NaNoWriMo is over, December is here, and I’m nowhere near ready for either. Are you?

If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know I’m trying to do my own personal NaNoWriMo: finishing the first draft of a novel in three months, which would be a personal record. So since I started in October, I wanted to be done by the end of the year. I gave myself a goal of 1000 words per day. I am a wee bit behind due to holidays and work and a new geriatric cat who won’t let me type or sleep or eat. (She’d prefer I spend all of my time petting her instead.) I leave for Paris in one week (!!!) and that’s going to cut into my writing time as well. On top of that, I’m writing in a brand new sub-genre (YA fantasy) which comes with a learning curve.

So it will take me longer than planned. (Most things do.) But I’m not giving up. I will not go quietly into that good night, I will rage against the dying of the light, etc. Or, as it was more eloquently stated by my fellow New Jersey Native: No defeat, baby, no surrender.

Here are some interesting things from the internets this week:

1. I’m really loving the new series on one of my favorite blogs that focuses on living a simpler life. This week featured a family who sold their house and are traveling with their four children for a year. I especially loved this quote:

My hope is that each day will feel slow, like a weekend day, as opposed to a work or school day where everything is a bit rushed and hectic.  We are hoping to live a life without urgency where we can really take in everything as a family—maybe even get a bit bored.

Amen to that.

2. This is so cool.

3. This made me laugh so hard.

4. And this made me sob. Please go watch it.

5. And for the millionth time, if you’re not already doing so, follow this Facebook page. It’s restoring my faith in humanity (where the rest of Facebook is slowly trying to chip it away).

Reading: Just started this book. It’s not very good–I should have listened to the reviews–but I’ll probably finish it just to see what happens.

Watching: In need of comfort TV this month, I’m rewatching my favorite show for the zillionth time.

Listening to: Time to break out the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” Pandora station to get me in the spirit 🙂

Photo by eulauretta on Unsplash