Category: Musings

Steps for Improvement

This is a place holder for Wednesdays. In the past, I have written that either a review or an essay would be posted today. I failed to incorporate this plan into a writing schedule and then found myself scrambling on Tuesday night. That became exhausting and I quit. Self-sabotage at its best. I haven’t written much about the plans because I find ways to mess myself up. The end results are supposed to be an improved JC Henry Universe for 2022.

Several years ago, I tried to customize a system to help me be achieve the goals, I set for myself. I called it the most original title, the 100-days project. It had a reasonable time limit but lacked accountability and consistent motivation. I treated the projects like a New Year’s resolution. I tried many times to fix the 100days projects. Making a blog for it and inviting people I knew to join me, no one did. I tried to keep up with the projects for about two years. But then it fizzled.

In August out of curiosity, I looked up how many days until the end of the year. It was a little over 100 days. I thought of the failed lifestyle system. I also realized that I haven’t written a book review in several months. I was irritated that I didn’t do the things I wrote in many posts. I know I wrote about productivity, creativity, inspiration etc. I did research on time management and still fell short of managing my time effectively. This is the point where I would type this great new method or idea. Full disclosure I don’t have one. I heard about and read good things about author Sarra Canon’s HB90 method. It is a course to help writers or any other creative make time to do the things they need to do for success. Ms. Canon is not the first author, who recommended chopping up the year into quarters, similar to what businesses do. She only one I heard of that has it specifically for writers. However I don’t have the money in my budget for the course, which is a shame because I believe it is reasonable, so I have to customize something for myself and it feels like the 100-days project in spirit. Those are the steps, the picture is a pun, for me to keep writing and improve the website. I apologize if this entry is confusing. The method is new and not a habit yet. The places holders are for me as well as you all. I will be working on my creative non-fiction and general fiction.

The takeaway from this rambling is that persistence can get you what you want. As long as it does not hurt anyone I encourage us all to be determined. Remember the ancient proverb, fall nine times, get up ten.

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Update October 18- October 29

Thank you for the likes and follows.

Home again, home again jiggety jig!

I made it back home. The flight was okay. The plane appeared smaller than the one that took us to Miami. And it flew steadier than the larger plane. I have accepted my wariness as a natural fear. It was only after it landed that I felt a little ridiculous. I don’t know about other people, but it always takes me a little bit of time to adjust to being home again. At the time of writing this entry, I am still in a transition period and feel kind of at a loss. Everything that was planned before the trip are still in play. However, the surety of the plans is no longer with me. And for a couple of days, I didn’t know where to start. Good News I started with this entry that will be posted on Monday. 

 I made a bullet list of what I wanted to write about for this entry and should have written an extra sentence or two on the subjects, because I don’t remember the point. Sometimes I want to blame the covid for me forgetting things. Other times I didn’t think about details. Something to work on in the future.

By the time there is a next update, it will be close to the end of the month. I will reveal if I would participate in NaNoWriMo or not. No matter what I will still be writing. I have a travel mug and water bottle for the event. I should level up to a t-shirt or mug this year. I have been watching several prep videos for the event. I have collected a few free worksheets. I like free worksheets like a I like pens, I only need one, but I get as many as offered. 

This week’s goal is to complete writing projects started in September. That is a book review and two short stories. The word count-challenge this month will be low, 5000 words for this week and following. I will also be researching scenes for the romances that I’m writing. I will be listening to a craft book, The Fantasy Fiction Formula by Deborah Chester and narrated by Tanya Eby. This book was recommended by YT content creator and author, Tamara Woods. It was the author tube book of the month in the Summer, I think. The authors do discuss the book. I have decided not to watch that video until I read or listen to the book. I now have two weeks. 

That is all for now. I hope this post finds you, healthy and content. Please like and subscribe, leave a comment if inclined. I accept all constructive criticism.  Remember to be kind.

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Place Holder 02

This entry might be messy. One of my many goals for this website is to be consistent. This is an off-update week. I thought I would be posting some kind of fiction up here. Instead I am writing another short essay on what I am not doing. As a rule, there are no real viable excuses. I just didn’t plan, and time caught up with me.

Consider this an informal update of sorts again. It is the second full week in October. I am in Hollywood Florida. This is why the picture on the right. I travelled with my sister, cousin, and friend to Florida to celebrate the Miami Caribbean Carnival. They played mas. I enjoyed the Air B&B house. It has a heated pool and Jacuzzi. Also, the Florida weather is a little better than New York City weather in October. Florida doesn’t have the best reputation right now. I am being as careful as I can be. I am also more worried about flying. It is not full-fledge aerophobia, but I do prefer to sleep through the flight. It is a little more difficult, since I have different health concerns now.

The Carnival event was over the weekend, and I will be leaving later on in the week. Despite the fear I will be persevering and be on the plane.

I have a bad habit of posting essays on this blog and not looking back. I make a hard copy and keep digital copy in the cloud but unless I feel completely blocked, I don’t look at what I wrote the week before. That kind of active self-sabotage ends today. It is true that many writers have difficulty reading what they have previously written but decent maintenance of this website requires me to know what I posted before. Also, this isn’t fiction, majority of these posts are about things I plan to do. To keep it from sounding repetitious and boring. I have to read and seriously analyze what I am doing with this website. For this month and the two following along with holiday wishes and all that jazz. I am preparing for the new year.

The goal for 2022 is to improve this website. There are so many threads that I am putting out I might forget about one or two. I encourage any interested readers to leave a comment, like and subscribe. Blogs work the same as YouTube videos and podcasts.

That is all for now, there will be more on the official update on October 18th. Until then I hope for everyone it is a productive week full of opportunity and kindness.

End.