I had heard from the very earliest days of my introduction to nano, that the community of writers can form lifelong friendships. These are people that you share a rare side of yourself with if you're not a writer by trade. You reveal your hobby to them where you might not reveal it to a random acquaintance you just met. You share it, and they live and breathe the excitement of Nano with you.
Since i started Nano, i've made a couple friendships which have lasted. Given my limited involvement last year, i'm not really surprised that i made so few. However, it is only my second year.
With my leadership-esque role that I took upon myself this year it forced me to open up further and to really get to know these people. To greet wary and unsure people with a smile and a firm handshake, to crack jokes and be the driving energy behind what could be very dull and boring meetings. To check in with everyone to make sure they're doing ok, and to try to help them around roadblocks.
Not only do you develop these amazing friendships, but they have a tendency to happen in a short space of time. We're only just over 3 weeks of having met and gotten to know eachother and yet i can say i hope these people are in my life for a very long time.
I've met several people along the way that really have made this Nano an amazing experience.
There are two specific people i'd like to mention, but by no means are they the only people with whom i've found a connection of some kind.
Annie, i started calling her Anne squared because of the similarities of our names. An amazing woman with a heart of gold and mind in the stars of the federation. A Star Wars nut and a Trekkie to boot, we've become almost convinced that we're sisters separated at birth. She is also amazing because of all the trials and hardship she has endured yet still turned out as sweet as honey. A pillar of strength and compassion with a sense of humor and a smile.
And the other is my new boyfriend.
Yup you read that right. After....a long time, I have a boyfriend again.
My inherent nerdyness has pretty much always been deeply buried during relationships. I'm happy now that i can let my nerd flag fly.
I can be in love with star trek even though it's scientifically inaccurate. I'm allowed to know pretty much every line in all six star wars. The freedom in being with someone who makes me laugh non-stop and accepts me just the way i am right now, is something i've never experienced before. I'm amazed at how fast things progressed between us, considering I only really got to know him just three weeks ago.
I can only hope this continues for the foreseeable future.
The only negative for right now about this change is that my Nano progress has taken a hit given that we talk all the time when we're together. And very little progress is being made. Nothing detrimental, i haven't fallen behind the standard daily quota yet. But my lead has started narrowing.
So i created an incentive to write more.
One of the few "girly" things that i absolutely love is a manicure and pedicure. As soon as i cross the finish line...i'm going to get one. And considering the current state of my cuticles...that's a good kick in the pants.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The haircut
Ok, so there is an inevitable moment when you have to find another hair stylist. Though i love Talona's work like no-body's business and her rates were unbeatable......i had to plan out a month in order to get even a haircut. And there were no walk ins. She was slammed and though i adored her even as a girlfriend...i had to find somewhere that suited my needs.
I though i had found that at a well reviewed shop within walking distance to my home. So i gave it a shot. I knew with how many split ends i was getting, it was probably past time for a serious cut instead of trims. So i brought in pictures showing the hairstyle i wanted. I figured with about 4 pictures all showing the same length and style...there was no chance for it to go wrong.
Yeah right.
What i ended up with, even though i asked her to cut it just above my breasts......was a collarbone cut that was a good 3 inches too short. She didn't listen to me, even when i said...that might be too short, she just cut it anyway.
I was disappointed and heartbroken. My long hair which took 3 years to grow out was gone. And while i wanted to take off some, i never had anything this drastic in mind. It's going to take about six months to get back to where i had asked my hair to be cut at.
I know it's silly to be vain, and that hair does grow back, but I'm still upset even two days later. "Just a Trim" in Redmond has been put on my blacklist.
I though i had found that at a well reviewed shop within walking distance to my home. So i gave it a shot. I knew with how many split ends i was getting, it was probably past time for a serious cut instead of trims. So i brought in pictures showing the hairstyle i wanted. I figured with about 4 pictures all showing the same length and style...there was no chance for it to go wrong.
Yeah right.
What i ended up with, even though i asked her to cut it just above my breasts......was a collarbone cut that was a good 3 inches too short. She didn't listen to me, even when i said...that might be too short, she just cut it anyway.
I was disappointed and heartbroken. My long hair which took 3 years to grow out was gone. And while i wanted to take off some, i never had anything this drastic in mind. It's going to take about six months to get back to where i had asked my hair to be cut at.
I know it's silly to be vain, and that hair does grow back, but I'm still upset even two days later. "Just a Trim" in Redmond has been put on my blacklist.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Week 1 of Nano down
Week one is the easy week. Any veteran Nano-er will tell you that. That's when your story is flowing, you're still energized, your hands have only begun to cramp, all the things you've spent months planning are still working out. Not to mention, it's been so easy, you've had time to make a buffer of words so you remain ahead of the word count just in case.
Now comes week two
Now comes the point where we start to get tired of our characters (or in my case wanting to smack them), and distractions become more and more tempting.
People whom you spent all of october (and sometimes longer) beating into their heads that you will under no circumstances be available for anything in november....forget and start showing up at your house.
Your lack of time, sleep, and knowing that you should be writing slowly decays at your house until you have four loads of unfolded laundry strewn about your floor because you're so tired in the morning you just upend the whole basket onto your bed to try and find clean clothes. then it is promptly tossed back into the hamper (not caring if some misses or not) come the time when you finally get to bed
Not to mention the relaxing time of just staring at a tv and not having to think can become addicting.
Don't give in my fellow insanely driven writers! Write write write!
In other news:
I'm getting a haircut today. I know ...gasp! it's only been like 3 years since i last got more than a trim. Looks to be like i'm loosing 5-6 inches. Hopefully it'll be just enough that it will start to look healthy and full again. And even though i DESPISE this actress as well as her most famous role. i have to say i like her haircut.
Now comes week two
Now comes the point where we start to get tired of our characters (or in my case wanting to smack them), and distractions become more and more tempting.
People whom you spent all of october (and sometimes longer) beating into their heads that you will under no circumstances be available for anything in november....forget and start showing up at your house.
Your lack of time, sleep, and knowing that you should be writing slowly decays at your house until you have four loads of unfolded laundry strewn about your floor because you're so tired in the morning you just upend the whole basket onto your bed to try and find clean clothes. then it is promptly tossed back into the hamper (not caring if some misses or not) come the time when you finally get to bed
Not to mention the relaxing time of just staring at a tv and not having to think can become addicting.
Don't give in my fellow insanely driven writers! Write write write!
In other news:
I'm getting a haircut today. I know ...gasp! it's only been like 3 years since i last got more than a trim. Looks to be like i'm loosing 5-6 inches. Hopefully it'll be just enough that it will start to look healthy and full again. And even though i DESPISE this actress as well as her most famous role. i have to say i like her haircut.
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