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End of October Reflections

Read this on galpod.com.


It's been a busy month. We had half-term (a week with the kids at home), plus my son turned 10(!), so there was much celebration. And then, of course, Halloween, our favourite holiday, to cap everything up. As always, I haven't met all my goals. Here's the rundown.


Goals for October

  1. Finish re-writing LP manuscript in the first person. YES! I did! I still need to go over everything and make it more literary, but it's all in the first person now.

  2. Pick five ideas to develop into short stories; develop one idea. I haven't really been able to pick five ideas, but I have one I've developed and is shaping up into an interesting story.

  3. Read through chapter 84 of Moby Dick. YES! And it was a struggle all month. I'm telling you, Melville doesn't make this easy on the reader.

  4. Go to one open mic evening. YES! I went earlier this week to my teacher's open mic and hung out with the 20-year-olds, and then completely and utterly bombed on stage. But I did it.

  5. Finish my current module and next module on my piano course. No. I left my piano practice behind when we went for three nights in Normans Bay on the half-term. I'm trying to get back into it.

  6. Add three more songs to my practice list. No.

  7. Be confident with five songs. No.

  8. Swim once a week. No. My lower back has flared up again, so now I'm considering getting professional help.

  9. Finish re-writing the academic paper. Not even close.


Goals for November

  1. Go over the LP manuscript again, read aloud. I've found someone I trust to assess the manuscript, so I'll send it to them as soon as it's done. Reward: date night at a restaurant.

  2. Finish a first draft of The Missive, a short story about two sisters' miscommunications. Reward: New notebook.

  3. Read Moby Dick through the end (the study finishes November 29th). Reward: a new book (probably Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - I've been wanted to read it for months).

  4. Keep up the blogging - post twice a week. Reward: book a show/play to watch.

  5. Finish piano module plus next one. Reward: take a full hour to find and order new plates (we really need them).

  6. Find a running clinic/coach to start working on my running. Reward: new running/hiking shoes.


I was going to add 'finish the academic paper' (again), but it's probably not going to happen, so I'm putting that one off until December when I've finished reading Melville's monster. Also, I'm beginning to realise that I'm not particularly excited about a music career, so I'm putting that one on a low burner for now. I enjoy it, for sure, but I don't have enough passion for making it my main thing. My main thing is still writing, which I think is reflected in the goals. Four of the goals this month are related to my writing, then I have one for the music and one for general health.

 

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