So, the last two weeks have been 4 ‘work’ days and 3 days where my wife goes ‘get your ass off the computer!’. I’ve realized how important that 5th weekday is to reaching my 2 chapter goal. I’m coming up short every time. I’m talking dying of dehydration and heat stroke within an inch of the oasis short. A defeat so frustrating that I swear the camel dragging me through the desert is laughing . . . I think that promptly buries this analogy.
It’s true though. We set goals and we get frustrated when we don’t reach them, especially when we fight so hard. Two weeks of it brings me to Yosemite Sam levels of frustration.
Anyway, I’m going to try this insanity again. Remember, insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.
- Write 2 chapters of The Compass Key. (Failed last week.)
- Characters for Tales of the Slumberlord. (Epically failed last week.)
- Read more of Shadows Over Sheradan. (The book has dust on it now.)
- Get car inspected.
- Get hair cut.
- Pick up tux for wedding next week.
- Continue making inane goals (Got this one done on #8.)
- Set up credit union account.
- Buy yogurt.
- Promote Beginning of a Hero and wait for Prodigy of Rainbow Tower cover art.
- Try and figure out more interesting things to do this blog. I think I’ve gotten a little stale lately.
Legends of Windemere 
Well as long as you set goals your accomplishments will follow. Maybe not 100% but certainly better than zero.
LikeLike
Came to say this. Now I shall just back John up. 🙂
LikeLike
You truly are the Robin to his Batman. 😉
LikeLike
True. I think I’m on edge because I realized 2 days ago that my son won’t be in school for most of August. This means I need to finish this book and get to an editing stage, so I can still ‘work’ while watching him.
LikeLike
You are an inspiration, Charles. Keep going.
LikeLike
Thanks. I’m just going to take a small nap first.
LikeLike
Is that Pizza I smell?
LikeLike
Not yet. I got my morning promise of a pizza dinner, but that has a 50% chance of becoming a broken promise by the end of the day.
LikeLike
Good luck on your goals!
And I love what you wrote below, its so me, im always hoping for a different outcome…:)
“Remember, insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.”
LikeLike
I keep forgetting who originally said that. The internet tells me it’s either Lincoln, Bruce Lee, or Einstein.
LikeLike
oh no, i loved your post that i quoted (that line) you on my other networking site but only used your initials…haha…hopefully nobody will notice 😉 really love reading your work!
LikeLike
Thanks. Hope I continue to entertain. Not sure what to post this week.
LikeLike
Oh goodness I understand the feeling! I’m permanently stressed because of that! I tell you what I’ve been told for ages; relax, because if you’re relaxed you’ll do things better! And also that you’re too hard on yourself! I’m very good in giving advice! Not so good in following them though!
LikeLike
Same here. I know why I didn’t reach the chapter goals. I really need that 5th day and it doesn’t happen on the weekend. I tried so hard to get through that single goal that I didn’t try on the others. So, it worked like a domino effect.
LikeLike
At least you know! I find the time running away from me sometimes! I’ll end up having nothing finished by the end of the week! It’s too frustrating!
LikeLike
That’s why I make a few simple, mini goals.
LikeLike
I wish to able to!
LikeLike
It’s easier than you think. For example, eat a good breakfast every day or brush your teeth in morning and night. Real ridiculous b.s. stuff.
LikeLike
I do some of them but sometimes my body struggles to keep up!
LikeLike
One step at a time, eh, Charles 😉
And yeah…you are evergreen, so don’t worry about going stale 😉
LikeLike
Evergreen? I know the gum flavor and the tree. Are you calling me a chewy tree? 😛
LikeLike
Lol! Haven’t tried eating u. U can ask a Lich for that info 😉
LikeLike
Good luck. You should be happy you’re writing. Something I’ve been completely failing at for far too long.
LikeLike
I guess I’m lucky that I always find some time to write. Not sure what the trick is though.
LikeLike
did you try the list poetry prompt on We Drink Because We’re Poets, because when I saw the prompt I thought of your goal lists immediately… I admire you can actually set goals… I’m happy writing a poem or two a day and a couple of installments for my other blog… that’s about as goal oriented as I can be…
LikeLike
Dang it! I had that saved too and I totally forgot with all of the chaos. I blame Amazon.
LikeLike
Our lives, wife and children, other obligations, don’t care that we want to or need to write…unfortunately. All you can do is do the best you can, keep trying and you will eventually reach the finish line, even if it is a little later than you expected. 🙂
LikeLike
True. Though, they should care because it keeps me sane.
LikeLike
You are right, but those that don’t write don’t always understand. My sympathies Charles, hand in there.
LikeLike
Thanks. I’m getting through to the toddler at least. Mostly I distract him with cheerios.
LikeLike
Oh one thing… is that dessert made out of cupcakes? 😉
LikeLike
Fixed! Ha!
LikeLike
Oh dear, sorry you didn’t hit your goals last week. It’s a nightmare when you work out all the things you have to do – my to do list next week is ridiculous and that’s allowing for an almost full working week (excluding the paid job I have to go to of course!). Good luck for the rest of this week.
LikeLike
I made a smaller to do list this week since I have a wedding next weekend.
LikeLike
Dang…you are a busy “goalie” :). Having that one day gone has got to be hard!! Here’s hoping you exceed all of your goals in the allotted time!!
