Welcome back! I hope everyone has had a good Memorial Day weekend, if you’re reading from the U.S. I’m wrapping a really nice long four-day weekend!
Here were my goals for the month of May:
- Finish the first draft of my second novel. — Accomplished!
- Start editing the first draft. — Semi-Achieved.
- Reorganize my American Girl items. — Did not accomplish yet.
- Go through my bookshelf and decide what books to keep. — Semi-Achieved.
- Start tackling the “catch-all” room. — Did not accomplish yet.
- Publish at least two Book Review posts. — Semi-Achieved.
- Host a small group of P.E.O. sisters. — Accomplished!
I’m so proud of myself with my second novel. I felt like I was being pulled in different directions throughout the month after having such great success in April with Camp NaNoWriMo. Finally, this past week, knowing that I had Friday and Monday off, I knew I wanted to sit down and look through the entire draft again, and see where I ended up. By Friday afternoon, I had read through the entire draft, made some edits, and wrote another 723 words. Then, I wrote the two magic words that feel amazing: THE END.
It’s currently the longest novel I’ve written to date, clocking in at almost 76,000 words. Next step is to print out the 300+ pages for the first true edit. I also wrote up my first Camp NaNoWriMo recap post in more than a year.
I started going through my bookshelf and donated a few books for the latest pick-up for the local Vietnam Veterans charity, but I have a new bag to fill, so I’m looking forward to a bigger clean out next month. I’m tired of the clutter in my office. I have too much stuff, and what I do have needs to find a proper home, or leave my house altogether.
I did successfully going through the three boxes of stuff from my parents’ house that were cluttering up the corner of the living room. I filled 3/4 of a trash bag, a 1/4 of the new donation bag, and packed up the journals and photographs for my office. I also found my old passport after it had been missing for 13 years! It was fun going down memory lane – A lot of stuff from high school and college were in those boxes. We also found my Uncle Richard’s collection of cameras, plus an undeveloped roll of film! I’m hoping we can get that developed soon to see what’s on it.
I published one Book Review this month. I loved L.C. Rosen’s Camp!
I really enjoyed having my mom and several of my P.E.O. sisters on my porch for the evening earlier in the month. We had a great time, and I’m already looking forward to the next gathering. We are still doing our regular meetings by Zoom, but hopefully we can start to transition to a hybrid setting by the end of the year. Next weekend is the first-ever virtual Virginia State Convention!
Did you have any goals for the month of May?
Come back tomorrow to see my goals for the month of June!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth
Hot Shot Headlines 
My goal was to survive. I feel like I mostly accomplished that. I got in trouble at work again, for letting my emotions and frustration get the best of me, that was either late April or early May. I’ve changed my routine around so I’m getting there early, not in so much of a rush, and I’m spending at least 10 minutes before I leave in the morning in prayer and Scripture. I really think that is helping.
I also realized just how much weight I’ve put on the last couple of years, so I’m limiting myself to only having sweets four times a week (before it was once a day), and riding a total of 50 miles of bike rides per week. I have met those goals every week.
And along with that, I’d been trying to buy a nice road bike, but bikes are hard to find right now, and most of the bike shops I had contacted so far either never got back to me or were extremely unhelpful. The bike I was originally looking at, the nearest store that had it in stock was an hour and a half car trip away, and they never got back to me. A week ago, I looked up the slightly fancier (but more expensive) version of that bike, and it was showing in stock at a bike shop only 30 miles away (in the same town that inspired my writing, where my alma mater is, you know where I’m talking about because we’ve had that conversation off of WordPress). I had made a Facebook post about a month ago about my struggles finding a bike, and friends nearby suggested several other bike shops a little farther from home but still in the greater metro area, and this shop was one of the ones that had been suggested. So I contacted them next, and they were extremely helpful. They suggested putting different wheels on the bike that would be better for someone big like me, and the bike should be ready in the next couple days. So I’m excited about that. It feels like I can see a small light at the end of a long tunnel.
I need to make a list of goals/to-do list for June and July, since I’ll have a lot of down time. Most of that will consist of cleaning and stuff around the house. I usually go see my parents for four or five days in June, so I’m looking forward to that. It will be different this year with no one else around; my brother moved out of state two years ago, and my grandmother passed away in March of this year at age 100.
I’m glad you survived! Getting to work early has helped us too. That’s part of why we get up so early during the weekdays. Beating the traffic helps reduce stress. I’m glad you are spending time in prayer, that makes a big difference for many people.
Good for you on reducing sweets and 50-mile bike rides! Way to go! I’m happy you found a helpful bike shop, too.
I’m sorry for the loss of your grandmother. But, wow, 100! That’s incredible. I’m glad you’ll get to see your parents. Al’s parents were here for Mother’s Day weekend, and then we’re taking an extended weekend during the Fourth of July to go see them at the farm. By then, I will have started my new hybrid schedule with work at the end of June, so I know the time away will be welcome and refreshing.