It Really Did Eat My Soul!

"The first draft of anything is sh!t." -Ernest Hemingway

NaNo 2009 is officially over in about 12 hours. I didn't and won't make it. I'm okay with that, though.

I am still about 10,000 words behind and I have to go pick up my cousin from school in about half an hour. I'm babysitting until about 7 tonight, so there's really not much time to work and bust out those ten thousand words.

But, considering that I went to bed Friday night almost 20,000 words behind, I'm feeling very accomplished.

My novel is close to completion, in a very loose definition of the word. It goes from Point A to Point B in a fairly straight line. Then, there is a short gap between Point B and the ending.

Right now, and for at least the next week, I will be working feverishly at closing that gap, figuring out my characters (they ended up throwing some things at me that need to be sorted and figured) and editing.

I am determined to get this done by the end of the year. 31 more days of torture and insanity!

I am also looking for anyone interested in editing/critiquing this very rough, horrible draft of the novel. I already have a couple people lined up, but if I could get a couple more opinions, it would be that much better. And I'm hoping to get some complete random stranger from the NaNo Forums, because they are serious writers and very harsh critics. And I'm a glutton for punishment.

(It is yet un-named. It's had three titles so far, but after a few days, they seem not to be the ones, so I'm still searching for that perfect novel title! I have 174 pages of titles to go though and it makes my head ache.)

I promise, I won't throw the whole novel at you all at once. Unless, that's what you want, then you'll have to wait for the third draft or so, but still, let me know. :) Send me an email: brandi.montenegro@yahoo.com and we'll talk.

I am glad that this is over. I can return to a semi-normal life tomorrow. Yeah, we'll see how well that one works out, eh?

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and that you aren't completely dying going back to work this morning!

I get to go do the sugar test tomorrow morning (28 weeks!!), and hopefully talk the doctor into checking me. I don't think there's a serious problem, and it's probably just that the baby is growing so much lately, but I've been feeling pressure the last week or so. I'm sure it's nothing, but it just doesn't feel right, and it's better to know. :)

So Far Behind.

I took a little too much of a break in my novel.
I am currently 13,444 words from catching up on my word count for today.
I am 18,435 words away from completing the 50,000 word challenge.
Unfortunately, I am almost to the end of my book.
There's a ton of editing that needs to be done.
Tons of details that need to be worked out.
And four days left to get it done...

Uhg! It's gonna be a long weekend.

Just Want One Good Day

...without tears
...without pain

No, I'm not doing okay.

When You Feel Like Giving Up, Remember Why You Held On For So Long In The First Place.

I'm having a hard time remembering.

Friday Fragments

Brought to you by Half Past Kissin' Time.

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Wow, it seems I haven't posted since last Friday! Sorry, but not really... I've been losing readers, losing comments, but that's fine. I haven't been the best at commenting or reading blogs lately... So, it's well deserved.

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I'm halfway through my word count on my NaNo novel for this year. I've run into a few problems with my characters and communication, or lack of. So, we are taking this weekend to talk and figure out what's going on.

I have a new guy, who is becoming a big part of this book. Taking some of the responsibility from Ryan, and of course, Ryan's sitting back and letting him.

Alexis, unfortunately, is being way too passive. It's annoying the hell out of me, and I really want to slap her around some. That's something we definitely need to work on, there.

I've also realized that there are many things I don't know about my characters! I am conducting "interviews" with each of them (there are five that are important), and learning so much! It will definitely help in the editing next month.

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I've started some new sewing projects as well.

The first things I'm getting done are receiving blankets and matching burpies! I found some very cute monkey fabric in blue, pink, and green. I finished my first blue blanket Wednesday night and it's so cute! I'm glad I chose to use ribbon for an edging rather than piping or rick rack. It's a lot more work, a little more difficult, but looks so much nicer!

I don't like rick rack at all. It honestly looks ugly and cheap to me.

I made some more bracelet/necklace sets as well. They're so easy to make, and Kayde loves counting out the beads!

If, or when, Wal-Mart gets more insulated batting in stock, I'm going to start on some hot pads (pot holders). I think they would be great as Christmas gifts, and Wal-Mart has some cute Christmas fabric. And after struggling with the blankets (I sewed the ribbon on the blanket twice before I got it right!), these seem so easy...

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Speaking of fabric... Does anyone know of any place online I can buy fabric? Does Michael's do that?

I'd love to make a trip to the city to buy some, but money is tight as it is at the moment. Christmas is coming, followed by Ethan's birthday and the new baby. Wal-Mart's selection is decent, but I'm starting to run out of options.

