OCTOBER 31
All Hallows’ Eve
Costumes on parade
From
Ghosts to goblins
Monsters to mummies
Witches to Warlocks
Trick or treating
For candy, pop and apples
Spooky times, fun times
Hallowe’en
BOO!
Monthly Archives: October 2014
Mid-week Check-In ROW80
Today it’s time to check-in at Row80. Truthfully, I have not been very productive. Monday and Tuesday I was ill. I did watch some TV, read a book and did a bit of writing. I did a blog post, wrote an editorial to the Toronto Star and finally caught up on commenting on blogs.
I received some valuable critiques on one of my stories and I plan to finish revising it this week. I plan to submit my “Left to Right” story to “Rate Your Story” this week. I think it is as polished as I can make it. I’d like to see another opinion – and I still have 5 more stories to submit before the end of December! I have a bit of work ahead of me.
I am almost finished plotting my novel for NaNoWriMo. I am looking forward to the discipline of November – hoping it will be similar to last year’s month of writing, as I accomplished a lot.
I also plan to take part in PiBoIdMo – a fun challenge where you come up with a picture book idea each day in November.
Just to challenge myself even more (!), I am taking part in the AEDM with “Creative Every Day. I have done this for the past few years and have enjoyed it. This year I plan to either carve a new stamp each day or create gelli papers. Love these two processes.
All the best to everyone this week as we head into November!
Here’s another quote for you!
(For November, I plan to leave the editing and revising aside though! Thought this was a bit of a chuckle!)
Slice of Life Tuesday
Time for Slice of Life Tuesday – that fun writing challenge at “Two Writing Teachers” Join in the fun!
Trying to change long-held habits can be so challenging. One of my worst – always eating a treat (toast/cookie/granola bar etc) with my cup of tea – 3 times a day. Even yesterday, coming back from the doctor’s, I had a pumpkin spice muffin and tea when we stopped at Tim Horton’s.
I know this is one of the worst things I can do. Those treats are loaded with bad “stuff”. It was a habit my mother had as well.
I have high cholesterol but refuse to take drugs for it. I know I need to watch what I eat carefully, yet after a few days of denial, I always go back to eating them with my tea.
This morning I decided to stop and think and focus on enjoying just my tea. I have to persevere. I am determined to live healthier. Taking baby steps in the right direction – and really the tea wasn’t so bad on its own.
Row80 Sunday Check-in
It’s the weekly Sunday check-in for Row80. I was able to complete many of my goals:
I was able to write most days, except yesterday.
I completed some revisions on a novella.
I completed the visits for my team for ROW80 on Wednesday, even though they happened later than I had planned.
I completed another challenge post for 30 Words Thursday.
I read several interesting writing articles.
I worked on my writing course.
This week I want to polish my story “Left to Right” and send it to Rate Your Story.
I will continue to do more prep work for NaNo WriMo.
and of course, keep writing!!
All the best to everyone this week.
Here’s a new quote to enjoy:
30 Words Thursday
The past few days have been so surreal. Two Canadian soldiers were murdered in cold-blood, just for being soldiers. One was in Quebec, the other in Ottawa, in front of the War Memorial.
I, like most Canadians, was horrified by these unbelievable attacks by fellow Canadians. Here are a few words in response and in tribute:
R.I. P
Nathan and Patrice
Two of Canada’s finest
Cowardly murdered
By twisted minds
With perverted “religion”
R.I.P.
Cpl. Nathan Cirillo
W.O. Patrice Vincent
Forever remembered
Forever cherished
Taken too early
HEROES
ROW 80 Midweek Check-in
Time for the mid-week check-in for Row80 – a place for accountability and community for our writing.
This is a quick check-in – as I really have not achieved much other than planning my MG novel to write during NaNoWrMo and some reading for my writing course.
. My youngest son has been here all week and we have been working on projects around the house. So at least I have got some major projects on the go and will see them finished by tomorrow. Yeah!
Wishing everyone a great week ahead.
Slice of Life Tuesday
It is that time of the week to write our slice of life for SOL Tuesday, a fun writing challenge at “Two Writing Teachers”.
In a step-family we do many things to accommodate our children
..last week we hosted Thanksgiving for my husband’s brood of 12 and this past Sunday we hosted my children and their partners (there were seven of us for Sunday’s second Thanksgiving meal)
It would be the first time we hosted my daughter’s fiance and my oldest son’s girlfriend.So of course, I wanted everything to be perfect. I had cooked a 24 lb. turkey the week before and all went well.
Everything seemed to be cooking well when the stove quit working. after about an hour of cooking. At least I noticed it fairly quickly. The fuses had burnt out and it appeared an element had died. Even though my husband took the turkey to his daughter’s for cooking, we wouldn’t have it in time for supper.(I had rushed over to the hardware to check the batteries and they gave me the bad news.)
So, no turkey. Luckily my daughter was bringing some vegan dishes, as she is vegan. I quickly zipped back over to the store for 2 roasted chickens. Adding a salad, microwaved squash and some cut-up vegetables with hummus, we turned a potential disaster into a lovely meal.
Later, we played some games – an old,fun favourite (Scategories) and a new one (Sequence).
. We all enjoyed the meal and the games. It didn’t have to be perfect
Really, it is all about the comapny.
ROW80 a Day Late
The weekly Sunday check-in on Sunday didn’t happen yesterday. At least I was able to complete many of my goals even if I didn’t comment on them yesterday. It was a busy, crazy day, celebrating Thanksgiving with my children, whom I hadn’t seen in a while.
I was able to write most days, except yesterday.
I completed a major revision on my newest pb story – going from 1400+ words to just under 800.
I completed the visits for my team for ROW80 on Wednesday.
I wrote and sent in my post for ROW80.
I completed another challenge post for 30 Words Thursday.
I read several interesting writing articles.
I worked on my writing course.
This week I want to polish my story “Left to Right” and send it to Rate Your Story.
I want to do more prep work for NaNo WriMo.
and keep writing!!
All the best to everyone this week.
Here’s a new quote to enjoy:
30 Words Thursday
I was looking back at photos from our trip to B.C. in July 2008 and I was struck by how I felt then and now – much the same. I was also struck by how little I have actually done to improve my health. Although the trip was a highlight, my physical self was not. These words came to me this morning as I struggled with a headache (again) and feeling blah.
Time to Stop These Negative habits!
Do I like feeling
headachy
tired
fat?
NO!
Then why do I do what I do?
eat junk
not exercise?
I want to feel
energized
healthy.
Then stop!
Change!
NOW!
ROW80 – Midweek Check-In
Here it is, already Wednesday and time for the mid-week check-in for ROW80. At least it is Wednesday – barely.
The best way I can show you my progress (okay lack of same) for Mon-Wed, is by the numbers:
# of words written – <500
# of posts written – 3 ( 2 counting this one and 1 for my art blog)
# of minutes working on writing course – <50
# of writing articles read – 5
# of turkey dinners eaten – 3
# of hours watching TV – 10 +
# of hours watching TV with hubby – 6
# of tweets/retweets – 50 +
# of books read – 0 (reading 2 but not finished yet)
All in all, watched more TV and on the computer for more time than I wrote or worked on writing. I did teach an art class at my old school (loved it), socialized more, had more time with my husband and ate lots. Now I would say I’ve had my R & R and ready to get back to work and back to routines!
Wishing everyone well for the week ahead!
Beverley A Baird 