goals

Full Forward Reverse

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Hey Kids,

I believe in dreams.

And I believe in pursuing said dreams. But there is a big fat reality with which we must all reckon, the need of money. For me that need has turned into a second job. I am in training now to be an overnight stocker at a large retailer.wallyworld1

It is the exact opposite direction that I had hoped for. But it is the answer for the moment.

I’ll still work at my writing. I have a book that’s in the works that I can’t quite get to a point that I want to let it out. It’s just not good enough. And my first book, although well liked by those who have read it, is not really selling enough to be a reliable source of income.

So instead of working towards financial independence and working for myself, I will trade some hours for money.

It’s ok. I’m not crying about it. Sometimes a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. And currently, my hourly labor is worth more than my written words in a book. It’s cool. This world don’t owe me anything.

I don’t owe it anything either and I believe this all will change one day. I’m just going to keep plugging along.

Until then, I’ll take their money.

 

NaNoWriMo: 38,801/50,000

Day 277

Goal Post

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Hey Kids,

Hit the gym this morning.751-1120-FootballGoalpost

It felt good.

I asked my sweetie how come when it feels so good, do we resist and not go to the gym?

We have no answer.

Cold is now settling in. The ride to work had a number starting in the 30’s; 36 I believe. We might be down to freezing in the morning. Despite the frozen hands and danger of ice, I love riding no matter the temperature; unless there’s snow on the road.

Today parts of the valley had snow on the ground. Luckily it was the west side and not the east, where I live.

Heading back to the gym tomorrow. Late start to work so we’re going to get after it.

Great writing session this morning. It’s amazing how even I don’t know the details of the story until I write it. I remember now why first drafts are so much fun!

I think I rambled on enough for now, my eye lids are slamming shut. So glad I have the goal to write every day or else this blog post never would’ve been.

PSA: Set goals and stick to them.

 

NaNoWriMo: 6,600/50,000

Day 254

Independence Day

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Hey Kids,

Independence Day.

July 4, 1776. The date atop the letter to King George explaining that the colonies had had enough and needed to break free.tattered-american-flag

The language of the Declaration of Independence states that when enough wrongs have been suffered, it is the not just the right but the duty to do whatever is needed to end such wrongs.

It takes a lot of courage to take a stand like they did and in that case, a stand against arguably the most powerful force of the day. Afterwards a war had to be fought and an entirely new government agreed upon and established. Otherwise the declaration would have been simply words.

Their reward was a new nation, from which we have all benefitted in some way or another.

Declaring your own freedoms is a huge step forward. But know that afterwards, the realization of your declarations comes the real work, the hard work, and possibly the fight of your life. If it’s spawned out of need, or duty to oneself; the benefits may be more than we could imagine.

Today for my own freedom, I fired up the Yamaha and went on an 8 hour road trip. It liberated me from the house, the need to watch fireworks, and didn’t include eating hot dogs. A personal Declaration of Independence. But that really wasn’t what I was talking about.

Ignore that last part.

 

Day 131

Time Choices

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6a00d83452989a69e2010535555f25970b-800wiHey Kids,

Does every minute count?

I think it does.

Do I always act like it?

Nope.

Should I?

Yes I should.

Yesterday, I spoke of time being our most precious commodity. And yet, I seem to be willing to treat it like it’s free and unlimited. That there will always be time to do what I need to do later. That needs to change.

It doesn’t mean that my life has to be a constant stress but it merits some design and planning. There’s a lot of work to be done and if the work is done and/or there’s a design in place, it’s ok to use some of it on frivolous things occasionally.

I need to make sure I choose how to spend each minute, decide for myself if the choices I make move me towards or away from my goals.

My biggest goal is to be happy, to be proud of who I am and what I’ve accomplished. I owe myself some effort and discipline to realize it.

Money will come and go. Time, however, is finite. It comes and it’s gone. And what’s worse, we have no idea how much will actually come our way.

Make the minutes count because they are counting down, and there’s no refund.

 

Day 127

It’s On You

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Hey Kids,

It’s on you.

They’re your dreams. No one really cares, at least not enough to do the actual work it takes for them to come true. They shouldn’t. They have their own. Want your dreams to be realized? It’s on you.

Some people will encourage you; the people who really care about you. They’ll hope you succeed. They’ll want you to succeed. They’ll do what they can, when they can. You can count on their support but they can’t do the work for you. It’s on you.

Some people will listen to you. They’re all talk. They’ll wish you well but give no allowance or you to succeed. In fact, they can hinder you. They’ll never consider the time you need to work essential and will interrupt at their convenience. They might ask for credentials of progress, asking for statistics, especially when the progress is obviously slow and painful. Statistics is for comparing. The work is not statistics. Dreams are not made by comparing. These people can’t help you but. It’s on you.

