Why Writing with Children is a Problem

Isn't she cute?

This is my pantry door, notice the lock and the trash can?

This is what I found in the pantry. Notice the empty sugar sprinkle container next to the pretzels with the layer of pretty pink sugar at the bottom.

While I was buried in my WIP, lost in the 18th century, my littlest darling, "Apple" from the previous post, was getting into my pantry and destroying. There were also five potatoes and a few marshmallows in the pretzel container but I'd already taken them out when I took the picture. This is one of the hazards of writing with children. How she got the lock undone, I'm not sure, I guess she can stretch taller than I realized.

This is what I'm going to have after she goes to bed tonight. Make it a double.

The Calm Before the Storm

I'm speaking literally rather than figuratively. We are expecting a mammoth storm later this afternoon and it is predicted to dump 10-12 inches of rain in my area overnight. I know, I know, it's just a little rain, not snow or anything and my house is safe from flooding. But still, there is a nervous tension, knowing this storm is coming. I'm not sure how to describe it, but I find myself wandering the house, looking out at the sky, amazed that in a few hours the sunshine will disappear and the dark clouds will roll in and dump a ton of water. I think it is just a natural reaction to a drastic change, but it is there.

This is what I want to accomplish in my writing. I want to present a beautiful, pastoral scene, perfect, so perfect, you know something is going to go wrong. I think that is why setting is so important to me. My current WIP takes place on this beautiful English estate, with a fabulous garden and pretty people. Something dark and ugly has to happen, right? I guess I love the contrast.

Anyway, as a reader, do you enjoy the tension? Do you like the sense of dread? I have to admit, I love horror movies, so maybe that's just me, but I love that feeling of unease. I like seeing that lovely scene and knowing it will go horribly wrong. Allison Brennan did that well in The Prey. I think that is what I liked about the book so much. Stephen King does it too.

Her Name Is Apple

My 6 year old has declared that she has changed her little sister's name to Apple. Why, I don't know, but she is getting the kid to answer to the name. I dread when my daughter has kids of her own. Does this mean she is destined for celebrity? Will she develop a faux British accent, marry a rock star and move to London? She also told her father he should love her more than he loves me because she is cuter. Oh yeah, this girl is Hollywood-bound.


In writing...

I've spent a bulk of the morning researching governesses. Or actually trying to research governesses in 18th century England. Plenty of stuff on Victorian governesses but the 18th century is sadly lacking in research. I'm sure they existed, but finding the info isn't easy. Also, there is a level in research goes deep, meaning some of the materials are truly geared towards the academic and while I'm sure I could find some more information, I have to wonder if it is worth it. There's a reason I didn't continue on to graduate school. While I enjoy research, I don't have the time. So at this point I'm going to go with the knowledge I have and my understanding of society at the time and uh, go with my instinct. Anyway, to that end, I posted on Ainsley Park about historical accuracy and what other readers thought.

Kicked into Overdrive

So I worked on a new WIP yesterday while kid vid played in the background. Yes, it did happen to be that annoying pseudo-Holly Hobby movie. Anyway, by the time the day ended, I'd written 2500 words. When I told Melissa I had started my WIP over again, I didn't need to see her to know she was probably rolling her eyes. She suggested that maybe I should put the historical aside for now and go with another genre. But I'm a glutton for punishment (why else would I have three kids?) and gave it another try. This time it stuck. Funny, I can see pieces from my other false starts in this one, so none of those earlier efforts were wasted.

It is a good feeling I have to admit.

Oh yeah, I posted on Search for the Good Life about the importance of eating breakfast when you are trying to lose weight.

Holly Hobbie

Do you remember this girl?





This is what she looks like now.



Is the world out of fresh ideas? I loved to draw Holly Hobbie when I was a kid because she was easy to create. Now she isn't that cute little pioneer girl but a hip chick in bell bottoms. I imagine the creators of this new Holly are my age and they have a sentimental streak, but was it necessary to change her into a modern girl? Even Strawberry Shortcake has gone a more modern route. Ah well, my childhood has passed and I shouldn't complain. But it does taint ones memories.

