Lots of Monkeys

Days like this make me want to walk. They just do. Tonight, I decided that I was going to walk just up the street to the CVS a few blocks from my house. Then, as I left the front door of my building, I completely changed my mind and walked to the Giant about three quarters of a mile away from me.

It’s something about the snow on the ground. For me, it represents a comfortable kind of cold. Not freezing, but cold enough to have to bundle up.

It’s strange. The carton of milk I bought from the grocery store was colder when I put it in my fridge than when I bought it.

Overall, the walking feels good. I guess I missed my morning and afternoon commute.

First of all, it’s a snow day. Free day off. Woohoo! Well, hopefully we’ll get another snow day, but in other news, I got the strangest phone call.

Unknown Girl: Hi!
Me: Hello.
Unknown Girl: Hi, this is the tenth floor, our bathroom is out of soap, could you send someone up here to replace it? There’s nothing, and I’ve got all this black particles on my hands from pushing on the soap dispenser.
Me: Um, who do you think you’re talking to?
Unknown Girl: Uh, is this the front desk?
Me: No, this is a personal cell phone.

*click*

Sometimes, you just really get the wrong call. Too bad she’s out of soap though.

Well, I went ice skating tonight. I’m also praying for a snow day tomorrow. I’m tired. But overall, I’m glad that I went. It felt good to be on the ice. I’ve been away for far too long. I think the last time was with krasota and explodingcat, although I remember that explodingcat just sort of stood at the sidelines and kept cold.

I wore just enough today to be warm while ice skating, but not freezing to death when standing still. I think I’m finally getting the hang of this “winter” stuff.

It was a good time though. There’s nothing like the feeling of getting out of your ice skates and back into regular shoes. It’s one of the best feelings, I think. Before I left, I touched my knee to the ice–I usually do this as a sign of respect to the ice spirits. So far, it’s done me okay and I haven’t wiped out too badly at all the last couple of years. Okay. I’m hoping for snow–time for sleep.

Just thinking about the simple pleasures. Caught the half-price burgers during happy hour at Clyde’s in Friendship Heights yesterday. Good burgers. Yuengling on tap.

Mmmmm. . .

Thank god it’s over.

Writing fifty-thousand words in thirty days has been an educational experience.

You learn things. Mainly how the delete key should be removed from your keyboard. Not that you shouldn’t delete things. It’s okay to throw bits and pieces away–but only when you’re editing. Your writing process and your editing process should be separate.

There is the remembering. You’ve forgotten that nothing is perfect. You were scared, but now that realization is planted firmly in your head and you’re free to write again. And, of course, you realize the power of the deadline. Deadlines, especially personal ones, can be powerful motivators.

Probably the most important thing that I’ve proven to myself is that I can finish a manuscript. Looking at the manuscript now, I’ve got about one hundred twenty pages that contain, in total–fifty thousand sixty-two words. My plans about fleshing out and writing stories about all those little ideas in my head no longer intimidate me.

Taking a story idea from inception to completion in fifty thousand words is possible.

Even if the idea is, “I’m going to write about as many genres as possible so that I can possibly have enough material to draw fifty-thousand words from. Themes may include: High school romance. Alternate realities. A Princess in distress. The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Elder gods. Evil twins. A ‘rag-tag’ group of rebels. A ‘Chosen One.’ Robotic Ninjas. Cloning dinosaurs. Oh, and Giant robots.”

I honestly believe that this particular storyline was inspired by a girl that I had a crush on in high school. Of course, that character changed completely.

The end result of NaNoWriMo 2002:
I’m outlining a short story now, and saying to myself, “Yeah, maybe five to ten thousand words. I’ll give myself about five days–that should be plenty.”