Can I give you my list of excuses for this week? On Monday, I
worked until seven; on Tuesday, I had a meeting of our women’s group at church
until almost nine; on Wednesday, I met with our Sunday School teacher to
discuss our Christmas program; on Thursday, I went to a Pampered Chef party
until eight; on Friday – my glorious day off – I took my mom shopping and to a
doctor’s appointment in the city 40 miles away, came home dropped her off,
picked up my kinship kid and took her back to the same city 40 miles away to
buy her a dress for next Friday’s dance. Oh, but that was the highlight of my
week, seeing that beautiful 15-year-old modeling the most beautiful dress. Don’t
know why I didn’t get her picture. If she doesn’t send me a picture on Friday
when she is all dressed, with hair and makeup, waiting for her boyfriend to
pick her up, I will have to disown her.
 |
| Bowling with the Kinskid a couple weeks ago. We have to savor every moment with our teen-agers before they are gone. |
So, here, instead of my list of accomplishments, is my list
of failures this week.
I. READING –
A. Daily goal
1. Read two other
blog posts a day. Yes.
2. Read in at least one of the many
books I am reading. Yes.
B. Goals for the Round
1. Have finished reading five
books. I finished reading “Out of
Mormonism” bringing my total to three books this Round. I am almost done with “The
Glass Castle” and have started reading “Tessa”.
II. WRITING
A. Daily goal
1. Work on something for two hours
a day. Nope, I didn’t come close on this
one.
a. Work on “The Early Life of
Jesus in 40 Days”, the second book in the Bible Stories in 40 Days series. I didn’t even look at it.
b. Write on my novel. When is the last time I looked at my novel?
Three or four months ago? I am so bad.
c. Write my blog posts. No, I didn’t even do this. I once again
missed my Thursday post on my other blog. Argh. I need a swift kick in the back
side.
B. Goals for the Round.
1. Have published “The Christmas
Story in 40 Days”. I am still waiting for my supply of copies to
sell, other than that I would say this is completed, since both the print book
and the eBook are available on all the major websites.
2. Have finished the first draft
of “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”. I
don’t know about getting this done. I know I have plenty of time, just lacking
the motivation.
3. Have finished my novel. Umm, no,
see A1b above.
III. REACHING
A. Weekly
goal.
1. Have promoted either one of my
books on one other site or in person. No,
not really.
2. Comment on two other blog posts.
Yes.
3. Research markets for an hour. NO.
4. Keep up on social media,
responding to all messages. Yes.
5. Have contacted one organization
about a speaking engagement. No.
B. Goals for the Round
1. Have submitted three pieces
somewhere. Hmm? I don’t know if I can pull this off.
2. Have booked three speaking
engagements or book signings. I know I won’t be able to pull this off.
IV. PERSONAL
A. Exercise
1. Continue to run outside as
weather permits or on the treadmill at least three times a week. I ran twice on the treadmill.
2. Continue exercising three times
a week. I exercised three or four times.
B. Nonprofit
1. Continue working on Tumaini
Volunteers, Inc. Two developments here.
One bad – the craft show we were going to have a table at yesterday was
cancelled, so no income this week. One good – our website is up and running, no
thanks to me, but I will take what I can get.
C.
Sewing
1. Finish three projects by the
end of the year. Natta.
I need more goals like I need a hole in the head, but is it
too late to add two more things to my list? I am fully entrenched in our church’s
Christmas program, and my husband and I have gotten back to getting our
emergency supplies together. Let me dwell on these for the week and see if I
add them by next Sunday’s check-in. I will give you more details then if I add
these.
That's quite a list. I wish you luck. But you had a busy, busy week. :)
ReplyDeleteKinskid? I'm not familiar with the term... though you're right, she is a lovely girl.
ReplyDeleteAnd spending time with her and your mother (not to mention just having a lot of work time to put in) is a perfectly understandable reason for not getting a lot done on your goals. Sometimes those things slide.... The point is to go back and pick them up again as soon as you can. You can do it, Chris.
Sorry about not explaining about Kinship. It is a program that matches adult volunteers with kids who, for whatever reason, would benefit from extra one-on-one companionship from a responsible adult. I've been seeing my kinship kid for four years. She is like the daughter I only get to see for a couple hours a week. Now that she is a moody teen-ager that is working out well for me. Ah, she is still a sweetie.
DeleteWhat a lovely girl, with a smile that made me smile back!
ReplyDeleteHow can you call yourself a failure, when your life was so rich, and so centered in service?
I don't think you're being fair to you. I think you need a big hug (if those are your thing), and a hot beverage...and time to do what everyone around my NaNo MC seems to be telling him....Breathe, and be.
I'm guessing your writing is percolating, and it will call you back when you're ready - and then, how can your writing not be richer, with the living you've done?
I hope you'll read this post again, and see live lived well, rather than failures, Chris. No one can do and be everything...but you seem to be being and doing a lot. <3
Thank you so much, Shan, for the wonderful support and blessings. Even though a case of my latest book arrived on my doorstep yesterday, I was ready to hang up this whole writing thing. I think that maybe I do need a break, but it is certainly not time to quit chasing my dream. :)
Delete