“When life hands you garbage, write about it”

I really want to share the long story of the car accident I had the other day, but you really are going to have to check on my other blog in a few days, where I plan to post all the sordid details when I have the time. Or if you follow me on Facebook, some of the story is there too. But what do we do when life hands us things like this, we write, right?

I. READING –

A. Daily goal

1. Read two other blog posts a day. Probably close.           

2. Read in at least one of the many books I am reading. Also probably close.      

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished reading five books. YES.     

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. No.     

c. Write my blog posts. Yes.

d. Write a piece to submit somewhere. YES, two if you can believe it! See III.B.1 below. I also wrote a parody of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” as a going away present for a co-worker.   

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. Hmm? I don’t remember.

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

3. Research markets for an hour.  Technically not really but I did revisit the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” website about submitting an angel encounter piece.

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.  Can you believe that for the second week in a row I submitted something? A friend of mine puts out a poetry challenge every month and I have submitted to it in the past, though I admit I am no poet, but I think that it is a great way to hone those writing skills. The challenge this month was to write about snow. Now, doesn’t every one want to write about snowflakes falling softly and gently and use all these metaphors and clichés? Of course and how boring is that! Well, Thursday night I got in a car accident – I know. I plan to blog about that on my other blog next week – but the accident did inspire me to write a poem about the incident and even though the snow wasn’t a factor, it was there at the scene of the accident and was one of the things I noticed as I was standing about in the freezing cold waiting for the police to show up. See, we writers have to take any and all inspiration we can. So there. And I also wrote the piece about angels which I plan to submit this week to “Chicken Soup for the Soul”.

2. Have booked three speaking engagements or book signings. No.  

IV. PERSONAL

A. Exercise - Continue exercising three times a week. I exercised three or four times.   

B. Nonprofit - Continue working on Tumaini Volunteers, Inc.  I honestly don’t remember doing anything on the Nonprofit this week.

C. Sewing - Finish three projects by the end of the year. Ha, ha, ha, I need more material like I need another bowl of ice cream, but I bought some snowmen fabric to make a scrub top for work. I know that doesn’t count, but it is more inspiration.       

D. Church Christmas Program - By December 21, have written, organized, rehearsed and held our church’s Christmas program. Tomorrow morning, I will drop off the final draft of the program for our church secretary to copy. Then Wednesday I will do another walk-through with the gal who is helping me. Then all I can do is hope and pray everyone shows up and that they know their parts.       

E. Armageddon - 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.

Ok, so sorry that I don’t have time to give you details about the car accident, but here’s pictures of my poor baby car. Luckily our body shop guy is a friend and I know he will take good care of her.