NaNoWriMo Results

I wanted to post this pic of Dunvegan Castle - the castle that houses the Fairy Flag relic that inspired me to write my novel- because today marks a significant moment in my writing life: it's the day I entered my first writing contest since high school, when I entered and won a Pennsylvania Keystone Award for Journalism... 18 years ago.

For those of you who have been following my NaNoWriMo adventure, you may recognize that today is the last day of November and therefore you're probably wondering if I successfully wrote a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

Well, yes and no. I wrote about 8,000 words of a new project, then decided to go back to my longstanding novel project and re-wrote about 40,000 words of that and added an additional 20,000 so I guess I did meet my goal but I'm not submitting my work officially to NaNoWriMo. Why? Well, I don't think I stayed true to the task. I didn't write a new, 50,000 word novel in a month. I may have written over 50,000 words, but my novel is still not finished so I don't think it's fair to enter it.

Instead, I entered the Gotham Writer's Workshop contest detailed here:

http://www.writingclasses.com/ContestPages/YAPitch.php

This contest is more of a pitch contest where writers send the title and the first 250 words of a young adult novel. According to blog.nanowrimo.org, "The top 20 submissions will be read by editors at HarperCollins, Penguin, Harlequin, Random House, and Sourcebooks. Those judges will then pick the top five winners out of that twenty, and the top five winners will receive commentary on their submissions as well as a 15-minute, one-on-one pitch session with YA literary agent Regina Brooks".

Let me tell ya, it was NOT easy putting those 250 words together; in fact, it was probably one of the toughest writing tasks I've ever faced but I did it and I'm fairly happy with the results but more importantly, I'm proud that I've taken a step outside of head and my laptop toward realizing my goal.

So, What's La Pointe of It All? Well, I've figured out a few things about myself as a writer and whereas I do think I work well under pressure, I don't think I'll ever attempt NaNoWriMo again because there's pressure and then there's PRESSURE and I only work well under the lower cap one.

How Stupid Do They Think We Are?

Gullible Grape
Originally uploaded by inspiremycanvas

This morning I was reading a newsletter, published by an organization I belong to, that along with updating members on several issues, also addressed member concerns.

One of the concerns involved a recent online evaluation members received via email from a separate entity that members were obligated to complete and return via replying to that particular email.

A member questioned how a response can remain anonymous if one replies via email - after all, if the email appears in one's inbox and one must hit "reply" to respond to it, then one's response is sent from one's email address, thus making the responder easily identifiable, right?

Well, not according to the separate organization soliciting the responses, who responded to this concern by saying something along the lines of, "evaluations are Internet-based, which makes them anonymous".

Seriously. I kid you not.

What's worse is that apparently, the organization I belong to is willing to accept that response, which makes me sincerely question those in charge and the organization as a whole. I mean Christ, even I know how to run a basic search on an IP address - hello, Google.

So, What's La Pointe of It All? It's this - I'm sick and tired of all of the namby-pamby pusses in this world who, in lieu of asking difficult questions and holding people accountable for satisfactory and truthful answers, would rather stick their heads in the clouds or, in my opinion and more likely, up someone's butt.

The Best Day Ever

Duisdale House Reception
Originally uploaded by Camaro's Hood

We watched a re-run of Jim and Pam's wedding tonight, after our Thanksgiving dinner guests went home. The first time it aired, Matty fell asleep about 5 minutes in to the show; yes, I know what you're thinking: your husband fell asleep at 9:05 on a Thursday night? Yep, it's true - that's my big fat married life and I love it.

Why? Because if you look above at our wedding pic, you'll see how awesome it is to be married to your Jim. Seriously - he's my Jim... well, ok - maybe he's my Pam and I'm his Jim (I'm definitely the wackier one in the relationship and well, Jim did fill Dwight's phone full of nickels which is totally something I would do) but nah, he's my JIm for sure and our wedding day felt exactly like the way Jim and Pam's post-Maid of the Mist kiss looked on TV - perfect.

I bawled my eyes out when I watched that episode on its first run and I did the same again tonight when we watched it together. Matt was a bit confused when he looked over and saw the tears but when I explained to him why I was crying, he smiled and agreed - our wedding day was the most kick ass day in all of our shared and individual histories.

So, what's La Pointe of It All? It's this: on this Thanksgiving day, more than anything else in this world, I'm most thankful for my husband, Matt. He's more than I ever hoped for and more than I probably deserve. He kicks major turkey ass (check out our spatchcocking pics on FB) and he adores me. 'Nuff said.

