summertime distractions

Considering that I only worked the day job Tuesday and Thursday last week, I am really disgusted with myself when I look at these goals. Oh, well, it is summer and the lure of my deck and the sunshine are too tempting to avoid.

Accomplished goals are highlighted in green, worked on are in yellow and didn’t work on it at all are written in red.

Writing –

1) My novel

a. Do one more edit, typing up an outline for each chapter as I go. Work on it every day. Worked on it four times. .

b. Spend three hours per week working on a pitch for publishers and agents. No.

c. Decide on a title. Had pretty much decided on “Where the Sky Meets the Sand”. Then on last week’s blog, Denise had commented that I could shorten the title to “Where Sky Meets Sand” which I instantly liked better. But now that I’ve thought about it, I’m not sure. “Where Sky Meets Sand” implies any sky could meet any sand, while “Where the Sky Meets the Sand” stands for that African sky meeting that African sand. However, half the story takes place in the US, and even though there is no talk of sky meeting sand there, meetings still take place. Am I overthinking this????

d. Bonus Goal. Ask my friend who went to Kenya twice to read it and let me know if she thinks the African details are accurate. Done.

2) Blog twice a week here. Done

3) Blog three times a week on the Dino Chronicles. Done. From July 29 through August 14, I am celebrating the ten year anniversary of my first trip to Kenya, so am reposting the blogs I wrote in 2010 about that trip. Maybe not new material, but it still is time-consuming finding the proper old post, editing it and sending it to social media.

Reading –

1) Finish reading three books - “Little Bee”, “More Than a Story” and “My Maasai Life”. Read in “My Maasai Life” almost daily, so that is on track.

2) Read three ROW blog posts twice a week. Read four from Sunday, but I don’t remember if I read any from Wednesday. Where is my mind?

REACHING –

1) Update my website once a month. Nope

2) Submit three pieces. Not yet but I did find a market for a flash fiction piece I wrote many years, before “flash fiction” was even a think. I just liked writing short, short stories then. The publication is currently taking a summer break, so is not accepting submissions until August 1. Tomorrow!

3) Once a week post something promoting my books or myself on each of my social media. Yup. I am using that ten year anniversary of the trip to Kenya for all its worth.

Personal –

1) Physical

a) Lose ten pounds. Nothing.  

            b) Stop eating junk food and stop snacking between meals. Been trying and failing

            c) Work out more faithfully

1- Exercise four mornings a week. Done

2- Lift weights and/or run four nights a week. Only did twice

2) Spiritual

a) Read my Bible every night. I read my Bible I think only three or four nights

b) Read a devotion every day. This was probably five or six nights.

NONPROFIT –

1) Start planning our next trip. Nope

2) Sign up for the fall round of craft shows as fundraisers. Nope

We are going on a short camping trip this week, so am going to limit my goals to finishing those edits on my novel. I’ve done up through chapter 25, so only have 14 left. Also will be without the internet during that time, so I won’t have that distraction. Wish me luck!

Soon will be my home away from home