Dumb Trends I Don't Understand

(or: Why Jen will never be a "fashionista," or whatever they're called.)

I know, I swore I would not go anywhere near a place of shopping today, on the Most Blackest of Fridays, but I decided in the end to relent and go to a mall in search of Christmas cards and free entertainment. (Yes, you can get such a thing at the mall, if you think people are as entertaining as I do.)

Somewhere in that chaotic, frantic mess, I spotted several girls sporting something that makes absolutely no sense to me: Fur-lined boots. With super short shorts. In November, in Florida.

I don't know what possesses people to do this. Am I missing something? Do their legs not get cold? Is it a wardrobe identity crisis, ie: well, it's Florida, so I'll wear shorts, but I really should be in fall mode, so hey! These boots look comfy! Or is it, for reasons unbeknownst to this chronically anti-trendy person, a sexy, fashionable thing to do?

If it were just one, I would write it off as individuality and give the thumbs-up. But it wasn't, so now I'm a little concerned. Come to think of it... maybe I should be more concerned that I'm actually thinking about it enough to sit down and write about it.

Spotted anything random and trendy lately that left you scratching your head? Do vent with me. We'll all feel better.

And if you are a Eskimo snow-boot + shorts person that I've offended, please feel free to flame me and tell me what a loser I am. :)

30K and Labor Pains

What have I gotten myself into?

These are the wrong words, at the wrong time, at the wrong place. I should be writing fiction, not blogging. But somehow, I think they need to be written, before the next four days escape and the thoughts and feelings are lost forever.

Two days ago, I crossed the 30,000 word mark for NaNoWriMo. That's twice what I ended with last year. I could stop now and feel like a winner just for that.

But oh no. This is the final stretch. In a recent pep talk e-mail, Gayle Brandeis compared the whole novel-writing process to childbirth. And though I can't speak from experience there, I'm pretty sure she was right on. Here in the last week, she says, "Now you're not just pregnant---you're in labor."... and yeah, at this point it's pretty painful. I'd say this is the part where sometimes I feel like I can't go on and I'd just rather just sit down and read something written by somebody that's not me... but at the same time, I know I've been carrying this thing around for a month and can't go back.

A lot of people have asked me how it's going (most likely thanks to my compulsive Twittering of the experience), and for that I'm really grateful. It's a bit strange sometimes, explaining that it's not really for any purpose other than a challenge to myself, and no, I can't tell you what it's about, because I'm still figuring that out myself. (Imagine that! I'm halfway through, and I couldn't even begin to explain it, because it's more like an abstract alphabet soup that I'm stirring around to see what happens.) So far, everyone has been really kind, supportive, and even genuinely interested in the mystery of novel-writing. Sometimes I think that's what keeps me going. (Too bad nobody will get to read it for a while. >:))

All I know is it started with a few nameless characters I barely knew, a dim sci-fi(ish) vision, a couple of ragged chunks of something resembling a plot, and a scary looming mountain of a deadline. The process has been exhilarating in some parts, exhausting in others... and honestly, annoying when I come home from work too tired to write and thinking of a million other things I'd rather do.

But when you cave in, let it go, sit down to write... unplug from the world and let your imagination and keyboard have free reign for a while, you never know what might happen. Suddenly these random puppets take on life and start saying and doing things you didn't see coming, start wandering around and bumping into each other and telling their stories. You're just swept up, tagging along for the ride and taking notes.

Well, that's how I see it.

And I'm pretty sure that sounds weird and delusional... but once you've tried to put a story on paper and experienced it, it makes a lot more sense. Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, I seriously recommend trying this... putting a story to paper in a desperately short amount of time. If not during November, maybe during a random month of the year when you have some free time to burn and a story to tell.

So, all that rambling to say... I've got four days and 20,000 words to wrap up this tale. Thanks to a glorious little invention called Write or Die, I can bang out a little over 2,000 words an hour. I can do the math... that's 10 hours!

10 hours. Of non-stop writing to push this little baby novel out into the world. And then, it will take time to let it grow and make it presentable... well, time and lots of TLC with a red pen. (Hence, why nobody but me will read it for a really long time.)

Again I ask... what have I gotten myself into?

Random Acts of Cake

Last night, I was feeling a bit down-ish. Also, I was struck by a sudden strong urge to bake cupcakes. (The two are unrelated.)

