November | 2024 | Seething Apathy

I have declared the last two days mental health days, meaning I’ve done no writing, but I still feel bad about it. I just can’t sustain the concentration to keep up writing for more than ten to fifteen minutes. Today, I am going to throw myself into the study and not come out until nine p.m. for bed. I’m going to do the same thing on Saturday, but after I get laundry done.

I really need to get this novel finished, but there are so many distractions. I am in awe of professional writers that can tune out the outside world. Now that I have my study back, I might be able to get some headway done. The place was a stash room for a while – if there was something that we didn’t need in the house at the moment, we threw it in the study. I’ll post some before and after photos. The place was junky as anything for the longest time. Now, I just need to buy some shelves to put all my books up. Took a whole Saturday to do it, but with some help it was done.

I’m happy that this year is ending. I really have been itching to get back into epic fantasy and finishing three novels. Especially Tyro’s novel – that one’s been kicking around in my head for years. I feel really good about these books – them again, I always feel good about my books. I felt good (for the most part) about Tribal. I feel even better about it with a couple of changes that I’ve made in my head with the manuscript. I just need to sit down and retool it. Maybe 2026? I think the themes of cults and personal freedom are still going to resonate for a while.

So far, it’s just me and Evan trying to get stuff out. Any other writers out there pulling out their hair with frustration over Nanowrimo’s pace in general? I just think I’m really putting more pressure on myself than what’s needed. I should try to relax and just gently lean into it.

Well – I do have to get some writing done, so that’s it for now. Check out the links to the right. I am going to try to figure out how to update some of them, but the new way that this website is set up is making it a little tricky.

Ta-ta for now!

Well, it’s the November writing challenge and I am already a day behind. It’s not too bad – I’m cure I can make it up this Saturday. I don’t have any games (dang it) and I only have my office to clean up a little. I can complete this novel by the end of November and have it out by January. The most important thing I’ve learned from the past challenges is that I should have a freakout if I miss a day. Save the freak out for when it’s the final week and I’ve only written five words.

Just kidding – I’ve written way more than that.

I had a good birthday week. I went to the zoo for my yearly ‘mock the snow leopard for not moving’ and I was not disappointed. However, I’m afraid I don’t have many pictures to share. Dumbass me forgot to put a SD card in my camera. My camera was also far too polite to tell me in nay meaningful way that I had no card in my camera. So, there I was at the zoo – clicking away without anything being stores. Got some great shorts of the bald eagle. Got a very nice closeup of a polar bear. Even got a shot of a tiger being as lazy as a snow leopard. Came home and opened the camera to process my card.

I swore like a sailor and set my camera down carefully on the bed (Hey – that thing cost some money. I’m not going to throw it around all willy-nilly). I learned my lesson. I am going to check my SD slot every time I pick up my camera to shoot something.

Man…

Well – there is always next year. My wife always takes me to the zoo on my birthday. I lie going there. I like seeing the animals and making fun of the snow leopard.

The first time I went there was in August, and it was as hot and as stick as it can get out in Kentucky. When I saw the snow leopard, it was asleep in the enclosure, head rest on an outstretched paw and not moving. Not that I blame it or anything like that. I really didn’t want to move either and I was in shorts and t-shirt.

Fast forward a year and a half. It’s my birthday and this is the first time Nancy is taking me to the zoo for that particular day. It’s much cooler now and I come to the snow leopard onclosure. I am expecting the leopard ot be up and pacing about. As far as enclosures go, this one was pretty swanky with a overhead path. The other cats were jealous. I could tell.

Wouldn’t you know that the damn snow leopard was asleep? In the exact same position I left it a year and a half ago. When I turned to Nancy and pointed this out, I said “It’s not asleep, it’s dead. They had it stuffed so that no one would catch on.” Every time I have gone to see it, that darn cat’s been asleep except for one time, when I watched it walk across the sky path to the other side of the enclosure. We locked eyes for a second. No apologies were exchanged on either side.

Nothing much else happened that day.

Well – I should get back to writing about Evan’s growing digestive problems. If you want to read about him on a good day, check out The Dreaded Day Job. If you want to read about how he handles Christmas, read The Catastrophic Christmas Party. The third one will be out by January. Wish me luck!