Love for Nie Nie

Framed Nie Print v.2
Originally uploaded by du_buh_du_designs

The Nielson Family was on the Today show this morning and thanks to DVR, I was able to watch it this afternoon when I got home from work.

If you're one of my regulars, most likely you've read about Stephanie on my blog. If not, well, take the time to search back through my posts or Google her because she is one of my role models and I want the world to love her as much as I do.

I don't just admire her because she survived that horrific accident, I admire her for who she is: a creative, articulate, loving, genuine inspiration. Each day when I read her blog, I'm inspired to create something, write something, love someone, and stay true to myself while doing those things.

I heart Nie Nie - if I'm going to be the White Oprah, I want Nie Nie to be the next Martha Stewart!

So, What's La Pointe of It All? If you're not reading nieniedialogues.blogspot.com, bookmark it and read it daily - it will make you a better person.

I wanna be Oprah

Mimi & Oprah
Originally uploaded by dannrayv

Whenever students ask me what I wanted to be when I was a kid, I always tell them the same thing: I wanted to be the White Oprah.

Now, I didn't want to work my way up through the journalism business; I had NO interest in starting out at some podunk cable access network and then getting a late night spot on the local news before moving on to prime time. No, I wanted to be talk show Oprah.

Think about it: do you know anyone who talks more than I do? Who asks more questions? Who has an insatiable need for information?

Exactly. I'm perfectly suited for the job.

Now that Oprah is retiring, I think I should fill her spot. Well, me and Angelica Pinkerton, who would be my co-host. She would LOVE that and the audience world wide would finally get to see just how damn charming and clever we both can be.

So, if someone out there is reading this and you have a connection or a string you can pull for us, I promise I'll pay you back once I take over the world. And if you aren't quite sure what the White Oprah would do on her show, here's a few snippets of ideas:

- Once I was established and worth billions, I would give away a ton of cash every Monday. Literally - I would cart garbage bags full of quarters to the nearest weigh station and weigh out a ton of them (approx. $40,000) and then I would pack them onto a big truck all decked out just for the occasion (maybe I could have one of those "pimp my ride" shows outfit one for me, emblazoned on the side in bright letters "The White Oprah's Ton of Cash Giveaway") and I would drive from town to town followed by my camera crew and choose deserving people. Hmm, maybe I would even have someone make a papier mache cow for me out of bills so I could also have a "cash cow" giveaway...

- I would invite Ellen Degeneres onto my show for a dance off. I have some sick moves and it would be a real competition.

- I will invite the Octomom to come talk about her experience but only if she agrees to wear a giant octopus costume.

And there's more where that came from, so stay tuned!

So, What's La Pointe of It All? 2011 is going to be my year: let the White Oprah reign!

Jenna Jameson - My New Role Model?

jerm IX

I know, it sounds crazy, right? Jenna Jameson, a role model? MY role model?

Simmer down, readers, simmer down - it's not what you think. I do not want to follow Jenna Jameson's career path by any means - far from it. I am NOT part of the "1 in 3 viewers of online... are women" statistic.

No, I do not want wish to be any part of the adult entertainment industry (not a consumer or a participant) but I do covet one of Jenna Jameson's best qualities: I want her will.

On yesterday's Oprah show, Jenna sat on stage and told the world how she has made an empire out of something she was good at and enjoyed doing. She did it, she did it well, she wanted to become the best in the industry, she worked even harder, and she succeeded.

Now, she is married and just gave birth to twin boys and she's retired. Yes, she recognizes that her choices could cause a lot of embarrassment for her sons in the future and she's nervous about that but she's not ashamed of who she is or what she's done - she's only concerned about sparing their feelings, like any good mother.

She fought hard to get to where she wanted to be and now she is there and she is reaping the rewards of her labor.

And as Matt and I sat watching her on Oprah via DVR last evening, I burst into sobs of defeat, jealousy, and hopelessness. Why?

Well, because there I was, sitting on my couch plugged into my laptop and my cell phone, fielding text messages from parents informing me that their student's essay was in my inbox, could I read it and check the grammar?; responding to seven emails from students who truly needed my guidance to finish the last part of their research projects; forwarding information I had forgotten to send earlier in the day because I was interrupted by yet another person who desperately needed me to do something then and there; stressing over the ungraded papers and unentered grades that are coming due in just a few days; desperately trying to work on my novel so I can finish it before January, and worst of all, worrying about whether or not there will ever be enough money for me to put aside all of the above and stop stressing and finally begin the life that I want to live.

Jenna is younger than I am. She has her babies. She has a beautiful home and a doting husband and all the money in the world and she deserves it - she worked very hard for it.

