Back to Work: Bah Humbug!
Monday, December 12
23 Days til Release of
BOUND AND DETERMINED
Bah Humbug
I've been dreading it because there's a lot of upheaval going on there. Why do corporations choose the holidays to do a bunch of restructuring (i.e., so you have to worry if you have a job anymore) and make announcements about reductions in benefits? Ho, ho, ho to you, too! This year my work group is having a Bah Humbug potluck, since that seems to perfectly describe how so many of us feel. And to top it off, one big project is winding down, so it's chaos getting everything together from all team members. Another project is ramping up. And it's a monster project. We really need about 4-6 months to make it right. We have about 4 weeks. Corporate America is just so much fun. Hubby is going through much the same junk. Blech!
Who Needs Sleep?
I'm looking at my calendar and contemplating the next few months. I still have half a book to finish and 2 proposals to write, preferably by February. Maybe I should consider giving up sleep since I'm not sure where all the hours in the day will come from. These are all books I'm really passionate about writing, so not having enough time is like sandpaper on silk--just rubbing me the wrong way.
Okay, since I can't get voted off this island and I don't want to be the Biggest Loser, I gotta figure all this out. Deep breath. Soon (I hope) the hectic pace will slow, and I can get back into the swing of life.
The Starting Lineup
7:15 am - Drive in is actually pleasant. I ponder some ideas for the proposals swirling in my head as I listen to my CDs. If I ever gave up my corporate job, I'd still have to find time for these drives. So many of my ideas come when it's just me, the music and the rush hour traffic.
12:15 pm - Look at the clock. Oh, that explains why I'm hungry. I open mini-fridge here and pull out frozen lunch. Not exciting, but it gets the job done. And saves time so I can write during my lunch break.
Frozen Lunch with Great Results!
1:20 pm - CHALLENGE # 1 RESULTS: Wow!!! It's fabulous that I managed to get 4 pages done in an hour, despite interruptions of ringing phones and people stopping by. Over the years, I've learned to work like that. Not my preference, but it can be done in a pinch. And this time of year, time is always pinched, right?
4:45 pm - Whew! Completed project within deadline and began reviewing the other team members' work, since I'm editor-in-chief for this one. But now it's time to go.
Email Olympics
5:30 pm - CHALLENGE RESULT # 2: Make it home with the child. Time for homework! Yeah, not a popular proclamation, but it gets done. I dive into emails. I continue to arrange for promotion for upcoming book and reviewers who have ARCs.
Real Olympics
7:00 pm - CHALLENGE RESULT # 3: After a rushed dinner (gotta love pizza delivery) while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that's been on our Tivo for a few weeks, I head for the gym. This instructor is very nice, and she announces that she's leaving. Rats! I looked forward to seeing her every Monday night because she was so much fun. Hopefully, her replacement will be as engaging...but that's rare. Still, try to be optimistic and not think that the Grinch must be trying to steal all my fun this holiday season, as this is just another thing in a list of annoyances.
WIP is Good: Reviewing a Few Works In Progress
9 pm - Back home. Child bathed and tucked in. Time to get down to work! I clean up the chapter I just finished and email it off to buddies who will read for me. I probably owe them hazard pay or something *g* I spend some time IMing with another writer friend. Her WIP is utter dreck, according to her, and her editor will hate it and her for it. I keep assuring her it's hot and I wanted to read more. I think it's one of her better works, and she better hurry up and finish it or I'm going to be very put out. She left me hanging! We talk through a few plot things. Then she asks me when my WIP will be finished. I laugh. February--if I'm lucky. It's not due until April 1. She whines that I left her hanging. LOL 
Tah-Dah!
Yesterday's challenges were all met. I'm feeling invincible. Not true. I'm feeling pretty good. I'm hoping the rest of the week holds. And since my reward was a book to read, Amazon's timely email telling me that a book I ordered a while back has finally shipped ought to allow me to indulge.
Reward Challenges:
1) Write 3 pages on WIP
2) Write next installment of Publishing Survivor
3) Get to grocery store to buy items for office potluck on Thursday
Reward:
More writing time?
I really want to keep working during this insane Santa-laden season! We'll see. Ho.. ho.. ho..