Leverage

Yesterday was student-led conferences at my kids' school. Or I should say it was the first day. It runs for a week so my kids get out at 1 p.m. everyday. Anyway, I like to get it over with so I did both of them yesterday. Nothing too interesting with my daughter. Her teacher thinks the sun rises and shines on this kid. My son's wasn't all that interesting either except his teacher was concerned about his homework. While the homework itself isn't all that important, she is trying to get him into good habits before he goes off to jr. high. He's interested in going to a fancy private school near my house for high school and then head for Caltech for college. Yes, at age 10 he has made these decisions. We were trying to impress upon him the need for diligence on his homework habits in order to get good grades and achieve his goals.

But his teacher found the right leverage. She found out he wants to learn how to bake. So she told him if he would keep turning his homework in on time, she would teach him how to make a challah. She said she is very good at braiding the dough. This isn't something I can teach him. He is quite excited and told everyone. Odd where leverage comes from.

Other stuff...

I posted on Search for the Good Life about motivation and my lack thereof.

I'm Almost Too embarrassed...

To write this post. Yesterday I complained about how I couldn't write despite the lovely silence and lack of distractions. Yesterday, when I got the kids, the first thing they did was click on the television.

"ARE YOU READY, KIDS?"

Next thing I know, I've pounded out three pages. Is it some kind of twisted Pavlovian reaction gone horribly wrong? If I'd only realized, I'd have had the kid vid on all day. I feel so pathetic. Its like some episode of the "Twilight Zone."

Silence is Golden

My inlaws took my kids last night and kept them. Dh and I got to out to dinner by ourselves again (twice in one weekend, think it's a record). My MIL called and asked to keep them most of today. So I have a day all to myself. Sigh.... Think of all the writing I could do. Think of those craft projects I've put aside. Think of the reading I could get done. Heck, even housework would be a breeze with only my own company.

So what have I done?

Well....I did do some sweeping. Read blogs. Ate lunch. Put one load of laundry in. And watched t.v., "Men in Black" to be precise. What I don't understand is why I have no motivation to do anything. I crave this kind of time, blog about it, whine about to my dh and yet what do I do when I get it? Pretty much go into a catatonic state. I'm not sure why. I think one reason is because I don't get enough of this kind of time so when I do, my brain shuts off. Maybe it's re-charging. Don't know. Anyway, how's everyone's day going?

New Blog

Because four blogs just isn't enough, I started another one. This one focuses strictly on historical romance. I hate boring people with specific writing issues, particularly when they pertain to historicals. Also, I found a really cute template and wanted to have an excuse to use. I twisted Melissa's arm to participate so she is also on it. Ainsley Park (the title of my WIP) is still pretty sparse but I hope to have some good links and info for writers (and readers) of the historical romance genre.

Cell Phones

Last night dh and I went out for dinner sans children. We went to Black Angus (a steakhouse) and a nice time. Anytime I'm not forced to cut up another person's meat is a nice time. Anyway, the thing I noticed was the number of people using their cell phones. And it wasn't just people arranging to meet or emergencies instructions to the babysitter. They were conversations. Some sat there and checked there voicemail. It was like that little gadget was a part of their person.

Usually I have no idea where my cell phone is. I rarely use it. But I know some people who are lost without it. Now, I imagine if I were a teenager, the darn thing would be glued to my ear at all times. But these aren't kids. Do people really want to be that accessible? If I'm out to dinner with my spouse, friend, family, that who I want to focus on, not someone on the phone. Am I alone? How dependent are you on your phone?

I also wonder about etiquette. Isn't there a time when it is rude to use your cell phone? It makes me uncomfortable when I am with a friend and they are talking on the phone. I'm trying not to listen to their conversation but its hard. How do you feel about cell phones?

Breathe Me

My feet are cold and I can't focus. So here's a music video instead. This is my favorite song right now.

I took the video off. I figure it was killing the folks on dial up but if you want to hear the song, I've left the link.

Watch Videos:

Breathe Me (Sia) Video Codes by VideoCodeZone.Com

Two Rants for the Price of One

Actually, the first one isn't the rant I planned. It was going to be, but then I really couldn't find enough support for it. Or rather I found an overwhelming amount of support for my position to the point it brought me to a new rant.

I read something this weekend disparaging romance writers. Actually, it was a romance writer talking about a writing conference where the speaker disparaged romance writing. Of course it raised hackles. So I thought I would rant about the lack of respect, etc. of the romance genre. I searched the web for examples of rotten things said about romance novels and the people who write them. I didn't really find that much but when I did, there was a huge response defending the genre. I'm talking overwhelming. And it got me thinking.