But I'm working just as hard. I'm working a minimum of 15 hours a day trying to fit in all of the above. Which means there was no dinner for my husband last night. And my house is filthy and needs scrubbed from top to bottom. And Matty hasn't had a packed lunch for the past few weeks. And my unattended obligations and correspondences and laundry are piling up. And my car needs washed and cleaned out.

And my life is in chaos. And I can't get out of bed on time anymore because I'm just so, so tired. And I cry a lot. An awful lot.

And worst of all, because of this, my poor, poor, lovely husband who is so wonderful to me and who spends every minute of his life thinking only about me and our happiness and who is always positive and supportive, well, he gets me in return for all of his wonderfulness. That is so not fair.

So, What's La Pointe of It All? Jenna Jameson is winning and I am losing. I need to take some lessons from her - and not the kind she is used to giving.

Ethicquette

(ethic)ette
Originally uploaded by stesitula

Hey readers, I need your advice.

I'm pretty excited that, for the past few weeks, I've been writing daily and furiously but I'm even more excited because I've been working on the project I began last November.

There was a time I was really afraid it would stay stored in its computer folder and never see the light of day. Writer's block had set in last spring but honestly, I didn't do much to move past it because I was too focused on wedding plans. Which, btw, gave me the perfect excuse not to write so I went with it.

I'm thankful to NaNoWriMo for being the goose that got me going again and I'm not even bothered that I spent part of November starting two separate projects, which together total something like 15,000 words or that I'm not sure if I still qualify to continue in the competition.

What do you think? If I add an additional 50,000 NEW words to my year long project (by new I mean words that express new ideas or create new scenes, not words used to re-write already written scenes), do you think I still qualify?

I'm sure I could look it up in the fine print somewhere or go onto a message board and ask but honestly, between checking email and Facebook, I'm already too distracted by the Internet that I don't want to lose another hour or more researching it today because I'm on a roll. It's bad enough that I'm taking a break to blog but I know that some of my students read this blog (well, at least I know of a lovely young lady and a quirky young gentleman who do: thanks, kids - I love you!) and so I thought I'd chance it and pose the question to my readers.

So, What's La Pointe of It All? Well, readers, hook a sista up: I trust your opinions and will abide by your decisions. Do you think I can ethically continue as part of NaNoWriMo based on what you've read in this post or should I gracefully remove my hat from the ring and try again next year? Thanks for helping me!

My New Jersey

New Jersey Turnpike postcard
Originally uploaded by Smaddy

Lately, I've been a bit testy about life in Jersey.

Well, to be honest, I've been down right nasty about the way the world works here. For those of you who do not live in New Jersey, do yourselves a favor and unless you have a ridiculous amount of money to spend, don't move here.

Unless you can afford to live in a lovely area that you rarely need to leave, well, then this picture reveals what your life will, inevitably, boil down to: the NJTP.

Yeah, I've blogged about Turnpike misery before but it hit an all time low Tuesday morning on my way to work when I blew a tire (because there were too many potholes to avoid) and had to sit in my disabled car in the middle of four fast moving lanes of traffic.

Now, when I say fast moving, I'm talking tractor trailer trucks, buses, minivans, pickup trucks, luxury sedans, souped-up Hondas, etc. traveling at NO LESS than 85 miles per hour.

(You think I'm kidding about that speed? Ha! Obviously, you don't live in New Jersey. In Jersey, if you don't drive at least 85 on a major road, you're going to be rear ended and killed. The End.)

Yep, from the time I placed my first call to AAA, I sat there for THREE hours waiting for help because the idiots at AAA (to whom I pay 80 freakin' dollars a year) couldn't decide which tow company was "responsible" for me. It seems that Jersey City thought I was Kearny's problem and well, Kearny wanted to pass me off on Newark who, in the end, differed to Elizabeth.

Now, consider this logic: I'm traveling SOUTH. Elizabeth is SOUTH of where I am stranded. Why, in God's good name, would any jackass EVER think it a good idea to send a tow truck NORTH during RUSH HOUR to do a U-turn and then come south? IT MAKES NO SENSE. Clearly, AAA Operations is where truly muddle-headed people go to die (except for the lovely woman who, after 4 people disconnected me, made my call a priority and sweetly and genuinely attempted to help me - she is a saint).

I hate New Jersey. I do - I just can't hide it any longer. Yes, it has its benefits - and I'm not talking about its proximity to NYC - screw NY, I'm a London girl, a Glasgow girl, a Philly girl, a BOISE girl but not a NY girl. I tried, I failed. There is more to this world than the dirty hype of NY, a place where filth, poverty, corruption, superficiality, and false dreams FAR outweigh its light dusting of glitter. End of discussion. (Sorry for that rant - I'm a bit testy as I mentioned earlier and my opinion could change in a heartbeat. If it's any consolation, I am happy that two of my friends are considering moving to NY... please forgive my lashing.)

