0 to 100 as it were and launch straight into trying to write a book after years of faffing around; maybe I should concentrate on short stories after all… Someone wrote back and told me he’d written his book by thinking of it in chapters rather than hundreds of pages, and that many chapters will eventually add up to a book. Which seems like sensible advice and rather more manageable.
Incidentally, the 1000 words I’m having such difficulty ekeing out are the equivalent of 3 pages. When I was on a roll and a deadline at the end of the last teen fiction book, I wrote the last 15 pages in one night, and they stayed more or less as they were. How the hell did I do that?!!
Oh, and I went to see a tarot reader who said, “Are you a writer?”, which was both a bit spooky and kind of reassuring!
miranda, based on our emails, you didn’t bail, superwoman! i was caught in a web, too, remember?
charlotte: congrats on finding a healthy balance: if you take care of yourself first, the words will come (filling the well from which to draw) and that chapter by chapter idea is exactly how i am managing my manuscript after a lifetime of poetry and short fiction. when i say short, i don’t think a single story of mine was ever over 12 pages, double spaced! and now i’m around 54 pages…
tx for kudos, karen. and i, too, dream of the day when it’s just art, gardening, and caring for pets. and ideallym travel, too.
Well I wrote something then must have forgotten to post it – it vanished into the ether. Anyway, last week’s goals were accomplished mostly. I did finish a few paintings but primarily I got ready for the weekend Art Walk, which was a very good event in every way – friends, contacts, sales, promotion, learning new things, all of it. I was ready for it.
This week I’m doing followup from the sale which is essential to keeping the momentum going. I’ve got a part-day photo shoot trip to get some new reference material, I plan to visit a fellow painter whose work I admire, and I have two more paintings to finish before next Monday. Actually, I need to paint more than that because this week’s paintings will not be posted to my blog until after Monday.
Today I organized my paintings for the show I’m doing in Malibu. I have 15 to bring, which is probably enough, but I now need to get them framed, tags made and packed so I’m not leaving anything until the last minute. That’s my next week in a nutshell. Oh, and I’ve got to submit three or four paintings for a competitive show, but those slides are all ready to go – I just have to fill out the application and mail it.
The busier I get the more I realize that I MUST work a week or more in advance of deadlines or risk things falling through the cracks. The more networking I do, the more serendipitous events seem to occur and I need to have the time to make the most of them, and not to say “pass” because I’m frazzled down to a deadline. So I need to work harder up front to leave space to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. As social networking becomes more important, personal time management needs to be more refined.
Debra 15/10/2008
I meant to wait until the time difference sank in before posting on the Monday page, and then of course I got sidetracked, so here I am posting on Wednesday. I think one of my goals for this week will be to get used to logging onto this site!
Last week’s goals: I meant to edit a chapter and start a short story. I started the story, though I didn’t get as far as I would have liked. I have a lot of ideas swirling around though. Same for the chapter – I didn’t sit down to start the writing yet, but I know what I want to do, and in many ways that is the hardest thing. I also have an idea for a short animation project that I’m excited about!
This week’s goals: We just got a date for our move-in (we are buying our first home!) so I am a bit occupied with preparing for that, and also keeping up with my teaching. So for this week and next my goal is just to write a little each day and to keep my mind active, and I’m hoping that things will gradually fall into place!
cathy 10.20.2008
last week: contest piece today, volunteer for campaign, ms and prep for s’s iep mtg scheduled for next week- this is a highly stressful and overwhelming process for me because i’ve had such a hard time with his school needs for the past 2 years. it’s an overwhelming process even w/o the school struggle glitches since our move; strictly from the emotional standpoint of being a mother who wants not just the best, but what’s right and appropriate for him to succeed as a human being and be respected in the process, which i know, right now, he doesn’t feel is the case.
outcome: 2 contests, small blog, no ms. note i didn’t write it down last week and look what happened!
this week’s goals: first, i need to get more sleep. i can’t think straight. baby c is still in bed with us eventhough we set up her crib, finally, last week. she still nurses frequently at night. i do stress myself way to much before s’s iep mtg’s last week was just the stress and coordinating scheds of all participants. this week…remember that old nemesis box of papers to be organized: do it or not be prepared for the mtg.
so goals: move baby c to crib, ms, iep mtg prep, blog, contest, volunteer for obama in that order of importance. and care for sick kid home today from middle school. that one’s easy, he can make his own tea and soup and watch tv.
Miranda 10/20/08
Geez…it’s nearly 11:30 pm so I’d better actually post this if I want to meet the “Monday” parameter.
Last week’s goal: Develop workable plan for finishing the manuscript. Enact plan, and actually WORK. Also, running. And the usual photo fun. I’d also really like to do a bit more reading.
