Monthly Archives: August 2022

08.07.22
by

Getting Personal #288: Reflections, On My Birthday

Image Credit: lilyandval.com

I love writing my annual birthday post. It’s a good way to look back on the last year!

This year, I find myself filled with love and gratitude. I’m grateful for wonderful family and friends. I’ve made some new friends along the way, several of the writing variety!

Work has been on the up and up after several months of struggle in late 2021 and early 2022. I’m very close to finishing one long-term project in the next month or so. I will celebrate three years at Sentara in September!

Phineas and Ferb are still grumpy old men, and we love them so. They are almost 13 now.

Al and I celebrated six years of marriage in November. We went at Amedeo’s in Suffolk for the first time, one of the first true date nights we’ve had since COVID began.

I’m still working on my books! I have a solid plan to publish the first one, finally, in November 2022, which marks 10 years after I started writing it. Several amazing people have read it and offered incredible feedback, and I’m grateful for every piece of advice and encouragement. I wrote more than 53,000 words during NaNoWriMo 2021, and more than 30,000 words last month for Camp NaNoWriMo. I’m hoping close out the first draft of my third book very soon. Writing sprints are my jam!

LEGO is one of my favorite hobbies now. After completing the Sesame Street Ideas set last June, Al got me the Stranger Things Upside Down set for Christmas. He gave me my first LEGO Architecture sets – New York and London – today, plus six of The Muppets minifigures!

I still love true crime podcasts. Al and I love For All Mankind on Apple TV Plus. I’m re-watching Cold Case this year too!

We held our 130th blood drive yesterday. We collected 71 units! We have passed 8,000 collected units now in 22 years of drives.

I’m very excited to start traveling again. I’m lucky enough to have a Dad-daughter weekend in September to attend a family wedding, and then Al and I are taking a much-needed week-long vacation later in the fall!

I’m grateful for every single day.

Cheers to 34!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.02.22
by

Getting Personal #287: Camp NaNoWriMo July 2022 Recap

Image Credit: NaNoWriMo

Welcome back!

Camp NaNoWriMo July 2022!

After skipping Camp in April, I decided to finally go for finishing the first draft of book #3. I wanted to write 30,000 new words, which would push me over the 100,000 word mark.

As of July 1, 2022, I had 74,858 words written.

Day 1 – 49, 837, and 362 new words, 50 minutes writing time.

Day 2 – 730 and 562 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 3 – 134, 733, and 468 new words, 40 minutes writing time.

Day 4 – 583 and 513 new words, 40 minutes writing time.

Day 5 – 928 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 6 – 925 and 252 new words, 25 minutes writing time.

Day 7 – 878 and 447 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 8 – 814 and 196 new words, 25 minutes writing time.

Day 9 – 751 and 409 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 10 – 820 and 447 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 11 – 912 and 437 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 12 – 908 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 13 – 1,021 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 14 – 767 and 485 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 15 – 945 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 16 – 441 and 936 new words, 40 minutes writing time.

Day 17 – 1,027 new words, 25 minutes writing time.

Day 18 – 519, 117, and 404 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 19 – 797 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 20 – 929 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 21 – 811 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 22 – 846 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 23 – 651 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 24 – 813 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 25 – 698 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 26 – 605 and 79 new words, 20 minutes writing time.

Day 27 – 511 and 397 new words, 30 minutes writing time.

Day 28 – 671 new words, 15 minutes writing time.

Day 29 – 359 and 229 new words, 25 minutes writing time.

Day 30 – 538 and 1,185 new words, 45 minutes writing time.

Word count as of July 30th: 105, 735 words.

And the crazy part: I haven’t written The End yet!

I’m still going.

But I’m putting this aside for now. I want to come back to it in a month or two with fresh eyes. But it will be finished!

Thanks to everyone who has cheered me on this month! I’ve had lots of well-wishes here on WordPress and Facebook!

Have you participated in Camp NaNoWriMo before?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

08.02.22
by

Getting Personal #286: August Goals

Image Credit: transforminglifenow

Welcome back!

Here are my goals for the month of August:

  1. Donate blood.
  2. Celebrate my birthday!
  3. Recap my Camp NaNoWriMo July 2022 efforts.
  4. Write my annual Reflections On My Birthday blog post.
  5. Publish one Book Review.
  6. Read before bed at least 2-3 times per week.
  7. Continue my writing sprints and work on book #4.

What about you? Do you have any goals for the month of August?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth

08.01.22
by

Getting Personal #285: July Goals Recap

Image Credit: Centre for Collaborative Health

Welcome back!

Here were my goals for the month of July:

  1. Participate in Camp NaNoWriMo July 2022. — Accomplished!
  2. Publish at least one Book Review. — Did not accomplish yet.
  3. Spend some time away, take vacation! — Accomplished!
  4. Clean off the couch in my office. — Did not accomplish yet.
  5. Participate in the 2022-2023 P.E.O. Convention Committee Transition meeting. — Accomplished!
  6. Finish my part of the 2022 P.E.O. Virginia State Convention committee report. — Semi-Achieved.
  7. Send off my thredUP Clean Out Kit. — Did not accomplish yet.

I had a blast with Camp NaNoWriMo this month. Look for a recap post about that tomorrow!

I’m slowing getting back to my reading. It feels good.

We took a long weekend and enjoyed time with Al’s parents. It wasn’t long enough, but it inspired us to book a longer vacation in the fall. Did we actually decide / commit to taking a whole week of vacation for the first time in six years? Yes please!

The P.E.O. Convention Committee Transition meeting was great! There were lots of good questions, and a good time was had by all. The 2023 Convention Committee is supremely organized! Looking forward to seeing their work next year in Richmond!

I’m working away on the committee report. I’m planning to be done by the end of August!

What about you? Did you have any goals for the month of July?

Come back tomorrow to see my August Goals!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