I'm having a very confusing day! This morning, I woke up full of confidence. I was ready to take on the end of the book and sail through the morning with no distractions. Because, having two kids, that seemed reasonable. But as the morning wore on and the impending dentist appointment grew closer, doubt has poisoned my day.
I thought it might be good to start building my database of agents I want to submit to. Turns out, that's something better done with the aid of a glass (bottle) of wine or some other alcoholic substance. There are so many agents out there. Do I stick with the NYC ones or do I branch out to agencies in other parts of the country. I can see going to SF, CA route, but Orlando? North Carolina? Is it worth my time? How do I know if an agent is reputible? How do I know I can trust them? How long do I give them before I realize that they aren't going to call? Am I really good enough to get published? Sure, I've posted on my other blog about writers who's work, at least to me, seems sub-par to my own, and yet they staill manage to obtain a contract, but maybe they knew someone. Maybe they had a foot in the door. Maybe they self-published.
Perhaps I'm a purist, but I don't want to self-publish. I don't a hidden gem in my back pocket that I can whip out and say, "Here, don't you know so-and-so?" I have these "dreams" that I make it "big"... by big, I mean sell enough to cover the cost of writing another...and some new shoes... maybe some pens... but the world of publishing is large. It's competitive. It's foreign. So many questions and even when I figure out the answers, they only uncover more questions.
I know I'll figure this out. I always do, but just once, today, I would love for someone to call me and say, "Hey, a little bird told me you were writing a book. You know, I know someone who knows someone.... let's see what we can do."
Yeah... talk about a dream!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Key to an All-night Spring Cleaning and Pilates
I have discovered the key to all-night cleaning sessions!
First, start cleaning. About 90 minutes later, go to bed and realize that you are not a spring chicken. Then, get up the next morning, invite another person's child to come over for a playdate. Eat breakfast with kids. Unload and load dishes. Open door for above mentioned playdate guest. Send them to the kids room and only get involved if some cries. Turn on Pandora on the over-priced, but well worth it Blu-ray player. Begin cleaning Decide to make a bean soup for dinner in the crockpot. Do a quick soak of the beans and get the rest of it going. Make lunch for the kids after they come in for the ninth time. Eat lunch with the kids. Don't forget the fresh picked strawberries. Then, sit down to blog about the afore mentioned spring cleaning.
Okay, maybe this is just another form of procrastination... I am a pro at it, but I thought it was interesting that I seem to be more organized and focused with three kids then with two. Why is that? Perhaps it's because I tend to play referee with the boys or perhaps three is just better than two when it comes to play. If someone gets mad, the other two keep playing together and the third eventually comes back to play as though nothing happened. (Don't tell me husband I said that or he will be looking to add triplets to our midst and I am just now finally taking control over my body.)
Which brings me to pilates. You know those commercials where amazingly toned women tell you how much fun pilates is.... turns out they are not lying. There was an open house at the gym last week and my friend and I decided to take a free class. It was easy. I'm not saying it didn't take skill. I'm not even saying I had that skill, but it was easy on me. In fact, I loved the class so much I bought a 15 class package. (For the record, I have never paid for the "extras" at the gym.) In fact, the next day, I was tight, not sore. (Sore is a big deterrent for me.) Confession time: my core hurt like crazy and since it's pollen season, the sneezing was the worst, but it was all worth it. I'm signed up for the Thursday night class until I get back from KS, and then I'm uping it to 2 a week. After a month of that, I'm adding Zumba lite. (I'm also adding Aqua Zumba as soon as I find my suit.) I'm starting to like the idea of classes. Of course, those do not eliminate the other workouts, but even those aren't so bad anymore. I'm not a gym rat. I'm going to say I will never be a gym rat. (I have a habit of doing things I say I will never do.)