Outcome: I’m thrilled to have a real plan in hand. (See last Thursday’s blog post for details: http://creativeconstruction.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/miranda-getting-my-together/.) I am back into the ms, and I feel prepared for the long haul. I also ran; only twice but I’m up to nearly 50 minutes a shot. And more photos. Just moved to a new laptop — one that has a FULL shift key, unlike the HP laptop I lived with for two years (I never adjusted to the half shift). My new shift key is making me VERY happy. (Hey, it’s the little things, right?)
This week’s goal: Stick to my newly created writing schedule, which has me working from at least 10:00-11:00 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Tuesday and Friday stints are sitter-free, so we’ll have to see if my 5.5-month-old decides to indulge me. Two hours blocked off for Saturday mid-morning. If anyone else is free to “meet” me for any of those writing blocks, let me know! More running. Reading. Time spent with kids sans laptop.
Jen — Oct 20, 2008 (Yes, this is my Monthly Monday page, given that I manage to visit on an Actual Monday about once a month! Ah well, I do keep up through reading the feed!)
Last posting’s goals: preparing for baby fair. Lots and lots of beadwork!
Outcome: Fair was a moderate success, and I did about all I could have done, really, to prepare. Had a lot of new inventory, got my act together in terms of a decent display. All that felt good. Since then I’ve been super busy, much of it with family stuff. Lots going on with son adjusting to preschool. Have been blogging lots, too, which is nice. Got a friendly, handwritten rejection for the children’s book ms — felt much better than the usual form rejection, at any rate — and promptly sent it back out to the next publisher on the list. That, too, felt good. Even thinking about poems again, at least a little bit! Yay!
For the next month or so: Pictures! Have tons of inventory for the shop but need pics to post any new listings. Have an itch about a new picture book ms that I want to scratch. Also have several custom orders for jewelry work that I need to get done. Fun stuff!
Here it is Monday night; perhaps I can get this in under the wire (sort of.) I got my followup to the show done, sent out notes and semi-organized my paintings for the Malibu show. Tomorrow I need to see how many new frames I need.
Then a family member had a stroke and everything changed as my husband and I scrambled to deal with her medical concerns. She’s recovering in the hospital and will pull through this time, so that’s a relief.
I got three paintings done for a competitive show (reception tomorrow night) and submitted different slides for another competitive show. I attended a Saturday reception for yet a different show I’m in, and tried to bring some order to my studio/office.
Once again, organization is the key for this week. My goals include getting ready for the Malibu show by Thursday, when I have a half-day workshop to take. I have a lot to do before then and great potential for things to fall through the cracks at any moment. In the not too distant future I won’t have to go in so many directions all at once. But for now things are unfolding in a good way so I will just bite the bullet and not fuss too much.
Oh, is it Monday? Ha! I’m in New York and having fun, and not thinking about writing, so there! (this last addressed to the other half of me, may I emphasise, not of course to any of you…)
Miranda, hurrah. 10-11 for you is 3-4 for me I think, so not do-able on a work day, but it is if I’m not. Saturday has potential. Incidentally, it turns out my nearly-11-year-old goddaughter here (whom I hadn’t seen for nearly 3 years) is really into writing and apparently in need of encouragement! Maybe I’ll get her to join us on the virtual date…
i’m there wed! maybe today, too, since i just fake called in to the campaign office with sick kids, which was really yesterday, but he went to school sneezing and coughing today. thurs is a maybe, mil in da house, and fri is my big bad mtg at school for s – which will have me completely preoccupied afterward thru the weekend with nerves of glass.
The week is off to a great start. I started writing earlier than planned this morning, since baby went to sleep (and I did NOT unload the dishwasher or start a new load of laundry or fold the two clean loads sitting in the other room). Baby has been sleeping for over 1.5 hours — total windfall! In that time I wrote 1,300 words. Good ones, too
after good baby nap in which i wrote 2.5 pages and read thru for continuity, i’m still chipping away at the clean surface of the digital page. i can’t let this actiony feely sequence go just yet. besides, i promised myself in another blog comment to keep my 4 pages min a week pace til it’s done, but last week was zero, so this week is 8, even with much on my mind.
re: wed writing date: many interruptions, but i made it to page 60! official halfway point of bigger pg count goal. and finding scenes wanting to write themselves in which hadn’t been foreseen.
cathy 10.27.2008
last week’s goals: first, i need to get more sleep. i can’t think straight. baby c is still in bed with us eventhough we set up her crib, finally, last week. she still nurses frequently at night. i do stress myself way to much before s’s iep mtg’s last week was just the stress and coordinating scheds of all participants. this week…remember that old nemesis box of papers to be organized: do it or not be prepared for the mtg. so goals: move baby c to crib, ms, iep mtg prep, blog, contest, volunteer for obama in that order of importance. and care for sick kid home today from middle school. that one’s easy, he can make his own tea and soup and watch tv.
outcome: mtg went well tho i still didn’t go thru that box; i got 2hrs of sleep in a row one night and almost felt human. she lasted in crib about 30min one night only. turned in my key at campaign office and volunteered for some poll watching duty on election day only-kudos to me in personalizing priorities! 8-count em-8 pages on ms, blog and contest. also valuable family time spent out of house adventuring this weekend. and s made yellow belt in taekwando! proud mama!
this week: find and sew yellow material to s’s spaceman spiff costume, 2 days spent at pediatrician’s for 2 physicals, ms, contest, blog. transfer winter clothes and cull c’s 6mos clothes out of drawers.
