Namowrimo Abandoned for Beach

I concede defeat. If you look at my stats, there is very little hope for me. Last year I predicted my inability to do it and didn't try, this year I am quite willingly surrendering. It must have been beginners luck the first year and I feel doubly successful in my original effort now that I appreciate what it must have taken. I take my hat off to all those who are soldiering on with it and will now be a supporter from the sidelines.

My weekend went in directions I didn't expect. I was too leisurely on Saturday, although thank goodness I did clean my house! Often I put that off till Sunday as well. I enjoyed it all very much though and feel no regret for the price I have paid.

On Sunday after his work, my son suggested we get out of the house and go to the beach. So we did. He brought a couple of friends and Rhonda called and decided to join us. We took our work with us, study, unfinished essays, corrections were all packed up and away we went. Driving there, about an hour away from home, the sky was dark and rain spits were disheartening on the windscreen. Rhonda in her car was thinking I was mad.

We arrived at the beach, whilst most were packing up to leave we enjoyed a couple of hours of swimming and lying in the gentle afternoon sun. It had been hot and muggy at home, yet was clear and still warm on the sand. The sea was refreshing and I enjoyed playing in the chilly waves. We then went into town and the six of us ordered a variety of yummy food and sat out on the street table and satisfied our after swimming appetites, tasting all the variety and laughing a lot. The sun was setting as we drove home and the world was beautiful. As we came through the hills the air smelt of eucalyptus's and the thunder storm we could see ahead.

It did my spirit good. I'll write the novel another day. Now I need to get moving for the busiest time of my year. Corrections, report-writing, Christmas shopping and mega birthdays (including my own!) all loom in the next month. This time next month I will be in WA with Jane, so I need to be effective in my actions and letting go of NaNoWriMo is the first step.

Scorpio New Moon Observations

I'm feeling quite contemplative today. I blame the Scorpio new moon. It's good for all the writing I want to do though. I made a great start last night and met the quota I had set for myself. It's all very crude though and I know it would need massive editing if I were to take it any further or expose it to another.

Secrets are being told. I have heard a couple these last few days. Surprising secrets, not the ones I've been avoiding.

I have to get a haircut. I had it cut only 5 weeks ago. The grey is more obvious so that needs attending to also! Short hair saves time on a daily basis, but I find I have to go to the hairdressers regularly. I am testing the theory that if you get your hair cut before the new moon, it grows slower. When I wanted to grow my hair long, I would get it cut as soon as possible after the new moon. I know how busy the next few weeks could be, so I am doing it now.

Nanowrimo and exercise

I still haven't written any more, I've been too busy. I do have an idea that has reinspired me though. I'm looking forward to spending the weekend writing up all the notes I've been jotting down, in between this and that. I can keep what I have already started too, which I'm pleased about. At one stage I was contemplating starting from scratch. Still not sure if I'll make it, but I am going to give it one last good go.

This weekend is the main time I am going to have to work on it. I am booked to do a massage course the weekend after and reports are starting to whisper to me. I have some corrections to attend to also.

My sister visited last night and it was great to see her. She makes me laugh so much. I hadn't seen her for ages and it was great to catch up.

My stepper is broken at the moment so I've had to go to my parents house to do my half hour aerobic exercise on their treadmill. I find the treadmill doesn't allow me to get my heartrate up as much because I get shin pains. I think it has more impact on me. I prefer my own machine and it's being attended to today so I hope it's all better by tonight. I have finally reached the point in exercising where I look forward to that half hour and feel quite bereft if it doesn't come around. I never thought I'd see that day!

Winner

I won the sweep! Got to celebrate that. Efficient - never heard of it, not that I spent any time studying form guides, but students who knew pitied me when I drew that horse.

I have only written 3300 words for NaNoWriMo - yep, not looking good at this stage, I have enjoyed what I have written though, so who knows, maybe I will spend an afternoon on the weekend and catch up. Or not....
Almost at the stage of giving up on NaNoWriMo already. Think I have picked the wrong idea. I have run out of steam on it already.

I began my reports today. In a very small way, I opened the program and made a start. I'm feeling quite confident I will make the deadline. This must be a record for me to open the report writing software a full 27 days before reports are due!

I found a place to stay in Italy for a holiday over lunch. Two weeks in Italy in the middle of winter. That's a great possibility. I was discussing the Ruth Ostrow article from my last post. So it's already been great value for me.

