Back in the Saddle...er, Shoes
Tuesday, August 25. 2009
I finally got back out this morning to do a road run. It had been almost a week since my last run. I've been sick, though not with the H1N1, thanks for asking. Just a cold, some sort of general malaise, a malady that certainly made me more prone to just grunt upon waking, rather than to jump out of bed and go for a jog, as is my wont. Well, not necessarily my wont, but certainly my want.
In point of fact, it's more my need than my want. I've invested money and self-worth in entering the [Goofy's] Race-and-a-Half Challenge for Walt Disney World's 2010 Marathon Weekend. I've mentioned before the momentary lapse of reason wherein I signed up for this totally uncalled-for event. Still, there it is, and it's a goal, and I don't want to fail.
Not failing means being adequately prepared. I have to build up my stamina to be able to run 13.1 miles on Saturday, 9 January, and then to run/walk/stagger 26.2 miles on Sunday, 10 January. I'll probably take a sick day on Monday.
I've only got about 19 weeks to train, and I'm already behind, made worse by the pesky bug I spent the weekend nursing. A considerable investment of time is required to get into something resembling the shape I need to be in—my Saturdays in December will be almost entirely consumed with long runs (up to 20 miles a day). This gets into the time issue again; but I've committed to this goal, so it'll have to be given its due. Something else has to ramp down as running time ramps up. But what?
I finally got back out this morning to do a road run. It had been almost a week since my last run. I've been sick, though not with the H1N1, thanks for asking. Just a cold, some sort of general malaise, a malady that certainly made me more prone to just grunt upon waking, rather than to jump out of bed and go for a jog, as is my wont. Well, not necessarily my wont, but certainly my want.
In point of fact, it's more my need than my want. I've invested money and self-worth in entering the [Goofy's] Race-and-a-Half Challenge for Walt Disney World's 2010 Marathon Weekend. I've mentioned before the momentary lapse of reason wherein I signed up for this totally uncalled-for event. Still, there it is, and it's a goal, and I don't want to fail.
Not failing means being adequately prepared. I have to build up my stamina to be able to run 13.1 miles on Saturday, 9 January, and then to run/walk/stagger 26.2 miles on Sunday, 10 January. I'll probably take a sick day on Monday.
I've only got about 19 weeks to train, and I'm already behind, made worse by the pesky bug I spent the weekend nursing. A considerable investment of time is required to get into something resembling the shape I need to be in—my Saturdays in December will be almost entirely consumed with long runs (up to 20 miles a day). This gets into the time issue again; but I've committed to this goal, so it'll have to be given its due. Something else has to ramp down as running time ramps up. But what?
In point of fact, it's more my need than my want. I've invested money and self-worth in entering the [Goofy's] Race-and-a-Half Challenge for Walt Disney World's 2010 Marathon Weekend. I've mentioned before the momentary lapse of reason wherein I signed up for this totally uncalled-for event. Still, there it is, and it's a goal, and I don't want to fail.
Not failing means being adequately prepared. I have to build up my stamina to be able to run 13.1 miles on Saturday, 9 January, and then to run/walk/stagger 26.2 miles on Sunday, 10 January. I'll probably take a sick day on Monday.
I've only got about 19 weeks to train, and I'm already behind, made worse by the pesky bug I spent the weekend nursing. A considerable investment of time is required to get into something resembling the shape I need to be in—my Saturdays in December will be almost entirely consumed with long runs (up to 20 miles a day). This gets into the time issue again; but I've committed to this goal, so it'll have to be given its due. Something else has to ramp down as running time ramps up. But what?
Half Empty?
Monday, August 24. 2009
One of my major goals in life has been to be known for something, whether it's writing a bestseller or building a cool widget. Clarification: something positive. No serial killer I.
And it's not really being famous that I'm after. I do see the apparent logical fallacy there—wanting to be known, but not wanting to be famous. But being known for something doesn't necessarily imply being in the rotation as an Oprah guest.
Perhaps a better expression than being known is being respected. To be transparent, what I look for most is some acknowledgement that I've done something worth doing. That's what's been driving my writing. It's also why I find it easy to get discouraged in the face of rejection notices. However, I've been focused on novels for the past couple of years to the detriment of short story writing, so I haven't seen one of those notices in a very long time. I'm a little hesitant to start that cycle again...but there's really no alternative. And the clock is ticking.
