Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Day 31: The end of a challenge

I did it, guys!  I really did it.  I kind of didn't think I was going to make it all 31 days (why didn't I pick February to do this?  That's only 28 days!). 

Anyway, I learned a lot over the past month.  Here's a list, because I like lists:

1) The most interesting things that happen that would make really good stories are things I can't always write about.  For instance, one day I had a conversation that went something like this:

Mom: My kid's hands are always down the front of his pants.  Always.  I tell him to stop and he gets mad.

Kid: I don't always have my hands down my pants!  You always have YOUR hands down your pants!

Mom: Kid, that's inappropriate!  He's always inappropriate!  See what he does?  All I want him to do is stop touching his penis and it turns into this.  Kid, why do you always....

Me (interrupting): Ooooookay guys....mom...let's make sure we stay calm here in talking about things.  Remember that the more attention we give kid for negative behaviors, the more likely he is to repeat them, right?  Let's try to minimize the amount of negative attention we're giving him and just ignore it.  Kid, we've talked before about the fact that it's okay for you to touch your penis, but touching your penis is private.  Do you remember what private means?

Mom: See?  The doctor says you can't touch your penis in public.  Are you listening?  You can't touch your penis in public!

Kid: MOM!!  YOU TOUCH YOUR PENIS IN PUBLIC ALL THE TIME!!!!  YOU ALWAYS TOUCH YOUR PENIS IN PUBLIC!!!!

My days are never (ever) dull.  I just can't always share the interesting parts.

2) I can always make time/find time to write.  Even if it's just for a little bit, there is always time.

3) When I can't think of what to write, I should just put my fingers on the keys.  Writing happens.

4) If that fails, ask Facebook friends for inspiration.  I choose not to think of this as cheating.

5) Tuesdays suck.  Tuesdays are also bad days for writing.  But I did it anyway.

6) I like comments.  I still get anxious that everybody hated what I wrote if I don't get any "likes" or comments.  I wish I could get over that.

7) I particularly like writing poems and angry posts about issues I care about.  Angry posts get my blood boiling, and poems cool me down.  I need a mixture of both.

8) I still write best in my bedroom, laying across my bed like I'm in middle school.  This is probably because this is how I have written since I was in middle school.  This is probably also why my wrists hurt and I'm going to end up with carpal tunnel one day.  I should probably break this habit before I write a book.  Or maybe I should just write a really short book.  Hmmmm....

9) Not everything I write needs to be a masterpiece.  If you're writing every day, it can't be.  Nothing I wrote this month was masterpiece worthy...but I wrote it anyway.

10)  I used to miss writing regularly.  Now I'm writing regularly and I miss sleep.  I wish I could do both. 

I'm not sure what I'm going to do in terms of keeping up with writing.  I want to continue writing semi-regularly, but the every day thing is just too much.  It's supposed to take 30 days to make a habit, but I have a feeling this hasn't stuck.  It's just a little too hard some days.  It's not that I'm an all or nothing kinda gal, it's just that...well...sometimes it's hard to do things, even if they're highly preferred.  Writing is in my blood, though.  I won't be gone long.  I can't be.  The writing always comes up to the surface.

2 comments:

  1. Congratulations!!!!

    I feel your dilemma about wanting to keep up the momentum and yet knowing it's too much to write every day. I struggle with that after ever NaBloPoMo.

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  2. Also, I would leave more comments if I didn't have to go through 2 steps to do so. Just saying....

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