Rainy Saturday

Ladies day at the races is a washout today. The shopping centre was overflowing with overdressed ladies. All dressed up with no place to go. I ducked in, in my trackies, looking quite 'ordinary' and noticed I was terribly underdressed. I still had my comfort and that consoled me.

This week has rushed by in a blur of events. I have not blogged for two days. All those assuming I've been busily writing for NaNoWriMo - Wrong! I have a way to catch up on that.

I am just basically out of ideas and overtired. Not a particularly inspiring state. I have began to order my home so I could catch up in a hurry. Here's hoping.

Correction Time

I have a pile of corrections glaring at me from my bench. Neatly typed essays that will, when I stop procrastinating, be a pleasure to read. It's times like these I wonder why I'm not teaching PE. The answer is obvious in the lack of sporting ability.

I have decided on NaNoWriMo. I really want to do it. I have applied for a leadership position at school and have been told I have been successful, just don't know which position yet. I know I may not have time to write much for the next 3 years so I want to have a go at it. I really have to get organised and get my corrections handled.

The other motivating force is that my birthday is the day before reports are due. If I procrastinate now I will spend that day writing reports. I love my birthday and know from past experience I will feel very sorry for myself if I have to spend it report writing!

I notice other bloggers write that they won't be posting as much due to large workloads, but I know myself, I will possibly post more - I love distractions. I understand all those organisational gurus. I hear what they are saying, yet we will see.

Corrections, report writing and yard duty - if they could just be outsourced teaching would be the best job in the whole world!

Nanowrimo or Nanoblomo?

That is the question. I don't know which to do. In fact last year I elected to do nothing because I was off on camp at Tamboritha and I was disorganised and I got overwhelmed and decided to pass on it. I loved it the year before and completed Nanowrimo with such a sense of satisfaction.

This year I am off to camp in a couple of days and will be back before November begins. I'll discuss the details of this tomorrow. I still have report writing and the busyness of finishing up of the year. The students break up on the 6th December so November is seriously frantic.

I think NaNoWriMo will be more flexible for me because I can catch up on my writing on the days that I am not so busy. I know there would be a lot of support from fellow bloggers because I have seen lots of Aussie bloggers are participating in NaBloPoMo.

Doris Lessing wins Nobel Prize for Literature

I am delighted Doris Lessing has won the Nobel Prize for Literature. She is the 11th woman to win the prize since it began in 1901. Her novel "The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five" is one of my all time favourite novels and it quite transformed me when I read it in my early 20s. I have only read a couple of other novels by Lessing, but this is a good reminder to read some more!

Melbourne Writers Festival Today

We saw three authors speak today and each had something valuable to say. The first up was Maureen McCarthy, then Greg Pyers and finally Brigid Lowry. I thoroughly enjoyed the balmy spring day in the city with some of my favourite 'book worm' students.

Maureen McCarthy
Maureen McCarthy has written a number of books and I have read Queen Kat, Carmel & St Jude Get A Life and enjoyed the TV series. After hearing her speak today, I can't wait to read her latest Rose by Any Other Name. It sounds great. I loved it when she said she doesn't write for teenagers and I got the impression she doesn't think of people in terms of age. I enjoyed her talk very much and she described her writing process in an exciting way. The students enjoyed her talk too. She was a confident speaker who was easy to listen to.

Greg Pyers
Greg Pyers had the most challenging session. We were in a dark room, just before lunch and it was very warm. It was difficult to stay focused as he read to us from his latest fiction novel, Jack Brown. He described his journey to writing and gave the students good advice. He has written a great deal, mainly non-fiction. I found his slides and discussion about Jersey quite interesting.

Brigid Lowry
Juicy Writing with Brigid Lowry delivered everything it promised with such a luscious title. She spoke with passion and read some great writing to us. I got quite watery in the eyes by a piece she wrote about a mother reflecting on her son's impending independence. I am sorry I didn't have the time and presence of mind to ask where I could get it. I am not even sure who wrote it, but I suspect she did. I have spent the weekend reading her latest book Tomorrow all will be Beautiful and have found what I have read so far poignant and touching. It is truly juicy.I will get my hands on Guitar Highway Rose as soon as possible too. The students thoroughly enjoyed her talk and she was honest and helpful in the information she passed on.