As I get older, I'm more and more mindful of the movement of that second hand. Seconds add up to minutes, which add up to hours, which become days, weeks, months, years...a lifetime. Do I even have enough time left on this Earth to be able to accomplish something noteworthy? I've been quite pessimistic about that for the past year or so, even fatalistic. Of course, that attitude isn't going to help me get anything done; quite the opposite, in fact: it will tend to immobilize me, make me want to curl up in bed and sleep all day long.
The rational response: limit "play" to a reasonable amount of time. This means carefully selecting my recreational activities; it means I can't do all the fun things I want to do. Neither do I want to kill myself, or alienate the few friends I can claim, by doing nothing but working. It's a tough balance to strike. But I don't want to look back in ten or twenty years' time and find that I had a good time, but accomplished nothing.
One of my major goals in life has been to be known for something, whether it's writing a bestseller or building a cool widget. Clarification: something positive. No serial killer I.
And it's not really being famous that I'm after. I do see the apparent logical fallacy there—wanting to be known, but not wanting to be famous. But being known for something doesn't necessarily imply being in the rotation as an Oprah guest.
Perhaps a better expression than being known is being respected. To be transparent, what I look for most is some acknowledgement that I've done something worth doing. That's what's been driving my writing. It's also why I find it easy to get discouraged in the face of rejection notices. However, I've been focused on novels for the past couple of years to the detriment of short story writing, so I haven't seen one of those notices in a very long time. I'm a little hesitant to start that cycle again...but there's really no alternative. And the clock is ticking.
As I get older, I'm more and more mindful of the movement of that second hand. Seconds add up to minutes, which add up to hours, which become days, weeks, months, years...a lifetime. Do I even have enough time left on this Earth to be able to accomplish something noteworthy? I've been quite pessimistic about that for the past year or so, even fatalistic. Of course, that attitude isn't going to help me get anything done; quite the opposite, in fact: it will tend to immobilize me, make me want to curl up in bed and sleep all day long.
The rational response: limit "play" to a reasonable amount of time. This means carefully selecting my recreational activities; it means I can't do all the fun things I want to do. Neither do I want to kill myself, or alienate the few friends I can claim, by doing nothing but working. It's a tough balance to strike. But I don't want to look back in ten or twenty years' time and find that I had a good time, but accomplished nothing.
And it's not really being famous that I'm after. I do see the apparent logical fallacy there—wanting to be known, but not wanting to be famous. But being known for something doesn't necessarily imply being in the rotation as an Oprah guest.
Perhaps a better expression than being known is being respected. To be transparent, what I look for most is some acknowledgement that I've done something worth doing. That's what's been driving my writing. It's also why I find it easy to get discouraged in the face of rejection notices. However, I've been focused on novels for the past couple of years to the detriment of short story writing, so I haven't seen one of those notices in a very long time. I'm a little hesitant to start that cycle again...but there's really no alternative. And the clock is ticking.
As I get older, I'm more and more mindful of the movement of that second hand. Seconds add up to minutes, which add up to hours, which become days, weeks, months, years...a lifetime. Do I even have enough time left on this Earth to be able to accomplish something noteworthy? I've been quite pessimistic about that for the past year or so, even fatalistic. Of course, that attitude isn't going to help me get anything done; quite the opposite, in fact: it will tend to immobilize me, make me want to curl up in bed and sleep all day long.
The rational response: limit "play" to a reasonable amount of time. This means carefully selecting my recreational activities; it means I can't do all the fun things I want to do. Neither do I want to kill myself, or alienate the few friends I can claim, by doing nothing but working. It's a tough balance to strike. But I don't want to look back in ten or twenty years' time and find that I had a good time, but accomplished nothing.
To NaNo / Not To NaNo?
Friday, August 21. 2009
...that is the question, formed using only four different letters.
Should I participate in the forthcoming official National Novel Writing Month for 2009? I've "won" the challenge for the last two years, cranking out the first 60-70% of my first and second works-in-progress...but I don't think I'm going to indulge this year.
