What’s Up Wenzday Point #1:

A Note Of Clarification —

Because January 7 is the first Monday of 2013, I have declared this week is the actual beginning of the New Year. Thus, all plans and resolutions and whatnot were pushed back a week. BECAUSE I CAN. I highly recommend this course of action for all goal-oriented peoples of the planet.

 

What’s Up Wenzday Point #2:

My Happiness Project —

Homework I by Julien Smith:

This week’s assignment is “to explicitly make eye contact with people you don’t know.”

 

I had to do this for an intro course in sociology several years ago. I hated it. I don’t want to engage with others. This may come as a shock to you (HAHAHA) but I tend toward shunning society and living a hermit’s life. Unnecessary interaction just isn’t my bag. So I found this assignment extremely distasteful.

 

Which means I probably need it more than most people do. *sigh*

 

Here are Julien’s various thoughts on the matter:

“Eye contact is also a sign of power, and it’s this aspect in particular that we’re concerned with today.”

 

“You’ll notice that, when you look at someone and they look back, it gives you almost a feeling of defiance if you keep looking. If you look down, you are showing embarrassment. You’re almost apologetic with your eyes. Interesting, right?”

 

I’ve already been putting this into practice by adding my own personal flare. Instead of just locking gazes with random strangers, I smile, nod, and say, “Howdy!” Most times people laugh amiably which eases the tension. Also? I totally win, because they are usually the first to look away.

 

Inadvertent consequence: This puts me in a really jolly mood, so that my faux greetings actually become sincere. Also? Instead of being known as that crazy lady who keeps to herself, I’m building up a reputation as being that crazy lady who always says, “Howdy!”

 

What’s Up Wenzday Point #3:

Goal / Dream / Target / Plan Assessment

 

1. Add at least 300 words to my WIP per day.

Monday (first day of the New Year for me!) I rewrote some pages based on a critique. While I only added about 160 new words, I am still calling this a “WIN”.

 

Tuesday my hubz was off work and I don’t tend to write when he is home. I’m not calling this a “LOSS” so much as a “DRAW”. Whatevs.

 

2. Read half a chapter of PLOT & STRUCTURE per day.

I have read through Chapter 4, but need to pick it back up if I wish to finish the book by my target date of January 13.

 

3. Identify activities to complete upon reaching the end of each chapter.

I have taken notes on the first 4 chapters, and completed the activities for Chapter 1. Obviously need to pick up the pace if I wish to finish the activities by my target date of January 31.

 

4. Walk two-three miles daily per the course I outlined.

Monday I walked a little over one mile. Here are my excuses for not going the full two miles: It’s fucking cold outside. Snow and ice are all over the ground and most of the time I couldn’t find the damn sidewalk. I hate walking outside, so just be glad I made the attempt.

 

Tuesday my hubz was off work and I don’t tend to write, walk, or apparently do much of anything when he is home.

 

5. Identify and submit one online application per day, Monday through Friday.

FAIL. But only because I forgot. I guess it might be handy to keep my list of plan-type-things in front of me. Here’s hoping Wednesday is more successful on this particular action.

 

6. Contact and pester those who have already offered projects.

FAIL. Again, I forgot. OOPS.

 

7. Spend 15-30 minutes daily minimalizing the crap in my office during January 1-15.

Well here’s a nice surprise! My hubz did a bunch of work in my office without me even asking him too. It already looks better! We have three boxes of books to donate along with two other boxes we plan to sell. He has a “pile” of crap next to his desk designated as items to post on Craig’s List, and now all I have to do is minimalize what’s left. I didn’t jump on that this week thus far, but Wednesday is looking much better for that sort of thing.

 

8. Spend 15-30 minutes daily organizing whatever crap is left in my office during January 16-31.

 

9. Take a “Before” picture of my office on January 1, 2013. — DONE!

But I’m not posting the “Before” pic until I have a really decent “After” pic.

 

10. Attend the following gatherings in January 2013:

Thursday, January 3: Critique Group @ 7pm. — DONE! Got some great feedback and, as I mentioned above, rewrote that section. I also picked up a critique partner and will be exchanging pieces with her this weekend. Will report on that process next week.

Monday, January 14: Book Club @ 7pm.

Saturday, January 26: Author event @ 2pm.

 

What’s Up Wenzday Point #4:

My Wippy-Doodle!

This feels a bit anti-climactic, having already disclosed that (1) I attended a critique group, (2) I rewrote a section, and (3) I picked up a critique partner. But I’ll go ahead and yack about it a bit more, because HEY! That’s what I do.

 

My Work in Progress is tentatively entitled *Greene Market*, and is intended to be a 90K-word novel, of which I have completed a mere 10K words thus far. I’m supposed to be adding 300-500 words daily, and this has been a struggle. Not because I lack enthusiasm for the project so much as that the characters refuse to behave and go the directions I send them. They first strayed from my original outline during November’s mad attempt to poop 50K words, and I’ve had difficulty re-outlining ever since. I have notes scattered hither and yon, I have character analyses and plots strewn about computer land, and I dream about the story most nights. I refuse to beat myself up over my trickling output. It’ll come as it comes, and considering how pleased I am with my efforts thus far, I’m sure by the time I reach those magical words — THE END — the story will be a really good one.

 

I have a secret project up my sleeve about which I am quite excited! I won’t say more about it beyond this brief teaser. The title is *Bites of the Apple* and it is quite different from anything I’ve ever done before. Also? Think ebook — by next Christmas, if all goes well.

 

What’s Up Wenzday Point #5:

Bonus Material —

 

We recently watched two very enjoyable movies.

 

THE AVENGERS was a lot of fun, particularly if you are a fan of Marvel comics and even more so if you liked the earlier films leading up to this fine collaboration. The dialogue between Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor is snappy and fun.

 

We particularly liked two scenes involving my least favorite character: Hulk.

 

At one point, Hulk punches Thor for no reason other than that he is standing next to him, which is a very similar feeling to the series I’m currently watching with my 8yo daughter — AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES (animated series).

 

At another point, instructions are issued to each of the Avengers, who are finally joined as a team and ready to do what needs to be done to fight for Earth’s protection. When the leader gets to Hulk, the instructions are simple and typical: “Hulk, smash!”

We had to rewind and watch Hulk smashing Loki about ten times (see below), because it just kept being funnier and funnier. Seriously. Just the thought is making me laugh as I write this. It’s a good scene.

 

 

In an aside which has nothing to do with the film, our favorite line from the animated series is when Hulk exclaims, “Thor’s not gonna smash more robots than me! Stupid Hammer Man!” The ongoing competition in strength between Hulk and Thor just cracks us up.

 

The other movie we enjoyed was HUGO. I knew this was going to be a good one if it was anything like the book, and boy-howdy was it! Gorgeous cinematography, beautiful coloring in each scene, emotionally evocative music, exquisite detail, and an overall great book-to-screen effort — I was shocked to find afterward that it actually LOST money at the Box Office and that critically it was only about a B+. That breaks my heart. I can totally see why it went up for Best Picture, among ten other Oscar nominations, as it is truly a work of art.

 

If you haven’t read the book, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Simply beautiful story which will grab your heart and hold it gently the whole way through. And yes — the movie was also nominated for best novel adaptation, although sadly it didn’t win in this category, either. I can’t believe I own neither the book nor the film. Both are now on my “Must Have” list.

 

And that’s what’s up Wenzday.

Hope your Hump-Day is full of hump-ish good times.

I’d love to hear what’s up with *YOUR* Wenzday.

Please tell me about Happiness Project, how your Homework is coming along, and what movies or books you have loved lately!

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