Get to work!

Coffee, housework, tons of homework for myself and Little Man, stinky dogs, and even stinkier political news on the television in the background...oh, my! What a day. What shall I start with? Well...my 15 minute challenge, of course.  The lovely, talented Debora Dennis has issued our group, Passionate Critters, a daily challenge that I intend to push toward everyday.  Wanna play along?

The rules are simple:

(1) Find 15 minutes in your daily schedule to write - twice. (Get up 15 minutes earlier and stay up 15 minutes later at night if you have too - really 15 minutes isn't too extreme!)

(2) No editing during that 15 minutes.

(3) No plotting during that 15 minutes.

(4) No spacing out - you MUST write for your 15 minutes!
The hard part for me is deciding which manuscript to work on...

On your mark...set...GO!!! Are you up for the challenge?

TGIF!

*sigh*  I am plum worn out.  This last week has kicked my behind, peeps.  My day begins with opening up the house and turning off the AC now that the weather has cooled.  I let the dogs out and clean up any mess in the kitchen from the guys preparing their daily lunches and start laundry.  I either make coffee or open my morning energy drink and take my meds.  Then I check email, respond, check in with my crit groups, check in with OU online classes, and prepare Little Man's schoolwork for the day.  Time for a nap yet?  No?  *sigh*  Ok...if Little Man is still asleep, I start working on any class assignments I have due.  If nothing is due immediately?  I open a chapter to write/revise or a crit.  The rest of my day just goes downhill from there as soon as Little Man wakes up.  Today's Friday so the cowboy comes home earlier than usual and our weekend plans take over.  And now that college football season has begun?!  My Saturdays revolve around family plans and football games.  Woohoooo!!

But...my Passionate Critters critique group is on a new mission to create goals for ourselves and FOCUS.  Whether it's related to writing or your daily grind...FOCUS on creating a schedule that works in everything you need to get accomplished.  My mornings mainly consist of personal and household activities but my new focus will be to include at least 30 minutes of writing time, critiques, and exercising.  I've been stressed out lately because now homeschooling is taking up any extra time I had to write.  But it doesn't have to.  So many times I've skated through the day to realize I didn't really get anything done I'd intended.  So here goes nothing...FOCUS.  Yes, my focus definitely needs more focus.  I've written my goals on a large index card and have it sitting beside my laptop to remind me of where my attention needs to be.

How about you?  Any methods or programs you use that you'd like to share?                    

Back to work...

Summer is officially over in our household.  Fall classes are in full swing for the Man/Child and I.  I'm homeschooling Little Man this year and I've got his lessons planned for at least a month.  The Man/Child has decided to take part-time classes at a local college while he works full-time.  *sigh*  I hate that he has the opportunity to go to college full-time and only work part-time...but he is considering moving out and wants to test the waters in the real world.  Thankfully he's not in a hurry and has confessed that he loves having the comfort of our family life.  It helps that I understand he's on the edge of freedom from mom and dad, but I just wish my heart had a better grasp on it.  It doesn't help that I've witnessed a few cruelties of the real world and wish I could wrap my child in bubblewrap and keep him safe a wee bit longer.

Anyhoo.  My hands are working because I've started Remicade infusions and they seem to be helping.  But some days I get around a little slower than normal with the fall weather pattern throwing cold fronts our way.  My cowboy and the rowdy boys make my blessed life so much easier by helping without being asked.  Well, ok, I do have to ask occasionally.  :)  We had the cowboy's birthday party last weekend with friends and family.  It's also our favorite time of year so we'll be having a few more cookouts and football watch parties.

My writing, you ask? Slow and painful.  Fall classes are kicking my butt and I'm swamped between my homework and Little Man's studies.  I actually have four chapters finished and up for critique in both of my groups.  One day at a time.  My current goal is to work towards establishing a better schedule so I can fit everything in that I need to accomplish.  My writing is taking a backseat and it's difficult to find the time to be able to sit and immerse myself in the story.

What is everyone working on?  Has your schedule changed with the start of school?