Making Change

Change.

It is obviously something we all experience and is a constant in our lives. There are a number of changes that we have no power over and just have to accept and live with.

But changing ourselves--making a conscious effort and trying to make something different in our lives that will hopefully be better--well, that can be difficult. Bad habits, excuses, and the daily grind can wear down all of our resolve to make a positive adjustment to how we live.

For example. My writing, which is why I started this blog, has been going no where. And to top that off, I have been really neglecting my physical health. I know I have put on some additional weight in the last few months, which is in addition tot he weight I have gained in the years since I got out of active duty in the Marine Corps. So I am now at nearly 310 pounds...meaning that since 2000, I have gained 130 pounds!

And aside from the outline I started of the short story I had planned, I have not added anything to that in at least a week.

Now, yesterday was my birthday and I turned 35 years old. I want the next year to be better (where I am also hopefully employed), so I going to make some changes.

The first part of these changes is to address my health, so I am starting today and rededicating myself to the P90X program. I had some success with the program in the past, but I had not put in the full effort or commitment that is required. That being said, I had still lost 20 pounds before and kept it off for a year. So, I will work harder this time and really give myself over to the program.

As for the writing, I want to set aside a bare hour--a single hour-- each day where I have to sit down and actively create new material or transcribe some of the hand written draft I have of my novel.

I know this will not be easy. And honestly some of it will not be fun. But I have to do this. My health has a direct impact on my family and I want to be there for my two girls, and to spend long years with my wife. I cannot do that if I do not get control of my weight. And doing that alongside working on my writing will be a big step towards making me a happier person all around.

Wish me luck!

Cheers!

Slow Start

Well...progress of sorts has been made, but not the amount I had initially wanted.

I have this short story I've been wanting to write for a while, and I thought that a good place to start might be to get this one done to kind of get back into the mind and rhythm of writing.

And while it is only a short story, I am doing an outline and character summary for practice and to make sure I have the elements and arc of the story straight before getting the story fully underway.

So that is where I am at right now. I am drafting this into five 'chapters' or scenes and using elements that I have dreamt up and sketched out in random notes scattered atop and inside my desk that will complement this story. Some of the design elements are really interesting, or at least I think they are, and while I am not going full on world-building, I do have several cultural elements that I am excited to write about and explore.

My goal is to keep this piece short but intense and if it falls within the length requirements, I will submit it to the Writers of the Future contest.

Getting back to the keyboard

So...wow! This is my first blog here and I have something to admit...I have an addiction.

My addiction is allowing myself to not progress. I have reasons--so many reasons that I could write a whole post about why's and the how's I have held myself back from my dream of finishing my novel and several other stories, or why I have abandoned my goal of getting back into shape with my P90X (and X2) workouts.

But that is not why I am here today. Today...now...I am just here to admit that I have an addiction and to see what I can do about getting 'clean' and getting SOMETHING accomplished.

I guess that is the first step, right? Admitting that I have an addiction?

I guess the next thing I have to do is to set myself some goals. But...and I think many of you will agree...setting goals is a challenge. We all want to see results, and because we like things to happen right now, we want to see some immediate results. This can lead us into setting to high of a goal, burning out or getting frustrated, and quitting again.

Of course, I cannot set too small a goal, because then am I really making any strides to getting over my addiction to being lazy and not making progress?

Hmmm...so something in moderation.

As the title of this post indicates, I want to resolve to getting back to the keyboard and making some head way in the novels I have started. Since I have not been working, I have not touched my novels and ideas for others have just languished as little notes on my desk in a clutter that I know my wife Tiffany just hates.

So, I think something along the lines of a block of time each day that I will dedicate to writing is something I need to do. Two hours seems like a reasonable amount of time too, say starting at 8:30pm and diving into the work...ignoring the siren's call that is TV or video games (curse you Diablo 3!), and really focusing on getting some movement on either redrafting some chapters or transcribing my hand-written drafts of chapters into an electronic format.

I think that will be a good start...though I should leave myself a day each week where I do not have to write and can catch up on some episodes of my favorite shows like Breaking Bad, Dexter, and Rookie Blue.

Anyway, I think this will be a good start. Well, and also checking in with this blog not and again and reporting on my progress or to talk about any problems. Right now, with no readers, this will be more for me and to get my thoughts in order and to see in a visual format how I think I am doing.

Cheers for now!