The End of the Month. Almost.

Yikes! It’s almost the end of the month. Where did it go?

My daughter came up on Friday, the day I usually get the most done. But that’s okay, coz it’s more important to spend time with her. We did work a little bit on the nonprofit, though, so that was good.

I keep looking at how long these posts are and would like to make them shorter, as I know I don’t read really long blog posts. But I just have so many things going on and don’t want to cut anything out. All these different things keep me from getting bogged down. You know, like when one thing just isn’t speaking to me, I can go on to something else.

Oh, well, here we go with that long list. Goals fully achieved are highlighted in green, those attempted are highlighted in yellow, and those not even looked at are in red letters.

A. WRITING

1. Finish the chapter by chapter summary of “The Truth Beyond the River”. Taking longer than I thought. I’ve only done through chapter 22.

2. Start the other stuff I need for submitting “The Truth”, such as marketing plan and I can’t remember what else. Nope, not really.    

3. Write three posts to the “Dino Chronicles”. Done.

4. BONUS: I ran across a website for a magazine which sounds interesting and is taking submissions. I dredged up a story I had started years ago and wrote 564 words on it. The deadline, though, is the 31^st, so I will never get it done and polished in time. I will have to finish it and submit it the next time they have open submissions in June.

B. REACHING

1. Read four other blogs and comment on two of them. Read six and commented on four. (I think I could up the stakes on this goal.)

            2. Continue researching literary agents to contact.
            Have a list of three.

3. Promote “Where the Sky Meets the Sand” in one totally painless way so that I can stop feeling like such a loser about it. Apparently, it’s easier not to try.

a) I sent out copies to three different libraries in three different states, all to cities which are in the book. I don’t know if I’ll get any feedback, but at least that is three books in circulation (hopefully, if the librarians don’t just drop them in the recycling bin).

                        b) I sold two copies, one to a writer friend and one to a patient.

                        c) There’s another 5-star review of it on Amazon. Up to 22.

4. BONUS. My article on Smelt Fishing will run in the April/May issue of Our Wisconsin Magazine (see my previous posts).

C. READING

1. Read the daily assignment in “Today’s Light” Study Bible. Up to date.

2. Daily read “Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee”. Yup, still only a third of the way through it though.

3. Read the daily devotion in “Jesus Calling”. Up to date.   

D. REMAINING

1. Physical

a. Exercise four mornings a week. Yup, 4 times.

b. Work out three evenings a week. Nope only twice, but shoveled snow twice, so that’s a workout. 

c. Do the two-minute drill at work eight times total. Only 6 times at work, but I did yoga three times with my daughter.  

d. Cut back on sweets. Nope.

e. Increase water intake. Doing pretty good at work, but not so much when I am home.

2. Home fires

a. Snap pictures of two dozen old photos. Nope.    

3. Tumaini Volunteers

a. Prepare the tax-deductible letters to send last year’s donors. Nope, my son swears he is going to do it.

b. Send the tentative itinerary for Medical Outreach in the Fall to the three people who have expressed interest. Nope, it dawned on me that I’m going to see them next weekend, so will wait.

c. Message the director of the volunteer organization we work with in Kenya about this possible trip. Yup, she thinks it sounds good.  

d. Post two items for sale on Etsy. Yup.

For the coming week:

A. WRITING

1. Finish the chapter by chapter summary of “The Truth Beyond the River”.

2. Start writing the other stuff I need for submitting “The Truth”, such as marketing plan and query letter.    

2. Write three posts to the “Dino Chronicles”.

B. REACHING

1. Read five other blogs and comment on three of them.  

            2. Choose a literary agent to query.   

3. Promote “Where the Sky Meets the Sand” in one totally painless way.

C. READING

1. Read the daily assignment in “Today’s Light” Study Bible.

2. Daily read “Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee”.

3. Read the daily devotion in “Jesus Calling”. 

D. REMAINING

1. Physical

a. Do something physical twice every day. (Breaking down exercise, work out and the two-minute drill during the day is getting lengthy, so am combing them all.)   

b. Cut back on sweets.

c. Increase water intake. 

2. Home fires

a. Snap pictures of two dozen old photos.  

3. Tumaini Volunteers

a. Make sure the tax-deductible letters went out, whether I did it or my son.   

b. Talk to three people about the possible trip next fall.  

c. Work on the procedure manual.

d. Post two items for sale on Etsy.

As the first month of the new year winds down, how are you coming along with your goals? Ready to tweak any of them? Best wishes with that.

The three dogs taking my daughter and I for a walk on Friday.