National Novel Writing Month 2016

So I'm sure a lot of people reading this (if anyone reads this that is XD) have heard of National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo as it's commonly abbreviated which is the aim to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. I've tried a few times, the site has me registered as a member for almost 7 years, but as for attempts I only have obvious evidence for 2013, 2015 and this year since they're the only ones that have been typed up.

In the past I've only owned a desktop computer so I've had to attempt to hand write my novel and then type it up to get an accurate word count. Needless to say that hasn't been an overwhelming success. In fact in 2013 I only achieved 8,365 and 2015 was even worse at 1,020. I don't think it helps that I usually 'pants' it aka flying by the seat of your pants aka writing whatever comes.

This year a few things changed. I had an unexpected tax refund. Well I say unexpected but I knew I'd paid too much tax a couple of years back and it was something I kept meaning to sort out but never got around to it and in the end the sent it before I got a chance. So I decided to spend some of it on something I'd wanted for ages to help with my writing - a laptop!
               
I got an Acer Aspire ES 15 since it was on offer at Argos (bigger hard drive than the one I'd originally picked). It can be sluggish if you have a lot of browser windows open for some reason. It doesn't bother me too much though. The first photo is it wearing it's lovely sticker from Amazon. The owl case in the second picture is also from Amazon - it has handles. :)

So back to NaNoWriMo the laptop made things much much faster and less hand crampy. I ended up having to miss a fair few days thanks to work, I just checked and it looks like I missed 7 days completely although there was also one day I only wrote 100 or so words so I'm not sure how much that counts LOL. Regarding work I have some awkward shifts like 2pm-7pm which when you get up doesn't give masses of time for writing nor when you get home. I also did about 4 or 5 Saturdays overtime over November all 2pm-6pm so again not masses of time. Really for me - a retail worker - October would be the better month for NaNoWriMo, although saying that I did do a lot of overtime in October this year including working every single day of the half-term week. Great fun.

So what was/is my novel about and how many words did I write in the end? The working title is 'Healing Hayden' but I don't know how well it fits because even though Hayden goes through the most trauma he's not the only character. The other main is his identical twin brother Jasper. Both have their secrets but while Jasper is generally happy with himself and just needs to figure out timing, Hayden is very unhappy with himself, not helped by bullying at school and later a serious assault. He does figure things out eventually but I'm not at that point yet. Currently he's in hospital following the assault. And as of last night my word count is 29,534 words. My aim was to get to the 30,000 mark but I was a little blocked and it was getting late so I called it a night.

Overall although I didn't make the 50,000 words I'm incredibly proud of myself because 29,534 is the most I've ever written for one story and I think it's a story with potential. My main worry regarding eventual publication would be the assault scene - it's pretty graphic... Eh, I'll cross that bridge if I come to it.

Stef Out xx

New Years Resolutions 2016

So I thought I'd post my list of resolutions here just so I've got a digital record. Dunno why, just thought I would. :)

Personal/Appearance

1. Get my right ear re-pierced
2. Get my septum pierced
3. Get my ears pierced at least once more
4. Start stretching my ears (once healed)
5. Get an industrial piercing
6. Get my cover-up tattoo
7. Dye my hair purple
8. Dye my hair with henna
9. Lose at least 2 stone - more like 1
10. Refine/establish my personal style

Finance Related

1. Learn to drive
2. Get a dog (preferably a Borzoi)
3. Buy a laptop
4. Buy an iPod Classic
5. Get Netflix
6. Upgrade the car - battery changed
7. Buy a new camera
8. See Mamma Mia on stage
9. Get Amazon Prime
10. Buy a new phone

General Goals/Aims

1. Read at least 100 books
2. Read A Song of Ice and Fire series
3. Watch at least 100 films
4. Discover 2 new shows
5. Discover 2 new bands/singers
6. Blog at least once a month
7. Do more book reviews
8. Improve my equine art
9. Improve my human art
10. Learn to draw dogs
11. Learn to draw cats
12. Draw a self portrait
13. Finish the first draft of my novel
14. Go on a date

Naturally some of these are more achievable than others. For example the 100 books and films. My challenge history on Goodreads has me at over 100 every year but one where it looks like I didn't set a challenge. In 2013 I even read 213 although it looks like it was a year for short books like my Animal Ark collection (which I did finally let go of last year, at 25 I guess I'm a little older than the target market).

Go on a date seems unlikely but I still wanted to add it. Upgrade the car currently means fix it since the battery appears to have died so depending how things go that may count as that goal being completed.

