Happy New Year! . . .and Goals

To borrow the Google doodle --

I hope y'all had a wonderful New Year's Eve! We farmed our daughter out to a friend's house for a sleepover, so it was just me and the hubs.

Leftover spaghetti, hot tub and two bottles of champagne later, I turned in . . . 30 minutes before midnight.

Well, it WAS midnight in New York City!

We just party hard, don't we?

So this morning, I was feeling a mite puny even after a couple cups of coffee, which is why this blog is a tad late.

I finished my blog housekeeping yesterday, and everything important should be hyperlinked under the tabs.

After my hubs persuaded me to rethink removing my stories from Amazon, I'm putting all my books under the Kindle KDP select program. I really don't make any money with these books, but I guess a couple of bucks a quarter is better than none. I doubt if I will actively promote these titles over the next year. I had thought about trying to get these works onto paper, but decided I'm tired of messing with the same stories over and over again.

So how did I do with my 2013 goals?

Truthfully, not very well. Kind of like the way my bullet points worked out .. .  I have no idea how to fix them, so after putzing around with them for the last 15 minutes they will be posted as a mess!

• ·         Continue healthy lifestyle by portion control, more fruit and veg, and walking--I lost my way toward the end of the year.
• ·         Live in the moment--technology can wait, but family and friends can’t--I surfed the Internet more, but with no purpose, which means I wasted more time doing nothing than I did when I played Farmville.
• ·         Judge 3 contests (name, # in category, date rec’d) -- I actually did this one, as I judged 5 contests--to the detriment of my writing. Plus one contest that was for published authors, which meant I had to read a completed book and not just 5,000 words.  
• ·         Crit when needed -- I critiqued for my friend Cyndi, but I don't know how much help I really was since she has tons of people wanting to crit her work, plus an editor!
• Write memoir -- How to Lose Weight While Eating Bonbons --  done--short version that I self published

  ·         Write middle grade Kyte Webber story -- Dragon Days of Summer -- Nope

  ·         Write new Adult element story -- The Fire Within -- Nope

  ·         Write cozy mystery -- Chocoholics Anonymous -- Nope

  ·         Write suspense -- Untitled Archaeology story -- Nope

  ·         Wrote picture book--Go away, Piper!

  ·         Wrote picture book -- Goblins Don’t Squeak

  ·         Wrote picture book -- Gnome Without A Home

  ·         Read 50 books--keep log--DONE-- I actually read 64 books.

 

Onward to 2014 Goals!

 

Many of my goals are similar to 2013, with the exception of actually accomplishing some writing.

 

I will post Weighty Wednesday and Foodie Friday blogs as the mood strikes me, along with various other blogs. Blogging take time and creative energy, which doesn't leave a whole lot for real writing.

 

I would like to write the Mystic Elementals stories. If nothing else, I'd like to get a rough plot for all of them.

 

Kyte Webber needs her next story written. I keep messing with the first 50 pages which means I'm not going anywhere with this story. I need to get some action started!

 

I might write a picture book or two, but I tend to add more words than is necessary and since I'm not an artist, these books will never see the light of day.

 

So what does that leave?

 

It leaves me to focus on some new stories. Stories that I want to write, not to publish, but simply for ME.

 

That's it for this year. I'll be writing to make me happy, not for anyone else.

 

 . . . I couldn't do worse than I did last year when I accomplished absolutely nothing on the writing side of things.

 

So think about your goals, not resolutions, you already know my thoughts about that term!

 

Later, Peeps! 

 

 

 

Weighty Wednesday -- It's a Mental Game

Look -- we all know what we have to do to lose weight.

• eat more fruits and vegetables
• drink more water
• eat less protein
• eat less fried food
• eat less refined sugar and flour products
• less salt
• exercise more

It isn't that hard when you see the list, but there is one six-pound item that stops use every time

OUR BRAINS

And no, this is NOT an attack by zombies . . . braaaaiiiins . . .

If you aren't "In it to win it", then you aren't playing the game right.

I had this epiphany at this week's meeting. My brain was telling me that I'm in maintenance mode and not losing weight mode. I was eating to maintain my weight.

And being very successful at it, I might add.

Yes, it's only five pounds, but if I don't do something different about it, then what do you think will happen?

Nothing.

That's right, NOT A THING. I will remain at this weight and I might even gain MORE weight.

When I first started WW, I lost four pounds the first week. And for the most part, I lost 30 of my 45 pounds rather quickly, within a few months.

