Monday, November 15, 2010

A difficult decision and a test drive

So there have been a few developments that I feel I should share. I've been feeling kinda bad about them, so maybe if I get things off my chest, I'll feel better.
Regarding NaNo: I started this endeavor with every intention of finishing it. I was so pumped about the idea of cranking out 50,000 words in a month, the idea that even though I'd be stressed, I'd create something worthwhile in that time. Unfortunately, things have changed a little bit.

It's not that I don't want to finish. I hate quitting things I've started, and this was the most difficult decision I've made in a while. I've discovered that this time constraint, while a good motivator, isn't really helpful for my writing process. I like to have ample time to brainstorm if I get hung up on the plot, and I felt really rushed and restricted within the parameters of NaNo.

I work a demanding job. I don't get to spend a lot of time with C, so when he's home, I don't write much. Recently we determined that we can't really afford living on our own, so we're moving in with C's parents...in a month. We have a lot of transitioning to do for that, and his parents will need a lot of help in the next few weeks in order to get everything ready for our arrival. I know that it's easy to find excuses, and that's not what I'm setting out to do. But in light of everything going on in my life right now, I'm far too distracted to write.

I'm not giving up entirely though. A friend of mine who was also participating in NaNo has agreed to hold a mini NaNo with me next spring, when we're not so busy. There aren't any prizes for winning NaNo, and there's nothing that says we have to live by their rules. We're both ok with our decision, and while I still feel a little like a quitter, I'm feeling better about my choice every day. The other things demanding my attention keep piling on, so it makes it a bit easier to live with.

To give you some happier news, C and I took my new camera for a test drive yesterday. It takes awesome photos, and we had lots of fun pretending to be professionals for the day. :P Here are some samples...







C took this next one, and he loves it so much that I thought I'd share it with all of you. :)


Enjoy!

J

1 comment:

  1. I'm proud of you for taking ownership of your decisions! Also love the pics friend!

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