the pieces of my life

I’m behind on the novel, but I’ve at least passed the halfway point: 27,090 words. I’m still not sure where it’s all going, but it’s still going. Embracing the “quanity not quality” has really helped me get the words down, but I know what a mess it is. Tenses are changing mid-paragraph, the narrator keeps showing up and then disappearing, there are scenes with great big holes in them. If toward the end I’m low on words, there are a lot of places I could go back and add descriptions and scenes that I’ve ignored for now, because I didn’t feel like writing them. My cold is pretty much over, which is making it much easier to get to this. I find the Walkman with the Israeli music really helps me set my scene.

Now that the main rush for holiday is done at work, I can start to close projects out and begin learning things in my new position. I’m quite excited to be starting something new, and while it may only be mid-November, the beginning of January feels incredibly close, and there’s so much I’d like to get done before I move on. If I had any doubts about changing positions, that’s over now that so many folks are leaving work. I was really shocked by Friday’s announcement, but I guess I shouldn’t have been. I think everyone was surprised at first, but when they thought about it for a little bit, it made perfect sense. But with so much of the original team going (even if they were in other departments, they were still there), there’s little left to stay for. I’m appreciative that he got me out of my old job before moving on. Everyone seems to hit their five year anniversary and then pack their bags. Actually, more and more folks aren’t even making it to their five-year point. So few people left remember the Columbia building. The majority of folks left never even worked there, never had to share a cubicle or have any idea what a bunk-desk is. They don’t remember the strange smells on the mezzanine or the old printed phone list with everyone’s home numbers. Now it’s all blue shirts and khaki pants and modern offices.

Speaking of blue shirts and khaki pants (and my new career), Adam and I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday (yes, I will shop there) and I picked up Why We Buy, a book on “the science of shopping.” I made Adam walk in front of me in case I saw anyone I knew–I didn’t want to be seen in the business section, nevermind picking up books such as The Portable Marketing MBA. Anyway, I’m really enjoying it–a fast read. Lots of this stuff is plain old common sense that I had never even thought about. It’s giving me ideas for my next novel… (As if. After this one, I may never write again!)

Being sick is not condusive to writing a novel. Now I’m way behind. Haven’t written for two days. Probably won’t write tomorrow either, given my schedule. It’s gonna be a major writing weekend.

This is what passes for intellectual conversation this days (via I.M.):

medros: mmmmmm— KRISPY KREME…

jbrown68: what?? i thought you weren’t a fan of krispy kreme.

medros: I’m a fan of all donuts

were it set up like the pepsi challenge, I would choose dunkin donuts over krispy kreme and 4 out of 5 dentists would agree

but in this oasis of donuts, I will eat krispy kreme

Word count: 20,809. It’s difficult not to go back and edit. I’ve thought of things I want to add in from previous days, but then I realize that’s just inviting editing, and that won’t get me to 50,000 words. Must just keep plowing forward and save additions and rewrites for later.

All of the news sites are down–I imagine everyone is trying to download articles about this morning’s plane crash in Queens. The fact that it happened on take-off makes me really think it was just mechanical–not the “just mechanical” is any kind of relief to anyone, specifically those in the plane and in the houses the plane hit. Things felt scary enough before–but now, now you could just be sitting in your house, having breakfast, and a plane could come nosediving toward you. American Airlines is truly going to be having a hard time now. In a way, it will be worse if it’s mechanical–you can increase airport security all you want, but if something is going to fail on the plane when it’s mid-air, there’s not a whole lot you can do about it. I’m personally feeling very freaked out about the idea of getting on a plane in two weeks to go to Fernely. More than that, I’m really uncomfortable leaving home for two weeks when so much seems to be going on.

Word count: 18,525. I was hoping to be a little farther ahead, but that’s okay. Spent too much time this weekend working on work, which made me not want to sit in front of the computer anymore and write. Our Saturday dates at Zoka’s to write, though, are a tremendous help, forcing me to churn out words when I would normally not feel like it and therefore not be bothered.

Went tonight to watch Adam play hockey. I had no idea what was going on. Half the time I finally caught sight of the puck, and then, whoops, there it goes and I have no idea where except there is a mass of bodies shooting in a whole new directions. I could barely even recognize Adam, buried as he was under all that gear. At first, I couldn’t figure out which one was him from the front (his number was on the back) until someone else pointed out that the other short guy in the black shirt had on red sweats. Duh. This is the first, and most likely last, game of his I’ve seen. The other games are all at 11 p.m. on weeknights, way far away. This one was way faraway too, except that for a 6 p.m. game, I can make it. Unfortunately, they lost to the Geoducks (and if you can’t say that name properly, then don’t even try), 2-8.

Word count: 17,287. And do you know why? Because I rock. That’s why.

Oh, yeah, baby! I have not only caught up, but I am now ahead, which is good, as I’ll have to stop two days early to go to Nevada to work the lovely graveyard shift maniacally wrapping gifts like some psychotic elf on speed. Got 2,818 words done today, which brings my word count 14,385. I’m still not sure how this story will end up, although it’s flowing much better now that I’ve placed it on the kibbutz, and I’m actually enjoying myself. To help me set the mood, I have a photo of my kibbutz sitting underneath my computer screen, and I’m now writing with my Walkman on, listening to the tapes of pub music I made while I was there. And while the novel is settling in, it’s making me miss travel. But who knows–maybe someday Adam and I will make aliyah. I can still ask in Hebrew where the bus is or for someone to hand me the milk. That should be good enough, lo?

The problem with churning out so many words at home is it’s making it impossible to churn them out at work. Thank goodness I won’t have to anymore after December 31! Ah, back to homepages…

Joy! I’ve caught up! Made up for the trashed day and the skipped day. Well, okay, I’m supposed to be at 11,662 and I’m at 11,567, but that’s friggin’ close enough! Yeah! My novel has lots of digressions, and a few out-and-out rambles, but it’s got a progression to it. Fewer than 40,000 words to go. I can so do this.

Tricks I’m using. Be verbose: similar vs. not dissimilar. Same idea, twice the words! Contractions? A thing of the past!