Let me begin again.

I hate New Jersey. Here, first reactions are aggressive and frightening, not at all welcoming, because in this state, people have cultivated brashness as a defense mechanism. Of course, most warm up quickly but man, it is intimidating when a receptionist at the DMV barks at you! Also, the roads SUCK. They are too congested, too old, too pocked with holes, and it SUCKS not being able to EVER TURN LEFT - particularly when you are left handed and therefore left side dominate!

I can't even get started on the expense of living in this state because, well, considering we spent $400k on 700 sq. ft. of space, I am obviously feeding into its "the more you spend, the cooler you are" mentality of this state. I try to justify it knowing it would've been impossible for us to buy anything larger for that amount of money, anywhere in this state that we would even consider living.

Hmm. I'm tired of whining about NJ so I'm going to shut up now.

So, What's La Pointe of It All? It's this: I knew when I started dating Matty that I would end up in this pit and I chose to proceed and then married him; therefore, I need to shut up and think positively. I mean, who knows, maybe I'll get lucky one day and end up in line at the DMV next to Zach Braff or Tara Reid.

ADD in Idaho

addyHeart
Originally uploaded by mpisaarmy

NaNoWriMo is kicking my ass. Instead of surging forward with 1st manuscript I started (7000 words), I began another one the other day (9700 words) and now can't decide which to go forward with and may just go back to my yearlong project (57,450 words), which would mean no more NaNoWriMo.

At the moment, I don't know if I should continue with my death project, the chick-lit project, or the YA fantasy project but I do know that I am experiencing massive amounts of self inflicted guilt because I'm not pushing forward with any of them and am instead doing a lot of blogging and eating.

The day before we left for Idaho, I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off calling in my script, picking up the hard copy, walking up to Washington St. to the pharmacy, etc. only to be denied.

Why? Because the script was dated for November 8th and it was only the 4th. I tried to explain that I was going to be in Idaho on the 8th and that I only had two pills left but of course, the worker didn't give a shit and I was left sans pills.

Then he told me to "have a good evening" to which I replied, "I absolutely won't have a good evening now, Sir, nor will I have a clear moment in the next 5 days, thank you very much".

And my NaNoWriMo conundrum above is proof of that: I'm about to lose my mind. I haven't felt this confused/unmotivated/detached or derailed in a long time and it's killing me. Although this trip has been fab, my mind has been a complete wreck and I hate it.

I understand it's a controlled substance and all but seriously - where's the humanity! I have one pill left that I've been saving for the plane ride home because I fear my brain could possibly implode during a six hour journey if I try to think and write.

So, what's La Pointe of It All? It's this: for those of you who think clearly, embrace your ability. For those of us whose thought process resembles a bowl of spaghetti, a word to the medicated wise: make sure you don't run out of meds before you embark on a 5 day journey far from home.

GO IDAHO!

Sawtooth Winery
Originally uploaded by Visit Idaho

I'm super excited - today Matty and I are heading out to tour some Idaho wineries! I think we'll check out Sawtooth and 3 Horses and perhaps hit another one on the way back to Emmett.

Idaho has been fabulous so far - it's gorgeous, it's stress free, and we're with family. It doesn't get much better than this!

Yesterday we went on a scenic drive through the Snake River Valley and saw part of the Oregon Wagon Trail, plus ancient hieroglyphics detailing the migration of the native Indians from 10,000 years ago!

I'll post a longer blog this evening because we are itching to head out and explore the wineries... and get a Starbucks!

Seriously, I could move here in a heart beat - Boise is a fab city - clean and full of life and every shopping opportunity I need to be happy. Matt digs Idaho State's blue "smurf" turf football field and could probably become a Bronco's fan. Plus, the housing market here is, well, enough to make those of us in Jersey want to crumble to the ground and cry. I mean, take your pic for the same amount of money - a 700 sq. feet condo or this:

http://idx.diversesolutions.com/search/1817/2#PropertyID=15161613

(yes, it has garage space for SEVEN cars AND an additional 700 sq. foot APARTMENT above one of the garages)

Or if you want to spend a little more, perhaps you could enjoy this view instead of enjoying the view of your neighbor's every move, as most of us in Jersey get instead:

http://idx.diversesolutions.com/search/1817/2#PropertyID=16599490

(we drove by this place yesterday and it is situated in what I think is, by far, the most kick ass "subdivision" I've ever been in - I'll take this view as my neighbor anytime!)

