Back to Weight Watchers

  Yesterday, I re-joined Weight Watchers. I’m not where I’d like to be right now on my weight, and WW works! I had success with it before, losing many pounds, but then let it go. Why did I do that? Oh well–this time, I’m determined to make it a part of my life from now on. When I get to goal weight, it will be free!

It was so much fun getting all the new materials (they’re updated once a year). And “etools” online is free, with lots of fun goodies to look at.

I can honestly say that Weight Watchers is the best program I’ve found for a healthy lifestyle. It puts you in control of food, you can eat anything you want, and it’s all based on a balanced diet. 

It feels good to get back to WW.

June Progress

  I wasn’t going to post my progress this month since it was so small. But then I thought, “What the hay! Progress is progress, right?” So here it is:

No new writing submissions in June. But I am rewriting a book that I will resubmit in July.

At Weight Watchers, I lost another 1.8 pounds, for a total loss of 10.4 pounds. I feel pretty good about that. And at the WW meeting, I received a gold star for a 10-pound weight loss! (We get a new star for every five pounds lost.) It was so gratifying when all the women (and one man) cheered, clapped, and congratulated me. I had to stand and tell how I did it — “Just followed the rules!”

It’s amazing how good a little praise and support can feel. And now the WW bookmark on my refrigerator is sporting one more gorgeous gold star! 

May Progress

   “School’s out for the summah. . . “  Remember that song? Yay, yay. No more substitute teaching for awhile, so I have three full months to make progress on some of my other projects. 

Despite my being sick most of the month, May was fairly good. I lost another two pounds, for a total loss of 8.2 lbs. Slow, but sure, progress.

I added Copywriting to my duties on job, and that is turning out to be a joy.

No new writing submissions in May, but a start on a rewrite. I’m getting ready for next week when our writing group will be doing “Book in a Week.” More about that later, but it’s guaranteed to rev up one’s motivation and focus.  

We had a particularly wet spring here in Nebraska, so it’s been officially declared that “the drought is over.” I love wet springs. I can just hear the trees growing.

So things continue, I love my friends and family, and life is good.

En Avant!

  “En Avant!” was Tennessee Williams’ personal mantra, meaning “Onward!” So I’ll apply it to myself. I’ve been whining about having my book rejected by Ellora’s Cave.  My first inclination was to put it away and sulk, but everybody (even Dh) is telling me to submit it to other online houses. So I guess I need to do that.

I’ve recently realized I need to toe a fine line in the future — if I can. Here’s the question: Is it possible to enjoy writing, while not torturing oneself about the outcome? Do you know? Anybody? Bueller?

Because I keep coming back to something the wise Melissa said in her blog: she’s just happier when she’s writing. I have to admit — so am I.

I can’t remember who said it, but here’s a good thought about it all:

“One can put oneself in the posture to be struck by lightning, but lightning may never strike. Meanwhile, eagerly and without bitterness, one goes on working.”

April Progress

   “April is the cruelest month. . . “  Or, at least it seemed like it. I didn’t make much progress. My weight loss stalled, so the less said about that, the better.

My book got rejected by Ellora’s Cave, even though I had rewritten and resubmitted. It was still too short and still didn’t have enough sex. However, they said I’m “a talented writer,” and they “strongly encouraged me to submit other work.”

I applied for a full-time job, but they hired from within the company.

I was sick for two weeks, but feel much better now. 

All in all, you could say I got burnt out in April, so I’ve been lying low to recover my energy and spirits. I do apologize for letting down my blogger friends, and I’ll do better during May.

March Progress

   Time for my monthly Progress Report.

I’ve now lost a total of 6.2 pounds. This is going slowly, but steadily. I’ve stopped the climb upward on the scale, and turned it around into a steady drop downward — without killing myself. I think I can keep up this Weight Watchers thing for the long haul!

I wrote last month that I’m working on a novella for Ellora’s Cave. They asked for a rewrite and resubmission, which scared the bejeezus out of me.  I was hoping to resubmit in March, but have been waiting on critiques. So no new submissions for the month, but I’m nearly ready to send it in again. What a relief it will be to get it “out the door”! Then I’ll have a submission to report for April and be able to begin a new project.

Progress Reports may be boring for you to read, but they’re very good for me — they force me to really see how much I’m working and what I’m actually accomplishing. One thing I’ve learned from them — I could be working harder and faster!  Duh!  Think what I could achieve if I did! Always a good thing to keep in mind, huh?

February Progress

  I’m so scared, my stomach hurts! I had submitted a novella to Ellora’s Cave, and just got their letter back. They want me to revise and resubmit. The letter was very positive, giving specific suggestions on what to revise.

So, why am I scared? Well, to be this close — what if I don’t revise it right?

*sigh*

But I ALWAYS counsel writers to never ignore positive letters like this — to just knuckle down and do the work they suggest. It is very foolish to not follow through after you’ve come so far. So I will take my own advice and do the work. I do have critique partners to help and cheer me on, thank goodness.

February Progress:  I mailed out no new submissions, but I did lose another 1.8 pounds, for a grand total of 4.8 pounds lost. Next week, I should get my Weight Watchers “5-lb-loss silver star”! 

All this reminds me of something Napoleon Bonaparte once said:  “I’ve discovered a very strange thing — men are willing to die for a piece of ribbon.”

Yes, and diet for a silver star. Hehe.

Progress

  One thing I’ve learned over at the Romance Divas site is that some of those divas are more focused on their works-in-progress than I am. They also hold themselves accountable for moving forward with their writing. So I’m going to start doing the same here on my blog. I’ve added a new Category called “Progress.” 

Now, what is “progress”? I’m in a quandary when I read writers posting how many pages they’ve written each day. Of course, it’s important to get those first drafts done, but what about editing and submitting? I often write in bits and snatches, with a lot of thinking, going back and forth, and editing as I go. Simply posting a number of pages per day won’t reflect how I work. 

I could post about the “hours/minutes” put into the project, and what I did with that time. That approach might be better for me.  

I’m already holding myself accountable in one way. On the wall of my bedroom, I have a Betty Boop calendar where, every month, I post the number of “Writing Submissions Mailed Out” and the number of “Pounds Lost.” In January, I lost 3 pounds and mailed out 3 submissions. I could post progress like that here, too, and call it the “Monthly Boop Report.”

I know. I know. Maybe you aren’t interested in reading my reports. But this is important to me! I’ve got to hold myself accountable, so I can move ahead with my writing. You can cheer me on (which I would appreciate), or just skip over those posts labeled “Progress.”