Shelley Bradley
23 Days til Release of BOUND AND DETERMINED
Bah HumbugI've been dreading it because there's a lot of upheaval going on there. Why do corporations choose the holidays to do a bunch of restructuring (i.e., so you have to worry if you have a job anymore) and make announcements about reductions in benefits? Ho, ho, ho to you, too! This year my work group is having a Bah Humbug potluck, since that seems to perfectly describe how so many of us feel. And to top it off, one big project is winding down, so it's chaos getting everything together from all team members. Another project is ramping up. And it's a monster project. We really need about 4-6 months to make it right. We have about 4 weeks. Corporate America is just so much fun. Hubby is going through much the same junk. Blech!
Who Needs Sleep?
I'm looking at my calendar and contemplating the next few months. I still have half a book to finish and 2 proposals to write, preferably by February. Maybe I should consider giving up sleep since I'm not sure where all the hours in the day will come from. These are all books I'm really passionate about writing, so not having enough time is like sandpaper on silk--just rubbing me the wrong way.
Okay, since I can't get voted off this island and I don't want to be the Biggest Loser, I gotta figure all this out. Deep breath. Soon (I hope) the hectic pace will slow, and I can get back into the swing of life.
The Starting Lineup
7:15 am - Drive in is actually pleasant. I ponder some ideas for the proposals swirling in my head as I listen to my CDs. If I ever gave up my corporate job, I'd still have to find time for these drives. So many of my ideas come when it's just me, the music and the rush hour traffic.12:15 pm - Look at the clock. Oh, that explains why I'm hungry. I open mini-fridge here and pull out frozen lunch. Not exciting, but it gets the job done. And saves time so I can write during my lunch break.
Frozen Lunch with Great Results!
1:20 pm - CHALLENGE # 1 RESULTS: Wow!!! It's fabulous that I managed to get 4 pages done in an hour, despite interruptions of ringing phones and people stopping by. Over the years, I've learned to work like that. Not my preference, but it can be done in a pinch. And this time of year, time is always pinched, right?
4:45 pm - Whew! Completed project within deadline and began reviewing the other team members' work, since I'm editor-in-chief for this one. But now it's time to go.
Email Olympics
5:30 pm - CHALLENGE RESULT # 2: Make it home with the child. Time for homework! Yeah, not a popular proclamation, but it gets done. I dive into emails. I continue to arrange for promotion for upcoming book and reviewers who have ARCs.
Real Olympics
7:00 pm - CHALLENGE RESULT # 3: After a rushed dinner (gotta love pizza delivery) while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that's been on our Tivo for a few weeks, I head for the gym. This instructor is very nice, and she announces that she's leaving. Rats! I looked forward to seeing her every Monday night because she was so much fun. Hopefully, her replacement will be as engaging...but that's rare. Still, try to be optimistic and not think that the Grinch must be trying to steal all my fun this holiday season, as this is just another thing in a list of annoyances.
WIP is Good: Reviewing a Few Works In Progress
9 pm - Back home. Child bathed and tucked in. Time to get down to work! I clean up the chapter I just finished and email it off to buddies who will read for me. I probably owe them hazard pay or something *g* I spend some time IMing with another writer friend. Her WIP is utter dreck, according to her, and her editor will hate it and her for it. I keep assuring her it's hot and I wanted to read more. I think it's one of her better works, and she better hurry up and finish it or I'm going to be very put out. She left me hanging! We talk through a few plot things. Then she asks me when my WIP will be finished. I laugh. February--if I'm lucky. It's not due until April 1. She whines that I left her hanging. LOL 
Tah-Dah!
Yesterday's challenges were all met. I'm feeling invincible. Not true. I'm feeling pretty good. I'm hoping the rest of the week holds. And since my reward was a book to read, Amazon's timely email telling me that a book I ordered a while back has finally shipped ought to allow me to indulge.
Reward Challenges:
1) Write 3 pages on WIP
2) Write next installment of Publishing Survivor
3) Get to grocery store to buy items for office potluck on Thursday
Reward:
More writing time?
I really want to keep working during this insane Santa-laden season! We'll see. Ho.. ho.. ho..
Shelley Bradley
posted by Julie Ramsey at 11:08 AM
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