Some people will root against you. Some will be open about it, most are not. They will tell you discouraging information, tell you how hard your dreams are to accomplish. They’ll try to tell you it’s OK to quit, at least you tried. Screw ‘em. You need to avoid these people. Even if they’re family. You don’t need them. You don’t want them. And by all means, don’t listen to them. But still, It’s on you.

Dream. Dream big. No reason to keep it small. Dream for the stars.

Now, do the work.

It’s on you.

 

Day 120

People Time

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Hey Kids,

I have a deadline running up on me.

June 28th is the date to release the second book of the Porter Rockwell Series. It may be self-imposed but it still remains important. I have so much work to do. I wonder if I’ll really make it.

I’m not complaining. I love doing it. And I love the pressure. But today I had to let it go. I took this afternoon off and spent it with my brother instead. We had dinner, talked, and hung out.4564135255_23e3aee2ac211211211111111111111111111111111111121111111111

Did I make any progress on the book? Not directly, but I feel refreshed and ready to get after it tomorrow. In return, I can now expect his help; I’ll need the encouragement and the support when I hole away later.

Special people in our lives are worth our time. They’re worth pushing ourselves a little harder because we spent time with them. They’re worth being in our lives.

Goals are great, but so are people.

 

Day 73

Writing the Future

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Hey Kids,

To make a long story short, I needed to map out some writing goals today. I am now committed to 2017 and I’m not even sure if I can keep the pace. And I left out a major project and several stories I had hoped to do in the near future.writing-cycle

So I guess I’m actually booked to 2019 or 2020.

It’s a good thing. I’m excited about the projects ahead of me. I relish that it all seems impossible.

I love being a writer!

Now time to get to work.

 

Day 63

Self Talk

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2076450897_be1b8ace7c_zHey Kids,

Whoever said that no man is an island has never seen me in a swimming pool.

I keep to myself for the most part. I like people so long as I don’t “have to” have interaction. I’m quiet in groups, more than willing to let others talk at meetings, and am more inclined to stay home than go to parties. I do like to talk but not necessarily to other people.

Yesterday I met with my brother and we had dinner together at a local popular burger joint. It was his birthday the other day and I owed him. We ended up sitting and talking for over 5 hours. And I would say it was pretty much split 50/50 on who was talking.

We covered a number of things with nothing extraordinary; just Bro talk. Family, jobs, cars, bikes, and the like. We also talked a little about our futures and what we had coming up and what we hope would happen in the ever shortening long run.

As a writer, I spend a lot of time in my own head. This blog is one way to get out a little but it’s still talking into an open mic with no ear piece. But I find that, from time to time, it’s good to spend time with fellow humans and to say things out loud.

During one of my turns to talk yesterday, I shared my writing goals and in the midst of sharing, I told myself the theme of a possible 5th book in the OPR series. I had never had or heard the idea before.

I know it’s a brave thing to talk about book 5 when I’m writing book 2 of a book that only me and my mother have read (exaggeration, but not by much)(OK, exaggeration again but only by a little). Anyway, it is odd to talk of book 5, but it made books 3 and 4 become a given. Their possibility of becoming real happened because in order to have a book 5, 3 and 4 have to exist.

I struggle at times to see the big picture. Talking out loud told me that I do see it, I do believe it, and more importantly, I do want it. I don’t think I would have come up with it without speaking out loud to my brother and hearing the words sounding in my ears.

Maybe this is just living in my own head again but in another way. Maybe my brother didn’t have to be there. But the fact remains that the idea didn’t happen until he was.

Despite who you are, what you do, or how weird you might be; time spent with fellow human beings can be a good thing. Even if self-serving.

 

Day 47

When the Moment Arrives, Go

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Hey Kids,

It’s been a few years now, but a mountain used to taunt me. All 11,750 feet of Mount Timpanogos laughed at me every time I traveled through Utah County.

I had said I wanted to climb it. I had said it out loud to others. The summer passed and the snows came. And the mocking continued through the winter.

And the summer came again and progressed without goal realization.198721_284503098329484_338240272_n

September came and so did my decision to at last hike to the top. I took a day off work, arrived at the trailhead at 7:30 and aimed my fat old man body up the mountain trail.

It hurt and I struggled. After 7 hours of walking, and 4,700 feet of incline, I arrived at the summit. All 11,750 feet of it!408255_284504268329367_490827171_n

I decided to do it and did it. Others had done it before; others will do it after. Regardless, I did it on that day. I did it because I decided to do it.

I now enjoy the drives through Utah County. I look up at the top of that mountain and know I made it there. The mountain no longer mocks me but remembers me, appreciates the struggle it took to visit, and waves as a friend as I go by.

What thing awaits you? Once you do it, no one can take it away from you.

Do it.

Day 32