Oddly things as easy as getting pierced seem to slip furthest down the list. Get my septum pierced has been on my resolutions list since at least 2013 (can't be arsed to check my older diaries) yet I still haven't got round to it. Mum may be tricky regarding the stretching. She's fine with me punching a ton of holes in my ears (almost encourages it) but she hates stretched ears that you can see through. Luckily I wasn't planning on going that big, an 8 or 6 maybe and the only reason I'd actually wear tunnels is so I can still wear my other dangly earrings, unless I just wear them in the next hole up.

Also while it does say about losing weight up there it's not my highest priority. I do want to lose some and I know I need to - my blood pressure has been up my last two nurses visits and while it may be stress related (old awful job the first, starting a new job on Christmas the second and cuffs/machines not working both times) it may also be weight related since I have put some back on. I don't want to be taken of contraception I know works thanks to weight (that happened before at my old surgery). And also I want to wear nicer clothes. I want to fit into Joe Browns main range and all the cool Gothy brands I see around. I want to find the right stuff to be able to wear Dark Mori without looking like I'm wearing a sack. I'm not doing any diets or anything. I'm just walking to and from work and I hope to set up a swimming membership at some point. Possibly around March. Finances should be more free by then. I have a list of books as long as my arm for January and hopefully a laptop for novelling in February. Course it all depends on how much I get and how much mum needs for household stuff.

New Years Resolutions 2015

Personal - Appearance

1. Lose a bit more weight, minimum 1 stone by moving more and eating better.
2. Get my right ear re-pierced.
3. Get my septum pierced.
4. Get both ears pierced again.
5. Start stretching bottom holes once healed.
6. Put dreadlocks in my hair once long enough - may be extended until 2016.
7. Refine my style.
8. Find a new purple hair dye - my current one isn't purple enough. Feel free to suggest, permanent colours only - less upkeep.

Personal - Other

1. Get my provisional license.
2. Learn to drive.
3. Decide a career.
4. Train for career if necessary.
5. Get a better job.
6. Help mum find a new job.
7. Write (finish!) a novel.
8. Go on a date.

Material

1. Buy new phones for mum and I.
2. Buy an external hard drive.
3. Buy a new desktop PC.
4. Buy an iPod Classic - used since they are now out of production (I hate years of bad finances).
5. Buy a Kindle.
6. Buy a laptop.
7. Upgrade the car.

Goals

1. Read at least 100 books.
2. Watch at least 100 films.
3. Finish the Gossip Girl series.
4. Read A Song of Ice and Fire.
5. Read Under the Dome.
6. Discover at least 2 new shows.
7. Discover at least 3 new bands/singers.
8. Improve my equine anatomy.
9. Improve my humans.
10. Draw a self-portrait.

Update April 2015:

A few things have been crossed off which I'm quite pleased about since we're only a few months into the year.

Update November 2015:
I've managed to cross some more things off but as we are now approaching Christmas I probably won't be able to cross off any others. The frustrating one is the weight loss one. I did manage to lose a bit but I've put it back on plus a little bit I think. *Sigh*

Blogtober Day 30 - What Is On Your Christmas List?

Books as always. My Amazon fiction wishlist: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/1X21OFANT5ETE/ref=topnav_lists_1

A new phone. Ideally I'd like an iPhone 6 or a Samsung Galaxy S5 or something along those lines but I'm not in a financial position to have a contract at the moment (providing I get accepted at all) and they're too expensive to buy outright so I'm thinking the Motorola Moto G:

It would suit my needs for now and is better than my old phone (HTC Salsa) which is the main thing.

A Tesco Hudl 2 in Purple. I'd like a tablet for browsing in the evening and watching the odd video but I don't want anything too expensive and I like the look of the Hudl 2. The screen size is good too. 8.3 inches so bigger than the normal 7 but not so big as the clumsy looking 10's.

An iPod Classic. Sadly due to production being ceased it's looking highly likely that I'll have to buy used. I just wish I'd had the money to buy one sooner.

A Kindle so I can save what's remaining of my bookcase space for books by authors I already own. I also want a chance to read the classics but their charity condition is often not too favourable so to own them all for free on the Kindle is a big draw.

Lastly a Windows 7 Laptop. No image because it's not something that's brand specific, just needs to be 15.6 inch screen, at least 500GB hard drive and running Windows 7. I did debate being less picky and opting for Windows 8 but I've used 7 and am familiar with it, also I've heard from friends problems with updates trying to wreck the hard drive which means constant back-ups are necessary.

Speaking of back-ups a 1TB (minimum) external hard drive would be nice for said back-ups. Also at the moment where my PC's hard drive is tiny I have files spread over a couple of memory sticks which isn't very practical. A hard drive is easier to grab in the event of a house fire.