Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Resolutions Suck (alternative title: I Need to Stop Signing Up for Things)

I start every year with the same resolution as everyone else.  To get fit and get rid of some extra body fat.

Other resolutions include:

-Get something I'm writing in some sort of finished format (first draft, less shitty second draft, the phenomenal third draft that becomes the subject of many a bidding war between publishing houses - I can dream, can't I?),
-Get my house into a state of organisation and tranquility.  Bwahahahahaahahahahaha.
-Learn a new language (I start this at various times throughout the year.  Not very likely to happen. Then I'll watch another French movie and want to do it again.  Perhaps I should just watch everything in French?

Most of the time I get to the end of January with a to-do list and my best intentions, and finalise the year with not much more.  But of course, this year will be different!

So far this year I have signed up for:
12x12 in 2012 Picture Book Challenge  (Yep.  Will keep you posted. Still need to get into the Picture Book Zone)
1 Million Kilo Challenge (Looking good so far considering it starts on 30 Jan - it helps to do it with friends)
One Hundred Pushups  (Went from 2 to 5 - so far so good)
Two  Hundred Squats  (Somehow started at 60 so beginning at week 3 - I'm still gobsmacked!)
Day Zero Project -101 Things in 1001 days - thank you Nina @ http://ninadangelo.blogspot.com/ 
for telling me about this.
The beauty of the last is that I won't get to the end of this year and think 'oh crap, nothing's changed' as it gives you a little more time and it's nice to tick things off, big or small as you go.   It's a great place to put all your goals and not necessarily have the guilt associated with resolutions and the new year.

As far as fitness goes,  right now I'm probably the heaviest I've ever been without being pregnant.  I could use some toning more than anything as I have put on weight proportionately and I'm a naturally curvy woman.  I have started the year off well by walking with friends and we have all signed up for the 1 Million Kilo Challenge and I have also started both the 100 Pushups and 200 Squats apps I added to my iphone.   Right now I'm loving the initial enthusiasm that always comes in January, we're eating well - wholegrains, the fridge is stocked with fruit and veg, dinner is lean meat or fish and some sort of salad, but I'm just waiting for the carb cravings and complacency to hit.   Hopefully I can stave or fight them off this time around.

I think that's enough to last me for the time being.

Wish me luck.   Please.  I'll need it.



Wednesday, January 11, 2012

So I went to the zoo because I thought it would help me write a picture book

 Nup.

Actually we went because we wanted to take the kids to the zoo.  Yeah, whatever.  I still don't have any picture book ideas.

Now if I was writing my usual novel stuff I would have come up with an idea about a young woman meeting the love of her life on a chance encounter during the rhino feeding times, then she'd lose him then get him back then maybe decide she doesn't want him anyway.  (Oh crap, I think we missed the rhinos! How did we miss the rhinos? (checking zoo website) Phew, it's ok, they don't have rhinos)  Or there would be the ghost of an old zoo keeper terrorising the visitors during the twilight sessions or overnight stays. Or a serial killer within the zoo grounds (why does that remind me of Scooby Doo?)

Non existent rhinos


Anyway, the point is if I was going to write a novel I would have a multitude of ideas, even if they aren't very good, but I can NOT for the life of me think of something for my first picture book of the year for the 12x12 challenge - unless i write it about a six year old who starts whining that he wants to go home after the second animal - true story!

And after that  I have 11 more to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On second thought, hmm whiny kid.  They do say to write what you know.   I'll keep you posted!

Monday, January 2, 2012

12x12 in 2012 Picture Book Text Challenge



12x12 in 2012 is another writing challenge which is to write 12 picture books in 12 months (first drafts - they don't have to be submission ready).   It was set up by Julie Hedlund at her Write Up My Life  blog.

I was alerted to this little gem today and tentatively entered my details,  only hitting the 'submit' button after Mr Xbox's encouragement, still unsure as to why I was doing yet another writing challenge - particularly a challenge on picture books.   I have written two and a half picture book texts, all of which were inspired by my kids when they were all much younger and  have since had no interest nor any inkling of an idea of what to write.   But that's what I love about these challenges - your mind is forced into creativity; you have to try to put something down on days the inspiration eludes you, those days you would otherwise just close up your laptop and wait until the muse hits.

For anyone interested in participating (and I would encourage you to do so) you can sign up here .  You must enter and follow Julie's blog by the 29th January 2012 to be eligible for prizes.  There is also a Facebook group which, if the local NaNoWriMo FB group is anything to go by, would be incredibly helpful. 

Whether 12, 5 or just 1 picture book text gets written for this challenge I'm sure it's going to be a fabulous learning experience and a lot of fun!