The Land of Literary Abandon

I know I'm competitive, sometimes I think too much so, but that's me. So when Mike started talking about the writing challenge during November I got sucked in too.

You can go here to read the details, but the basic idea is that around the world during the month of November, aspiring writers are challenged to write 50,000 words of fiction - a novel. No one has to read it, and the focus is genuinely on quantity versus quality - just WRITE. Coming into this a bit later than I probably should have, I don't have a sketched out plot line, or outline of chapters, etc. Which is how *I* would have liked to do this. But as those involved with NaNo are aware, the biggest hurdle to finally sitting down and actually writing that novel we all say we want to do is to just WRITE.

So, the focus is on word count. I have no intention of ever trying to submit what I'm writing to be published (well, at this point anyway) so that also frees me up to not worry about the plausibility of the storyline as it unfolds. It is challenging to forget about grammar though and I'm doing some editing along the way - can't go completely out of the box on this one.

Since I didn't go into this with a planned outline, my story is evolving as a series of scenes that I write as they come to mind. I have a general idea for the story of course, but the particulars - nope, don't really know. Because I'm me, I'm more focused on relationships between crew members in this story (Trek story!) and not so much on their mission. I have to throw in a distress signal, some civil unrest on a new Federation planet and all that, but that's not really the fun part for me. 

But as I get further and further into the story, I'm thinking I need to take a step back and sketch out an overview - timeline if you will - of the story as I see it right now.  It's already getting challenging to remember where I left Kirk or Sulu!  As this thing grows to over 100 pages, it's not going to be easy - or very efficient - to be looking back and finding that I left Chekov in the bathroom for 3 days or something. 

The story takes place shortly after the events in the latest Star Trek movie - Kirk has been promoted to Captain and assigned to the Enterprise. The crew we all love are together on the ship and getting to know and respect each other. Since this takes place in the alternate reality, there are all kinds of possibilities. Uhura and Spock are especially fun to write - who knew?? :-)

Because it's Star Trek a lot of the dialogue just flows - we all know Uhura is going to say "hailing frequencies open"; etc. but they do sometimes carry on other conversations. Really, they do!  I'm trying to actually picture the characters saying the lines I'm writing for them - I feel like I know these people sometimes so that's not too hard.

So that's my life for the next 27 days. I'm at about 7,500 words - 15% - and am writing every chance I get. I know there will be days when I'll be away from my computer (perish the thought!) so I'm 'stocking' up on that word count whenever I have a chance.

As a friend posted recently, "Write On!"

Woo hoo!! Now we're REALLY retired!!

Check it out - we bought a 31 ft Class C motorhome today!!  It has 1 slideout, plus a 'loft' bedroom so Sarah can have her private space.  After 3 years of looking, it was time to take the next step.  We got a great deal - it's a 1998 and cost less than my car did.  We're really excited and after taking it out for a few test runs the next few months, we are tentatively planning to hit the road full-time starting next April.

Click here to see more pictures on Facebook.

Gap baby model?

With such adorable grandchildren, I knew it was only a matter of time. 

GapKids and babyGap are in the midst of their annual casting call for models and Jennifer has entered Jack's photos in the contest. There are 4 photos and you have the chance to vote for each photo as a favorite - AND you can vote every day through November 17. 

I'll warn you though - you do need to 'sign up' on the website.  Give them an email address and wait for an email from them to confirm you are a real person.  We've gone through that step and haven't received any spam or unsolicitated email from them, so don't let that stop you.

Friends and family out there - will you help Jack pay for his college education?  Thanks!

Click here to vote for Jack!

Just donate the money for heaven's sake!

If you've been wondering what's with all the pink ribbons on food packaging, purses & clothing, and even buildings lately, it's because October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  In case there is one person left on this earth who hasn't been touched by cancer and in case they need a reminder that cancer is still around and still killing people.

Don't get me wrong - I don't have a problem with pink ribbons everywhere.  But I'll admit I don't really 'get' the whole 'awareness' thing.  I mean, maybe seeing pink everywhere is supposed to make you more inclined to donate money to the cause?  Or maybe you just go ahead and donate so when you're asked at the store the next day *again*, you can say "Already did - thanks!"  And yes, I know it takes money to fund research to find a cure.  And there are a LOT of diseases out there and each and every one is a passionate cause for somebody.  No one knows better than I do that heart disease and cancer are ugly and the world would be a better place without them.

But what DOES bug me are the companies who jump on the 'fight <insert disease>' bandwagon as a way to get you to buy their product. 

Right now there are lots and lots of products in the grocery store touting their altruistic policies because they 'support cancer research'.  Great.  Go for it.  Plaster pink ribbons all over your yogurt packages.  But if you say you're going to donate $1 for every box top, label, UPC code we send you, that irritates me.  If you want to donate a portion of your profit to some charitable cause, yay for you.  I may even buy your product over something similar because of that.  But then you want me to send you the label before you'll make the donation??  Why??  I mean, you've already made your money - I bought the thing.  So what's the reasoning behind making me cut/tear/clean a portion of the trash and send it to you??  That doesn't earn you any more money - in fact, it cuts into MY disposable income by having to buy an envelope & stamp(s) to send it to you.  Granted, 50 cents is not going to make or break me, but hey - it's the principle of the thing!

The only thing I can think of that it will do for you is that you'll then have my address to add to your mailing list.  Great.  Now you're going to start sending me unsolicitated solicitations in the mail (although I wouldn't be surprised if there is some small print on that label saying that if I send it to you so you make the donation I'm also giving you permission to add me to some datebase).  Yeah, I'm jaded. 

It just strikes me as deceitful and self-serving for companies to use this tact.  It's probably not going to stop me from buying the particular yogurt that I want, but it's annoying and I don't like being used.

Noelani's first modeling gig...

If you're not on Facebook, you can see more pictures from our photo session this afternoon at this link:  :-)

Click here to see!