So, I went to the grocery store, bought a cake mix, and spent the evening scooping, baking, frosting, and decorating chocolate cupcakes with little autumn leaf-shaped sprinkles. Satisfied with my creative work, but knowing that two dozen cupcakes in a house of four people was a very bad idea, I kept some for home and took the rest to work.

Reactions to sugary treats invading the workplace is usually pretty mixed. For the most part, it's surprise, excitement, joy, and maybe a little "oh no, who let the evil in?!" But a few times, I was asked... "Why did you bring cupcakes?"

Um... I didn't know there was supposed to be a reason to bake cupcakes. I guess nobody told me about this. But then again, this is the same person who walked around the office last Friday wearing a "Free Hugs!" nametag, so that shouldn't be surprising.

Anyway, because I am neurotic and have to understand these things and like making random lists, I figure I should make a list of reasons to bake cupcakes.

1. Because I felt like it. (Well, that's not a great reason, even though it is the one I gave the most.)
2. Making cupcakes is good therapy. Some people clean. Some people jog. Some people break stuff. I bake cupcakes. There's something oddly therapeutic about mixing a few somewhat random ingredients, lining up the little paper cups, measuring the batter, and dressing these little confections with homemade icing and sprinkles. (and lots of love, dangit.)
3. Cupcakes make people happy. Seriously. Have you ever seen anyone frown while eating a cupcake? I didn't think so.
4. Everybody secretly wants to be famous for something. If I can build a reputation on being "The Cupcake Girl," that would be fine.

I don't know if these are good reasons, but wow, I feel better! (This is possibly further proof that I am just a bit random and neurotic. :))

That's all I got. Ever do something completely random, but when asked why all you can think of is, "I just felt like it?"

*does the 10K dance*

I feel like I should apologize for the lack of bloggage lately, but hey... we all know why. Because if I write anything that is not a part of the NaNo novel of doom, I feel guilty. I feel like I'm expending precious words and finger/wrist energy on something that is not furthering my goal of 50,000 words in 30 days. (I can't exactly add blog words to the tally, so...)

But tonight, we celebrate, for I have passed the 10,000 word mark. 10,425 to be exact.



See? Four green boxes on my calendar! Four!

Um... 4 out of 11. D'oh. But so what if I'm behind schedule? Curse you, schedule... I've always been a last-minute girl. *shakes fist at schedules*

Wow, I'm flying off on random tangents. I should probably go to bed.. so I can get up early and write some more. (Yay for odd work schedule this week that has me not going in until 11.)

Speaking of odd work schedules... right in the middle of NaNo insanity is real life Sharathon insanity. Yup, we're havin' a fundraiser. If you would pray for us, that would be super. (Specifically that nothing breaks, that my co-workers and I keep our sanity, and that funds be raised.) And if you would consider donating (because we kinda like getting paid :D) that would be super too.

This is probably the most hyper/ADD thing I've ever written. :P

2,295. (Yes, I'm obsessing.)

In light of NaNoWriMo season, I thought this blog was very timely and encouraging. I feel like I should write this quote out and tape it to the inside of my notebook...

"So if you make art, don't be halfway about it. Don't be trendy, don't be afraid, don't stop till it's something you love. There will always be a market for things that were made passionately." ~ Max Hsu

True. When you make art for the love of it, that's where the real magic happens. I just need to tell my cranky inner perfectionist editor that... *sigh*

Now... about my current obsession. :) Wordcount as of now is 2,295. I haven't been able to update it on the website yet, because it's pretty much gridlocked (as usual for the first few days of November).

Also, I have no freakin' clue what I'm doing.

At the last few hours to midnight, I decided to scrap all the prep work I'd done and shift back to an original idea... a couple characters I'd had in mind with no plot to speak of. (Brilliant, Jen.) Randomly switching seemed like a good idea while I was really tired... but really, there's nothing rational at all about NaNo, so might as well go for the idea that begged the loudest to be written.

It's going to be fun. Or incredibly stressful. Quite possibly both.

Now, time for... Random WriMo Tip of the Moment!
Everyone has a special writing method and a weapon of choice, analog (pen and paper) or digital (computer or word processor). I now find it way more effective to write my draft longhand in a notebook and type it up later. Sure, it takes a little more time, but it also has a double bonus... my word count gets a boost as I type, because the cranky inner perfectist editor* wants to add stuff. :)

Now a question for any fellow writers... what's your method and "weapon"? Please share your sage advice. :)


*From now on... CIPE = Cranky Inner Perfectionist Editor for brevity's sake. Or maybe I'll just call her "Hermione."