LikeLike
I’m going to be happy if I can reach them. That chapter goal is always the hardest.
LikeLike
I imagine it would be!! I don’t k ow how you do it all 🙂
LikeLike
The trick is that I really don’t. 😉
LikeLike
Lol…well just keep doing what you are doing!! Nimby is on his way in a little bit 🙂
LikeLike
Sweet. Is this the last installment?
LikeLike
I think so. It depends on the word count. I try to keep each post 700 words or less 🙂
LikeLike
Got it. Thought it was so close to the end that it would slip through.
LikeLike
hmmmm…4 thru 9 can be done in one day. Put them on one list in some sort of location order. It’s actually only four errands. I have a schedule on the fridge: up between 8 and 9AM; a coffee and breakfast and writing until noon or 1PM. I do not come to my blog or onto the internet – except to research – until AFTER I’ve finished writing for the day. I enjoy your blog, Charles.
Ellespeth
LikeLike
You definition of insanity gave me the chills, purely because of a game called Far Cry 3. One of the villains in it is nuts and has an amazing scene where he discusses the definition of insanity. 😛
LikeLike
Is that what he says?
LikeLike
Not word for word, as far as I remember, but it’s a similar paraphrase. 😛 He’s quite a terrifying man!
LikeLike
It is amazing how much one more day matters! Good luck with the writing! I’m going to be lucky to get in a 2 day week this week. So I hope you get all your goals accomplished! 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks. I hope you get some goals done too this week.
LikeLike
Thanks. I’m making a goal post right now. Stay tuned. 😉
LikeLike
I’ll be waiting on pins and needles . . . this chair is really uncomfortable.
LikeLike
😉 You, sir, need to invest in a chair.
LikeLike
Yeah,, Keep losing the battle, inch by inch, because you know when you add up all those inches, the battle will be won, by you.
Keep on Keeping on
LikeLike
Thanks. That’s all any of us can do most days.
LikeLike
Yeah, Take the hits and hope when the final act is upon us, we are winners..
This is how I talk in a changing room…. 🙂
LikeLike
Haha, sounds much like my life, Charles. Work through the week, wife pesters me to get off computer, back to work… 🙂
LikeLike
Yup. Though, I’ve noticed that I’m occasionally pestered to get off the computer and then I find nobody wants to do anything with me. They just didn’t want me on the computer. Tricky people.
LikeLike
I feel your pain. I’m setting up goals so I can get through the July Camp of NaNoWriMo with a first draft of a third novel, but I feel a little queasy about it. We are having our kitchen redone (new cabinets, countertop, applicances, plumbing) in July as well. With any luck, the kitchen work can be an excuse for me to take a day or two from my regular job and use those days to write while keeping my eye on the kitchen. Yeah, and pigs fly.
LikeLike
Distractions abound! I have a wedding this weekend, my son is off for a week at the end of the month, family is visiting in July, son’s birthday is in July, and then my so is off for most of August. All I want to do is finish writing my 5th book, so I can do edits while my son is home. It’d be so much easier then.
LikeLike
You continue to amaze me. The only goal I had one day was to finish the rest of the carton of Ben & Jerry’s Everything but. Good news: I accomplished that goal!!
LikeLike
That’s a goal I could get behind. 😀
LikeLike
Ditto Charles! keep at it.
LikeLike
I’m chuckling to myself about the yogurt on the list. XD
LikeLike
It was a very important part of the list since I was out. I also learned that food shopping on Sunday is pointless because most of the shelves are a mess.
LikeLike
Oh yes, I try to avoid grocery shopping at any point during weekends. The best time to go is about . . . 7 or so in the morning. That way the shelves are restocked and you can avoid the crowd.
Cheese popcorn and coffee are at the top of mine. 🙂
LikeLike
Morning is best, but 7am is pushing it for me. Toddler doesn’t hit the bus until 7:45 and then there’s the whole ‘I don’t wanna start the day’ issue. 😉
LikeLike
7 AM is pretty close to bedtime for me. Perfect time.
I can definitely see how that schedule would be an issue for early-morning-grocery-shopping. My ‘I don’t want to start the day’ lasts for an EXCESSIVELY long time, usually at some point in the afternoon. XD
LikeLike
I’ve had days like those. Thankfully, I have a little critter running around the house to make sure I do something in the morning. It’s usually not something on my terms.
LikeLike
How are you getting on with these? there are a lot of goals there Charles…. may I suggest breaking them down even further? ie instead of 2 chapters start with one, figure out timings ie you wont be able to get a hair cut or the car fixed in the middle of the night…could you get your hair cut and collect the tux WHILST the car is getting done…etc etc time management, logical thinking (and saving yourself some headaches -hopefully) just trying to help – good luck with them 🙂 xB
LikeLike
Unfortunately, the tux, the haircut, and the car were nowhere near each other. I spaced them into 3 morning errands. Only one that went wrong was the tux.
I used to be able to do 2.5-3 chapters a week. I dropped it to 2 and things went smoothly. Just the last few weeks, I lost a day. It might be like that all summer, which is killing me. I could get 2 chapters done if I didn’t keep losing a day. That’s the main goal, so it’s delaying the others. At this rate, I’m going to have to drop it to 1 simply to make myself feel like I’m doing better. It’s still feasible that I can pull off 2 chapters this week, but I’ll be cutting it close.
LikeLike