I was in game mode. The coach had my back, and I gave 100% mind and body to the weight loss goal. I measured. I weighed. I walked. I planned meals. I had a goal.

Wait . . . what was that last one?

A goal.

Oh. I need a goal. Long term goal is to reach my healthy weight range and stay there. But I needed a goal to get over this next hurdle. So I made one up.

By the time school starts in August, I want to be back at my goal weight.

That's doable, right?

But not if I don't change some of my slacker eating behaviors it won't be doable.

Look, I'll tell you right now that losing this 5 pounds will be hard since I have to think about food and plan my meals. This is something I obviously haven't done in awhile.

Now, I have a goal.

It's a modest goal, but it's a goal I can achieve IF I CAN WIN THIS MENTAL GAME.

We'll see what happens at next week's weigh-in.

If what you're doing isn't working for you as you lose weight, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR.

That is all there is to it. Simple really.

The question becomes, "Are you really in this weight loss game 100% or are you all talk and bluster?"

Let's go, people, you can do it!

Later, Peeps!

Headaches and Goals

Went to bed with a headache and woke up with the same headache. I took some aspirin and antihistamines, but they didn't work. I'll try different type of antihistamine this AM.

What is more frustrating to me (other than tinnitus and the headache) is that I've gotten into a non-productive cycle again. I know what I need to do, but I find everything else to do other than what I have on the agenda for the day.

Yesterday, I played Spider Solitaire.

So, for today, I think I'll post my goals. Maybe being accountable to my blog will help. It isn't a big list, but each part is time-consuming and I think that's where I get into trouble. I need lots of quick easy goals to feel like I've actually accomplished something!

1. Finish writing the Weight Watcher's essay to enter their Celebrate Success contest. And then find before and after pictures.
2. Take all my Weighty Wednesdays, transfer them into Word Documents--will eventually print them to organize into chapters
3. Judge the Golden Pen contest (5 entries)--I finally got a batch of historical entries instead of the series contemporary that I don't read. Only one score with loads of comments
4. Make sea salt caramels for the kidlet's back to school night for her teachers.
5. Work to convert/format my ebooks to paper.--this is tougher than you might think! 
6. Oops--I forgot one!  Design a flyer of my books to put into my donated chocolates.

Well, okay, this is actually a week's worth of goals. See? I told you they would grow into a huge list. And this isn't even counting plotting any of my stories!

Oh, well, I won't be able to start until after I drive the kidlet to school, take my hour long walkie and shower. Yesterday, I wasn't dressed until noon and I had leave the house to pick her up at 2:45.

Bye-bye daytime! Hopefully this will make me more focused with the time I am given!

Later, Peeps!

Weighty Wednesday--Taking Measure

Measurements, that is.

When you started your weight-loss journey, you should have taken your measurements: upper arm, chest, waist, hips and thigh.

Why?

So you can calculate how many inches you've lost during this journey. Besides, it can be fun.
--one side note: though you can measure yourself weekly, I don't recommend doing it as the numbers don't offer the drama of the scale (smaller increments) and you can fudge them by simply pulling the measuring tape too tight. I personally recommend once a month.

I will confess that when I started, I didn't take my measurements until about week three or four. I wished I had taken them on my first weigh-in. But I didn't.

You know you've lost weight, simply by noticing that your clothes are starting to hang on you, you don't fit in your bra any more, or you can pull your non-elastic pants down without unzipping them.

Yeah, I like the last one best. Even though I could see the numbers on the scale dropping, it didn't hit home until I started pulling my shorts off without unzipping them. That was the bestest feeling the in whole world!

Since I started this journey on June 19--slightly less than six months ago--I've lost around 35 lbs, but I've also inches.

Arm:    -2 inches
Chest:  -6 inches
Waist:  -6.5 inches
Hips:    -6. 5 inches
Thigh:  -4 inches

I know that I'll be losing more inches in the next few months, so I'm only purchasing one or two items at this size. In fact, the bra that I purchased a month or two ago is now TOO BIG. Yep, one of the hazards of weight-loss-- the boobage shrinks. I just hope I don't put an eye out with them since they bounce around more than they should . . . sorry, that's a little TMI, isn't it?

My new size 8 jeans are baggy within 15 minutes. I can't pull them down, quite yet, but I definitely have baggy-butt syndrome.

I still wear most of the same shirts in my closet. Many of them are large, but even at my smallest, I wore a medium. Why? Because I have the shoulders of a linebacker, well, that and the larger than normal boobs for my height. I have purchased a few new smaller sized shirts, but I won't be shrinking that size quite as much. But I will tell you that the shirts which used to be tight on my arms are now loose and they hang differently on me.

