Wait...what's this? Two posts in the same week?
I know. I can't believe it, either.
Okay, so we've finally reached the end of February. I say 'finally' because it feels as though this month (this year) has gone on for about twelve million years. I wouldn't mind this phenomenon, if I were actually getting anything done, but the harsh truth remains that I really am not.
Whatever. I'll just try again next month.
Today, however, I am offering up a review of the goals I had set for myself at the start of February and a little bit on how I did with them.
Here we go...
1. Send Second Nature to the printer.
Yeah. That didn't happen. But did you really expect it to happen? I'm still working on the blurb for the back of the book. Three-quarters of it is done and ready to go. There's just one paragraph for which I haven't yet found the right wording. I'm a little afraid that I'll be working on the blurb for the rest of my natural-born days and a good portion of my being-a-ghost days, which is sad. If I'm going to be a ghost, I want to do way more interesting things than write blurbs for the back of books.
2. Read at least four books.
I actually managed to do this one. Not only did I read four books this month, I read eight. Sure, three of those books were kids books that were lying around my mother's house (some series about a pigeon who wants to drive a bus and eat junk food), but they still count, right?
3. Walk, run, or bike at least three miles each day.
I fell short on this one, but not by much. I missed the mark on two days (one by a little, one by a lot). Every other day, however, I either met or exceeded the three mile mark, which is a vast improvement over January. The Man and I have even started one of those "Couch to 5K" type programs to help us become actual runners and not theoretical ones. It's going really well. Here's some footage of me running:
4. Do two fifteen-minute yoga workouts each week.
Yeah. I managed one ten-minute workout the entire month. So...yeah. Still a little work to do here. I don't know why I'm having such a hard time getting back into the routine, but if anyone can come up with a way to blame Florida rather than my own laziness, then please let me know. I couldn't find a gif I liked for this, so please enjoy Baby Groot instead:
Recap of Other Things I was Looking Forward to in February:
—The Super Bowl.
Yeah. That did not go the way I had hoped it would. But, like, congrats to the Eagles or whatever.
—This Is Us
Well, I sobbed and then sobbed some more. This show makes me cry a lot. I have a friend who's afraid she's this cold, unfeeling monster because she never cries while watching. I've assured her I'm just a big baby. Here's some footage of me watching the show:
—The Black Panther movie
I thought it was a lot of fun, and I want to be Shuri or Nakia or Okoye when I grow up. That is all.
—Ren Faire visit
This didn't happen. Other things came up, so the Ren Fair visit has been bumped to March. I'm trying to decide between two theme weekends: Saint Patrick's Day or Harry Potter. I know you wouldn't think it, but it's been surprisingly tough to settle on one. The Man, being the superhero that he is, has suggested that we just go both weekends. Which seems like a good compromise to me.
—The Winter Olympics
I watched so much curling. (Yet, I still don't understand it. Like, at all. I was even reading about it online, and I still don't understand it.) And figure skating. And downhill ski racing. Congrats to the U.S. women's hockey team on their gold medal. That was a hell of a game, even if it did make my Canadian friend very, very sad.
Okay, that's going to do it for me today. Tune in on Monday when I write about my March goals and plans. I promise it'll be more riveting than it sounds*...
I know it's just Wednesday, but have a great weekend, everyone! Thanks for stopping by.
*—Possibly not more riveting than it sounds.
Sounds like mostly a win. Sorry you didn't get to the ren fair. And I'm rather bummed the Olympics are over. What do I watch now?
ReplyDeleteSeason Two of Jessica Jones? That's my plan, anyway.
DeleteHey, that looks an awful lot like me running.... :)
ReplyDeleteAnd yeh on the 8 books! I totally count the kids books.
I always have tissues at the ready for a This Is Us episode.
I figure if Goodreads counts 'em, then I can, too.
DeleteI haven't watched last night's This Is Us yet, but when I do, I'll have tissues standing by. It's just SOP now.
Kid books totally count. You did well with your goals. And I have a love-hate relationship with This Is Us. I do love the show, but I hate crying every single episode.
ReplyDeleteI refer to This Is Us as my weekly tear-duct exercise. Surprisingly, I didn't cry this week.
