Goobye '08, Hello '09

2008 was a year filled with many milestones. The birth of my first son, and second child. Seeing my daughter start what I believe will be a long gymnastics career. My first taste of life as a mom to a baby with some scary health problems. I met my breastfeeding goals. And yes, even acheiving some writing goals.

There are many more things I could go on about, but suffice it to say, it was a great year.

I'm hoping 2009 will be even better.

So, in no particular order, here are my goals for 2009 (because resolutions are just so Cliche).

1. I will survive AJ's surgery without valium, but instead with the love and support of my family and friends.

2. I will drop these last few baby INCHES from my waist. I'm determined not to worry about the scale, but rather the flatness of my stomach. I'll trade this flab for muscle any day!

3. I will try to be a better mom - because there is no such thing as perfect, and we can always improve ourselves.

4. I will continue reading at least two books every month.

5. I will complete In Gryphon's Snare, write a query, and send it out.

6. While waiting for the rejection slips to come in, I'll begin my next novel and begin the process all over again.

7. I will join a crit group and submerge myself back into the land of aspiring authors, because even the bestsellers were once where I am now.

Well, I think that's plenty to keep me busy for the next year. What about you? What do you have planned for the upcoming year?

JaNoWriMo

Yep, I made that up completely.

I'm almost 1/4 of the way through the first draft of IGS, and I'm really feeling the flow. Unfortunately, that sagging middle is coming up, and I'm starting to get a bit scared. Since I didn't get to participate in NaNo this year, I've decided to create my own. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll have Sven to whip my butt into shape and keep me in line, so I'll have to come up with my own piece of manmeat.

Patrick Dempsey...definitely.

Yes, McDreamy with a whip is certainly a vision to keep me motivated.

While I scour the net for a picture to post on my bulletin board so I can drool over him...I mean have him watch over me...while I get my MS finished up.

My JaNo goal is go have at least 80K written by the end of the month. This includes the 25K I will already have written by then (I am just over 21K now, and will have the other 4 done by New Years). So...I will write a total of 55K during the month of January.

Anyone else want to join Patrick and I for a little sweating in January?

Keeping Your Goals

Goals...as many of my crit partners can attest to, I suck at them. Well, that's not entirely true. I'm awesome when it comes to setting them. It's the accomplishing that I'm not so great at. So, when I sat down a month ago and decided to start writing again, I did it with the best intentions, but also with the idea in the back of my head that I wouldn't actually keep to it. Especially with Christmas coming up so fast.

The good news is, I've been sticking to my goals!!

Maybe I don't sit and stare at the computer screen absolutely every single day - but I am honest with myself in that if I'm just surfing the net, then I DO make sure I sit and stare. Some days, I just honestly can't make time to sit in front of the computer. As a mom of two very young kiddies and a husband who works two jobs...it happens. But, every day that I *can*, I *do*. That's all I can honestly expect of myself.

I am being honest with myself, and it's paying off.

I'm 17% of the way through the first draft of a WIP I've been tinkering with for over a year, and that makes me happy. 17% in just three short weeks is huge. I'm on track, I'm staying focused, and I'm keeping to my personal timeline.

It appears I can attain my goals after all :). GO ME!