Why do readers and writers of romance care? What is the big deal about people slamming on romance. Why do we care what these people think? We are particularly prickly about our genre. Post something on your blog about how romance is formulaic and perpetuates the stereotypes of dominant men and weak-willed women and I can guarantee you an avalanche of response.

I read and write romance novels. I like those overly dramatic bookcovers with half-naked men on them. If people think less of me, so be it. I do not need to be validated by others because they don't like my taste in reading. Why do romance enthusiasts get so worked up? Is it the literary equivalent of saying "you look fat in that dress?"

I suppose it is human nature to want the admiration and respect of others. But sometimes I feel romance writers and readers take it too seriously. So some academic writes an essay putting down the genre. Who cares?

Everyone has an opinion. Romance writers can scream to the hills about how the stereotypes about romance novels are wrong. They can present the facts about romance and how it shows women controlling their own destinies. It doesn't matter. The genre is still going to get slammed and for a variety of reasons.

Let the criticism roll. It isn't going to make a difference in the romance world. The genre still commands the bulk of paperback fiction published. Romance is a powerhouse. If we cannot swallow the criticism heaped upon us, we are validating the comments made by others.

Why is My Son an Idiot?

My ten year old son spent the bulk of the weekend whining about how bored he was. I pointed out he could always do his homework. He shunned that suggestion and followed me around whining. Anyway, his homework was due yesterday. And guess what he was doing at 6 a.m.?

My son is very bright. Although he is in 4th grade, he does 6th grade work. This assignment was multiplying and dividing fractions, problems that were well within his grasp. But they were time consuming and required a significant amount of time to do. He had all week to do this. But no, he waits until the morning it is due to work on it.

Why does he do this? I want to scream. I will not babysit him to get his homework done. He knows when its due. I will help if he needs help with the problems, but he needs to learn to do his work and get it in on time. Problem is he is a teacher's pet and I know his teacher is letting him get away with stuff. Someday he is going to learn. I just hope it isn't something too dramatic.

Flatter than a Pancake

Isn't great when you are baking a cake and you peak in the over to see it nice and full? Then when you get it out of the oven and set it to cool, the damn thing falls?

So if you don't bake, you don't have a clue what I'm talking about but it is a good metaphor for my historical WIP. I'm about 5K words into it and nothing is happening. I've got atmosphere and plot but my characters are so boring. Their motivations feel artificial and their conflicts are too weak to carry a story and make it interesting.

For romance writers, the conflicts between the hero and heroine are the core to the story. The characters make the book, that is why romance readers read them. Plot is secondary. The plot serves the characters rather than the other way around. If your characters are dullards, the plot could be fascinating but the reader will lose interest.

Considering I write on the fly, I love plot. I like to go from point A to point B onto C. But sometimes I forget and leave my characters behind. I started this story thinking the characters would develop with the plot and they didn't. They simply drifted through WIP without any real substance. To make up for the lack, there is too much narrative.

Anyway, it was a frustrating writing day. Today is going to be no great shakes because I had insomnia last night. I never get insomnia. I've had maybe two hours of sleep. Hopefully I get a nap sometime today.

Bread

Here are the monsters and the loaf of bread they made today. My son has been bugging me for weeks to let him make a loaf of bread. Today they didn't have school so I went ahead and let him and his sister have at it. They did all the measuring, stirring and most of the kneading. I did step in to finish the kneading but for the most part they made the bread. It was a very long process because the bread had two raisings: one 2 hours and the second an hour and a half. The kids were not particularly patient.

They drove me crazy the rest of the day. Fighting and screaming. Making a mess out of the house. And the constant noise. They have the attention spans of cooked spaghetti. My girls are extremely demanding. Everytime I sat down at my laptop to write, they got into something, needed something, etc. Children are very possessive of their parents. And not just with other people, with anything that distracts a parent from the child. By 4:30 I called dh and said I was on strike and not cooking. After my day with the kids, there was no way I was going to dive into a cooking venture.

What concerns me is what is going to happen this summer. I definitely need to get them out of the house. Or is there a summer camp for moms? Preferably with an open bar and good looking cabana boys? And, of course, high speed Internet access.

But Is It Art?

Sorry, no rant today. I'm feeling more...contemplative today. I do have a rant brewing, but it needs to simmer for a little bit.

Anyway, do you consider writing art? Is a piece of fiction a work of art? Are writers artists? Is art in the eye of the beholder?