DeleteWoot for the book reading! I've done the couch to 5K with my sis-in-law and enjoyed it. The issue we run into is extreme temperatures when running outside. Oh, and I used to never cry during movies. Now, I bawl at the slightest thing. We watched Coco over the weekend and I started sobbing. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteI never used to cry at movies or TV shows or anything like that, but now a commercial can set me off.
DeleteI hate running outside in Florida. It's just too damn hot for me. I need to invest in a treadmill so I can run in the air conditioning.
I always enjoy Baby Groot.
ReplyDeleteSince you are working on the blurb, I hope that means you did get your book formatted.
I feel the same way about Baby Groot. I figure I can never go wrong with that particular gif. :)
DeleteAnd yes, the paperback formatting is done (in theory, anyway). Still working on the ebook side of things, though. It'll all get done eventually. Probably...
Black Panther was an amazing movie! Thanks for sharing this post.
ReplyDeletewww.ficklemillennial.com
It really was great. The cast and crew did a nice job with it.
DeleteFor such a short month, February sure did seem to last forever. But you did pretty good on everything. You'll get that last paragraph :)
ReplyDeleteI know, overall, I did all right, but I always seem to base everything on how that first goal goes. I should probably stop doing that.
DeleteAnd I hope you're right about that last paragraph. I think my critique partners are sick of reading this blurb over and over again.
To be fair, there was no way you were going to get to everything else with all that curling to be watched. Besides, all those unfinished things are still here for March. Curling isn't. You clearly made the right decision.
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point. :)
DeleteYou knew there was a reason why you stick with The Man, didn't you? And I'll say the three kid's books don't count (depends on how long they were), but that still puts you one over your goal of 4. So, win.
ReplyDeleteI know. Between not running away screaming at whatever weird writer thing I've done now, and suggesting two visits to the Ren Faire, The Man should be nominated for sainthood or something. :)
DeleteAnd the kids books were really, really short. Maybe like 40 pages each.
I love all those videos! Thank you for writing such honest and fun posts.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your exercise!
Kids' books always count. I read a few comic books last year to make my Goodreads goal, so I think kids' books definitely count.
I had a series of comic books on my Goodreads goal last year. I always find those very useful in helping me limp across the finish line. :)
DeleteI'm surprised it is March already too. I need to be posting more. Yep, its on my resolutions list.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing this THREE WEEK YOGA RETREAT, a beach bodies thing. Took me about six weeks to complete the 3 - I'm on the road a lot - and now I'm starting my second three week round. Not losing any weight or inches, but I miss the stretches when I don't do a class. Kinda cool - at a basic beginners level. Doubt I'll ever make it to anything remotely resembling advanced. My favorite position is the Corpse: just lying on my back for two minutes and letting go of all the things I haven't accomplished, lol.
Corpse sounds like a position I could actually do!
DeleteNow if you can just run a few feet more before lying down, you'll have made progress! I was rocking some goals before getting a book out killed, basically, ALL THE THINGS. The only goal I'm staying on top of is reading more than I was before. So I say you're doing great.
ReplyDeleteWait...you mean I actually have to run?
DeleteAnd I know if I manage to get Second Nature out into the world that it will be at the expense of my other goals—and I would be perfectly all right with that. Honestly, that's the only one I really care about anyway.
Eight books in a single month? Whoa, impressive! You're soooo much better at reading than I am. (Have only managed to squeeze in one book so far this year.) And yes, children's books definitely count!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear the blurb for Second Nature has been giving you so much trouble, though. Good luck wrapping it up so your ghost doesn't have to!
I managed to read eight books in February, but then I'll probably go three months without reading anything. It always depends on how well the writing's going at any given time. :)
DeleteNice that you bumped up your book count. I count the books I read with my kid in my annual challenge. He brought one home the other day with no words at all... So I didn't count that one, but I bet I could! Blurbs are super hard for me too. I usually just throw it out to my CPs and they do it so much better than I could. Have a good weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteMy critique partners have been very helpful and patient in figuring out this blurb (that's why there's only one problem paragraph...). I think they'll be relieved when it's finally done so I'll stop asking them to read it over and over again. :)
DeleteYou did pretty well on your goals, I think. I went over mine for the month the other day and found out I did better than I thought.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your successes and your persistence! @mirymom1 from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
thanks for posting this. i really like your blogs because its beautiful. keep posting more
ReplyDeleteThey voted for Real Thin Brick Flooring