Refusing to be Sick

/

I can pinpoint the exact minute it struck.  I had a 5pm interview last night and hopped in my car at 4.  I was 2 blocks from my house, sitting at a stoplight, when I sneezed.  Nothing unusual there.  I sneeze all the time and had, in fact, been sneezing for most of the day.  But I'd chalked it up to cat hair, dust, and general allergies.  I certainly didn't feel sick.  But when I had that sneeze in my car, it hit me.  DANGER:  GERMS AFOOT.  Have you ever had a sneeze that you just know is a "sick" sneeze vs. a "something in the air tickled my nose" sneeze?  This was one of those.

Almost instantly I got that metallic sick taste at the back of my throat and felt chills set in.  "No," I told my body.  "I forbid you to be sick.  We've discussed this.  I can pencil you in to be sick the second week in January but we're completely booked until then."

I came home, drank 2 steaming cups of green tea and went to bed at 8:30.  I got up at 7:30 today (VERY late for me), stayed awake long enough to eat breakfast and then headed back to bed.  I then woke up at ELEVEN.  I haven't slept to 11 since I was a teenager.  But I know I must be fighting something off b/c if I sleep that long w/out being sick, I'll wake up to a raging headache.  Instead, I woke up feeling pretty darn good.  Had an extremely productive work day and feeling pretty much okay, so I'm hoping the sleep took care of it.  It usually does.  I could have measles, mumps, and chicken pox all at once but if you let me get 48 hours of rest, I'll get over them.

On a VERY bright note, my friend Bernie alerted me that Spooky--the adorable nose-licking cat from my book launch--no longer is listed on Happy Hills home page. So fingers crossed that he's found a home.  I've e-mailed Happy Hills to see if they can confirm that for me and, if so, I'll be sure to share with all of you. 

Spooky will make someone the greatest holiday present of all.

New Year's Goals - A Look Back

/

People may be divided into two categories.  There are the "January 1st presents a new start on the world and I must have a list of goals written down in order to embrace the new year," and there are the "Eh, it's just another day and goal setting is pointless" type of people.  I'm of the former group.

I wake up January 1st ready to exercise (aerobic and weight training, with yoga and pilates thrown in for flexibility), eat healthy, stay in closer contact with family and friends, learn to cook, find time to meditate, bond with the cats, volunteer my time, and step up my writing career.

Then it turns noon and I'm pretty  much over it.

Kidding.  I will have 2006's neatly typed list of goals for the year hanging on the bulletin board to the left of my desk, just as the list for 2005 hangs there now.  So what were my goals for 2005 and did I reach them?  As usual, some were reached, some surpassed, and some never even made it to the forefront of consciousness.  Here then, is a brief review of Dena's Writing Goals for 2005, with commentary.

Income Goal

  1. Earn XX,XXX dollars. - Done.  I almost doubled my income from last year, with the August book project on cats really being what it took to get me to my goal.  Probably would have fallen short, otherwise. 

Media Goals

  1. Sell my writing to 8 new magazines/newspaper/websites - I sold to 5 new markets w/out much effort.  If I focus on this next year, I bet I can double that.
  2. Write 3 grants - At the end of last year I thought I might want to move more into grant writing but have since had a change of heart and didn't pursue.  Finished helping 1 client with a grant.
  3. Write 3 speeches - Wrote 2, but established an on-going working relationship with one of the people where we're looking to collaborate on future projects.

Visibility Goals

  1. Sell articles to 2 high profile magazines or newspapers. -Done.  Novel & Short Story Writer's Market was a coup (in the writer's world), and Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul used my "Can You See Me?" piece for promotion in newspapers across the country.
  2. Marketing blits for Lessons In Stalking - in progress as we speak. =)

Publishing Goals

  1. Publish Lessons In Stalking - Done
  2. Market "Millicent Powers Picks a Pet" to publshing houses - My middle-grade manuscript.  Done.  An editor at Random House has agreed to take a look.
  3. Write & Publish book on public speaking - Woefully behind on.  This goal will be moved forward to the coming year.
  4. Establish my own publishing company - Done. Spotlight Publishing lives and breathes.

Personal Writing Goals

  1. 2 hours of novel writing every morning before moving to other work.   - Ha, ha, ha, ha ha!  Whoooo!  Good one!
  2. Check e-mail only after 2-hour morning session is complete - I am weak. That's another BIG goal for the coming year.  I spend way, way too much time on e-mail and it's counterproductive
  3. Teach a writing class. - Done.  I taught two - magazine writing and creative writing
  4. Attend 2 writer's conferences.   - Done.  And I presented at both of them.
  5. Improve web site - Done, plus added this blog and the Lessons In Stalking site.
  6. Outline and complete a new novel - I have one started, but not completely outlined yet and certainly not written.
  7. Look into writing books/articles on pets & divorce - a project I was excited about for awhile and then dropped.  Not completed.
  8. Volunteer with Feral Cat Society of Greensboro - I gave it my best.  I called, left messages, sent e-mails and mailed them letters, offering them my skills as a volunteer.  Never heard from them.  I've since left messages for my local humane socieity to volunteer there, but also have not heard back.  But this is a goal for the coming year, to volunteer with animal rescue/shelter groups.

There are personal goals of course - "mediate every morning for at least 15 minutes" has been on the list since 1994 with no noticeable improvement. But I remain optimistic.  The old year draws to a close and new year is ready to breath fresh life and energy into each and every one of us.

Bring on the exercise videos.  I'm ready to meet it.