Melbourne Writers Festival

On Monday I'm travelling with some year 9 and 10 students to the "Melbourne Writers Festival - Schools Program". I look forward to this for a number of reasons. I always enjoy taking the students on excursions, because they are always engaged and at their best. We can only take a small number of students, so only those who are really passionate about reading and writing have gone to the effort, or been selected by their English teachers. I expect this will make for great conversation on the 2 hour + bus trip. I will also enjoy listening to the authors speak about their books. I'm not sure yet, which sessions I will be attending, but I will be sure to tell you after I've been.
For those who live a little closer, "Melbourne Writers Festival" is for adults also and there are plenty of sessions to cater for all. Check out the program on the webpage.

Rediscovering 'The Invitation'

Today when I got my email from Yasmin Boland about the days astrological weather, she included 'The Invitation' by Oriah Mountain Dreaming and that link. I remembered when I first read this peice when my children were little I had seen it in a Wellbeing Magazine and cut it out and put it on the wall beside my bed. I loved it and read it over and over. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Theodora's Gift by Ursula Dubosarky

I totally enjoyed this slim novel. 'Theodora's Gift' is a great story and shows a complex world of relationships and events past and future that many young people will relate to. For those who keep a diary as I do this extract

"Theodora had kept a diary, more or less, since she had learned to write. Theodora was the sort of person who paid attention to things. So much attention that she found she couldn't keep it all inside her head, and that was how she had started keeping a diary.
She wrote everything down, everything, everything, everything. Everything that is, that she saw or heard, which if you think about it, leaves quite a lot of everything out." (p7,8)

may make you think about what everything, everything, everything, you write.

I don't write what I see and hear, I realised when I read this and thought about it. Although I possibly include some of it to explain why I think and feel. I write what I am thinking about constantly or feeling. As a result my diary is boring and repetitive at times. I keep it because like the character Theodora, I can't keep it all inside my head and it makes me feel better to get it down on paper. Sometimes it helps me to move on. It often allows me to realise I am going around in circles or obsessing and often when I wonder if I have experienced something before, I can check and see that a pattern has formed. It does have it's uses.

I still think it would be more interesting if I wrote down what I saw and heard!

I predict.....

I want to participate in the ProBlogger Group Writing Project and the topic is 'Reviews and Predictions', so I am very excited about reading what other bloggers offer on this topic. I love predictions! I enjoy reading Darren Rowse's blog, I like his approach to writing and sharing and there are usually a couple of useful things to me each week even though I don't expect to be a 'problogger'.
My grand prediction for 2007 is that TED Talks will be worth tuning into. I just received their program for 2007 and I am delighted to see some of the upcoming talks.
The 9th of March for example boasts of Edward DeBono, Dan Goleman J.J. Abrams, Tracy Chapman and Isabel Allende. This is just one of the days. Icons. Geniuses. Mavericks. That just about covers it. There are some amazing visionary people on this list, too many to mention. I am looking forward to enjoying these talks next year.
On the topic of Isabel Allende, my kids bought me Ines of my Soul for my birthday and I am saving it for my holiday reading. I love her books! I enjoyed 'My Invented Country' this year and absolutely loved it. I enjoyed the whole concept that she had created this place and was able to recognise this. I also loved, as always with her writing, reading about Chile. It is definately on my list of places I want to go.
I predict Amanda Bloom will be in my CD collection in the future. I want more songs to listen to from her and I hope I will be able to add her CD to my Christmas list next year. In the meantime, listen to this podcast. There are some awesome Aussie women who are unsigned and very enjoyable. I have enjoyed this podcast.

On the Jellicoe Road

PS. My son loved this book too.

