I'm Not Really Sure About This

So I made the bizarre and spontaneous choice of moving my blog to Wordpress. I have never used Wordpress for more than just typing things into a box and hitting "publish" for work, so I'm finding the customization etc. rather difficult. But I think I will end up preferring it in the end, as many seem to do. This blog as it is will still stay up but the new posts will all be over there. If my brain has the dumb for too long and can't figure anything out, I'll probably be back, but in the meantime join me at {{ joeandtheginger.wordpress.com }}

It's where the party's at. But only once every couple of months when I remember to do it. ;) 

#jokes.

Ondine

These are from Ondine by Benjamin Lacombe. I don't know anything about this book (except that I would probably read and love it) but the art... THE ART.

Amazing, right?

The Big 100, or Admitting Self-Sabotage

Welcome to Blog Post #100!

I've realized lately (again) that I have this terrible habit of avoiding the things I really want to do in favor of doing really boring, tedious things. By the end of the day I often wish I could go back and redo the last several hours so that my day could be fulfilling instead of wasteful.

I want to write a book. Well, to be more accurate, I want to write a lot of books, but since I've yet to even finish a single first draft my goals are a little more narrow at the moment. Every single day--seriously, every day--I think, "I should work on my book, or a book, or a short story, or any kind of creative writing." I think that, and then instead I look at various social medias and the zillion links I find there. For hours. Hours that could be spent writing. It's awkward to even admit that, but that is what much of my day looks like on a pretty constant basis. Not so great for an aspiring author.

This blog falls under the same kind of thing. I enjoy blogging and want to be consistent with it, but every time I think, "hey, I should write a post," I decide to do something else much less entertaining instead. Lately it's been the same with books I want to read, movies I want to watch, activities I want to do. And the silly thing is I waste all this time watching and reading about other people's lives, people I admire and want to imitate, and I wonder how I can be like them. And one thing I'm pretty sure all those people don't do is waste all their time doing things they don't even enjoy.

So, in keeping with the spirit of the new year, I've made a goal. Just one. I know a lot of people aren't fans of New Year's resolutions, but I say any attempt to better yourself is worth trying (even if you could technically start any day of the year). My goal has actually been in place for a month or so, but since I haven't been following through with it I am starting fresh.

I work part time, usually three days a week. On each of those three days I work about six hours, which means a lot of free time even with work. It also means I have four other days where what I spend my time doing is entirely up to me. So my goal, my one major goal, is that I write for at least an hour each day that I don't work, and to write anything at all---even just one word---on the days I do work. Mostly this should be on books, but short stories, new ideas, blog posts, or any other kind of writing that I choose to do counts as well. I'm hoping to do a lot more than an hour, but....small steps. I'm hoping that with this goal I can get to my major goal for this year (so I guess I have more than one? Ehhh...they combine. ONE GIANT WRITING GOAL!) which is to finish two complete first drafts. Totally doable!

Admitting that I'm failing (currently) at the one thing I've always wanted to do is awful. Thinking about the fact that I've never finished anything I've worked on is not encouraging. I want to get to that finished first draft, I want to put in the work to make this life-dream of mine come true. One draft, then a revision. Then a dozen more revisions, and then a book. One book. If I can get there because of what I'm trying to do this year, it will be worth it. If I don't get there, it will still be worth it because I'd be doing something I enjoy, something that makes me excited instead of glassy-eyed.

So to myself, and to anyone else who needs it, I say: Stop wasting time. Spend it doing the things that make you happy and fulfilled. Get off of Facebook and Twitter. You don't need to know about the 9 New Ways To Use Cauliflower. You don't even like cauliflower that much. You don't need to check out 13 Movie Mistakes You Never Noticed. Stop that, stop right now. Hands off the mouse.

Step away. Cook. Hike. Run. Play. Read. Write. Then keep writing.