Just Write

I set a date (in my head), in order to start my revisions on my first draft.  I'm still trying to come up with an appropriate title for the work.  My original title, "What Could Be," does not really fit with the outcome of the book. 

I'm at the point where I want to pull it up and really dig into itwork on it: correcting grammar, fixing mess-ups, and just doing a total revision, but I'm holding off for a few more weeks.  I'm setting the day of the 24th, after my trip to Nashville, and when meet season is (almost) over; when I can actually concentrate on revising the way it needs to be done.

Then, I need to dig further into Writer's Market for possible agents.  Actually, my goal is to do that over the next few weeks: research agents, find agents that will accept unsolicited works, read up on query letters, and formulate a query letter.  Yes, this is like having a second job.  There simply are not enough hours in the day for me to do everything I NEED to do. 

I'm also hard at work on my next piece. I've already written 15,000 words, and I'm just getting started.  This work is different from my first finished work, and I'm going to have to dedicate some serious hours to research and reading, that I simply don't have time for this month.  Did I mention I also have my nose stuck in a 700 page book right now? Underworld by Don Delillo.  I'll probably owe the library $10 by the time I finish it, because I keep forgetting to renew it.  There's no excuse for that either, because I can renew on line: pure laziness on my part! I need to finish it so I can look into the list of history books my friend Scout provided me.  It pays to have a history professor as your friend! 

This second piece is sticking with me more than the first. Sometimes I pull up "What Could Be," and I marvel at the fact that I actually wrote it.  I remember writing it, but it almost seems I was outside of myself when I did it.  I know that it all came from me though, my subconscious, my thoughts, but it just seems so surreal that I put all that down on paper.  I don't feel the same with the second work.  I feel more connected to it.  Maybe because I finished the first work, I'm feeling more confident in the second one. 

Winter on the Beach

This weekend, we all hopped in the car and went down to Panama City Beach for the Winter on the Beach gymnastics' meet.  Originally, only Number One and I were going to go, but I convinced Hubby it would be a fun family trip, and we all went. 

So what did we do there?  We ate A LOT.  We spent A LOT of money.  We had a FANTASTIC time. 

We arrived around noon on Saturday, and we ate at Back Porch at Pier Park.  Panama City has grown up a lot since I last visited.  The last time I went was in college, so you know I wasn't so interested in the touristy aspect of the city.  In fact, I don't remember much of that trip and that parts I do remember are too wild to be shared! 

After lunch, the kids wanted to go down to the beach.  We took a detour and paid $9 to walk down a pier first.  Everything cost in Panama City Beach.  Everything is some what of a rip-off.  Once you realize that, you just pay and don't worry about it (until you get home and realize how much money you've spent!). 

Then we went down to the beach, and the kids just could not help themselves.  They ran right into the water, even though the outside temperature was 60 degrees, and the water was freezing!

 

 

 

 

 

After our romp on the beach, the kids were frozen solid.  We stripped them at the car, and we put them in their bathing suits (yes, would have been a good idea to have in our bag to begin with!), and then checked into the hotel. 

 

We all wanted to take a nap, and I did not feel well from eating fried pickles at lunch!  (That will teach me to eat fried food!).  The kids were slap happy though and too excited to sleep, so Hubby took them to the playground and let me sleep.  So nice of him! 

 

That night, we went to dinner at Reggae J's.  I had a great grilled shrimp salad, and the service was impeccable.  Actually, the service at every restaurant we went to was great.  Montgomery waiters/waitresses could learn a few things from their peers in PCB, Florida.

 

 

 

After dinner, we stopped by Kilwin's, a wonderful chocolate shop at Pier Park.  We ran into Cara, who used to work at the kid's daycare!  She works and lives in Panama City now, and it was a wonderful surprise to see her.  We all had homemade ice cream, and I marveled at the chocolate high heels that Cara's boss makes:

 

 

 

 

 

After that, we all hit the hay.  We're such night owls!  The lights were out in the hotel by 8:30!!!

 

The next day we woke up early and had breakfast in the hotel, then Number One and I headed out to his meet.  Hubby took the other two to the playground to enjoy some time with them (there's no way they would sit through the meet!).  Number One did okay.  He came in 8th All Around.

