Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Year of Doing Big, Fun and Scary Things

For those who might have missed out on the rather tame party I threw for myself in celebration of my fourth National Novel Writing Month win...I won National Novel Writing Month for the fourth time.

Wow.
That was excruciatingly repetitive.

The lovely nut jobs who run Nanowrimo host an event in December called "The Year of Doing Big, Fun, Scary Things", which is a bit like making New Years Resolutions.

The logic is that since you (as in I, the writer) have accomplished the awesome if just a tad stupid goal of writing a first draft in a month, why stop there?

For various reasons I have neglected to do this in my four years of Nanowrimoing for one reason or another...but I think this is going to be the year where I am going to draw some lines in the sand.

Well, not so much as lines as vague guidelines I can post on my wall and feel guilty about for ignoring....because guilt is important in accomplishing anything. If it were not for guilt (or maybe just humanity's tendency for masochism) we as a global community would not have to suffer with taxes, parliamentary procedures and rap music.

That said, here are some ideas of what I want to accomplish in year of 2011:

1.Figure out exactly when I am going to be graduating with my Masters. I have been working off and on since around 2007 (I think...or was it 2008?) and although I did pick up Theater as a minor I should try to figure out what year and semester I'll be graduating in and get set up for the classes as far in advance as possible.

2.Attempt to find a church but in the mean time at least go somewhere so I will be a bit less isolated and possibly find others I am on the same spiritual/religious wavelength as.

3.I have yet to put any serious thought into revising any of my novels. I will daydream about being published, conducting interviews where I show off a winning smile, my witty retorts and my utter lack of fashion...however unless I actually bother to revise a novel there really won't be much of a reason to celebrate something that doesn't happen.

4.I want to produce two short pieces a month. Of these two I want to write one article and one short story. I have endless pages of story but I really want to try making myself do a shorter term project so I have less chance of burning out.

5.Despite any health conditions I am determined to become better at swing dancing.

6.Take the time to go for a stroll when it is raining.

7.Learn how to open myself up for moments during the day when it feels things are falling apart and make myself remember that Father is in control and if my work is going nowhere that could mean I am needed elsewhere.

8.Find real and tangible ways to show love to everyone I am around. Family, friends, roommates...not just the cheesy and fake smiles...but taking genuine interest in those around me.

9.Go to the beach at night and stay until sunrise. Watch the beauty and remember it until the day I die.

10.Work on learning how to let go out bad experiences and the pain of the past so I can be free to smile and not just paste on the emotions I expect people are expecting me to wear.

11.Since I'll be turning 25 in July I need to figure out what exactly I am supposed to be doing. I have yet to hear an explanation as to what this whole "mid-twenties" thing was supposed to be about...that alone seems like it would be an adventure.



Sort of like novel writing, the only person who I am responsible to this list is myself and as much interest as you, faithful reader will exhibit. If you think of it feel free to ask me how progress is going...or as the case may be, distract me into looking the other way and give me a loving shove off into the depths of living life.

It should be an interesting year to say the least.