Maybe that's better, though. I could spend well over $500 on just fabric and edgings. And, Michael's is a huge store. I could be lost for days!

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I am getting to a point in my pregnancy that I'm having trouble with the weigh gain. I'm not gaining too much, I'm not gaining too little. I started out overweight, and as of Monday have gained a total of 11.4 pounds. I'm right on track, really.

But, I stepped on the scale Monday morning and was mortified by the number. I haven't been up that high in almost a year. I've been up and down with about seven pounds, but never up this high. I'm scared.

I know it's healthy, I know it's normal, and I know I'm only going to gain more weight. But, it doesn't help the feeling.

And, I have been working out. So, I know I'm not gaining much extra fat. I do at least 2 miles a day with Walk Away The Pounds, and I like the walks that use the weights. Plus, I do strength moves for my arms and legs. But, I can't wait until this baby is out and I get to go back to 30 Day Shred and Pilates and I love the kickboxing cardio from sparkpeople.com.

I really don't have any cravings, either. Once or twice I've had some, but it disappears the moment I buy what ever I was craving and get it home. Other than the hot Cheetos I just bought, I'm eating them now...

I was craving hot wings the other day. I bought them, cooked the whole bag, and ate three. My husband ended up taking the rest to work.

I guess it's just one of those things I have to deal with. I just wish something so beautiful didn't have to stress me out so much!

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Random Question: Why do people have a favorite M&M?

When I was younger, I loved the light brown ones. I was actually sad when they stopped making them. Now, I love the blue ones.

They all taste the same, so what's the logic in that?

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I need dinner ideas. And lunch. I am so tired of food, and cooking, and thinking of what to feed everyone! And I'm sure my kids, and the kids I babysit, are tired of mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, and sandwiches.

Friday Fragments/Focus Friday

Brought to you by Half Past Kissin' Time.

**Another week done and gone. At least this one wasn't quite as fast...

**NaNoWriMo 2009 started on Sunday. So, I'll probably be on even less than I am right now. I've got 30 days to write 50,000 words. I'm sort of cheating this year, though... But not really. I'm finishing up my novel from last year (only counting the new words I write) and trying to get Book 2 written. Then, I'm going to spend next month editing and polishing my novel, and writing query letters. I want to have the letters out by the beginning of January to agents. Hopefully I'll have my books sold and published by the end of next year!

**Kayde turned 3 on Thursday. Wow, does that make me feel old. 22 with a 3-year-old and an almost 2-year-old. I'm really going to be hurting when I take her to her first day of preschool next year! She got lots of cloths for her birthday. A total of 5 pairs of pants, three shirts, one very fluffy coat from Grandma, and a pair of boots. She got a really awesome magnetic dress up doll. It's like the paper dolls we used to play with, but it's made of wood and the cloths are magnetic! She loves it. She got some dress up - makeup - stuff. Kayde is a girly girl and a tom boy all rolled into one. She loves makeup and dressing pretty, but she'll take her pretty cloths and shoes and go play in the mud with them! She carries her "toy purse" with her almost everywhere, but likes to wear tennis shoes with her dresses. She's great!

**Now, I get to spend the weekend sewing up eight pairs of jeans! We've moved from the baby section to the Little Girl's section. Size 4's are so much cuter (not to mention more expensive!) and fit her so nicely, they are just too long, so I get to hem them... Oh, joy!

**Brother got a pair of boots for Kayde's birthday, too. All he really cared about was the balloons, though.

**Kayde is 99% potty trained! She hasn't quite gotten the pooping down, but tells me right after she's done it. And she's having no more than one wet accident a day. Some days we go without one at all. We were out of the house for grocery shopping Wednesday, for three hours, and on her birthday for about 4 hours. She wore training pants both times and was completely dry when we went potty and came home. Why couldn't it have been this easy the first time we tried? I have decided, though, I'm not even going to attempt training Ethan until after his 3rd birthday, unless he decides first.

**I'm getting more necklace/bracelet sets made up for my Etsy shop. I'm debating whether to spend my babysitting money this week on fabric for some hot pads and receiving blanket/burpie sets or to rent a carpet cleaner... My living room needs it so bad!

My focus this week, and for the rest of the month is NaNoWriMo! 50,00 words. As I type this, I am sitting at about 12,000, so I am a couple days ahead. I usually am ahead for the first few days of November, but as the days go on, I get behind. I ended last year with around 32,000 words, and about halfway through my novel...