ROW80 2014, Round 2, Week 5

"A Round of Words in 80 Days is the writing challenge that knows you have a life."

I am sitting at the desk (as opposed to on the couch or in bed, where I usually work) in my rented room in Minneapolis, looking out the window at my landlady's backyard, whose trees have finally sprouted new foliage and whose flowers are finally beginning to bloom (much to my eyes' delight but my immune system's chagrin). Beneath the desk my dog lies on his bed, waiting for me to take him for a walk (in a minute, Milton, just let me finish this post). I have here a cup of coffee waiting to be drunk, a cut-up apple waiting to be eaten, and a box of Kleenex for when my allergies act up. In this moment I feel well cared for.

This week has been about getting settled in my new environment and relearning what it looks like when I don't take good care of myself and how to get back on track. So if today's ROW80 check-in is a little longer than it has been, it's because I have more energy and I'm feeling more present and less hurried.

Writing

• Min. of 2 hrs/day revising pseudonym's WIP1 - This month am focusing on revising the WIP1. I spent most of my writing time this week rereading the ms (had not looked at it in over a month), taking notes, reviewing my beta readers' feedback, and formulating a revision plan that consists of three long lists of changes I want to make in this next draft. That was the easy part. The next step is to actually start making some of those changes. I tried for a while last night, but I'm finding myself a bit overwhelmed, even when I just focus on one thing at a time. Luckily I'll be able to give it 4 hrs/day for most of this coming week. Will keep reminding myself to take the pressure of performing off and just show up to it and see what happens. That's really the most I can do at this point that feels healthy to me.

Reading

• Read something inspiring every week - Yes, I started reading a nonfiction book my mom gave me for Christmas called The Power of Kindness by Piero Ferruccci. I've been posting excerpts to Facebook (whether to friends' and family members' delight or annoyance, I don't know), but I'll share a little bit here that relates to my reasons for/approach to writing:

"Intimacy is not only physical, but also psychological and spiritual. It is the capacity to enter and to let enter, to get to know and to allow to be known. To reveal our own dreams, our strangest and most embarrassing sides. To be without fear."

Community

•  Read & comment on at least 3 fellow ROW80-ers' check-ins - Yes! Did this, and will do it again this week.

Health

• Continue to exercise for at least one hour per day -My plan was to take a half-hour walk each day and practice martial arts on my own for the other half hour, but I ended up walking more - sometimes as much as two hours a day - and I only practiced martial arts twice. I do still want to practice tai chi more so that I don't forget it, so this week's goal = 1 hr/day exercise and practice tai chi at least three times.
• Continue to moderate my consumption of refined sugar, bread, cheese and alcohol - I have been inconsistent in my commitment to this goal this week. I've turned down numerous offers of cupcakes and blueberry cobbler at home, only to go out and eat a sandwich, pulled pork on flatbread covered in melted Swiss cheese, or a chocolate croissant and a coffee with raw sugar in it. And this cup of coffee on the desk has a cube of refined sugar melted into it. I suppose the goal does say "moderate." I just need to decide what that means.

This is a blog hop! Click here to see other ROW80 participants' check-ins.