I don't consider myself an artist. I am in awe of people who can express themselves with blank canvas and paint or with a chunk of clay. I'm amazed by people who can create music, whose natural abilities create something beautiful. My talent is learned. I could never write how I do without years of learning and honing of skill.

I think poets are artists. I couldn't write poetry to save my life. But how many poets are also talented in other artistic mediums?

Is storytelling an art form? Is the word "artist" slung around with unearned bravado or are there too many works of intelligence and beauty mislabeled as something else?

I'm just curious. I'm sure there are a bunch of opinions out there and I'd love to hear them.

Speakings of opinions, great comments poured in on the previous post. Kelly admires Queen Latifah and Raven for projecting views of full figured women and I agree, I just wish there were more of them. Zephra, I worry constantly that my daughter is going to put up a poster of Paris Hilton in her room. It won't happen, but you can't escape from that...woman.

Lory, my daughter plays boys baseball. She will be playing the farm level this year. And Toni, she wears a pink batting helmet, pink cleats, pink batting gloves and uses a pink glove. I'm trying to convince her she can be a macho stud and a girly girl at the same time. BTW, congrats Toni on your book. Her book Venus' Slipper will be available in print soon. For those with boys like Sandy, I think its important to teach them what is important in a girl. They need to be aware that women are more than a decoration and to appreciate what's inside.

Skinny models have been around for a long time and what I can't understand why they are still admired and why extreme thinness seems to be encouraged. At the same time we are getting larger. And it isn't just North America. Europe is seeing a similar phenomenon. Like Nienke I don't understand why our media doesn't present more of a healthy lifestyle. Of course I did go to Krispy Kreme this morning....

srp and Dorothy give us hope because their girls turned out just fine. I think Dorothy is polishing up her "ERA" button and wearing it proudly *g*

Then there is Mark, our romantic who wants his daughter to find love. I think we all want our children to find love, but I don't want my daughter to compromise herself to achieve it. There are worse things than being alone and love can take many forms. Don't worry, Mark, she'll find what she's looking for.

Boy, there was some major linkage going on here. I think I better take a nap! I'm worn out!

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

Before I get into the rant du jour, I wanted to thank everyone for some great comments. Isn't it amazing how our lives are so split? And how the grass is always greener? Yeah, Dorothy, I do realize how fortunate I am to have the ability to stay home, which is why I'm irritated at my lack of appreciation. "Find your own path to happiness, and accept that it might not be the same path you thought you were on when you started" was Mark's comment and probably the theme I need to follow, as does everyone else. Geez, I have a sudden urge to recite the Serenity Prayer *shudder*. Think I better move on to my next rant. BTW, the good thing about rants is they seem to free my creative flow. I've written 12 pages in the last two days!

When I was in college, I was an ardent feminist. I quit shaving my legs, attended rallies and the like. I'd vowed that if and when I got married, I wouldn't change my name and I'd never let the dictates of the media tell me what I should and should not do. I believed the value of beauty came from within. My heroines were Sally Ride, Maggie Thatcher, Rosa Parks and all the women before me who'd fought for the rights of women.

Jump up 20 years. Who are the women we see most in the media? Anorexic starlets and heiresses who make their name by behaving like trash. The more outrageous the behavior, the more likely it will get some press. We are constantly bombarded with images of skinny girls and a praise for youth. Why?

This isn't what the women's movement did. Why are women still measuring their worth by dress size and age? Women are lured into the idea that youth is ideal. Hello, they are injecting toxins into their faces to clear up wrinkles. If you think about it, isn't that bizarre? What's wrong with looking our age?

And weight. Wow, what a juxtaposition in our society. Obesity is on the climb and yet the images we see on television and the magazines are girls wearing a size "0". What is that about? What truly bothers me about this "skinny" look is the message it sends. One, it isn't healthy. Starving the body damages the internal organs and everything else. Two, it gives women a waifish appearance. Waif's are powerless. They are victims. They are reliant upon the kindness of strangers. They look like children.

While I am not going to get caught in this trap, I have daughters and that is what concerns me. My daughter is the one who will grow up with these images and will have to struggle to find her way. Right now she is into Hilary Duff and I cross my fingers, hoping Duff doesn't follow the Lindsay Lohan path of self-destruction.

It also seems like the media is telling women they are nothing if they can't capture a man. Look how many reality shows are based on a competition to capture a member of the opposite sex. Like gaining a spouse is a trophy, a validation of who they are.

