Jun
12
2014
True Confession…
I had to decide whether I was going to write a blog post or watch SYTYCD?
You know my weakness.
New revelations coming soon. But in the mean time, take a moment to remember what it feels like to be the newbie–the aspiring. Whether you’re a dancer or a writer–SYTYCD or SCBWI– being generous is fabulous for everyone. <3
http://youtu.be/JcGBL98TdNM
Dec
31
2013
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ?
Nah!
Lots to learn and fondly remember about those days gone by.
BUT…
Let’s not dwell on it people. We’ve got a new year full of promise just waiting in the wings. So incredibly exciting. I love bringing new goals into focus.
Here’s some of the things I’m setting my sights on in 2014…
New Year’s Resolutions
*MOVING! I can not wait for this for a multitude of reasons. I’m super excited about our new home!!! I LOVE it and I’ll be sharing more of that with you as it happens. But I’m also stoked for the arrival of the day when I’m NOT MOVING ANYMORE! This process has officially eaten up most of 2013 and I’m ready to be done with it. Settled. Focusing on my other goals.
*Writing goals aplenty this year. I’m planning on selling book two, finishing book three and brainstorming book four. I’ve also got a little project that I’m dabbling with that I’d love to make more headway on. Getting all tingly for this writing year. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) showed me what I’m made of and I can’t wait to broaden my own horizons.
*I want to keep running. Last month I logged 49 miles of running and today I should break that number for the month of Dec. I’m pretty excited to be running more regularly. By doing that, I’m seeing my running improve and if I can run like that after the holiday season of gluttony is over, perhaps there will be a little less of my in 2014 LOL!
*Back to Workshop in 2014. This is my dance class and it’s way more than dancing, although we do plenty of that. My Tuesday nights are the BEST and I can’t wait to get back to our regular routine. I love my Yanni girls. <3 But why this gets a resolution shout-out is that, for the moment, the inflammation in my hamstrings isn’t bothering me as much as it has the last year, so perhaps I can get some of that lost flexibility back. *crosses fingers*
*I talked about the move, but deep within the move, is the opportunity for me to do a wee bit of clutter purging. As every year kicks off, I always clean and organize, but I am REALLY trying my best to straighten up, fly right and take advantage of this opportunity. I’m sure I’ll be writing more about this in the future too. Such a personal struggle. I blame my father for passing down his unorganized genes. *points accusing finger skyward*
*And lastly, I want to continue my journey of doing things that scare and challenge me. I’ve found that I LOVE what’s on the other side of the hard things I’ve faced. I am a happier and better person for tackling my fears. The only regrets I have are for the things I’m still too afraid to do. So, in 2014 I’ll continue to challenge myself to be brave and we shall see how that’s working for me a year from now.
Your turn. Tell me what you’re focusing on in 2014.
Happy New Year my friends <3
Oct
29
2013
It’s been awhile since I’ve been late posting my blog. But here I am, keeping it real. LOL! What is making me late today? In a nutshell, there are a mess of things on my To-Wacko-Do-List.
In not particular order…
*The hubby had a small surgery last Tuesday. He’s recovering nicely, but when he’s home I have the worst time keeping track of time.
*Switching over to fall/winter gear is time consuming. Where did I put the hats? No, you can’t wear shorts to school anymore! And of course anything that no longer fits the 8 year old goes into the “For the Cousins Pile.” STUFF EVERYWHERE!!!!
*And I know I’ve been saying this forever, but we’re still moving. It’s not the house we’d originally planned on, that deal fell through, but we’ve found a wonderful new house and *crosses fingers and toes* we should be moving in some time before I die. I swear. This whole moving thing feels like an Indiana Jones movie. There are hurdles and traps around every corner. (But no snakes please) Moving is not easy, I didn’t expect it to be, but it’s harder than I thought it would be also. I can’t wait to get to the part where I can simply settle in and be excited. In the mean time, I’m in purge mode. It’s like fall clean up on steroids. I’m trying to do a little bit every day to make the process easier. I am FIGHTING my procrastinating nature and like I said, I want to get to the fun part of this adventure asap! Anyway, more to come about the move craziness as it gets closer.
*And running–I want to be running as much as possible in this weather because it’s perfect. No further explanation needed, but I will say one thing. Crunchy leaves. <3
*And dancing–it’s recital time. Extra rehearsals. Costumes. Trying to remember my dances eek! Always so much fun.