Miranda 10/27/08
Last week’s goal: Stick to my newly created writing schedule, which has me working from at least 10:00-11:00 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Tuesday and Friday stints are sitter-free, so we’ll have to see if my 5.5-month-old decides to indulge me. Two hours blocked off for Saturday mid-morning. If anyone else is free to “meet” me for any of those writing blocks, let me know! More running. Reading. Time spent with kids sans laptop.
Outcome: Well, progress has finally begun, in earnest. I’m past the hardest part — standing at the edge of the pond — and am actually doing the work. What a relief! Had great writing date with Cathy. I wrote 4K words during the week, in 6 hours of writing time total. Pretty much blowing my ultra-conservative pace estimates right out of the water. I wrote every day, Tuesday through Saturday, even if it was midnight and I could only get in 40 minutes. Ran only once (picked writing over running). More photos; painted for “apples” contest entry, which I much enjoyed — and my preschooler painted at the same time.
This week’s goal: My mother is coming down on Tuesdays for 6 weeks so that I can write and run on Tuesday afternoons (a generous birthday gift). So for this week, I plan to write every day Tuesday through Saturday. Minimum of 2K words total. Run at least twice (try for three times).
I haven’t posted on here in months, but I’m back and I’m hysterical!
The writer’s conference was a huge success. Of the 4 agents who saw my work or heard my pitch, two asked for full manuscripts, and two implied they’d have a favorable response to a query letter. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that the general consensus about my introductory chapters is that the pacing is slow and I need to open the story with the central conflict.
I don’t want to spend a lot of time obsessing about this. I know what I need to do. And I have every intention of doing it and sending the manuscript out by the end of the week. But while I know what I need to do, I can’t decide how best to tackle it.
Part of the feedback I recieved from one agent was that I didn’t start the story at the right point. She suggested I omit everything (gasp!) leading up to buying the house and start from there. I see her point, but if I do that, it makes no sense to introduce a minor character, Jillian, who is Alex’s oldest friend, and whose presence is pivotal to the story.
On the other hand, I can pare the first two chapters into 4 pages, mention Jillian in passing in a way that makes sense, and clip briskly through backstory and to the story at hand. I’ve already cut six entire pages, and now the beginning zips along nicely. The next chapter would begin with the home buying trip, which explains why they buy the house they do.
If I have to err on the side of something, what do you think? Is it better to leave in a touch of backstory for clarification purposes or just skip it and get on with the story? But one agent only wanted me to query after a re-write and the other liked what I had but wanted me to get to the heart of the matter sooner. I torn about which approach to take and don’t want to screw this opportunity up.
This week’s goal: DO NOT SCREW THIS UP.
Brittany–awesome, awesome news! Am going to e-mail you offline.
yay, brittany!
Congratulations, Brittany! That’s fantastic! Lots of luck with your rewrite and agent search. I’m rooting for you!
It’s Thursday and I didn’t even get my Monday page done. I accomplished last week’s tasks, got ready for the Malibu show, attended the workshops. This week my goals were to complete a 12 x 16 yellow rose painting for a client who wants to have it framed for her home for Thanksgiving. I put the final touches on it last night. Yesterday I found out there was an opening at our town’s ArtWalk show (street fine art fair) so I am hastily preparing for that. I have a poster and publicity to do, and I need to do three to four paintings this week to keep on my production schedule. So far I’ve finished two so I think the goal is do-able.
cathy 11.3.2008
last week goals: find and sew yellow material to s’s spaceman spiff costume, 2 days spent at pediatrician’s for 2 physicals, ms, contest, blog. transfer winter clothes and cull c’s 6mos clothes out of drawers.
outcome: costume – check- and fun with wounds from hot glue gun. physicals check, 2 healthy growing boys. 2 pages on ms, contest, blog check. seasonal clothes, half-check, baby clothes, check.
this week: volunteer at polls for 2 hours. blog, at least 6pgs on ms to make up last week, contest. blog may already be done.
Miranda 11/03/08
Last week’s goal: My mother is coming down on Tuesdays for 6 weeks so that I can write and run on Tuesday afternoons (a generous birthday gift). So for this week, I plan to write every day Tuesday through Saturday. Minimum of 2K words total. Run at least twice (try for three times).
