Last week was a vacation week, and honestly, I spent most of the week sleeping. To be fair (to myself), I got sick Monday afternoon and was feeling the effects for several days. That's my excuse. Seriously though, I would sleep anywhere from ten to twelve hours, be awake for maybe twelve hours, and fall back into for another 10-12 hours. It. Was. Awesome. Don't worry, my mom made sure I was fully productive the first half of vacation, so I felt little guilt over my Sleeping Beauty routine.
So I didn't just blog because I wanted to tell everyone how lazy I was last week, though I'm not ashamed of it. I am more refreshed than I have been in...well...I honestly don't know the last time I was this refreshed! Usually when I take vacations it's to go somewhere. The last vacation I took was Thanksgiving, but was only three days off work, and I traveled to Minnesota, and the one before that was my cruise last January. If anyone has been on a cruise, you know that there is way too much to do to spend much time getting refreshed (though the beach day was pretty awesome). I need to take a week off and shut myself in my apartment at least once a month. ;)
I keep getting off track. The real reason I wanted to blog today was because in all my sleep last week, I didn't have a single really interesting dream, and that made me sad. If you've been in my crazy world for very long, you know that I have some of the strangest dreams ever, and I love them. I very rarely have nightmares, and usually my dreams are so ridiculous that I just wake up and smile when I think about them. I don't know if my lack of dreaming was because I was sick, but I didn't like it. Dreams make the night seem longer, I think, rather than going to sleep and waking up as if no time has passed at all. And I'm a big fan of making sure my night is stretched out (except last night I really couldn't sleep and that was annoying). That's why I set my alarm for much earlier than I have to get up...I love that feeling of looking at the clock and realizing I have more time to sleep. Even when I get to sleep in on weekends and don't have to get up, I like to lay in bed for a while after I'm awake and just enjoy the feeling. It's lovely.
ANYWAY. I had some very random dreams last night that were too complicated to turn in to a facebook status. The funny part was that for one of them I was aware I was dreaming, and was trying to figure out how to explain the dream. As much as I love my dreams, this had to be the most tedious, boring dream ever. Seriously. Want to know what I was doing? Of course you do. You don't have a choice. Well, yes you do. You could quit reading. Go on. Get out of here. Still reading? Good. You must really like me ;) In my dream I had apparently broken my leg/ankle. It was the same one I broke in college, and I had to wear this combination of the moon boot I wore for that break and the giant knee brace I wore in middle school to try to correct my "floating kneecap." It was a big complication of loops and buckles, and I was trying to wear my snow boots. So I put the boots on, then the brace. Then I took them off because it wasn't right, and put it back on. Then my boot suddenly was off, so I had to do it again. And on it went. I kept putting it on and taking it off. And my family was waiting for me at Olive Garden but it took me like an hour and a half to figure it out. That was my dream. Totally lame. And now I've wasted your time telling you, just like I wasted my dream space by having that dream.
I also had a dream that I was making EZ Mac with my sister, but I added cheddar cheese and not the cheese packets. And then I was on a bus with a bunch of people I went to middle school with. Totally random. And those are the ones I like.
I have no good way to end this. It's Wednesday and that's happy.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Plagiarism
So I'm going to start off this post by saying I'm a big fat copycat. Yup, that's right. Devoid of originality, I am scamming the idea for this post from Emily at http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/. You see, this year I resolved not to make resolutions. They never stick anyway. (I am dreading visiting the gym, knowing how crowded it is during the first part of the year.) And when they don't stick, I'm stuck at the end of the year with a feeling of failure.
But then I argue with myself. "Sally," I say (since I sometimes call myself Sally), "isn't that just lazy?" I mean, if I don't set goals, how am I supposed to have any motivation for anything? I think what I don't like about New Year's resolutions (is it proper to have "New Year's" capitalized? I never know.) is that I don't think there should be a specific time of year for setting goals. People (me) should be setting new goals for themselves all year round, not just in the first few days of the new year (doesn't look right not capitalized, Sally, but that is the proper way to do it in that sentence).
So that brings me to my copycatting ways. Emily (at http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/, check out her blog!) set three categories for herself for the new year. The first was physical, second was spiritual/character, and the final one was creative/intellectual. I like those categories, so I'm *borrowing* them, taking special care to credit her genius (http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/). *deep breath* Aaand, here we go.
1) Physical
This is the one that always gets me off track. It seems like everyone and their dog (really!) makes a resolution resolving to do something physical. (Let's get physical, physical...) (Do you remember the saying "all that and a bag of chips?" "Everyone and their dog" reminds me of that.) (Gosh I'm ADD today.) ANYWAY. Everyone feels guilty following the holiday binging they did, and everyone promised themselves that this week it was all going to change. The cleanse, if you will. (Imagine saying "cleanse" in a pompous British voice, like an old man in a smokers jacket speaking around the pipe hanging out of his mouth) The fanatical, wild-eyed promises to do better this year, to eat healthy to work out 7 days a week for three hours and really drop those pounds...and two weeks later they are (I am) sitting on the couch, watching Biggest Loser and chowing down on french fries. Effective.
