#make2016bigger

[mishell-baker]

June 30.

So, today I appeared on B&N’s “Best SF&F novels of the year so far” list.  This is the second such list I’ve appeared on this week.  I kind of brushed aside the first one, as there were some very peculiar inclusions (and omissions!), but then this other list popped up and it was like, 14 amazing books + me.  So... I’m going to have to adjust my paradigm a bit, I think.

Tomorrow, I begin the first draft of my third novel.  My accountability is largely going to revolve around my 2,000 words per day, until it’s finished.  Anything else is BONUS!

[mishell-baker]

June 29.

Last couple of days have been very heavy on Russian study, and I’m turning up the heat on piano lessons too.  I think I’m taxing my brain more since I’m not allowed to tax my body at the moment.  Have also been writing two letters a day instead of one.

[mishell-baker]

June 27.

A very strange thing happened today.  A letter arrived from prison, for someone who lived here more than 5 years ago (must have, since I’ve lived here for four years and the house was empty for quite a while before that).  

I have no way of knowing where the addressee lives now. On an impulse I (in violation of Federal law, I know) opened the letter and read it.  It’s from someone who was given a life sentence at sixteen and is now trying to get a college degree from prison and expressing his feelings through poetry.  It sounds weird, but I feel that I received this letter “by mistake” for a reason, and I intend to write him back.

Mundane stuff - for the past two days I’ve put in my daily quota of Russian study, piano practice, and letter-writing.  For “physical” right now I’m counting the twice daily wound care, done religiously according to doctor’s written instructions, since I am not allowed to exercise until it’s fully healed.

[mishell-baker]

June 25.

Today’s special life-improvement thing was a bit unorthodox.

I’ve been a gamer for a very long time, and it’s one of the hobbies that has at times sort of “widowed” my husband; I often had to choose between watching TV (a way of bonding with him) or playing video games (which I prefer).  Well, today we got him a copy of my favorite MMO and I walked him through making a character, so that some nights we can play together.  I’m pretty excited about it!  I’ll feel less guilty about wasting time playing video games if it’s also a way of bonding with the hub.

Also wrote THREE letters today, two of them to people I’d never written to before.

[mishell-baker]

June 24.

The usual, with eating healthy substituted for exercise. ;)

[mishell-baker]

June 23.

Russian, piano, two letters. Completely unable to do any exercise or stretching because of the location of my sutures (back of hip, even getting in or out of a chair pulls at them if I'm not careful). So focusing on eating habits, balancing things and watching calories for now. Also taking extra good care of the wound to minimize scarring.

[mishell-baker]

June 22.

Wrote two letters, studied Russian, played piano. Buuuuut...

Workouts are completely out of the question for a while, so I’m not sure what to easily replace my daily “physical self-improvement” thing with.  Today is covered on that front, at least - I’m counting Gross Thing I Had Removed (And Should Have Had Removed Some Time Ago), which is the reason I’m not allowed to work out for 3 weeks (two layers of sutures that need to like, not rupture).

Starting tomorrow though... I dunno.  Any ideas for a simple daily physical self-improvement thing?

[mishell-baker]

June 21.

Back from a VERY productive convention in which every day was stuffed full of awesome. Managed to get my usual self improvement stuff done today despite exhaustion, including a workout!