The New Year is upon us, Epiphany has closed the 12 Days of Christmas, I haven’t finished making all the presents for this year, I have many plans for what I’ll do next year, I’ve made some significant progress on Steel-Toed Blues … and so it’s time for a quick sit down and blog type of deal.
(Quick slurp of life-sustaining coffee. Ah–the writing life!)
I love making resolutions! I like them to hang out with my deadlines and then start ignoring them and watch as they fly right by. But since we all need goals …
- Pen Sword Press: In addition to soliciting submissions and editing the project, I need to put my PR skills to work on my own behalf to get some publicity for the project, and to solicit sponsors. But first – stories. The reading period ends 31 January, so I need to get cracking.
- My Goodreads challenge last year just kind of fizzled out. I made to about 52 of a planned 100 books. I was thinking of decreasing the number of books this year, but decided to stick with 100. Challenges aren’t supposed to be easy.
- Fitness. I like to be in shape. I like to have the energy that comes with working out, and the confidence that comes from training combat sports. I also have a passion for boxing. This means, I’m back in the gym, getting my cardio back, re-learning how to jab, straight, slip, pivot, and all the things I know in my head, but need my body to remember.
- Writing. After farting around with a variety of writing goals, I’ve realized that 500 words/day is a pretty do-able goal. It can be accomplished in about an hour or two, and I can work it into my schedule if I bring Ladybug to the hourly daycare so I can get my gym time and my writing time one right after the other. It’s been working so far. My goal is to finish Steel-Toed Blues, plot and start working on Vegas Run and my zombie apocalypse novel, and write a series of short stories from my steampunk detective world to be put into a novella. And finish and submit a couple of short stories I’ve had knocking6 5ntghbv4rfc3edws2qa around for a while.
- Music. Still trying to figure out a way to put this into my schedule, but this year I will make sure my instruments don’t feel so lonely.
- Finish projects. No more new yarn, fabric, fiber, or books (those are projects) UNTIL I finish what I have. To be honest, this is the resolution I’m most likely to break. All the new, shiny, fluffy things … calling to me…
- Leave the Army Reserve. I need a break. That’s about it.
- Try something new. This year, I broke through my wall o’ comfort, and auditioned for Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night production. I scored a spot in the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, playing the guitar, and a part as the Priest, getting those crazy kids hitched for a happy ending. (Oh sorry … spoilers …) I would like to continue to do this, as participating in a creative venture outside of my normal outlets has had the happy effect of spurring creativity in my writing and other areas. Perhaps with the regular music practice, my songwriting may even bestir itself.
My next resolution is to not make so many lists, and to blog more, but since Ladybug has decided that there is no squeaky, light-y, bright-y toy more fascinating than Mom and her tablet, I think it’s time to go play puzzles with my kid.
Happy New Year, and onward into 2016 my friends!
