Project List for December 2014: REVISED EDITION

“Wait wait,” you may say, “you dropped off the face of the planet for a month only to reappear here and post a December Project List as if nothing had happened?!  What’s the deal?  What about NaNoWriMo and all that Boot Camp business?  WHAT IS GOING ON!?”

Well, those are all very valid observations and questions.

And there was certainly a great deal happening during November, which is why I dropped off the face of the blogosphere.

I have now returned, but am so exhausted it’s going to take a few more days to get my thoughts in order over what did happen in November.  So for now, yes, we’re just skipping that month and moving on!

In December 2014, I will: (see below for new goals!)

• Finish the first draft of Primus (formerly The Good Thing), the current WIP

 

Yes.  That’s it.  That’s all that matters …. O_o

Once I get my wits about me again, I’ll chronicle the happenings of this year’s NaNoWriMo, so stay tuned!

REVISED GOAL: In December 2014, I will:

• Complete my Christmas shopping.
• Enjoy the season with family and friends.
• Bake cookies/desserts with my son.
• Take some time to clean up the house for guests.
• Keep my head above water at the day job in prep for the Christmas holiday.

… for half of December, I attempted to keep my original December goal of finally completing the rough draft of the novel.  But what I found is that this made me stressed out and unhappy, because I spent my valuable free time writing instead of preparing for Christmas in all the ways I usually found fun: shopping, wrapping, decorating, cooking, sitting by the fire sipping hot chocolate. This stress and unhappiness bred resentment and irritation, and I found myself not enjoying the Christmas season when it is usually my favorite holiday. So, around the 15th, I decided to let the novel go for this month and instead concentrate on enjoying the present moment, the Christmas season, and most importantly, my little man — who will all too soon be grown up and gone.

Initially, this decision frustrated me.  I felt like I was giving up, almost.  But after a day or two, when the things on my Christmas To Do list began to be checked off, and the Christmas carols played, and I had more fun with the kiddo, the frustration eased, and I knew I’d made the right decision.

So, no, the novel will not be finished in 2014.  But my sanity has been saved, and most importantly, my favorite holiday will now be enjoyed to the fullest extent with my family and friends, and that’s what really matters right now.