How I've Prepared For Nanowrimo

Nanowrimo is almost here. 

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting more and more nervous as the days progress, but I have some solid plans for my novel- which I am now calling "The Cycle of Antiquity". this will change in 3.8 days. Trust me. I can't seem to keep a title no matter how hard I try, and to be fair, this one kind of sucks. Hahaha. But it will have to do for now. With less than a week to go before the big day, I thought I would share some of the ways I am preparing for Nano.

Wanderlust is neat and organized

Ok, but really...when ISN'T wanderlust neat and organized.  Maybe I just wanted to throw a picture of my baby up there.

My insert is decorated and ready to go.

Because decorating is important for people like me.

I've been filling the days leading up to Nano with research about Atlantis, Witchcraft, and writing in general.  This is actually the part that may take up most of my Nano time. I have this great idea, but I don't know nealry enough about what I want to write about. Don't you hate that? I've been a Jack of all trades for so long, I have to narrow my thoughts and interests. Which is what I've been doing in my Nano insert to get me ready.

There are some details about my main character on this page

I've also updated my nano profile and I've been adding friends (click the link and add me).

APPs

I've been playing around with some apps that I am interested in using. Werdsmith, Ginger, and Word Count Dashboard.

Here is the word count dashboard. I love how much it works towards the whole Nano feel with word count, time, and goals.  This app was $1.99. Don't think I would buy it again if I knew you couldn't physically WRITE in the app, just keep track of your stuff. Still not bad for what it is though.

This is an example of Werdsmith and how you can turn an idea into a project. I love this one.  Truly my favorite. If I could combine Werdsmith and Word count dashboard, I would be in authors heaven.

I also like that with Werdsmith you can see your chapters along the side. Why do I love that so much? Who knows. Maybe because I feel like a young Hemmingway and I want to see my work as I work.

This is Ginger. It's like a keyboard and editor. I like that it gives you all those options on the left panel. The synonyms portion is great by itself.  I DO NOT love the fact that the app gets wonky when you exceed a page. Wont let you scroll up and when you click off, it takes one thousands taps to get the cursor back. In fact, I may get rid of this one!

I've already been using prompts, and Day 1, but I wanted something a little more tailored to my writing more than journal entries. 

Relaxing

Nanowrimo can be intimidating, especially if you have been working on a novel for a while.  A novel is like your baby, and the idea of rushing it into maturity is just damn wrong. But the way I see it, Nano is more of a push in the right direction. I am not trying to finish my novel by the end of November. I just wont be able to. But I am going to get as much done as I can between now and December 1st. Nano gives you a solid goal, and knowing there are thousands of other people with the same goal gives you that sense of camaraderie. Between my pen and paper, and my Werdsmith app, I have everything I need at my disposal. 

I remind myself that this is what I love to do. Writing is my passion. Perfectionism is my greatest barrier. I will look at my blank screen forever because I am scared to write something mediocre. That almost debilitates me! I want to be amazing, so instead of writing something that's below my expectations, I don't write at all. Talk about your faulty logic, huh?  

Hitting the ground running

I'm going to jump right into this thing. The worst thing that could happen would ending up with bad writing. *Cue* introduction to "Secret Window". See what bad writing did to Jhonny Depp? Well, that and a cheating wife. I'm just going to jump on this thing and just go for gold.  Gonna try not to overthink it...which is my thing...over thinking and stuff. 

Well, now that that's all sorted, I'm going to finish catching up on my Grey's Anatomy, and cooking these sausages...AKA dinner.

Are you ready for NanoWrimo? Is this your first time? 

UR; Body Butter by Usher

I have to deeply moisturize my feet every night before bed. Its an absolute necessity. Not only do I moisturize, but I also give myself a nice foot massage as well. I think it sends me off to sleep calmer. 

I've tried body butters, oils, lotions, ect- whatever I could get my hands on to give me that luxurious feeling after my shower and before bed. Up to date, I've liked the shea body butter from the Body Shop, and the ginger souffle body butter from origins (and even though I love the ginger, it is WAY too expensive a habit to continue), and a few different body butters from bath and body works.  So far, everything has been "nice", but I am absolutely in love with this body butter by Usher.

First of all, who even knew Usher was making body butters and the like? During my most recent trip to TJ Maxx (because I am in the process of doing my master bedroom- quick interjection- remember my last post about needing to actually live in Valdosta and find happiness, well I've started actually decorating the house. I'm getting there folks, I promise) I discovered the awesomeness that is the fragrance and body section. I found all kinds of good stuff that I want to buy. I was in artsy farsty fragrance heaven. The soaps, perfume, essential oils - heaven!

Well, I immediately started looking for a new body butter. I saw this pretty brown box and was like "Hmmm, Usher huh?" and I picked it up and gave it the once over.  Large enough to last a while, but would it pass the smell and feel test.  Yes, I opened the box. Yea, I violated some important policy about opening products you may not buy. Yes, I'm that guy. But I don't have money to waste. So, I opened the box, the jar, and then gave it a little rub. 

I promise it was a tiny rub. This is a big rub because I'd already bought it!

It felt amazing! Smelled delicious.  I was so surprised. And I was even more surprised when I found out it was only 5.99. Way to go TJ Maxx. 

Side note: I'm watching Donnie Darko for the first time...Ummmm WTF? Time travel?! I'm down.

The body butter is just thick enough that its not too heavy on your skin. It glides on smooth, and a little goes on a long way. The scent is - well its pretty hard to explain the scent- hmmm. The scent is like "I'm-A-Super-Sexy-Woman-about-To-Go-To-Bed-But-I-Still-Smell-Good-All-The-Time-Because-I'm-Fly". Really, I plan on wearing this body butter every day. At least until I get tired of it. Last night I paired this lotion with a little of my "Fancy" by Jessica Simpson body spray and it was intoxicating. I couldn't stop smelling myself. I was also all shaved (which is amazing for me because ain't nobody got time for leg shaving), and had just taken a bath in my newly decorated bathroom. Needless to say, I felt like I had just left the spa!