Outcome: I’m trying to be reasonable and not freak out about the dissolution of last week’s creative opportunities. I managed 1,200 words, but that was only a single stint. I met considerable obstacles at every turn…two trips to pediatrician, preschooler home for two days, ninth grader home for one day, a house showing on Wednesday — one of my two work days — which ate up more than 5 precious hours spent in cleaning, staging, and vacating. I did get a few photos, and jotted down a new short story idea. Also ran twice. Not a total loss, but I’m very much hoping for a better week.
This week’s goal: Make up some of last week’s lost ground. Shoot for 3K words. Clear calendar to be glued to TV tomorrow from 5 p.m. to however late it takes. Haven’t done my entry for this week’s prompt yet — better get on that!
I’m writing this Sunday night because I know that this week is going to be crazy busy (again.) Early last week we drove up into Northern California for a planned painting adventure in the High Sierras. It was so windy that it became a photo safari instead, but with very satisfactory results.
I had a successful art festival day the day before yesterday and got the news Saturday that one of my paintings was juried into a prestigious statewide show, with a reception less than a month away. All in all, a good week!
This week I’ll be working on three or four holiday commissions and getting a few paintings ready for a holiday show opening about 10 days from now. So those are my major tasks for the week.
Karen
cathy 11.10.2008
last week: volunteer at polls for 2 hours. blog, at least 6pgs on ms to make up last week, contest. blog may already be done.
outcome: volunteer – check and woohoo! blog – check; ms- a speck, not pages, but research on observatories was fascinating; contest was fun to play around in photoshop, but irritating, too.
i think prior blogs on creative brain storing/charging weeks vs productive weeks weren’t bs like i wrote in last one on subject or in someone’s comments a while back.
this week: everyone’s sick, so i honestly don’t know but i’ll try: ms priority 1 after sick kids and me, blog and contest. miranda – wed writing date 10am?
Miranda 11/10/08
Last week’s goal: Make up some of last week’s lost ground. Shoot for 3K words. Clear calendar to be glued to TV tomorrow from 5 p.m. to however late it takes. Haven’t done my entry for this week’s prompt yet — better get on that!
Outcome: Two surprise client projects ended up eating a lot of time that I’d set aside for myself. I was pretty grouchy about the situation, as my husband can attest. Very little word count accrual on ms. I’m developing a specific exercise that requires a lot of brain work and scribbling notes, but not a lot of text. So progress, but not what I watned. I have high hopes for my writing stint tomorrow afternoon, and yes, Cathy — we’re on for Wednesday. I ran twice but over the weekend messed up my right Achilles tendon so I’ll be taking at least a week off. Will do some modified yoga instead.
Have also implemented better schedule around home life/kids/keeping work in a box so I’m happy about that.
This week’s goal: Try to finish working up the exercise, and if I need to let it percolate, push through with a different section just to get my word count up again. Keep going with schedule. Hope to blog on that in near future. Writing: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Possibly weekend. (Weekends haven’t been panning out as well as they should.)
OK, it’s Thursday again . . . . but I’ve been making a bit of progress on my weekly goals. Just about have the house under control after our move. But still lots of boxes in the garage to be sorted! Otherwise, I’m working on a few creative projects and a couple of writing projects:
1. Submit articles to WAHM Articles on holiday crafts
2. Create and photograph three more holiday projects
3. Tutorials (2)
4. Collages and essays for inspirational eBook
I’ll try to stay focused and on task, and be back on Monday for an update. Thanks for the inspiration! Nina
cathy 11.17.2008
last week’s goals:week: everyone’s sick, so i honestly don’t know but i’ll try: ms priority 1 after sick kids and me, blog and contest. miranda – wed writing date 10am?
outcome: time has morphed for me lately: nov seems to have started forever ago, yet we’re half way thru it, and the end is rising fast. last week, i did some writing i am very proud of, but none of it in the ms. the quilt prompt grabbed me by the lapels and wouldn’t let go. miranda and i both missed wed writing date. i got some great pics of baby c. wrote a blog due to air tomorrow.
i’m in a quandary: i woke up today intent on a new more positive perspective. i have to not let everyone else’s poor attitude make me reactive. the tutoring hasn’t panned and i filled out an app for a retail job. if i don’t get out of this house, i think i will have a breakdown, if a minor one has not already occured over this weekend. i need to put myself in a place where i can at least not contribute to the paucity of positivity and at best, turn those frowns upside down. start with my own, anyway, or i’ll never get back to ms. i can’t write that in crankyville.
Miranda 11/17/08
Last week’s goal: Try to finish working up the exercise, and if I need to let it percolate, push through with a different section just to get my word count up again. Keep going with schedule. Hope to blog on that in near future. Writing: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Possibly weekend. (Weekends haven’t been panning out as well as they should.)