 

 

 

His scores of the day were as follows:

 

Floor: 6.6 (usually his best or second best event, but he went out of bounds) -- No Place

Pommel: 6.7 (messed up on mushroom) - No Place

Rings: 9.9 -- Best Event of the Day.  Came in 4th.

Vault: 8.0 -- We'll take this after last meet. His form looked great.  7th Place.

P-Bars: 8.9 -- 7th Place

H-Bars: 8.7 -- 7th Place -- Coach Ken said something about him not being as polished on H-Bars this time.

 

I told Number One he needs to really work on pommel and H-Bars, and he said, "No, I need to work on Rings.  It's my favorite!"  So funny! The boy knows what he likes, and he excels at what he likes!

 

 

 

After the meet, we met up with Hubby again and enjoyed lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Yum!  Then the kids and I went walking around (because they were restless), and we stopped in a t-shirt shop where I spent a fortune on crappy t-shirts, because the guy talked me into it.  Hubby says I am a sucker, and he is right!!! 

 

Then we said goodbye to the beach, and by this time all the kids were exhausted, especially Darling Daughter, who hitched a ride on Hubby's shoulders, and I took these priceless photos of her!

 



 

 





 

Goodbye Panama City Beach!  We had a great time!!!



Virtual Run for Sherry

I know I said I wasn't blogging this weekend, but I lied.  I'm waiting until the sun comes up so I can go for my run, and I wanted to post quickly about this virtual run for Sherry.

One of my "virtual" friends, who has been in my life for NINE years now (I'll have to tell that story another time), posted on her blog about a virtual run.  Of course, I was intrigued, since I had to cancel my 10k.  

The virtual run for Sherry is held on February 9, 2013 this year.  Check out the webpage that tells you why you may want to run for Sherry: Shut Up + Run: 2nd Annual Virtual Run for Sherry. 

If you choose to run this virtual run, please post in comments how many miles and how long you ran! 

Random Rambles

I've been slacking in the running department this week.  Yesterday, I swore I would wake up today (Friday) and go for a run, and I didn't.  Last time I ran I had a horrible shin splint, and I thought I would just rest it.  Well, I haven't run since last weekend.  It's not like I haven't been active though.  I went to Taekwondo on Monday and Tuesday and then kisado on Wednesday.  I skipped yesterday and went out to Mexican with the family instead. 

I know that with running, I really need to keep it up for my mileage.  I was disappointed this week though.  I had intentions of signing up for the Shamrock Shuffle.  I even blogged about it: Right Here.  Well, I double booked.  I can't run that day, because Number One's State Meet for gymnastics is that day in Birmingham.  It's more important for me to support Number One than to go run a 10K.  I think the disappointment led to me making excuses about why I couldn't run this week.  I just need to get myself back out there.  No excuses, right? 

Darling Daughter woke up early this morning too, at 4:45.  Right now she's parked in front of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse playing with her beads and her Mardi Gras money.  I told her if she wakes up that early she needs to be quiet so I can write.  I have my headphones on, and I'm listening to "Skinny Love," by Bon Iver over and over again.  I love this song.  There's something about his voice and the pure emotion that emanates from the song that makes me want to listen to this song over and over again.  The loss of love, something turning out the opposite way of what you expected, everyone in the world has had those feelings before.  I can relate.

Anyway, I totally digressed and this blog is just one big ramble so I'll just keep going with it. Yesterday I tried some of Darling Daughter's summer clothes on her.  I went a little crazy buying for her this year, because I haven't bought clothes for her in about a year (or just a few clothes to fill in where we didn't have hand-me-downs).  Hubby took this fantastic photo of Darling Daughter and me last night, and I just love it.  I never realized how much she and I look alike, but we totally do.  Two peas in a pod.  My sidekick.  My shadow.  I love this girl so much.

I think I'm going to end my reckless ramblings and go work on my novel for an hour before it's time to get ready for work, and make it through Friday.  I won't be blogging this weekend, because Number One has another meet, and we'll be out town.  A Florida meet, so the competition will be even harder than Georgia.