*Prepping for NaNoWriMo and my next WIP. This is a funny little book that’s coming together in my mind. *breathes a sigh of relief because it IS finally coming together* It’s just weird because it’s doing everything differently than my other books. It doesn’t give two figs about a playlist. Really? And it clearly has it’s own agenda. I may kick-off NaNo in the middle-ish of the book. Or maybe not. But I could. I still might. THIS BOOK! And this WIP has weird demands about how it should be written stylistically. I don’t even know what it means, but I know I’m excited about it and I can’t wait to get started. In fact, if it wasn’t for NaNoWriMo kicking off, I’d be typing like mad right now. But I need a timeline for this crazy manuscript. *head thunk* Yup, I’ve never done that before either. I guess I’ll plan, the way this book demands I should, until Nov. 1st!!!
*Oh, and Halloween. Because if you have three kids, Halloween takes up a huge chunk of your existence–for weeks. LOL!
*And don’t forget all the time I spent checking out the new SCBWI website!!!!! You must go check it out and while you’re over there, don’t forget to sign up for the NY SCBWI Conference in February. It is so much fun and we can hang out!!!!
*And reading!!!! Oh, I am reading like a fool. I’m reading for information and inspiration for the WIP. I’m reading Veronica Roth’s ALLEGIANT. I’ve followed the series and I’m hearing all kinds of rumblings and unrest about the ending. So curious!!!! I want to find out what the heck is going on. (Before someone hits me with a spoiler) I’m also reading WONDERBOOK an illustrated guide on creating imaginative fiction. I’m fascinated by this book and it’s speaking directly to me about what I’m about to attempt to write. I love perfect timing. I love it so much I’m carrying it everywhere with me. Plus I’m reading a bunch of other great books in addition to having a heavy line-up of books in the wings begging for my attention. I love books. <3
Alright, you get the point, I’ve been busy and it’s with mostly good stuff so I’m not complaining, just explaining. But now it’s time to hear what you’ve been doing. What’s on your To-Wacko-Do-List? What are you reading? What are you cleaning? Are you prepping for NaNoWriMo? Fill me in…
Jun
28
2013
You know I’m a SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance) nut. Season 10 is shaping up to be amazing. I seriously look forward to this show all week long and over the seasons, I’ve begun to notice something interesting happening when I watch hour after hour of amazing dance and choreography…
I can’t help but think about writing.
Maybe it’s because I dance AND write–so the line between the two is blurry for me. But I also think there is another reason. Art stimulates art.
I’ve decided that on Fridays, over the course of the SYTYCD season, I’m going to try to share some of the dancing/writing connections that jump into my head as I watch and savor. This week you get a double whammy because 1) I just thought of this idea tonight and 2) I still can’t stop thinking about THIS dance. It’s from the pre-competition-Top 20 performances the week before.
http://youtu.be/hIq8gD9BMmM
When I watch an outside-the-box piece like this, I’m very aware that this is what agents and editors are asking for when they say to bring something new to the table. Use the unique to enhance the tried and true. There are only so many stories in the world–it’s all about how we tell our story. I highly suggest watching the amazing choreographers on this show to see how they take something that has been done before and twist it. Think about how you can come at your writing in in a way that will make your reader see what they know in a brand new way.
For this week (The Top 20), there were a lot of really good dances. There was also one that blew the judges away. But while I had a great appreciation for the dancers and the performance, it didn’t speak to me the way some of the others did. Particularly this one…
http://youtu.be/-S_NhDCkxV4
Writing is about blind trust–in yourself. If you are pursuing publication, there is an audience out there. Agents, editors, and readers who are sometimes cheering and sometimes booing. I know it’s expected that we have our finger on the pulse of the massive, social-marketing, publishing juggernaut, but we also need to block some of that out and remember…the heart and soul of writing often requires we close our eyes to the outside world and trust fall into our own story. When that happens–it is beautiful. It is amazing what will catch you if you let yourself fall. Sometimes we have to write blind in order to truly see where we are going.
Of course, my fellow SYTYCD fans, just like with books–everyone has different tastes. I’d love to hear what your favorite dances were and if they made you think about your writing or any other artistic adventure in your life.
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