Outcome: Intended schedule went to pot, but made up for it during child-free weekend stint. Made the +1K word count quota, and crossed the 60K total wordcount mark. Very excited about what I’m working on. Several fiction ideas brewing. Achilles still sore and tight, did not run at all — living in Crankyville with Cathy. Were it not for my excellent weekend writing stint, I would be seriously down right now.
This week’s goal: Writing stints: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday. Will try for all of those; hopefully at least two will pan out. Still managing to stay away from the computer for longer stretches which is good news. Feeling fairly optimistic.
cathy 11.23.2008
wow, did i really not make goals for last week? well, i did work on manuscript, i did write a blog and i did write a poem for the contest. re: ms: i doubled my usual weekly output in one day’s session! very welcome moment of writing after 2 weeks of staring at last lines written as if staring at a blank wall expecting a door to appear.
this week’s goals: everyone in house to get past the cold that keeps wending it’s way through us for the past couple of weeks. thanksgiving prep and hubbub – here. would be nice to organize that d*** box of papers into file cabinet and then some to make room for honey to move into office. ms, blog, and something for contest? hmmm…more of an ideal for this week.
Miranda 11/24/08
Last week’s goal: Writing stints: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday. Will try for all of those; hopefully at least two will pan out. Still managing to stay away from the computer for longer stretches which is good news. Feeling fairly optimistic.
Outcome: Optimism was nice, but didn’t get me very far! Real estate drama, recurrence of pink-eye, and overnight visitors meant that my attention was spent elsewhere. The good news? I’m working on the book in my head. And I’m reading; finished Jame’s McBride’s SONG YET SUNG and am halfway through two other books. (Reading while nursing and while pushing the baby to sleep in the swing. He has to have a little extra pushing on top of the battery juice!)
This week’s goal: Enjoy Thanksgiving, see what else happens. Itching to create a new canvas. Will need to keep expectations low during the coming weeks in order to survive holiday season with modicum of sanity.
cathy 12.1.2008
last week’s goals: everyone in house to get past the cold that keeps wending it’s way through us for the past couple of weeks. thanksgiving prep and hubbub – here. would be nice to organize that d*** box of papers into file cabinet and then some to make room for honey to move into office. ms, blog, and something for contest? hmmm…more of an ideal for this week.
outcome: mil and i still coughing, baby c’s nose is still green. thanksgiving prep was fine, hubbub was mostly enjoyable. haven’t deboxed those papers or moved furniture for dh to have space in office. i poked around ms, 1 blog, 1 contest piece.
this week: i guess we’ll start tromping decor out of attic. step up yoga and dog walks. anything in ms, 4pgs is a good goal right now. 1 blog, 1 contest.
Miranda 12/02/08
Last week’s goal: Enjoy Thanksgiving, see what else happens. Itching to create a new canvas. Will need to keep expectations low during the coming weeks in order to survive holiday season with modicum of sanity.
Outcome: Well, Thanksgiving was pretty much a bust, but I did have a great writing stint last week that resulted in more than 6K words. I also pulled out an old needlepoint project and worked on that one evening while my daughter read her book to me. That was great.
This week’s goal: At least one good writing session (Wednesday). More where possible. Trying a new system for organizing my week and the various areas of focus (of which there are many). Fingers crossed. My main goal is to feel vaguely centered, take care of the important things (versus the urgent things), and relax a little bit. (Must decide within next few days what to get oldest son for 18th birthday next week. I am at a TOTAL LOSS and am pretty much freaking out about it. He has the birthday, then Christmas, then graduation — I have a plan for the second two events, but nothing for the first — and it’s only a week away. ARGH!)
Last week’s goals, which I didn’t even get around to writing about, were to finish two large ink paintings for a client who wanted to hang them in her dining room before her housewarming/Christmas party. I got them done on time, helped her frame and hang them and enjoyed seeing them by candlelight at the party.
I had two other commissions to finish and I’m on my last one, now. I think it’s a good idea to clear the decks as soon as possible so there’s room for more projects should any last-minute things come in. Now I’m starting to “paint ahead” for a spring solo show, so that I can make time for some workshops. So my coming week’s goal is to get three new paintings finished, get all my commissions and shipping done and finish backing up my digital library. Because, like they say, it’s not a question of “if” your hard disk will fail, but WHEN.
cathy 12.8.2008
last week: i guess we’ll start tromping decor out of attic. step up yoga and dog walks. anything in ms, 4pgs is a good goal right now. 1 blog, 1 contest.
outcome: a few decorations made it out via mil. stepped up yoga to 3x a week, baby and i still sick, she’s on amox. now. but after weekend seems a bit worse after a little better…me, too. hence, no dog walks, but k is stepping up there. i managed 4 pgs on ms, a mini blog, and still thinking of fire. but i made a delish bday cake for honey w/fudge frosting on fri, even if iforgot the baking powder i made anextra run to the g-store to get. dense, but delish. oh and finally rearranged office space for honey to join the computer party. and pitched another hissy about last week’s clean laundry still in baskets, which worked. now i get to wash the sloppy seconds for the next 2 days…i’m taking bets on how long it will take the males in this house to put away their laundrythis week. honstly, the only part up to them is put the prefolded and sorteds back in their drawers.
this week: bitch less, heal baby c and me. ms, xmas prep, blog and contest. is it cookie time yet?
