internet addict

Love a Good List

This past Sunday I finished the first draft of my novel (yeah!). The moment I wrote those words “the end,” I felt sad, like losing my best friend sad. I love first drafts, that’s why I start and abandon so many of them. BUT, if there is ever to be a final draft or a published book, there will have to be a second draft (and probably a third, fourth, maybe fifth draft). I need something to help me get into this second draft business and what usually works best for my motivation is a good list. So here we go:

Things I Will Do Now I’ve Finished the First Draft

  1. Remind myself that the dirty dishes in the sink are not a sign that I’m failing at life.
  2. Ditto the pile of laundry.
  3. Clear and organize my desk – a clean desk means a clear mind (or some nonsense like that).
  4. Organize my notes because there are a lot of them – some on the computer, some on a legal pad, and the really good ones on the backs of old receipts.
  5. Get some moral support. Stat.
  6. Ditto a writing group. If these two things could co-exist as one (my writing group provides said moral support) that would be the ideal.
  7. Do NOT fall into the black hole of procrastination caused by work, television, the internet (particularly YouTube videos), toxic friends, guilt over the messiness of my apartment, food, and even, occasionally, books.
  8. Post inspirational collage over desk to remind me why I’m doing this (why am I doing this? Figure that out first).
  9. Perhaps some actual editing. In cupcake sized pieces. Otherwise I try to eat the whole cake at once, get sick, and never want to eat cake ever again.
  10. Find and eat some cake.

When The Internet Seems Unhelpful

I haven’t been on my schedule lately because, as with most people, a holiday, even one you only sorta celebrate, brings a whole lot.  A whole lot of people, food, board games, social outings, talking, hiking, and drinking.

This is just a pop in to say that when the internet seems unhelpful or unfriendly or full of terrible comments and ads, I like to read the Chicago Writer’s Conference Facebook page.  Whoever they have running it is a beautiful curator of writing and reading related information.  I am so glad I found their conference by chance and continue to be apart of their goings on.

https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoWritersConference

Off the Grid, Just a Little

I spent the weekend without wifi.  Is this even possible you ask?  Well I was house sitting and had forgotten to get the password.  Rather then be a pest, calling to ask for the wifi password, I decided to go without, thinking it might help me write.  Which it did, sort of.  What I really did was:

  • Checked my phone every ten minutes out of habit, even though nothing had refreshed.
  • Had the constant feeling I was missing something important.  What if my friends were getting together and talking about it on facebook?  And I missed the whole thing because I couldn’t log on?  What if they didn’t think to text or call me but instead decided I didn’t want to be friends with them any longer?
  • I tried logging on every seemingly open network.  They were all password protected at some point or another.  What happened to the days when one could easily mooch wifi because no one thought to have a password?  Now everyone watches their broadband, not wanting anything to slow up their Netflix streaming.
  • I felt bored and a bit listless.  I couldn’t research anything.  I couldn’t post blogs entries or check my email or look for job postings.  I couldn’t sell clothes online or tweet or put filters on Instagram photos.
  • I read more, wrote more, went to bed earlier, and didn’t watch terrible TV.  I felt a refreshing distance from the outside world for the first time in a long time.  My phone sat quietly.  I left it out on the balcony and forgot about its existence for a couple of hours.  I was ok.