So. My first resolution is to get myself moving three times a week. No time limit. If it's 20 minutes, awesome. If it's an hour, even better. If I go to the gym, great. If I play Just Dance on Wii, that still counts. (It is a work out! Have you tried it? Do!) Just getting in the habit of moving is the first obstacle. Of course, if I do more, all the better. I'll also be attempting to eat better, but that's not part of this resolution. One thing at a time, people.
2) Spiritual/Character
This one is the hardest for me, I think. It's an area in which I have been extremely lacking over the past year. The spirituality part. (My character is awesome. Flawless.) I have joined groups and attended church, but not as regularly as I should. I think what I am lacking most is connection. With people and with God. So my resolution here is to get more involved. Make an effort. Don't just attend, do. Give up the excuses that I give for not being more present. Dive in and see where I land. Simple. Right? ...
3) Creative/Intellectual
This one is the one I'm actually most excited about. In November 2009 I started a novel as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It actually has the potential to be a decent teen/young adult novel, but I have lacked the motivation to actually finish it. This year, I would like to finish the manuscript, and then look into what I need to do to submit it to a publisher. It's scary, and I know it's super difficult to get published, but I definitely won't know until I try, right?
My final (unofficial) resolution is to check in with the above resolutions at least a couple times and guage how I'm doing, tweak as needed. Maybe I need to increase one, or hone it. These are just general ideas, ones that hopefully by the end of the year will have me more active, more involved, and chasing my dreams like anything can happen.
Oh yeah, one more thing...
http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/
:)
But then I argue with myself. "Sally," I say (since I sometimes call myself Sally), "isn't that just lazy?" I mean, if I don't set goals, how am I supposed to have any motivation for anything? I think what I don't like about New Year's resolutions (is it proper to have "New Year's" capitalized? I never know.) is that I don't think there should be a specific time of year for setting goals. People (me) should be setting new goals for themselves all year round, not just in the first few days of the new year (doesn't look right not capitalized, Sally, but that is the proper way to do it in that sentence).
So that brings me to my copycatting ways. Emily (at http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/, check out her blog!) set three categories for herself for the new year. The first was physical, second was spiritual/character, and the final one was creative/intellectual. I like those categories, so I'm *borrowing* them, taking special care to credit her genius (http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/). *deep breath* Aaand, here we go.
1) Physical
This is the one that always gets me off track. It seems like everyone and their dog (really!) makes a resolution resolving to do something physical. (Let's get physical, physical...) (Do you remember the saying "all that and a bag of chips?" "Everyone and their dog" reminds me of that.) (Gosh I'm ADD today.) ANYWAY. Everyone feels guilty following the holiday binging they did, and everyone promised themselves that this week it was all going to change. The cleanse, if you will. (Imagine saying "cleanse" in a pompous British voice, like an old man in a smokers jacket speaking around the pipe hanging out of his mouth) The fanatical, wild-eyed promises to do better this year, to eat healthy to work out 7 days a week for three hours and really drop those pounds...and two weeks later they are (I am) sitting on the couch, watching Biggest Loser and chowing down on french fries. Effective.
So. My first resolution is to get myself moving three times a week. No time limit. If it's 20 minutes, awesome. If it's an hour, even better. If I go to the gym, great. If I play Just Dance on Wii, that still counts. (It is a work out! Have you tried it? Do!) Just getting in the habit of moving is the first obstacle. Of course, if I do more, all the better. I'll also be attempting to eat better, but that's not part of this resolution. One thing at a time, people.
2) Spiritual/Character
This one is the hardest for me, I think. It's an area in which I have been extremely lacking over the past year. The spirituality part. (My character is awesome. Flawless.) I have joined groups and attended church, but not as regularly as I should. I think what I am lacking most is connection. With people and with God. So my resolution here is to get more involved. Make an effort. Don't just attend, do. Give up the excuses that I give for not being more present. Dive in and see where I land. Simple. Right? ...
3) Creative/Intellectual
This one is the one I'm actually most excited about. In November 2009 I started a novel as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It actually has the potential to be a decent teen/young adult novel, but I have lacked the motivation to actually finish it. This year, I would like to finish the manuscript, and then look into what I need to do to submit it to a publisher. It's scary, and I know it's super difficult to get published, but I definitely won't know until I try, right?
My final (unofficial) resolution is to check in with the above resolutions at least a couple times and guage how I'm doing, tweak as needed. Maybe I need to increase one, or hone it. These are just general ideas, ones that hopefully by the end of the year will have me more active, more involved, and chasing my dreams like anything can happen.