I will definitely be using the Usher Raymond body butter for the next few months. And for $5.99 you really can't beat it- which is why I bought two! retail price on amazon was $19.99! I love anything to do with a sale! 

Do you have any "before bedtime" compulsions? 

On Happiness...

Happy Hump day. I've been doing some thinking and I need to dish somewhere. So here goes a blabbering of what is going on in my head. 

I tend to think happiness is around the corner if only I could just ---- and there is my problem. I am always living in the next moment and not paying enough attention to the moment I'm in now. I spent so much time disliking England because of the Visa situation and my lack of a job, and now all I can think about is how much I want to go back there. Crazy huh? Who would have guessed that I would have fallen in love with the country a year before we left, which was too late to really change anything. I was finally working, and was soon to be pulled on to the DOD full time. But all I could think about was "When we move to GA, I will be REALLY happy". That's me, always trying to quantify my level of happiness. I have no idea why I do that.

Now I'm in GA...and I'm not happy. Well, I'm not necessarily unhappy, but I could stand to be a little more comfortable in live. I saw a post from Tyrese (the singer) saying "Stop making excuses! You want a better life? Make one. You don't like your situation? Change it!". After I finished cursing him slap the hell out expressing my feelings on the fact that he has been pretty famous and RICH for a long damn time. The hubs and I were saying that he had a lot of nerve telling people to just up and change their situation when they are broke as hell. Shut up Coca Cola Boy. Ole doo doo dooo do dooo ass.

But then I thought about it. Really thought about it. 

SOAB...

He's got a point. 

It is VERY possible to just change your situation...once you consider that cost benefit analysis.  I am unhappy with my job. Not necessarily my school, but teaching middle school. Teaching is not where I need to be, not for middle school anyway, maybe college. And there are several options I could take in order to make that dream a reality. But that would take lots of time, work and money...None of which I am interested in, but I will have to come up with some thing to make myself happy in the long haul... Cuz this ain't it. 

I have been on some real superiority type stuff when it comes to vacation and where I want to go.  Not on purpose, I promise. But what kind of candle does going to the beach in Florida hold against seeing the pyramids of Egypt or back packing across Spain? I blew my travel load too soon, and now I can't afford the life I've gotten used to. I'm a travel snob. But I can fix that too. I've never been one to save. In fact, I'm awful at it. Money in the bank is pointless to me if I can't spend it. My philosophy is, get what I want, then, once I have everything I need in life, save money.  #Fail. Save money and go someplace awesome. That's how I can change it. This is only my second check at this new job, and we are still trying to decorate the house...

Which brings me to my next point. I haven't really been living in Valdosta.  I've been living in the memory of England and the thought of wherever the hell we are going after this. I can not live this way.  This is my very first PCS where I am moving to a random place that the USAF has sent my little family, and I am no adjusting well. I like my choices. I have chosen all the places I've moved to as an adult...except this one. I would have never chose Valdosta, GA, and maybe I've been a little bitter about this tiny town in the bible belt. I don't frequent church to often and that almost makes me a leper here. Not that I don't love Jesus, but just because I don't do the whole organized church situation. I also don't club. I also would prefer to put on hiking shoes and a backpack to heels and a clutch. (Unless there is somewhere classy to go). So that puts me on the outs with most people my age who are either in the clubs or the church, when I'm just at home working in my Midori and talking about fountain pens and paper in my geeky journal groups (that I LOVE). #weirdo. I've always been one, but that has always just been ok with whichever crowd I was in. Shaina is Shaina- not here. So because I don't necessarily feel welcome with my potty mouth and my journaling obsession, I haven't really made any friends. Because I keep thinking about our next move- possibly overseas- I'd even stopped decorating and trying to get the house together. "Why decorate if I'm going to have to sell everything?" But I have resigned to live in the now. Focus on my house, and my health. Focus on what I want to do with my life and how I am going to get there, instead of just silently hating EVERYTHING.

As far as the desires of my life, I just want to travel. And while I realize that my job doesn't necessarily require traveling, I am going to find a way to do what I love. I have faith in that. One of the things I talk about in my novel (its scyfy/fantasy) is magical thinking and maybe I should listen to my own book.  Speak it into existence. No negative thoughts. My favorite part of the day is when I go home and see my very best friend, The Hubs. If I know nothing else, its that I've married the right person. Couldn't do this with anyone else. But I miss my family even more now that I am so close and don't have the time or money to just take a trip 14 hours north.  I want to hang with my little sis and make her face up hahaha. I want my brother to give me a fashion show. I want my mother to ask me why I'm not washing the dishes, and for my dad to ask why I'm still wearing that "shit on my face" referring to my makeup. 

So I don't leave you with any positive final words today. I just needed to vent a little.  Probably wont even spell check it, because then I wont post it. I'm just going to try to grow up and make the best out of everything.  That's what adults do right!!? 

Instamonth

1. Me loving my hair 2. Going to breakfast and tiger stripes animal sanctuary
3. Reading and my new comforter 4. Feeling real fly in white 5 My eats
6. The guys going to the Outcast Concert 7. Journal Spread
8. Rob and his cigar smoke 9. Signed up for Nanowrimot this year

I saw this awesome idea somewhere and I absolutely can't remember where hahaha. Here is my month of September in pictures from my instagram.


And there you have it!

NOTE: I wrote this blog a week ago, saved it, and forgot to post it. BAH!