Here I am for my December posting (looks like I missed November entirely! Whoops!)
Right now I’m almost consumed by concerns about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. This well intentioned legislation attempts to address the toxic toy debacle that showed up last Christmas. But it looks like it will put me and countless other small cottage industries out of business because the testing requirements are entirely prohibitive to a small business. So much for handmade goods for kids, folks. I just blogged about it:
http://mamasmagic.blogspot.com/2008/12/do-you-love-handmade-have-kids-of-your.html
I’m pretty sure that creative energy will be consumed with worry about this for the foreseeable future. My main goal at the moment is to get the word out about this so that folks can spread the word and hopefully get it amended.
yikes, jen!
Jen — I can’t fathom how it is that testing the components themselves wouldn’t be sufficient. But really, shouldn’t the burden lie on the importers and domestic manufacturers? Wow.
12/10/08
I missed Monday altogether, which is a reasonable indication of how things are going over here!
Last week’s goal: At least one good writing session (Wednesday). More where possible. Trying a new system for organizing my week and the various areas of focus (of which there are many). Fingers crossed. My main goal is to feel vaguely centered, take care of the important things (versus the urgent things), and relax a little bit.
Outcome: I can’t believe I actually had “relax a little bit” on the radar. Not even close. Big birthday, daughter home sick two days, a son home sick today, potential lice exposure (OMG) requiring lots of discussion and check-in with doctor, a heating zone died and required weekend visit from oil company, showing on Sunday that took massive effort in staging, major client crisis, regular work, holiday preparations, lots of potty-training clean-ups, the baby in a very fussy not-happy-doing-anything phase….at this point I look at my to-do list and seize up. Aside from some photography, did not do anything on my creative to-do list. I did manage to register for a half-marathon in June, although I do question my sanity on that front.
This week’s goal: Survival.
Here in France, it’s Monday afternoon already!
I won’t comment on last week’s goals, since it will just depress me to think about all the things I didn’t do!
This week: I’m going to be alone with the baby since hubby is running off to a conference in my home state of CA (yes, I’m jealous!), but with the holidays coming up, things are also winding down at work. My goal is to write at least the skeleton of a 15-page screenplay treatment that I need to submit by January 9th! We’ll see how far I get with all the mulled wine that will be flowing around here….
cathy 12.15,2008
last week’s goals: bitch less, heal baby c and me. ms, xmas prep, blog and contest. is it cookie time yet?
outcome: household found yet another virus, i’m still not over mine, but at least i’m not 103 like dh and s. eldest boy’s hair is now above his shoulders, which is an xmas prep of sorts. i blogged, still need to edit something i jotted in the back of a book for the contest. and i think i got 3 pages tacked onto ms.
this week: beats me. holidays, feel like crap since before thanksgiving. really run down. if i can accomplish the minimal for this week’s household basics, i’ll be happy. decor is out of attic, but needs to move in from the garage. i think it’s time to start prepping cookie doughs, too.
ps: i did bitch less. and males did put away much of their laundry.
hi debra! glad you’re posting here, esp. as others seem to be dropping from monday page like flies and i’m beginning to feel like the only kid in class who does her homework…
12/16/08
@ Cathy — ouch! You got me.
Last week’s goal: Survival.
Outcome: Turns out my goal was pretty apt. The ice storm in NE knocked out our power, heat, and phone for 36 hours. A couple of other un-fun elements (such as migraine) made for a very trying few days — and the loss of time that I really couldn’t afford to spare. Am still playing catch-up.
This week’s goal: Continue forward motion. Finish up on xmas to-do list. Read. Enjoy. (Maybe?) I do love Christmas but more often than not I just ending up looking forward to the whole thing being OVER.
aw, you know how i tease…but i do begin to feel geekier than usual when you’re putting out requests for contest entries and i’m the only regular on the monday page far into tuesday..
ps: i’m so glad you are all safe and sound and warm and home!
cathy 12.22.2008
lastweek: beats me. holidays, feel like crap since before thanksgiving. really run down. if i can accomplish the minimal for this week’s household basics, i’ll be happy. decor is out of attic, but needs to move in from the garage. i think it’s time to start prepping cookie doughs, too.
outcome: aim low, reach high: i wrote a blog, i think, i wrote apoem for the contest i think. shopping is done. i wrote our ‘annual’ christmas letter and got the photo cards done and out in the mail. decorated, not outside, though.
this week: cookies will happen today. thinking of blog, thinking of contest. travel, survive christmas travel, etc. hope dh doesn’t have pneumonia. he’s finally caving and going to dr today. main goal: ENJOY Christmas! esp since this will be the last s is likely to believe at the ripe old age of 10, and it’s baby c’s 1st!
