Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Soccer and Stories

Last night I had my first soccer game since I partially tore my ACL a couple years ago. It's a rec league, so not competitive or crazy, just a bunch of friends playing soccer against other friends playing soccer. It's fun, gets me out of the house and tearing around a gym for a while. Ok, I tear it up a little and then rotate out, wondering where all the air in my lungs went to.

I have three new stories simmering in my head. It's good. Keeps me up at night, though, I'm excited to write them. Now, to make the time. I have to make the time. It's good for me.

Happy day everyone!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Another story idea was banging in my head last night. I couldn't sleep, character dialogs were traipsing through my head. It was good and irritating. Seriously, has there always only been 24 hours in a day?

Happy Weekend!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

first draft done!

Feels good, but almost anti-climactic. I finished the first draft of my first book today. My mind has already been chewing on other story ideas, so maybe that has muffled the joy and coolness of the occasion. I'm just so excited to keep going. Writing is fun. More fun than I imagined, actually. It has been on the back burner, simmering, for years. It feels really good to slip the leash on that part of me.

Now, I just have to think of a title...

Friday, January 16, 2009

Friday, woo-hoo! It's sunny and warm here with the snow melting like crazy! I love winter but days like this feel good!

Ok, so my leading lady needs attention in the story I'm writing. She's banging in my head, wanting me to fill in her blanks. She's pretty cool and needs her story told. Characters take on a life of their own and let you know when you still have work to do.

I don't mind, feels like a Muse is talking.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Went cross country skiing with a couple friends last night. Two thumbs up! There is something magical about skiing at night as the snow is falling. We were on top of the river valley and could see the lights of downdown through the snowy haze. It actually was quite beautiful. I usually don't ooh and aah at seeing a bunch of skyscrapers, but it looked pretty cool last night.

I just got the skis for Christmas. I love them! I could actually ski instead of just shuffle along. Ok, there was some shuffling when I started to get tired and needed to suck in a few big gulps of air .

Well, happy Thursday everyone!

Monday, January 12, 2009

oooh, sooooore! My body is still sore from my bobsledding escapades! Yowsa!

Monday, back to reality. I'm closing in on the first draft. It feels good. Exciting. I keep wanting to add things, though. So, the question is, when are the additions fabulous and when are they blah blah blah- overkill?

I have the same question when I'm painting. Do I stop now because it looks good, do I add more and risk messing up, do I add more and make a good painting great? Who knows. That's the cool part about creative pursuits, reminds us we have choices.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Exhilarating! The bobsled run was absolutely incredible!! I'm still grinning, hours later!
123 km/hour and 4.5 G forces!!! Tee hee hee!!! Our steer person said it right, TV does NOT do it justice.

Man, that was fun!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Did I say magic? I meant sometimes it's magic, other times it's really irritating. Tee hee. Patience. It's been on my to-do list for oh, about 15 years.
Ok, so writing didn't go as planned the last couple days. I'm still trying to work out that writing schedule with my wee one and husband. The little darling (daughter, not husband ) has a serious aversion to nap time.

So bobsledding is still on for tomorrow. It's for our work Christmas party. Another spot just opened so I can go down twice! Does that mean I can pee my pants twice?! My husband is doing the skeleton! Crazy fellow! I love watching it, but laying on my belly, head-first, roaring down an iced shoot w/ only a helmet and elbow pads, sounds, well, more like a spectator sport!

Last year I went to the Aerials competion held in town. A friend of mine used to compete and is now a coach. I watched athletes ski down a hill, hit a jump, do lots of crazy cool acrobatics in the air and then land on this super steep hill. I was preggo at the time and wondered what I was going to do if my kid wanted to take up aerials, or bull riding. I imagine a lot of deep breathing!

Oh yes, back to writing. So I'm working on a story and I love it. It has been really cool the process and the flow. When you can't write as fast as the story is coming to you, it's great! But then BOOM, I hit a block. Literally, I'll be posed over the keyboard and it's like the taps have been turned off. Nothing. Waiting... False start... more waiting... I know the direction I want to go in is keeping quiet for the moment. Elusive... As life would have it, more from circumstance than planning (thank you six month old daughter and messy house), I let the story simmer, incubate. But it's ok because, POOF, in the shower or walking the dog, or other regualr, mundane living sort of experiences the next piece of the story is revealed. Or slams into consciousness. Sometimes that's a better description.

But that kinda makes it magic, ya know?

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Ta-da! Made it to the wonderful world of blogging! (Thank you Tara!)

Ok, so Saturday, as in three very short days away, I'm going to hurtle down a bobsled run. I know I'll be in a bobsled and have pros (I hope... I think...!!) there with me to make the experience, well, real and official and somehow make me feel saver choosing to spend 60 seconds of my life doing this. I'll keep you posted.

As for today, the wild exotic world of grocery shopping and errands with a six month old! Weird how both the mundane and the wowsa can be full of story potential.

As for tonight- WRITING!