YoCW has begun!!!

I'm sad that I didn't get to spend "Read Across America/Dr. Seuss" Day (yesterday) reading to kids at the library or some other social function.  Instead, I did sneak away for a moment and read from my current book, Only the Innocent by Rachel Abbott.  It's a fantastic book that has a touch of intrigue mixed with mystery and suspense. It has been a fun read thus far but I haven't been able to get too into the book with the things that have been going on.

I have started another exciting year at the YoCW (Year of Continuous Writing) Project.  This time, I intend on trying my best and keeping writing at the forefront of my priority list.  A small (but growing -- apparently it has grown leaps and bounds since it's inaugural year, last year) group of writers band together to support each other in the same goal: Make this year the most prolific, fruitful year of writing ever!

Yesterday, I wrote a measly 2k.  I am hoping to surpass that today but my schedule is full.  I have decided that waking up an extra half an hour or hour should provide me with even more quiet writing time.  After 9 PM, when Jake's granddad goes to bed, I can also get a couple of hours in front of Microsoft Word or Scrivener.  

As of late, writing has been my hobby.  But this year, I'm hoping to make writing my career.  With that in mind, I have dedicated this year at YoCW to improving and honing my craft and pumping out some great short stories and a novel or two...,or four, if I really knuckle down!  Wish me luck!

Today's prompt:

You haven't fed the goldfish in days.  The goldfish are revolting!

Can you see the malice in his eyes?!!!

Breaking News...

Jake's grandfather is back home from the rehabilitation center, which means a lot of things.  First, that means that he's done a lot of recovery since he went into the hospital.  He can walk again (though he is still very weak) and he can help feed himself.  They are both very slow processes but we are all very patient with him.  As for me, I feel like he accomplishes little victories everytime he does something for himself and when he walks with us or stands up by himself.

It also means that (since he needs a lot of assistance), homelife just got a  tad more complicated.  It's day two since he's been back and we're already developing a schedule (which is so awesome).  We are working on a routine for him so that he can get the most out of his day.  I am developing a routine for myself (it resembles the summer routine that I had when I was here last summer - get up, clean the kitchen, sweep, mop, dust, coffee, write, make breakfast, help with meds, etc.).  The health care specialists and therapists from Caring Hearts are supposed to stop by today to see what he needs from home and see about getting a therapy routine for him as well.  Although it may not seem exciting, the family is very excited.  I have to admit, I am thrilled and excited as well.  

The most recent news is that Jake's aunt is going back home, which means that Jake and I will be here with his grandparents by ourselves (alone for only a week though).  While last summer, that wasn't a problem at all (I would go with Jake's grandmother while he stayed at home with his granddad), it's a bit more complicated now that it takes two people to help his granddad move around, changed, and other daily ritual things.  We'll make it work though.  Just as long as we keep our priorities straight, it should work out fine.  Anyway, the dormatory will be in full effect soon.  We're anticipating a visit from Jake's cousins, aunt, and Jake's dad as well.  I'm excited to see everyone and for everyone to see just how far Jake's granddad has come since his stint at the hospital a couple months ago.  It was looking pretty bleak when he came out of there but now it's a whole new story.

In addition to all that, I'm also going to be "home" a lot more which means that I'll be at my computer doing frequent writing sprints.  I will no longer be able to write for sprints longer than two hours but if I plan it right, I should be able to get some good word slinging in.  My goal for now is to get at least one short story done every week and to continue to work on my novel idea (working title: Holland Manor).  I really want to title it with a pun on the word manor.  "Manor of Speaking" or "Family Manors" or something...

Wish me luck!

Today's prompt:

Base a short story on the phrase "There's more than one way to skin a cat"

Caching Florida

Knot a Pine #13

On our way home from the Health Center of Pensacola Jake, Tigre and I often hit a couple cache spots.  It's helped us explore the streets of Pensacola a bit and learn a few basic geocaching tricks.  We rarely get to go exploring deep in the woods but it's still fun.  I love the feeling of finding a tiny container and signing our name on the logsheet.

Bullseye

The "treasures" that we find aren't anything to write home about but I still like to trade items when we can.  We've gotten mardi gras beads, army men, plastic footballs, bracelets, scissors, etc; we've left firemen figurines, army men, bracelets, money, McDonald's toys, and Burping Tuna stickers.  It's not about the treasure though.  It's about honing my ninja skills and it's about the journey.  It's about exploring the town that we're vacationing in.  It's about feeling the orange, clay-rich dirt on our fingertips.  It's about looking amongst the Florida flora.  It's about the things that we experience on the way.  Teamwork. 

 

 

Cantonment is A-1

We're looking forward to coming back home and hunting around our hometown.  Camping and hiking are our favorite passtimes.  Caching in the beautiful woods of the Pacific Northwest will soon be on that list as well.  The excitement will be the same but the feeling will be different.  Geocaching in the Washington rain should be a unique experience for sure.

Newest short story prompt: 

What kind of treasures do you find while geocaching?

The worst

I'm having a fantastic day.  I'm feeling inspired.  I have an ice cold can of sugar free Red Bull at my side.  It's beautiful outside...  The worst part about today is my uncomfortable wrist pain in my right arm.  I have on a brace while I'm typing away but I don't like to keep it on for long.  What's worse than a writer developing an allergic reaction to caffeine?  Whateverthefu...is happening to my wrist.  That's what's worse.

Today's writing prompt:

Watch a half an hour of TV and examine the commercials closely.  Use one of them as inspiration for a new story.

Ready, set, go.

Prompt-ly

When I google "writing prompts" I get a plethora of sites that guarantee to get rid of your writer's block.  Unfortunately, I find a majority of those prompts to be...boring.  

I take the time to journal before I switch to fiction mode.  I journal to get rid of the lingering thoughts in my head before I do work.  Because of that, I don't want to write down what I ate for breakfast (using every sensory detail I can).  I don't want to write about the most vivid dream that I've had within the last five years.  I don't want to write about my mailman and what he does over the weekend.  What I really want is to jump-start my imagination.  I want a writing prompt to challenge me to come up with something worth reading.  Make me connect the unconnectable.  I want to play seven degrees of separation.  I want to play with my reader's emotions.

After scouring the vast wastelands of the Internet, I have compiled a list of my favorites and have every intention of posting my favorites here so that I can savor their flavor for years to come and share them with you.  I bet you're salivating at the thought of these tasty morsels of writing inspiration, aren't you?  Can you taste the bacon? I should trademark that question as my catch phrase.  What do you think?

Today's prompt:

Instructions for Maintaining a Successful Dictatorship in the 21st Century

Ready, set, go!

Note: Since I don't remember where I got this prompt from.  If I took it from your site and you would like credit, send me a message and I will link your site to this post.