12/22/08
Last week’s goal: Continue forward motion. Finish up on xmas to-do list. Read. Enjoy. (Maybe?) I do love Christmas but more often than not I just ending up looking forward to the whole thing being OVER.
Outcome: Getting there. Ice storm of 10 days ago left my mother without power/heat (still) and she may be staying with us for several more weeks. (ETA on her utilities is mid-January at the earliest!) Not that I should be happy that my poor mother — and her dog and six cats, some of them feral — have been displaced, but having her here is like having six extra arms. She does so much to help out and it’s great to have her around. (I’m not sure she’s having as much fun, however, suddenly living fulltime with a family of seven!) Anyway, Christmas preparations nearly complete, just a bit more wrapping. Finished reading a book.
This week’s goal: Get set for New Year’s — always a big relief to have the holidays wrapped up, and ready to stoke the fires and start the new year off right. Today I am having a phone conversation with a book designer I’ve worked with before — to talk about MY book. Very excited about that. Progress, in small steps. Feeling positive and looking forward to getting back to some kind of routine for working on the book.
12/29/08
Last week’s goal: Get set for New Year’s — always a big relief to have the holidays wrapped up, and ready to stoke the fires and start the new year off right. Today I am having a phone conversation with a book designer I’ve worked with before — to talk about MY book. Very excited about that. Progress, in small steps. Feeling positive and looking forward to getting back to some kind of routine for working on the book.
Outcome: Good conversation with designer about my book. Resolved a few questions, and came up with a game plan. Had a nice and fairly mellow holiday, aside from showings — and negotiating offers to sell and to buy! Rec’d some creative goodies for Christmas that I hope to enjoy soon.
This week’s goal: Will be utterly distracted by continuing negotiations on our home purchase, and the inspection of our current home. Tons of things to take care of. If I can sneak in some reading time (must finish book group book soon) will be satisfied with that. And will be writing down concrete resolutions for New Year’s.
miranda, it’s thursday, and your great compliment in your post today reminded me, i never made here on Monday!
cathy 1.1.2009 thursday
lastweek: cookies will happen today. thinking of blog, thinking of contest. travel, survive christmas travel, etc. hope dh doesn’t have pneumonia. he’s finally caving and going to dr today. main goal: ENJOY Christmas! esp since this will be the last s is likely to believe at the ripe old age of 10, and it’s baby c’s 1st!
outcome: well, i survived, made cookies with my back out, wrote a blog, wrote a poem for the contest, enjoyed the holidays with family, travelled, changed explosion diapers on the road, left bag of poopie clothes at the roadside stop. i even got dh to go to dr and get antibiotics. phew! even went to a wake in new haven for my dh’s great aunt who was 96! btw, if your ever in new haven and want a delish meal without the lines for pepe’s pizza, go to anastacio’s. humble atmosphere, but the food was amazing! little italy, wooster st. last one on the left before residential.
this week: almost over, but i wrote a poem, wrote a blog, guess i should do more than open the manuscript. buy the boys new winter coats without them, as they’re at their dad’s. much easier this way!
cathy 1.5.2009
last week’s goals: almost over, but i wrote a poem, wrote a blog, guess i should do more than open the manuscript. buy the boys new winter coats without them, as they’re at their dad’s. much easier this way!
outcome: bought the boys’ and baby c winter coats, but had to exchange k’s b/c somehow we walked out with the wrong size for him. and above, except didn’t manage any work in ms, though opened it a few times.
this week’s goals: survive too many kid appts again, eyes and baby well visit. s joins the rest of us in wearing glasses now. his appt was this morning. my bday – enjoy it. open and work consistently as possible this week on the ms. get back to yoga adn dog walks. fell off the exercise wagon bigtime. blog and contest.
Kristine: 1/5/2009
It’s my first Monday Page post! My biggest goal in 2009 is to move full speed ahead on finishing my novel, which means being accountable for my time and progress. That’s where this page comes in.
This Week’s Goal: Work on my novel every night for two hours after my daughter has gone to bed. I’m not striving for page count but rather a consistent working schedule.
brava, kristine!
I don’t usually post here, but today, I do have goal, if not necessarily a creative one! My goal for this week is to finally kick this nasty cold I’ve been battling for a month now…. and then I can clean up my workshop and get back to having some fun.
We’ve also been painting the house. Finished the master bedroom suite yesterday (let me just say that the closet was most definitely a b**ch). We plan to move to the big giant great room this weekend. Initially I had wanted to pay someone to tackle our great room, which blends with the dining and kitchen area and the upstairs loft and the giant 30′ tall wall about the kitchen…) but alas, the $1000 in cash I had stashed away for that must now go to replacing the washing machine that has finally, at last, spun its last spin cycle…
oy on the washer…first post, kelly, can, like a first cigarette, lead to more and bigger things!
