More Than the Minimum

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 "Just because you don't require a lot in order to be happy 

doesn't mean you deserve only the bare minimum."

Update on last month’s Adventure Agenda 

Write 250 new words a day. - I wrote over 5,500 new words in July. That’s 22 days worth. I wrote 5 out of the 31 days.

Walk 30 minutes every morning. - This was a bust. Slept late. Hot outside. Other things. I think I’ll be switching this to swimming when I get to Florida. There will be detours, side quests, and redrawn maps.

The Tree of Life embroidery project. - Once. I packed up my bag. Being ready for anything requires downsizing. I fit my personal items into a 4’ x 4’ x 6’ space. Less, really.

Blog Post #1 - Rabbit, Rabbit each 1st. - Yay. I deserve a ribbon.

Blog Post #2 - Authors I Know. - A work-in-progress.

Blog Post #3 - Writing update. - I say this counts.

Blog Post #4 - Book World Information. - Check out Leonardo Da Vinci’s ToDo List from the1490s.

The Bastards’ Battle. Outline, scene list, synopsis. - I have pictures of how I think the main characters look, along with personal histories. I’ve also outlined the main conflict (this one is more of a love story,) along with three subplots.

Read. - Lots of articles. My grandson has summer reading, and he’s chosen Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I did read it over eleven years ago. I remember it as being good. I will reread it in solidarity. Then we’ll watch the ANIME VERSION and compare.

Artist’s Date. - I did sort and gather my drawing implements.  

* BONUS ITEM: One short story a month. - Yeah, no.

Most of July was spent dismantling my old life and preparing for new adventures, like all exciting Hero's Journey's.

i have a plan to plan a plan

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I don’t wanna. I don’t feel like it. Leave me alone. I want to go back to bed. I hate this. Why have I set this task for myself? I have nothing to say. This is not working. Can I write the same word 500 times? Time is running out. I’ve decided I will walk every morning before work starting today. I’ll walk on the weekends, too. I need to move my ass and if I do it in the morning, I might get it done. I used to walk every morning and I felt better and was a good weight. I’m running out of morning. There’s only a certain amount of time that can be considered first thing in the morning.I hate doing stuff. There’s too much stuff to do.

I have two projects I need to get done very soon. There’s the collage I want to make from tree bark and beer cans. And there’s the olde English tavern sign I want to do for our backyard bar and basement bar. Yes, we have two bars. I am also planning a painting done with my fingers while blindfolded. I’m also painting my desk which I need to continue and the walls and ceilings of my office slash studio. The crab apple wood I’ve been drying for several years are ready for my runes as are the branches I have drying for wands. I’ve been thinking of doing a more traditional landscape painting for my living room of a view of the Delaware River which includes a bench and a Weeping Willow. The view is from down the street from where we live. I’ve got to sew some posable rabbits that I’ll dress in costumes and use for Rabbit, Rabbits each month. I’ve got Purdie Pyrate cartoons planned for each month, too. I’ve got ideas for ornaments, cuffs, dolls and  eggs which will cover the seasons. Oh, and there’s the doodles I want to do.

I am in the process of getting all of these ideas on sticky notes so I can make a planning board. I feel like I got ten years left in which to get all of this shit done. It’s all making my elbows itch. Do your elbows itch when you get agitated? Is that weird?

I feel like I’m leaving some projects out. Well, I have mentioned the novels I’m working on. I’ve got to get them edited for publication and send them out in the world. And there’s essays that I want to write.

The only way to do all these things is to make a physical plan because I can’t keep focused with it all in my brain. Making a planning board is the first step in bringing it all into the real world.

Step One: Individual Idea stickies including initiation dates

Step Two: Setup board in my office

Step Three: Sort projects by types (?) and place on board.

Step Four: Organize by priority

Step Five: Work on one project at a time (ha) until complete which involves breaking them down into small pieces

Strategic Saturday - Procrastination through Planning

Vision (aspiration): courageous self expression

Mission (purpose): To produce works of art that will change people’s lives, including my own, in positive and lasting ways.

Core Ideology: personal truth

Values: creativity, imagination, exploration

SMART GOALS - Specific ~ Measurable ~ Achievable ~ Relevant ~ Time-bound

Goal #1: Finish and self-publish Divine Death by May 31, 2014

Objectives for goal #1

1. Wake up every day at 5am and write until 7am

Articles on these subjects that you might like:

Mission Statement vs Vision Statement

Revisiting Your Strategic Plan

What The Heck is Wrong with… Mission and Vision Statements?

Mission, Vision, Values & Goals