Frankly, I don't need another work-in-progress.
What I think I'll do is what some other pseudo-NaNos have done in the past: challenge myself to meet some editing / finishing goal over the month of November, instead of creating a brand new 50,000 word piece. I really need to finish Bring Me to Life. It was started second, but would make a better first novel than my NaNo2007 result, 200 P.C. That one would be a good second novel. If, of course, I ever get [either of] them finished.
I did make headway in another writing-related area this past week. In amongst working on the electronics prototype I mentioned in my last blog post, I managed to do eleven critiques for Critters in one week, which not only erased one-third of the deficit I had accumulated by slacking off over the past year, but also earned me a jump-to-the-head-of-the-queue pass (a "Most Productive Critter" award). I need to do the same thing for a couple more weeks, and then I'll be back to the required 75% participation ratio and allowed to submit a story to the queue.
By then, I hope to actually have something to submit.
...that is the question, formed using only four different letters.
Should I participate in the forthcoming official National Novel Writing Month for 2009? I've "won" the challenge for the last two years, cranking out the first 60-70% of my first and second works-in-progress...but I don't think I'm going to indulge this year.
Frankly, I don't need another work-in-progress.
What I think I'll do is what some other pseudo-NaNos have done in the past: challenge myself to meet some editing / finishing goal over the month of November, instead of creating a brand new 50,000 word piece. I really need to finish Bring Me to Life. It was started second, but would make a better first novel than my NaNo2007 result, 200 P.C. That one would be a good second novel. If, of course, I ever get [either of] them finished.
I did make headway in another writing-related area this past week. In amongst working on the electronics prototype I mentioned in my last blog post, I managed to do eleven critiques for Critters in one week, which not only erased one-third of the deficit I had accumulated by slacking off over the past year, but also earned me a jump-to-the-head-of-the-queue pass (a "Most Productive Critter" award). I need to do the same thing for a couple more weeks, and then I'll be back to the required 75% participation ratio and allowed to submit a story to the queue.
By then, I hope to actually have something to submit.
Should I participate in the forthcoming official National Novel Writing Month for 2009? I've "won" the challenge for the last two years, cranking out the first 60-70% of my first and second works-in-progress...but I don't think I'm going to indulge this year.
Frankly, I don't need another work-in-progress.
What I think I'll do is what some other pseudo-NaNos have done in the past: challenge myself to meet some editing / finishing goal over the month of November, instead of creating a brand new 50,000 word piece. I really need to finish Bring Me to Life. It was started second, but would make a better first novel than my NaNo2007 result, 200 P.C. That one would be a good second novel. If, of course, I ever get [either of] them finished.
I did make headway in another writing-related area this past week. In amongst working on the electronics prototype I mentioned in my last blog post, I managed to do eleven critiques for Critters in one week, which not only erased one-third of the deficit I had accumulated by slacking off over the past year, but also earned me a jump-to-the-head-of-the-queue pass (a "Most Productive Critter" award). I need to do the same thing for a couple more weeks, and then I'll be back to the required 75% participation ratio and allowed to submit a story to the queue.
By then, I hope to actually have something to submit.
Prototyping
Monday, August 17. 2009
It's not writing, but at least it's creative. The image at right shows how I've been using most of my free time lately. I'm working on creating something cool and evolutionary (not revolutionary)—but also sell-able. So again, not entirely a waste of time. And it is tangentially related to writing, in that it's all about moving some fantasy into reality.
Just in case you can't tell from the breadboarded version in the picture what it is I'm making, I'll fill you in once it's ready for prime time... Watch this space!
It's not writing, but at least it's creative. The image at right shows how I've been using most of my free time lately. I'm working on creating something cool and evolutionary (not revolutionary)—but also sell-able. So again, not entirely a waste of time. And it is tangentially related to writing, in that it's all about moving some fantasy into reality.
Just in case you can't tell from the breadboarded version in the picture what it is I'm making, I'll fill you in once it's ready for prime time... Watch this space!
Just in case you can't tell from the breadboarded version in the picture what it is I'm making, I'll fill you in once it's ready for prime time... Watch this space!
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