So, if you haven't taken your measurements, do it.  I'll wait. Yeah, It's not a problem . . .
*hums Jeopardy! theme song music*

Okay, done?

Now, record that somewhere and come back every month and do it again. You'll be glad that you did!

Remember: stay the course this holiday season.

If you've been following my blog, you'll know that the last few weigh-ins have been stagnant. Well, I've been making candy for the last couple of weeks. I have probably close to 40 pounds of candy made and still have more to make. Let me just say up front, that you can't cook or make candy withouth tasting it. . . .

So how do you think I did?  Did I gain, lose or stay the same?

If you chose gained or stayed the same you would be wrong!

I lost 4.2 POUNDS this last week for a total weight loss of 39.0 POUNDS.

How did I manage to lose so much weight while making (and tasting) tons of candy? I still exercised, drank 6 glasses of water a day, and ate bunches of fruit and veggies!

Later, peeps!

Summer Lethergy

I have been seriously slacking in the last few weeks. And according to my blog stats, so has my quiet army of blog hoppers. Summer has us in its grips of ennui.

The heat in the middle of this country is freaking ridiculous! We've had 100+ temps in June, most of July, and I don't think the meteorologists expect a break until winter rolls in. Almost all the yards are brown. Trees are killing off their leaves to remain alive. And no one wants to go outside. Heck, we have a swimming pool and we don't want to go outside. I've managed to scorch myself on the latex-coated pool mat! Yes, it's that bad.

Does that mean I've been writing like a fiend?

Uh, no. Remember, I have a kid at home--school starts on August 22!! Only a few more weeks to go. I think we have everything ready for the big day. I know I do! I have finally written down monthly goals for August. And it's a hefty list:

• Write bio for Susan--I'm giving a talk to Romance Writers Ink about REJECTION in November, which reminds me--I need to finish writing notes down for this!
• Write 25 pgs and 1 pg synopsis for FIRE--I need to this by August 12, since I want to enter a contest
• Write article for Amy's Author EMS site--Amy asked me to give a tutorial about how to set up Blogger as a website presence, due Aug. 12. I started this blog in 2008, I don't remember what I did! Oh, well, writer here. I can simply lie about it!
• Edit/format MAZE to publish Sept. 1--get on Laura's butt about my cover design. I also need to read up on the new guidelines for Smashwords and Kindle. They have something new with linking the chapters to the locations in the book, which means I'll need to REDO the three books already available! UGH!
• Edit TROLL for publication in October--I honestly don't see this happening! September, maybe. August, not so much.

Oh, yeah, we're also going on vacation in August, and we need to get everything ready for the housesitter. That way all she has to do is take care of the pool, dog and guinea pig.

Did I ever mention that I like lists?

I do. It helps the Virgo in me to keep track of everything going on. Are you a list maker? Or do you wing it? When I try to wing it, I always forget something. Well, gotta go and get started on my bio. Okay, I lied. I do have a shorty-short one on this blog, but I'm also writing a long one that's running about 1000 words.

Later, Peeps!

Writing Sprints

Susan asked about writing sprints.

Though I don't do them myself, I think I can explain them.

Writing sprints are similar to setting the timer and writing for 30 minutes: no potty breaks, no coffee breaks, don't answer the phone, fold laundry or do anything except write. The beauty of writing sprints is that you are sharing them with a small group of writer friends, online or in person. After each sprint you compare word/page counts, take a breather and start it over again.

That's it in a nutshell. The goal is to write in any manner possible. And if I didn't explain it correctly, then I'm sure Cyndi will correct me. :-)

Write on!

the purpose of goals

One reason to have daily goals is to push yourself as a writer. Last week, I had a goal of writing 10,000 words. I made it to 6516 or 21 pages, still an admirable accomplishment. I allowed a couple of non-writing things get in the way, which prevented me from reaching my goal.
Some ideas when setting up goals:
1) make it doable, plus some more. For example, if you know you can write 3 pages in your allotted writing time, then shoot for 4 pages.
2)take into account your work/family life when setting your goal, whether it is a daily, weekly, or monthly goal. If you have a sick kid, full work week, appointments, etc. don't take away from family time to write. Family is important. Besides who needs to sleep?!
3)make it realistic. Don't have a goal that depends on anyone else. For example, becoming a NYT best selling author is entirely out of your own hands, but writing the best damn book out there is realistic.
This week, my goal is to write 10K, which means a daily count of 2000 words. So I better get started, since blogging doesn't count. :-(