Thank Goodness You are Almost Over

Dear January,

You win the award for being the sickest month in my life. Thank you for not only bringing high fevers and coughs to all my children, but for making me sick the ENTIRE time. Being my birthday month, and the start of a new year, you once held a place of honor. But, like a husband who gives his wife a vacuum for Valentines (yes this happened to me), you have been reduced to dog house status. Next January better be 400 times better if you expect me to love you again.

Sincerely,

Me

Last week, I was so sick I could do nothing but lie in bed, watch too much Alias, read a little, sleep, and eat entire lime coconut cheesecake by myself. I even paid my daughter to watch my 1 year-old.
Saturday I started to feel better, so I decided to be brave and take my 4 children grocery shopping (Yikes!). As if that didn't tire my out enough, when I got home I chose to make The Pioneer Woman's mac and cheese (recipe here). This isn't some quick add the velvetta and stir recipe, this is a make your own rue, do a ton of stirring, shred 3 types of cheeses, kind of a meal. Halfway through I wanted to take a nap, but I kept whisking. And that's when I remembered I promised my husband, who'd been taking care of me all week, that I'd make him enchiladas, from scratch, for dinner that night.

I had bitten off more than I could chew.
The hubs had to wait another day for his enchiladas
Because I had more pressing things to do.

IWSG-Goals, New Years, and My Birthday

The first Wednesday of every month is IWSG, a bloghop hosted by the amazing Alex J. Cavenaugh to encourage and inspire each other and a safe place to admit our writing doubts.


As I sit huddled under the sheets in 9 degree weather (wondering why I thought this week would be a good time to leave sunny CA) I can't help but remember this post from the beginning of the year when I declared to the blogging world my writing goals. 

Besides the fact that I'm not a guy, don't have a comb over, and don't wear glasses (at least not in public) this guy could be me, right now, committing to my writing goals and sharing them with *gasp* the 8 people that follow my blog. I'm scared, but determined to . . .

1. Clean my NaNo, The Girl Who Could See, until it Shines and has a better title 

2. Begin Querying my NaNo (Yikes!)

3. Read 10 books on craft

4. Write the MG novel I'm bouncing around in my head

5. Attend at least 1 writing conference . . .figure out how to make it work with baby 

6. Join the Online Writer's Community
      A. Read other writers blog AND comment
      B. Blog once a week twice a month
      C. Start Tweeting figure out what it's all about

7. Participate (and win) NaNoWriMo 2012

I was so scared to publish that post-but writing them down-and in such a public way helped me to accomplish my goals (except #3 when I only read 6 craft books). Notice that I had the goal to query, not to get an agent. As I make goals, I make sure they're something completely in my power. I've had multiple people ask me if I have a goal to sell a book this year, but while I hope LOVESENSE sells, that is not completely in my power. Make sense?  

So if you're a goal oriented person like me, or simply considering writing goals for the new year, I encourage you to write specific, achievable goals that you (personally) can attain. 

Happy 2013!