For everything there is a Season

It's November already! I have been on camp at Tamboritha for the past three days and missed the start of the month. I took some videos whilst I was there which if you are interested, you can see here. Some of them are from the previous camp I went on last week. I'll probably post more later about camp.
Last night in my weary state, I realised I was three days of writing behind in the Nanowrimo writing frenzy I managed to complete last year. I attempted to start, because I have honestly been giving it some thought, but was really too tired to get much more than a thousand words out of myself. This morning I had a big think and decided, I can't do it. I have to let it go this year. I felt a bit of disappointment to be honest, as it felt great last year and I really enjoyed the challenge of it. I realised though, it is not the time of the year for me to be doing this.
Living in Australia, as I do, I have become annoyed with doing things at the wrong time of the year. If it were May and the days were getting shorter, I know I could nestle in to do some serious daily writing, but November is not realistic for me.
Last week, in my year 7 class, we discussed Halloween. Some of the kids are really into it and I can understand why. Some students said it is an American custom to trick or treat, and we shouldn't take it on here. I agree, but not because it is American or because it isn't a relevant thing to do. It is just not relevant in spring, as summer draws near, to be behaving like we are heading towards winter. We have just started daylight savings for goodness sake!
It is the same issue that I have with Nanowrimo. It's not the right season for me here. We should be celebrating spring, spending time outdoors, not holing up with our writing and not embracing darkness and symbolic death. It's all wrong. Perhaps I can start a Southern Hemisphere, May writing month! I'd have to come up with a better title!
I have been barely keeping up with writing blog posts lately. It's been a busy year I guess. I feel a restructuring of my life coming on, partnered with a major spring clean!

Dave’s State of the Blogosphere

Dave’s State of the Blogosphere
I find this article on "Darren Rowse: Problogger", quite staggering. 2 blogs created per second. It seems humans have a lot to say out loud.
I guess with the amount of posting online, it also makes it seem quite amazing to find a random blog you like reading. I feel like it is still quite anonymous due to the vast amount of voices out there. The chances of other people finding your blog and reading it seem less than the chance of someone overhearing you telling your secrets to your best friend.
I still can't quite feel free enough to tell anything online that I wouldn't want the world to know. I notice that the teenagers I work with don't seem to have any such reservations on their 'myspaces'.

This is so cool

I really can't believe I have done this. It wasn't that hard really. I like writing. The 'novel' is lacking a great storyline and quite a few other features that would make it enjoyable for other people to read to be frank with myself as well as you, but I learnt that I could actually keep up the daily writing thing with ease and quite a lot of pleasure besides. This was good. I am going to do this again. I made it. Woot! - as the kids at school say. I would celebrate only I don't especially feel like drawing attention to myself. I am happy and satisfied on the inside and that's heaps for me.
The other cool thing I must own is that I am so close to finishing my reports that I may just be celebrating that tomorrow night. I really have a great feeling that I have taken my life back under my own control. Feels good!

Rethinking Me

I have gone over half way on nanowrimo. I feel such a sense of accomplishment. I love this. I have had a few struggly moments, but they have been fleeting, hence moments was the word I used not hours or days.
I have been sick with my lumpy underarm, sore throat tired virus.
Whilst I have been lying around feeling sick and sorry for myself I have been thinking about all my life decisions and what I wanted to be when I grew up and what I have turned out to be. I need to think more on it. I don't feel as inclined to make rash decisions as I once was. I am not in the position to up and leave my job as I used to. I am just thinking about changing the energy I give to my job. It was only meant to be a short-term thing to tide me over and now I have found myself putting all my energy into it. It is not that it is a bad thing to put all your passion and energy into. It's just not meant to be my thing I think. It has given me a very good couple of years but I think it really is time to make some changes to the way I do life and work is one of those things. It has consumed me the last 5 years. It has mostly been a mutual affair, but now I am ready to change things.

Ta Da - I did it

I can't believe it. I caught up. I have been slogging away at it on and off all day. I had to go to docs, which was a pleasant surprise. He was a nice bloke. He didn't callously inflict any pain and actually explained things to me in a way that I (medical ignoramus that I am) could accept and make sense of. I also went to a lovely 75th birthday at the Star Hotel in Town. It was a great spot this afternoon and it was really pleasant.
The most important thing to me is I finished my quota for today for writing and I also managed other stuff. I think I could be getting addicted to be honest.

The week

This has been a busy week. I have kept up with the writing for nanowrimo for most of the week. I have walked every night and all the other things I do to keep myself alive.
Last night I dropped everything though. My daughter was announced school captain for next year. I am so proud of her and happy for her. We went for coffee to Eviva after school/work. She is amazing. I took my son to an event in Morwell and did a spot of shopping, collected daughter from work and came home and went to bed. I was pleased I managed to brush my teeth I felt so tired.
This morning I have cleaned up and am attempting to catch up the writing I missed last night. I feel unimaginative and wonder if I am coming down with the flu or something. I have a lumpy underarm so I am going to the docs this afternoon, which I really dread. I can't stand going to the docs. I know I am too busy at this time of the year to get sick though so I want to get this handled asap.
This must be the dullest post to a blog ever written.