We finished the last of our family and friends holiday get togethers last night, visiting and exchanging gifts with my aunt and uncle in Coon Rapids. We had our traditional holiday lasagna, watched some football, showed each other pictures from our other holiday season events, and engaged in family gossip. It was a lovely evening.
I stayed away from the novel over the weekend, but as soon as I finish this post (and do dishes and start laundry) I plan to jump back into rewrites. I did start a new short story this weekend. Lately I feel like I'm not writing as well as I can. I don't know if the long slow-down over last semester took some edge off me or what, but I have not been really happy with any of my efforts lately. I am very deliberately writing my current short story using Algis Budry's seven-point plot style. Yes, it is a bit mechanical, but I feel like I need to do this to resettle myself, and if the story comes across as hack work because of it, oh well. Sometimes, when things are not working, you need to return to the basics.
And because I was tagged by Kelly:
The Seven Quirks About Me Meme
1. I need white noise or I can't sleep. I fact, I really prefer to have some kind of white noise (usually a fan) at all times.
2. Even if I decide to wait and shower later in the day, I must wash my hair first thing in the morning, or I can't think.
3. I do not like socks and only wear them when I must. I think socks are the devil's playthings. Feet should be free.
4. I am left-handed, but I swing baseball bats, golf clubs, and two-handed weapons right-handed. I can generate more speed and power right-handed for some reason. Everything else I do left-handed.
5. I cannot write, read, or focus on a conversation if the television is on. The flickering light, sudden movements, and noise are too great a distraction. This is probably why I don't care for the TV very much. I can, however, work at the computer, reading email and LJ when the TV is on.
6. I take my first cup of coffee in the morning with sugar. All the rest after that are black.
7. I cannot sit down to write unless I have finished the basic housework, such as dishes, laundry, and general straightening up of the house.
Now, I need to go clean house so I can get started on my rewrite!
In Peace
Michael