So, What's La Pointe of It All? I know what you're going to say - but it's Boise, not NYC but answer me this honestly - how many of us truly take advantage of the city because personally, I only ever hear people complaining about having to trek in more than once or twice a year. I need out, wanna join me in Idaho? If you want to see more, just go to www.boisebeautiful.com ... and be prepared to weep!

Angelica Pinkerton's (mother's) Big Scare

I pick up Pinks about 17 times a day - no kidding. Sometimes, I carry her from room to room just because, well, because she's so damn cute and I can (we only have two rooms, so it's not like I'm carting her around on long treks around our roomy abode). But yesterday when I picked her up, I felt a weird lump in her belly and it freaked me out.

At first, I tried to talk myself into believing that it was a normal cat bump and they all had them. I believed that for about a minute and then I got really nervous and launched in to my favorite game - Worst Case Scenario. I thought maybe I could get through the night pretending that it was no big deal until I remembered that our new next door neighbors (yes, the ones with Guitar Hero whom I'm always whining about) have two cats and the guy is in med school, so like the freak I am, I walked across the hall, knocked on the door, and asked if I could feel their cat.

I know - it's a strange request but hell, once I explained the situation they were all for it and allowed me to grope their cats. And yep, I didn't feel a thing; I was gobsmacked.

The nerves set in and were apparent; I felt really awkward but fortunately, my neighbors noticed and kindly offered to come over and feel my cat in return (it's good having a doctor in the building).

It took ages for me to catch Pinks (she is super skittish around strangers, particularly men) but finally I did and Edward had his way with her and felt her up and yep, he felt the lump, too. After he left, I kinda started to cry and then called the vet he recommended, tried to not think about it last night, went to bed, and then woke up and spent the day waiting.

Now, today was not a good day for an emergency visit to the vet and needless to say, I was a little overwhelmed: I had to put in a full day of work (despite the 1/2 day for students), attend a faculty meeting, read 50 pages of student writing for tomorrow, write 1500 words to keep on track for NaNoWriMo, clean the apartment from top to bottom anticipation of Erik and Tif's stay this weekend, pack for Thursday's 7 am flight to Idaho, cast my vote for governor and mayor, and an emergency visit to the animal hospital? Oy.

Thankfully, Pinks is ok; as a matter of fact, she's pretty damn perfect and that fatty lump is, the vet thinks, a hernia that isn't an issue and probably never will be but we'll keep an eye on it for now. She was so good at the vet - like, super star good, so good that every doctor and employee in the joint noticed and her name was on the tip of everyone's tongue. Oh yeah, she was the buzz of the day and at least 5 people came up to me to comment on what a "chill", "adorable", "sweet", "darling", and "awesome" cat she is !!

So, What's La Pointe of It All? Well, I now know why people put so much stock in their children's accomplishment and in the praise others offer: my head is like, the size of Mary Jo Buttofuoco's after Amy Fisher shot her... or maybe it's just my allergies.

NaNoWriMo Day 2

NaNoWriMo Support Badge
Originally uploaded by Denni Schnapp

Well, it's day 2 of my NaNoWriMo attempt and I'm at 5,777 words. I've never written like this before, i.e. not going back and re-reading, revising, or re-writing. Instead, I'm just plugging on full tilt to try and get the words out and I'm not sure I'm liking the approach.

I'm sticking to it, however, because it's what I've signed on for and because I really want to feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the month - even if it's nothing more than a virtual pat on the back in the form of an electronic badge stating "You're a Winner" (in NaNoWriMo, everyone who completes 50,000 words - and not the same word repeated 50,000 times - is a "winner").

Geesh - what a feel good, elementary school attitude, eh? It kinda makes me want to stop on principle alone: I don't believe in the "everyone's a winner" approach to life. I also don't believe in the "he who finishes first is better than he who finishes last".

I do, however, believe in finishing but I think it should be done on one's own time. Some of us take a long time to form our thoughts and then need even more time to organize them, review them, make sense of them, re-organize them, and then deliver them.

Thoughtfulness should not have a time bomb attached to it which is why I rarely, if ever, asses a timed writing as anything more than a first draft.

Which, in a sense, is what NaNoWriMo is trying to do with its novel in a month approach and therefore, I dig it: they aren't asking me to produce a finished product in a month's time, just a first draft of 50,000 words. Thank goodness - that, I may be able to handle.

So, What's La Pointe of It All? It's this: a first draft is a opportunity to begin organizing ideas in writing and see how they transfer to paper and it should be judged accordingly. But unlike in some other worlds, in my world, a first draft is just that - the FIRST opportunity. It will never be the last. Long live revision!