Friday, October 25, 2013

NaNoWriMo

I'm back!  My trip to Oregon was great.  I wandered all over Gresham, Beaverton, and Portland with my friends and family.  It was just want I needed, and although I was ready to come home, I already miss it.  I will share more about my time there in an upcoming post; however, right now I have something else on my mind:  National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo.



NaNoWriMo
*Official crest of NaNoWriMo: That's right- we have a crest.
 
 

NaNoWriMo is kind of a big deal- well, at least to professional and aspiring writers.   It is held every November and thousands of writers participate every year.  In fact, over 145,000 novels are currently registered* on nanowrimo.org, (including mine)!  There is one real purpose to NaNoWriMo: To get you started on that book.  You know- that book you've wanted to write since you were fourteen, twenty-six, fifty, as far back as you can remember, whenever; NaNoWriMo is the kick in the pants you've been waiting for.   

The rules are simple:  50,000 words in 30 days.  They don't even have to be good words.  Just write.  What do you write?  Anything.  Subject/content/characters are all up to you.  You can do it alone, with friends, or join others in your community who are participating.  There are always groups getting together for write-ins, meet and greets, and advice.  Registration is free and you'll have access to all kinds of resources and community forums. 

If you meet this goal- Yay!  If you don't- Yay! You started!  I did it last year, and only made it to 10,000 words.  But that's okay, because its 10,000 words more than what I had before NaNoWriMo.  With less than a week to go, I'm busy preparing for November 1st.  I decided to pick up where I left off last year and turn my 10,000 words into 60,000.  I have all my pages typed up, and just need to finish entering my edits.

Now you might be wondering, "Is NaNoWriMo right for me?"  The answer is YES.  Why?  Because it is right for anyone who wants to try.  And, I think we can agree, that you want to try.

Click here: National Novel Writing Month awaits.


*Registration is only a commitment to participate.  It does not mean you have to upload your novel, or that it will be viewed by others.  The website does allow you to share a brief summary or excerpts from your novel, but it is not required. 


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Curling and Other Natural Disasters

As I alluded in my previous post, there are many more adventures planned before the year is up.  I did say I would be posting some photos of a star gazing trip, and a Bonny Knees competition.  Well, the star gazing was postponed due to inclement weather, and none of my Knee shots turned out.  All you have to know about a Bonny Knee competition:  Blindfolded girls feeling up the knees of kilted men.  Yay, for my heritage!  Don't get any ideas; I was merely a spectator. 

To round out September, my friends and I opted for Curling; another Scotland-originated activity.  Curling isn't terribly easy to convey in a few sentences, so please enjoy the following "instructional" videos:




The importance of Form over Distance:






The benefit of Distance over Technique:






The importance of Follow Through:








 
(Ellen, Laura, Rachel, & our spontaneous teammate, Jun)
 
 
 
Well, I hope you now know all you ever needed to about Curling.  If not, please visit  boisecurlingclub.org for some actual background on this Olympic sport.
 
I will be on the road the next couple of weeks, visiting friends and family in Oregon.  I look forward to sharing about my time there with you all.  Have a great October!