Don't expect much

I am posting this late as I got home late last night from my conference out of town for the day job and had lots of catching up of other things to do all day. This is also going to be my last post for a few weeks as I leave from Kenya on Thursday. Even though I will have intermittent internet access, I’m not making any sort of commitment, just going to do the work on this trip that I have to and hopefully still have a little downtime to just relax.

Here’s my list of goals for April, May, and June. I thought I had gotten so much done, but here it is almost the end of April, and I won’t have any progress until well into May. But I need this time off from everything and will get back up and running after the trip.  

Green highlight is goal accomplished, yellow highlight is goal at least worked on, red lettering is goal not even attempted. Maybe I’ll try a Smiley face if the goal is all done for the Round. If I didn’t give it any color, it’s because I couldn’t really work on that goal for whatever reason, and I just didn’t want to drag in another color. 

A. WRITING

J1. Finish a final edit on my novel, “The Truth Beyond the River.”  Done, on April 5.  

2. Continue tweaking my book proposal / query, as needed for each literary agent I intend to contact next. So, even though the first proposal of the Round was mailed April 6, I already heard from them that it’s been turned down. Which means, that even though this goal had been accomplished already and given a smiley face, it is back to square one.   

3. Write eight chapters on my next novel, which I am giving the working title of “New Old Spies.” Not started, but I’m really close. Ok, I typed up the title page. Oh, boy!

4. Write a piece to submit to the Guidepost Magazine Writers Contest (deadline June 10). Not started.

5. Write three posts per week for my other blog, “The Dino Chronicles”. Done.

 

B. REACHING

1. Continue sending that proposal / query to each next agent on my list. Once again, a goal which was met and now is back on the table.   

2. Submit the polished piece to Guidepost’s Contest. Nope. Gotta write it yet.

J3. Submit a poem I wrote a while back to the next issue of Voices on the Wind Poetry Journal (deadline April 20). Submitted on April 12 and just found out that it has been accepted for publication later this month. I guess we win some and lose some.     

3. Promote myself or a piece of my writing (whether it be promoting one of my books, submitting a piece somewhere, saying something brilliant about my writing on my social media, etc.) once a week. Hmm? I sold 12 books at our sale this weekend, so I think that counts.

C. READING

1. Read the daily assignment in “Today’s Light” Study Bible. I think this needs a red this week, as I have not been reading nightly and am way behind.  

2. Read the daily devotion in “Jesus Calling”.  Done.

3. Finish reading three other books.  Didn’t read much of “Escape the Coming Night” by Dr. David Jeremiah.

D. REMAINING

1. Physical

a. Increase my water intake. Hmm? Since I am still fighting this cold – or at least the residual cough - I have indeed really been pushing the water.  

b. Cut way back on my sweets intake. Hmm? Since I am drinking so much water and juice to combat this cold, I don’t have room for much else!  

c. Do whatever my specialist says to do that is going to heal my heel. Really working on it, wearing my boot, icing it, but the whole staying off it thing is pretty tough.

2. Home fires

a. Clean out my mom’s papers. Not yet.

b. Do a major cleaning of one of my closets. Not yet.

c. Plant my garden. Wonder of wonders, despite the two feet of snow we got last week, it has warmed up enough that the white stuff is melting and I can already see my garden.  

3. Tumaini Volunteers

a. Write the Policy and Procedure manual. Not started.  

b. Host two merchandise sales. Had the second one this weekend.  

c. Return to Kenya this Spring! My son has got our rides to and from the airport and booked us a place to stay in Zuirch, where we have a 23 hour layover. He’s also heard from out hosts and has an agenda for the first couple days we are there.  So, I’m thinking I am just along for the ride.   

Will post an update as soon as I get home in two weeks!

I'm so excited to get to go back to the Land of the Maasai.