What's brought all this on? Well, I didn't do the mini this year. Between breaking my leg and my grandfather's death, my heart wasn't in it. But as luck would have it, the 2011 mini will be held on May 7, the day BEFORE my birthday. So, I will have a second change to complete the mini during my 36th year of life. And cross that off the bucket list. Anyways, I'm spending the next 6 months focused on shedding the pounds that life, depression, and boredome have lumped on to me. Then, we'll ratchet it up a notch and get to work training for the mini. My goal is to do it in 2:59.59. My initial goal was to finish, but honestly, what kind of goal is that.... of course I'm going to finish.
I've been thinking about my attitude a lot lately. I'm not the bravest person. I have let fear influence decisions rather than courage. I don't like that. The same is true of negative thinking. I let myself talk me out of doing what I want. Writing the book... not only writing it, but preparing to pitch it to an agent in July, has really made me reconsider just how much of a pain my inner critic is... she's kinda mean... adn she's banned. Sure, she may find an open door every now and then, but that when I call my inner security!
First, start cleaning. About 90 minutes later, go to bed and realize that you are not a spring chicken. Then, get up the next morning, invite another person's child to come over for a playdate. Eat breakfast with kids. Unload and load dishes. Open door for above mentioned playdate guest. Send them to the kids room and only get involved if some cries. Turn on Pandora on the over-priced, but well worth it Blu-ray player. Begin cleaning Decide to make a bean soup for dinner in the crockpot. Do a quick soak of the beans and get the rest of it going. Make lunch for the kids after they come in for the ninth time. Eat lunch with the kids. Don't forget the fresh picked strawberries. Then, sit down to blog about the afore mentioned spring cleaning.
Okay, maybe this is just another form of procrastination... I am a pro at it, but I thought it was interesting that I seem to be more organized and focused with three kids then with two. Why is that? Perhaps it's because I tend to play referee with the boys or perhaps three is just better than two when it comes to play. If someone gets mad, the other two keep playing together and the third eventually comes back to play as though nothing happened. (Don't tell me husband I said that or he will be looking to add triplets to our midst and I am just now finally taking control over my body.)
Which brings me to pilates. You know those commercials where amazingly toned women tell you how much fun pilates is.... turns out they are not lying. There was an open house at the gym last week and my friend and I decided to take a free class. It was easy. I'm not saying it didn't take skill. I'm not even saying I had that skill, but it was easy on me. In fact, I loved the class so much I bought a 15 class package. (For the record, I have never paid for the "extras" at the gym.) In fact, the next day, I was tight, not sore. (Sore is a big deterrent for me.) Confession time: my core hurt like crazy and since it's pollen season, the sneezing was the worst, but it was all worth it. I'm signed up for the Thursday night class until I get back from KS, and then I'm uping it to 2 a week. After a month of that, I'm adding Zumba lite. (I'm also adding Aqua Zumba as soon as I find my suit.) I'm starting to like the idea of classes. Of course, those do not eliminate the other workouts, but even those aren't so bad anymore. I'm not a gym rat. I'm going to say I will never be a gym rat. (I have a habit of doing things I say I will never do.)
What's brought all this on? Well, I didn't do the mini this year. Between breaking my leg and my grandfather's death, my heart wasn't in it. But as luck would have it, the 2011 mini will be held on May 7, the day BEFORE my birthday. So, I will have a second change to complete the mini during my 36th year of life. And cross that off the bucket list. Anyways, I'm spending the next 6 months focused on shedding the pounds that life, depression, and boredome have lumped on to me. Then, we'll ratchet it up a notch and get to work training for the mini. My goal is to do it in 2:59.59. My initial goal was to finish, but honestly, what kind of goal is that.... of course I'm going to finish.
I've been thinking about my attitude a lot lately. I'm not the bravest person. I have let fear influence decisions rather than courage. I don't like that. The same is true of negative thinking. I let myself talk me out of doing what I want. Writing the book... not only writing it, but preparing to pitch it to an agent in July, has really made me reconsider just how much of a pain my inner critic is... she's kinda mean... adn she's banned. Sure, she may find an open door every now and then, but that when I call my inner security!
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