So It's Been Awhile/NaNoWriMo 2015

So It's Been Awhile

When I first stared this account I made a commitment to blog at least once a month, if not two to four times a month.

Yeah...

Life happened, as it always seems to do.  I went to Paris with Hubby for our five year-anniversary.  I decided to do a thesis for my master's degree because I figured graduate school alone wasn't painful enough.  I bemoaned my lack of writing ability too many times to count, ripped up my kitchen floor, ripped up my bathroom floor, tried to build new shelves for my mudroom, continued to work full-time, continued to work part-time, and bemoaned some more.

However, I'm happy to report that I'm not only back to writing (and not just on my blog), but as of Sunday I entered a writing contest.  One more step towards getting published.

NaNoWriMo15

It was during this re-commitment process to my dream career of being a romance author that a friend on Twitter pointed out that National Novel Writing Month, affectionately nicknamed NaNoWriMo, was just a few weeks away.

If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo, it's when thousands of published and unpublished writers attempt to write a 50,000-word novel in one month.  The clock starts ticking at 12:01 a.m. on November 1 and seems to speed up at an alarming rate until 11:59 p.m. on November 30.

Some decry NaNoWriMo, arguing that writing a quality novel in that length of time is almost impossible.  Others believe it's simply a way to get words on paper and that the writer can go back and edit at a later date.

I tried it last year.  I got about 10,000 words in when that dreaded combination of writer's block and fear choked me.

Despite my less than amazing experience with it last year, after some internal debate I decided to give it another shot.  My schedule (fingers crossed) will be a lot calmer in November.  And one of my biggest problems with writing is getting words on paper.  I'm a perfectionist and a horrid critic of my own work (although what author isn't).  Too many times I'll write a sentence only to hate it and get fixated on making it perfect.  So what could have been a productive half hour turns into 30 minutes of me stabbing the paper with my pencil.

I've also learned a lot in the past year.  I've continued to have amazing support from the Heartland Romance Authors group (http://www.heartlandromanceauthors.com/) as well as Hubby, family, and close friends.  I've learned to identify my areas of weakness as well as play to my strengths as an author.  I've also been working on an outline that I'll have done prior to November, something I need desperately as a writer.  While some can just write by the seat of their pants, I do best with a guideline.

If you're a writer who's considering tackling the beast known as NaNoWriMo, I've included two links below that provide good resources and good advice.  

At the very least, try it once.  If you succeed, remember to stop by my blog again.  If you curse the existence of whoever encouraged you to take on such a ridiculous, hair-pulling, profanity-inducing endeavor, send me your address and I'll send chocolate.

Happy writing, everyone!

• How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo: To Outline or Not to Outline by Brian Klems: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-prepare-for-nanowrimo-to-outline-or-not-to-outline
• 25 Things You Should Know About NaNoWriMo by Chuck Wendig: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/10/04/25-things-you-should-know-about-nanowrimo/ (WARNING! Some graphic content).

Homemade Poison Ivy Treatments

Since I've struggled to write a blog post on writing for the past few months, I decided to do one on another topic that is near to my heart: gardening.

Beware the Fuzzy Ones

I've been working on doing some landscaping this year in addition to planting my flowers, vegetables and herbs.  My projects have included building some raised flower beds, digging up a section of my yard for a path and creating a fire pit.

I have a couple island flower beds in the middle of my yard, mostly hydrangeas and little trees with a ring of irises.  I like the beds, but in recent years they've become covered in climbing ivy and were a pain to mow around.  So I decided to rip out the ivy, add some more irises and lilies, and put in a border.

I've been fortunate that in the five years we've owned our house I've never gotten poison ivy, despite my penchant for running around barefoot and gardening in shorts and flip-flops.  I didn't see any poison ivy leaves, and after the afternoon started to warm up I shed my gloves and began digging and pulling weeds barehanded.  This included occasionally swiping my hand across my brow, scratching at my arm, etc.

The next day my left eye had swelled to the point I had trouble seeing.  The day after that the left side of my face swelled and erupted in a red rash that spread down my neck, dotted my chest, stomach and arms, coated my left thigh and continued to wind its way down to my feet.  Turns out I had struck the mother lode of poison ivy vines and roots sans leaves.

So what's a girl to do when the desire to scratch those nasty welts overwhelms the desire to finish my favorite author's latest book?

Homemade remedies!  A couple of them that I've tested:

Apple Cider Vinegar

I dabbed a paper towel in plain apple cider vinegar and rubbed it on the welts.  Caution: it burns like the devil when you first put it on, but the desire to itch was gone very quickly.   The one downside is that I have to apply it more often than other remedies.  Some blogs and websites recommend diluting the vinegar with water.

Straight from the Source Aloe

Do you have access to an aloe plant?  Cut off one of the leaves and squeeze out the gel.  Apply directly to the rash.  It was nice and cool, but the vinegar provided more itch relief.

Baking Soda Paste

There are a couple ways to use baking soda against poison ivy.  I tried using the cup of baking soda in a warm bath, and even after dumping in an additional three cups I didn't get too much relief.  However, I've had some friends swear by it.  I've mixed up a paste (Live Strong recommends three parts baking soda to one part water: http://www.livestrong.com/article/87378-baking-powder-poison-ivy-cure/).  I've had more luck with this method for itch relief, but don't plan on going anywhere for awhile.

Others to Consider:

I've also heard recommendations on oatmeal paste, limestone paste and tea tree oil.  Reader's Digest offers great recommendations on 10 home remedies for relieving itching: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/poison-ivy-home-remedies/.

Always make sure to double check any remedy before you give it a try, and I advise using it on a small spot first.

The Writing Side

On the plus side this whole episode, including my amazing hubby holding my hand while the doctor had to give me a shot in the behind (yes, I'm a weenie), has inspired a scene for one of my books.  If anyone asks, I'm just that dedicated of a writer that I decided to put myself in my heroine's shoes.

Happy gardening, everyone!