Day 37

Well after a large carb-laden meal last night, I'm ready to get back into some better eating habits! Not that I ever really fell out of them ;) it was just one night and for a good cause! I certainly didn't waver in my beliefs or what I was trying to achieve, and for that I'm proud.

Well, today started slowly, but I have been focusing on my own work. I do have a new job to start doing, which I'd like to start this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm behind with the housework, but I won't do much of that today because of my foot. It gets waaaay too irritated when I walk on it, so I'm better off sitting in front of the pute for the moment! However, I'll still go on my ride, cause that's too important to miss.

So, today, I'd like to start WRITING my new book, and not just planning (I have about 3 pages of handwritten notes). I'd like to do 2000 words. I don't know if I'll stick with 2k a day, or try and do 5k a day. If I manage 5k a day for five days a week, I'll get a rough draft done in three weeks. Although, I'll probably complete my first three chapters and get together a query and synopsis and send it off, and THEN finish the remainder. That way I feel like I'm accomplishing more. Well, it's not more, but it means something is happening in the background. As in, an editor is looking at the first three chapters while I'm finishing off the book! Then if they want it after a few weeks, I'll have the entire thing to send them, and if they don't want it... then I've got the entire thing to send elsewhere! The entire writing process should take no more than a month. Then, it's the next book to start working on! This way I should get a few books written this year, which is A. good writing practice, and B. better chance of publication! At least, that's the idea ;)

I have put bids in for a couple of jobs which will take a lot of time each day, BUT I still have to put my own writing first! That's crucial for my long term success. Because once I'm published and earning money that way, I'm not going to be freelancing for other people anymore unless something really great comes up! Therefore my own writing has to come FIRST. This isn't to say that I won't do a good job writing other stuff, it just means mine must be prioritised, or I'll ALWAYS be doing writing for others and never for myself.

However, I won't complain if I get jobs that will pay me a couple of thousand for a month! I definitely need the the funds ;) AND I also have to do my writing course! I may spend this afternoon with that and one article that I need to write for a client. Oh, and I'll probably get another article to do as well from a client I've done work for before. That's generally a single article job and pays reasonably well for the quantity of work. That may be tomorrow's job if he gives it to me by then.

Anyway, it's 10:30, so riding time and then I'll spend the rest of the morning doing my book, and some of the arvo with the writing course and the rest with the new article.

Okay... deep breathe! Now... I must start writing! I have no idea why I get myself sort of nervous and tied up in knots about getting started ;) It's silly! Once upon a time I'd just get an idea sit down and GO with no fears. However, over the years (being unsuccessful in finding publication) I've lost a lot of confidence and it makes it harder to actually start writing. There is no real logic behind this, I know. Well...maybe there IS a logic. Instead of just sitting down and having fun I sit down and worry that it won't be good enough. Now, that is stupid, because if I NEVER get it down then well it won't be good enough cause it won't EXIST. And, of course, I won't ever be a successful writer if I don't WRITE!

Well what can I say! Today was a bit of a dead loss (I seem to be saying this a lot lately!!) I did some writing (716 words to be precise) which was a start! However, I was feeling tired (I really need to go to sleep earlier each night) so I went for a lie down on the bed to read a bit and then nap. Well, the problem with napping is I wake up grumpy! Not good! Of course, we also have kids around and the house is a mess, but with my foot I just don't have the will to tidy it. The thing is, I can get around on my foot (I have been riding, I went shopping yesterday, I took the kids out to tea etc.) However, when I do it irritates it and it begins to itch really badly. And it's not so much just an itch, it's also pain so I can't put any weight where the sting is. Seriously, the sole of the foot is the WORST place for a sting! Anywhere else doesn't impede your movement! I have found that the pain/itch is okay if I'm not moving it. So, if I'm sitting or lying it's fine, if I walk it irritates it. Then I have to wait for the itch to stop, because I can't actually scratch it (it would hurt and get worse). Stupid ant bite!

Now, looking around I think part of my issue here is that I am in a bit of a MESS. I find it difficult to work effectively in an untidy room. It's not the sort of mess that takes hours to clean up (at least the study isn't lol... I can't say the same for certain children's bedrooms etc) If I got tuck into tidying the study it'd probably be a 10 - 15 minute job (takes longer to sort papers etc.)

I also want to get back into the living room. I HAD it tidy and it's been let slide over the past couple of days and my goal was to AVOID that happening. I want to be able to clean an area and then just maintain it daily. I was doing okay for awhile, but yeah, it's sliding! I can't blame the foot 100% but the foot is the reason I haven't sort of re-tidied the last couple of days. I find that I'm much more irritable when I'm surrounded by mess, and better when I'm not! AND on the 27th my daughter has a birthday party at the house, so I HAVE to get her room sorted out before then (not to mention the rest of the house must be tidy). This means, I need to get off my butt and do it.

Maybe I overwhelm myself by telling myself I have too many things to do? I have a whole list of things I want to accomplish and I want to do bits each day. I'm thinking I should break it down across the week though... so one day I will do my writing course, another day I will do German, etc. etc. Then I can give each a solid block of time rather than a bit each day that never ends up happening because something else runs over.

Pfft...it is sort of hot in here. Funny weather! It was getting quite cold for a bit and I was using the heater, and now it's quite warm. Apparently it's 27 outside, and as it was warm yesterday too the house is quite warm now. I just gave the study a very, very quik straighten up (not perfect at all) but felt hot so I stopped hehe. This room does get sort of warm, even though it doesn't get direct sunlight on the window (there is a small window on the side that gets a bit but it has a blind on the outside that cuts out most of it). Well, it looks as if tomorrow will be another hot one then it will start cooling down a bit. I do try and make the most of the sun at this time of year because there will be fewer and fewer warm sunny days as we head further into autumn.