1/5/09
Last week’s goal: Will be utterly distracted by continuing negotiations on our home purchase, and the inspection of our current home. Tons of things to take care of. If I can sneak in some reading time (must finish book group book soon) will be satisfied with that. And will be writing down concrete resolutions for New Year’s.
Outcome: As I anticipated, house stuff has taken up nearly every square inch. But our buyers sign the P&S tomorrow, and we have our inspection at the new house on Friday. Everything is moving ahead. Still having lots of interesting creative ideas, and I take the time to jot them down when they pop up. Photos and reading. I’m continuing to work on my resolutions and goals for the year; I haven’t decided I’m finished with that process yet. Will probably become a blog post.
This week’s goal: Keep plowing along on the massive to-do list, without losing sight of the present moment. (I have to say, that’s one great thing about babies — they are so adorable, so utterly enjoyable in their cuteness, that you WANT to live in the present and suck up every minute.) Will be moving in exactly 30 days….at which point I will have an office — not just an office, a library — I’ll be sharing with my husband when he’s home, but most of the time it will be my domain. Wow.
miranda! i don’t know if you can hear it, but i’m giving my infamous 4-fingered whistle! (it used to confuse me bouncing off the opposite wall of large arena concerts like pink floyd – hey, there’s a guy over there who whistles just like i do – oh, wait – test whistle- it’s me – cool!) FABULOUS!
1. Carmen 1/6/09 It’s Tuesday, but better late than never!
2. N/A
3. N/A
4. Get over my fear and write something for this blog!
5. Brainstorm in my journal for ideas Tuesday night and Wednesday night (or as inspiration strikes!) and submit an entry to Miranda by Friday afternoon.
yay, carmen! this seems to be the year to hop on this particular bandwagon!
(miranda, do you want to set up a 2009 monday page so we don’t have to scroll down so much? archive 08, or somesuch? not that you’re busy or anything BP!)
cathy 1.12.2009
last week’s goals: survive too many kid appts again, eyes and baby well visit. s joins the rest of us in wearing glasses now. his appt was this morning. my bday – enjoy it. open and work consistently as possible this week on the ms. get back to yoga adn dog walks. fell off the exercise wagon bigtime. blog and contest.
outcome: still another appt for another kid today. enjoyed a relaxing quiet bday. i pecked at manuscript. no yoga or dogwalks. teen takes dog out to see where the gang is hangin’ and who is there to hang with. it’s been cold, i am a cold wimp. we finished dismantling chistmas decor. blog and contest.
this week’s goals: find the groove again in the manuscript. blog contest, yoga. update van sticker after repairs, so i don’t drive illegally. make more contacts in area to net tutoring gigs, etc. ‘…and they’ll tell 2 friends and so on…’ as it’s report card time. paper org. i’m drowning in other people’s crap at my desk again. wed am commit to manuscript after c goes down for nap.
kelly: 1/12/09
last week: work on kicking the nasty cold in the a** and continue the mammoth painting job.
outcome: feeling better this week! still a little snuffly but hopefully that will start fading. master suite is done. started painting the great room…finished the hall to the kitchen and the foyer, and almost finished the lower stairwell. still lots more to go.
this week: may paint, may wait till the weekend. workwise, i just learned that there will be FT english faculty position open this fall. accepting applications now to begin screening in feb. will get that ap done this week. i was a finalist for a faculty position at our north campus last summer, but the campus president ultimately decided she wanted someone with a doctorate. i have no desire to go back to school! this position is here on my campus, so we’ll see. the teaching elementary school idea has had to be shelved for a while since duval county is facing huge budget cuts and now has a hiring freeze. not sure how that will float with expanding enrollment in our area. should be interesting.
Kristine 1-12-09
Last Week: Work two hours every night on my fiction novel.
Outcome: Well, I’ll say that I got it about 80% right. Spent about 5 nights working for two hours, even if those two hours often got interrupted with various work and home chores.
This week: Same goal, except instead of saying “every night,” I’m going to adjust to just five nights a week. I think it’s a much more attainable goal.
3-9-09
hmmmm….i see i’m not the only one who hasn’t been here in a while!
i learned something about goals this weekend. well, not really, i guess. i think i’ve always known this about myself. i think i’m just not much of a formal goal setter. got not a one of my feb-finish-a-thon goals done. yet this weekend? when i had no specific goals set? the girls and i tackled one juvenile diabetes walk on saturday and one birthday party on sunday. i also created 13, count ‘em 13!, new pendants in prep for the riverside arts market (my total goal for february was 10), and i finished weeding through and editing all my harvey collection photos. go take a peek in my flickr account. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellynwarren/sets/72157615032964598/detail/
so goals for this week? um, none. we’ll just see happens.