I'm trying raise my daughter to believe the only validation she needs is from herself. She does not need to conform to the dictates of what she sees on t.v. or film. She doesn't need to lower herself or her standards for the pleasure of anyone else. She doesn't need another person to validate her existence. Having a spouse should compliment not complete her.

I think this is why I am still a devoted romance reader. The myth with in the media is that romance novels are about a woman capturing a man. That's not true. It is about characters overcoming personal and external conflicts to find someone to share their life with. Even if a heroine is beautiful, that is not what wins her happiness. She learns about herself and finds strength from within before she is able to find love with the hero. The hero's interest in the heroine may first be driven by her looks, but that tends to be a hindrance rather than plus. He must find the woman within in order to find happiness.

When I write, my heroine tends to be damaged or "weak" as it were. By the end of the story, I want her to find her inner-strength, to lover herself and realize that even if she and the hero don't get together, she is going to be okay.

I hope this rant makes sense. Sometimes I go off and sound like a crazy person, my mind tends to explode into many directions.

This Perfect Life

Sorry, but this week appears to be rant week on my blog. Perhaps it is the residue of hormones but I seem to have plenty to whine about right now.

Today I'm hot under the collar about being a SAHM (this rant applies to caregivers of all sorts as well).

When I was in high school during the 80's, I had goals that did not include marriage and a family unless a member of Duran Duran was involved. I had my sights on becoming a career woman. Captain of industry, political power broker, whatever, it was going to be high-powered and require expensive suits and awesome shoes.

Skip up 20 years and now I'm a hausfrau with three kids. I wear cheap sweats and slippers. On a good day I take a shower. How did I get here and why do I feel bad about it?

I have a good life and I'm not eaten up with regrets, so no, this isn't a pity party. It is more of a rant about the lack of appreciation for being a stay-at-home and why I of all people appreciate it the least.

By the time I reached adulthood I knew I had no desire to be a Career Woman Extrodanaire, they have to work too hard. But I figured I'd still work and be a productive member of society. But as things worked out, I ended up getting married. I still worked, but my priorities changed. I started having kids and I married a man with a stressful job with unreliable hours, so there was no way I could put in the time and energy to a career. That was okay because I'd re-discovered writing so I wanted to pour my attention into that instead.

My friends and I would go to lunch and see the SAHM's going to Target with their kids. We were so envious. Boy, they had the perfect life. They came and went as they pleased. They weren't bound by the restrictions of being employed. Think of all the free time they had. I wanted to be an SAHM so bad because, heck, I knew I could write probably 4 books a year and in no time I'd get published.

To make a long story short, I got my wish only the reality was so far different from what I expected. Time certainly wasn't my own and the responsibilities of being a full-time wife and mother really weren't what I expected. I can tell you the brief time I had for maternity leave did nothing to prepare me for the reality.

It seems like a lot of lip service is paid to SAHM's. We are told how important it is to do what we do, but I think the underlying feeling is that it is an easy job. Even I don't appreciate the effort it takes to do what I do. I'm a girl of the 80's, the beneficiary of the women's movement. And how have I used it? By becoming a homemaker.

There is a loneliness to my job. I am in the position of being an older mom. Most women my age do not have toddlers. They do lunch while the kids are in school. Some of them participate in charity leagues and the like. I can't do that with my little one. Also, the cloud of writing hangs over my head. If I have time to do lunch, I have time to write. Yeah, there needs to be balance, but there just isn't enough time and I don't have enough energy to do all that I want.

Another thing I've noticed is my lack of interest in venturing out of my house. It isn't fear, just a strong desire to stay home. I feel uncomfortable being out and about. I think it is my natural tendency rather than something that has developed. When I worked, I had to socialize whether I wanted to or not. I loved being in my cubicle, I liked the isolation. I also recognize it probably isn't the healthiest way of living so I volunteer for my kids and go to the gym.

My belief is that we have to find our own happiness. No great trauma put me in this position, I did it willingly. I'm not unhappy, but I do feel the frustration of being in a position I was not prepared for. I'm also frustrated because I haven't done all I can to make this a good experience. I will find my way eventually. Of course, when I have found my balance is the time I will sell a book and end up with deadlines and my whole balance will be thrown out of whack. But that will be a whole 'nother post.

Priorities and Dreams

Is writing the big dream for all of you? Is the rest of your life an stumbling block to your writing dreams? Sometimes, when I read articles or posts about writing, I feel like I'm off because writing isn't my ultimate goal. I want to be published. I want to write books and see my name on the cover. But not at the sacrifice of everything else.