Oh yeah, one more thing...
http://www.thewinkofaneye.com/
:)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
When one book closes...
Happy New Year! Wow, 2010 was absolutely amazing. I did so many things, it's hard to summarize them. To try would be one epic blog post, that's for sure. Let's see...just a taste, I think.
This year I spent a few months planning weddings in the beauty of Connecticut, journeyed to another time, when the present is known only as "The Histories," spent some time at a magical castle in England, danced with vampires, and battled mythological creatures alongside the ancient gods of Greece. I fell in love numerous times, with various men, and went on dangerous missions to save the world.
You might be asking yourself how one earth I managed to do all of this in the space of only one year. It seems unbelievable. But, of course, the answer is obvious. I did it all from the comfort of my squishy leather couch. I read 66 books in 2010. I know it sounds corny, but for those of us with neither the time nor the resources to do a lot of traveling, the world of books is an easy escape from the day to day doldrums.
It still baffles me when people say they don't like to read. I just think they haven't found the right book. I, being me, like a wide variety of different books. Mostly fiction, but some autobiographical or historical stuff can catch my attention too. But in general, whether they are my cup of tea or not, I think books are amazing. They create entire worlds just using words. They paint word pictures that make those worlds come alive and become real, at least for a little while. The characters in most books evoke feelings of friendship and trust, or anger and dislike from the reader. At least that's how it is to me. I respond to characters in books much as I would to people in real life...perhaps more boldly because I do, in fact, realize they are fictional.
I'm working on creating one (or more) of those worlds myself. I am getting close to the finish of my first complete novel. Of course, that's only half the battle, the actual writing. But we won't get into the complications and impossibilities of getting my writing published. I feel the same way about the world I've created as I do about the ones I've visited throughout that past year and, really, my entire life. I don't control the characters as much as you'd might think, being the author and all. They are many layered, and I don't always even know what they're going to do. It sounds bizarre, and maybe a little crazy, which I probably am. I enjoy visiting them as much as I've enjoyed creating them though, even if the location isn't as exotic as some I've visited in my book journeys.
Perhaps if I weren't so ADD I would be able to finish my book. Just these few paragraphs have taken me almost an hour to write. As soon as I opened up the page to compose a new entry, I had the overwhelming urge to play some Solitaire, and Men in Black is on, which is always distracting due to Will Smith's hotness. So far, 2011 feels pretty close to 2010. I've already finished my first book of the year though. Percy Jackson is highly addictive. I think I'll go start another one. Go read, my friends! You never know where you might go :)
This year I spent a few months planning weddings in the beauty of Connecticut, journeyed to another time, when the present is known only as "The Histories," spent some time at a magical castle in England, danced with vampires, and battled mythological creatures alongside the ancient gods of Greece. I fell in love numerous times, with various men, and went on dangerous missions to save the world.
You might be asking yourself how one earth I managed to do all of this in the space of only one year. It seems unbelievable. But, of course, the answer is obvious. I did it all from the comfort of my squishy leather couch. I read 66 books in 2010. I know it sounds corny, but for those of us with neither the time nor the resources to do a lot of traveling, the world of books is an easy escape from the day to day doldrums.
It still baffles me when people say they don't like to read. I just think they haven't found the right book. I, being me, like a wide variety of different books. Mostly fiction, but some autobiographical or historical stuff can catch my attention too. But in general, whether they are my cup of tea or not, I think books are amazing. They create entire worlds just using words. They paint word pictures that make those worlds come alive and become real, at least for a little while. The characters in most books evoke feelings of friendship and trust, or anger and dislike from the reader. At least that's how it is to me. I respond to characters in books much as I would to people in real life...perhaps more boldly because I do, in fact, realize they are fictional.
I'm working on creating one (or more) of those worlds myself. I am getting close to the finish of my first complete novel. Of course, that's only half the battle, the actual writing. But we won't get into the complications and impossibilities of getting my writing published. I feel the same way about the world I've created as I do about the ones I've visited throughout that past year and, really, my entire life. I don't control the characters as much as you'd might think, being the author and all. They are many layered, and I don't always even know what they're going to do. It sounds bizarre, and maybe a little crazy, which I probably am. I enjoy visiting them as much as I've enjoyed creating them though, even if the location isn't as exotic as some I've visited in my book journeys.
Perhaps if I weren't so ADD I would be able to finish my book. Just these few paragraphs have taken me almost an hour to write. As soon as I opened up the page to compose a new entry, I had the overwhelming urge to play some Solitaire, and Men in Black is on, which is always distracting due to Will Smith's hotness. So far, 2011 feels pretty close to 2010. I've already finished my first book of the year though. Percy Jackson is highly addictive. I think I'll go start another one. Go read, my friends! You never know where you might go :)
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