the things you accomplish when you procrastinate

The holidays are a busy time.  First, Christmas arrives with all the things to do and people to see.  It's fun, but tiring.  And then it's time for some introspection and quality time before the new year arrives.  What went right?  What went wrong?  Where do I need to work harder?  What were my successes?  List all the great things that happened.

I haven't been able to participate in the Indie Ink challenge for pretty much the entire month of December.  I hope to start back to it next week in the new year.  I had two stories due for a yuletide challenge and being me I procrastinated a great deal on them.  It's funny the things I accomplish when I don't want to write.  Suddenly I have time to go through my closet, clean the kitchen, and read Tolstoy.  Anything to avoid the writing.  But once I get writing, it tends to be okay for the most part.  Sure, there are moments where I just want to write "and then they all died" no matter what the story I'm telling because that would just be easier than writing myself out of a plot hole.  But the voices in my head can be fun to play with.

I have a few posts to do over the next few days.  Thank goodness for vacation.

The right vote is for Mara Dyer...

I know at some point I will have to choose between Clary and Mara, but for now, they're not up against each other in the Tournament of Heroines at the YA Sisterhood.

Today it's between Mara and Karou, and while I feel no ill will toward Karou, I love Mara Dyer and I adored the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer so much.  I think it's my favorite book of 2011.




So go vote here.  Right now - December 16th is Mara's day and we need to make sure she gets to the next round.

it's all about getting out of my own way

Today has already been a day of sorts.  After a bout of food poisoning yesterday, I learned a valuable lesson - never eat McDonalds...ever.  I don't eat it often and now I remember why.  Ugh.  Yesterday was not a good day.  But things are looking brighter today.  Feeling one hundred percent better and things at work are under control and while there is a lot I need to do, I'm feeling okay instead of stressed about it.


And it's Wishcasting Wednesday, which is always a bright spot in my week.  Today Jamie asks:

What is your deepest wish?

courtesy of we heart it

"Very often we are our own worst enemy as we foolishly build stumbling blocks on the path that leads to success and happiness." - Louis Binstock

My deepest wish is to get out of my own way and let myself accomplish the things that I want.  I hide behind fear and the evil what if and find ways to constantly sabotage myself.  I want to get healthy.  I want to make a living doing something I love.  I want to embrace my creative side and quiet my negative one.  I want to stop running from fear and embrace it - because usually what you're afraid of leads to new things.  I want to stop thinking of myself in destructive ways and see all the good I bring to the universe.

My deepest wish is to get out of my own way and become the person I'm meant to be.

---

My daily email, I Believe God Wants You to Know, from Neale Donald Walsch seems to fit with this week's wishcast as well:

On this day of your life, Mare, I believe God wants you to know...

...that taking better care of yourself is not merely a matter

of good health, it is a measure of spiritual evolution.

Some people take better care of their car than they do

of their body. Most people, in fact, pay little attention

to their body until something goes wrong. Yet why

create that kind of situation?

Look at what you are eating. How much and how

often do you exercise? When was your last check-up?

Are you treating your physical vehicle as if it is Divine?

Good for you if you are. If you aren't...why not?

Party down and such...

Wednesday is upon us. i'm feeling a little run down and tired and there's no good reason for it except I'm reading/watching television too late, even though I know I have to be up early in the morning. And I've been terrible with my morning pages since Thanksgiving. During my five days off, I got out of routine and I'm just having such trouble getting back on track. Must just suck it up and get up half hour earlier again to do my writing.  And the new blogger posting format is a little weird - I'm not good with change.


In good news, my brain is currently filled with random ideas for stories and it's Wishcasting Wednesday.


Today Jamie asks:

What do you wish to celebrate?

courtesy of we heart it

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey

I wish to celebrate my accomplishments.  I put so much emphasis on things that I do wrong and the mistakes I make in any given day, but I never give myself credit for the successes, especially the small ones.  I want to dance around when I finish my reports early.  I should be able to pat myself on the back for walking away from Shop-Rite with a bill of only $ 7.00 because of my coupon work.  And when I finish a story, I should be proud of what I accomplished instead of immediately worrying and freaking out that it's trite crap.

What do you wish to celebrate?

P.S. - Happy Birthday, Jamie!

Cool giveaway: Paperback Dolls Give Back & Kindle Fire giveaway

So, as many of you know, I love great giveaways.  Right up there with great coupon deals and reading blogs as ways to pass my time.   I tend not to talk about it much in my blog because it's not really what this blog tends to be about (emo posts and random bits of writing are way cooler - uh-huh), but every once-in-awhile there is a giveaway that I feel like I should share.  Because it's awesome.

paperback dolls give back + Kindle Fire giveaway

"For every new follower Paperback Doll’s acquires during this 17 day contest, Day has teamed up with her local Half Price Books and Dollar Tree Store and will donate 1 children’s book or toy to Operation Christmas Child or Toys for Tots charity. We hope we are able to give lots of books and toys to children all over the world this holiday season! As a special “thank you” to all of our readers we are giving away a KINDLE FIRE tablet and donating books and toys to charity. To participate simply enter below. Already have a tablet? You can still help by sending monetary donations securely via paypal."

Enter here.