Being a writer means never having to say you're sorry

 “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Really? Do you remember that line – used twice – from the sappiest movie ever made? I think I even read the book, thinking, somehow, it just had to be better than Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw mooning all over each other. Have I ever told you that the one genre I can’t stand to read is romance? Surprise.

But this is what I at least have learned – or at least what I have stolen – from that piece of literary fodder. “Being a writer means never having to say you’re sorry.” Which means, no more apologizing for not coming close to reaching my goals. We all do the best that we can in any given week, and all those things we don’t accomplish, we just leave out at the ice rink as the snow slowly falls. (You all have seen the movie, right? It’s been a long time, so correct me if there really was no scene like that.)

(I don't have any pictures of an outdoor ice rink, but the solitude of the Zamboni driver must come close to what Oliver was feeling, right?)

I. READING –

A. Daily goal

1. Read two other blog posts a day. No, I don’t think so.        

2. Read in at least one of the many books I am reading. No, I don’t think so either.     

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished reading five books. I am holding my own at four books so far.   

II. WRITING

A. Daily goal

1. Work on something for two hours a day. Definitely not.   

a. Work on “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”, the second book in the Bible Stories in 40 Days series. No.         

b. Write on my novel. Still, no.  

c. Write my blog posts. Here is a record, I missed not one, but two blog posts, one in each of my blogs.      

B. Goals for the Round.

1. Have published “The Christmas Story in 40 Days”. YES.

2. Have finished the first draft of “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”. No.   

3. Have finished my novel.  No.

III. REACHING

A.      Weekly goal.

1. Have promoted either one of my books on one other site or in person. I got “The Christmas Story in 40 Days” into another local bookstore. The manager was actually very excited about it. I also personally sold ten copies of “The Christmas Story” and two copies of “A Time for Every Purpose” this week.

2. Comment on two other blog posts. I think so.   

3. Research markets for an hour.  No.     

4. Keep up on social media, responding to all messages.  Yes, just barely.    

5. Have contacted one organization about a speaking engagement. No.

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere.  Umm, no.  

2. Have booked three speaking engagements or book signings.  Umm, no.  

IV. PERSONAL

A. Exercise

1. Continue to run outside as weather permits or on the treadmill at least three times a week. I ran three times on the treadmill.

2. Continue exercising three times a week. I exercised three times.   

B. Nonprofit

1. Continue working on Tumaini Volunteers, Inc. Ok, so if you want to know what I did all week, this is probably where most of my time went. I set up all our Kenyan goods at my work on Wednesday. I sold a whole bunch of stuff. Yesterday, I set it up again at a craft sale in my hometown. I didn’t do as well, but I got the word out about Tumaini and got some ideas for making the craft show next weekend go over better. Besides the time setting up and taking down both these days and spending the entire day there yesterday, I spent a few hours making signs, pricing items, packing items, etc.  

                C. Sewing

1. Finish three projects by the end of the year. No, not yet.     

D. Church Christmas Program

1. By December 21, have written, organized, rehearsed and held our church’s Christmas program. Today I really need to start calling people to get them signed up.  

                E. Armageddon

1. By the end of the year, have gotten together supplies for most any conceivable crisis, natural or man-made, which could cause life as we know it to come to a crashing halt. Still a work in progress.   

With the holiday this weekend, and a few days off of the day job, I might get something done this week. And I will not apologize to anyone on Thursday if my turkey doesn’t turn out.