Monday, August 20, 2007

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are deadlines made to be broken?

I'm not gonna make it. I blew my self-imposed deadline to finish a manuscript. I couldn't do it. And I won't make Wednesday's deadline for submission of that unfinished manuscript. I'm not happy about it, but I have to be realistic. So, I'll set some new deadlines. I'll also be setting up a work schedule so I spend the time I need on what needs to be done. Lists. Lists can be good only if you follow them. Making lists can be a great procrastinating tool. So can email, games, and reading.

Friday, August 10, 2007

What a week!

I took my daughter to her college to get the financial aid and fall schedule pinned down. I said, "If I decline my financial aid, what will effect will it have on my daughter's financial aid?" "Let's take a look at your file," the young woman said, a brief moment later insisting that I talk to the financial aid officer who advised that all of my fiancial aid was not listed on my report. When he had it all listed there was enough money there for me to go back to school...if I use a student loan. I didn't want to do that. But I am going to go that distance because it's necessary for me to finish my bachelor's degree so that I can begin my master's in creative writing.

I talked with my advisor. She spent a couple of hours with me to figure out how I can get this accomplished in a year. She also advised that I should consider applying to the Honors College, which I have the application all filled out and ready to send through the mail. I should do that right now, in fact. Done. The 300-word essay is actually closer to 400. But every one of those words was important to define why I want to be accepted to the Honors College.

Today I am supposed to be revising my novel for submission by Aug. 20. Instead I am working on revision/rewrite of a complete first draft of a novel that I penned in the spring. When I arrive at an impasse I tend to pick up something else to work on for awhile so I don't lose a lot of time. I don't know how efficient that is, but I'd rather be working on something than making excuses NOT to work on something. What does Stephen King say about that?