I remember reading an article in RWR about writing with a family. The author pointed out that if you wanted to be a serious writer, you couldn't volunteer for your kids' activities. Let the other mothers do it. You don't have time because you can use that time for writing. A couple of things bothered me about that statement. One, it assumes writers are the only ones with dreams. My writing is more important than another person's goals and dreams. Two, it denies the joy of interacting with your children. Part of what makes me a good writer is my experiences in life. If I stay walled up in my house at my PC typing away, I lose some of what makes my writing voice unique. The people I interact with in the outside world have an influence on my writing.

And it isn't just parents I'm thinking of. We all have other commitments. We are caretakers, employees, friends, children, etc. and all of those commitments which fill our time. Does it make our writing dreams less important when we put other things first? Certainly there are things we don't want to do and curse because they cut into our writing time. But what about those things we choose to do? Am I a less committed writer because I choose to lead a Daisy troop? Does going to the gym for two hours make me less of a writer?

Is there anything besides your sudden demise that would make you give up your dreams of writing?

Other Stuff....

I've got a post on Search for the Good Life about stress eating.

TAGGED

I had this really meaty post planned for today, but I really didn't feel that profound so I was thrilled to get tagged. Thanks Eve *g*

Four Jobs I've Had:

fast food worker at Disneyland
office clerk at Mervyn's
legal secretary
executive secretary

Four Movies I Watch Over and Over:

The Empire Strikes Back
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
A Christmas Story
Smokey and the Bandit (I hate this movie but dh watches it all the time and I kind of get forced).

Four Places I've Lived:

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Austin, Texas
Alta Loma, California
Santa Cruz, California

Four TV Shows I Love:

Twilight Zone
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Six Feet Under
Deadwood

Four Place I've Vacationed:

Hawaii
San Francisco
Washington, D.C.
Bermuda

Four Favorite Dishes

Filet Mignon
Tiramisu
Turkey with all the trimmings
Ono (fish from Hawaii)


Four Sites I Visit Daily (not counting blogs)


Agent Query
Go Fug Yourself
Conversations About Famous People (yeah, technically a blog, but not one I comment on)
Romance Central Forums

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:

Hawaii
Washington, D.C.
San Francisco
Can I say Hawaii again?

Four Bloggers I'm Tagging:

Melissa
Kelly
Dana
Teresa

BTW, back is better although still a little sore. Daisy meeting was a wild success expect I committed a faux pas. I hadn't gotten around to getting my daughter her uniform. Some of the girls showed up dressed to the Daisy-nines and my prima donna refused to go into the meeting. We ironed it out and got her a uniform this weekend. Bad mommy, bad mommy.

Daisies

I spent most of yesterday moaning and groaning. I did something to my back and was in pain much of the day. I don't know what I did, but boy was I hurting. And of course I had lots to do. Amazingly enough, I went to the gym and exercising didn't hurt. It is mostly bending and standing that does it.

I haven't written anything on my WIP for days. I did manage to catch up on my assignments for my online class which was tough. I'm a panster by nature. I don't really do much in the way of planning, but I've had to in order to participate in this class. I like the opportunity. As I wrote my conflicts down, more popped up. These characters revealed themelves the more I delved. My plot is still vague and that is how I like it. I don't want to know what is going to happen next.

Today is my first Daisy meeting. Daisies is the first level of Girl Scouts. I'm co-leading our troop. We have way too many girls signed up. It should be a circus. The things we do for our kids....

I hope to have a post up later on Search for the Good Life about stress eating if I can put the jelly donut down long enough *g*

BTW, big hello to Dorothy. Thank you for stopping by.

The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

If this statement is true, I'm truly damned.

After setting all sorts of goals for the new year, I've missed every one of them. I know it is only February, but if I don't catch myself now, it will be another year with little accomplished.

I mentioned this to Melissa and she said she doesn't make resolutions. She makes goals for the year and checks on the 15th of every month to see where she is on those goals. That seems like a pretty good idea to me. I think I need to pull out my pretty desk calendar and make myself look at it each and every day. Whether I actually do anything or not, I need to at least see time in a concrete way. Looking at the days passing will make me more aware of what I wanted to accomplish. I think my goals for this year were too vague.

How about everyone else? How did your goals progress the first month of the year?