Because the moment December rolls around, I can breathe just a little easier. You see, my full time day job hits its busiest time of the year in November and then almost dies to nothing in December. Compound that with an extremely heavy October, and I’ve had eight weeks of insane work. At the one job.
I also picked up a part time job surrounding myself with books at a local bookstore. The benefits and enjoyment of being surrounded by something I love to spend my free doing (reading / writing) outweighed the meager earnings and loss of free time. I enjoy the job. And adding 15-20 more hours of work to my schedule.
And of course, there was NaNoWriMo. What’s that you may ask? It’s short for National Novel Writing Month, which is, naturally, November. You are challenged to write a 50,000 word novel in only 30 days. The breakneck speed and time limit forces you to turn off the web surfing, stop playing on facebook and twitter, put words to page and edit later. I attempted it last year and won, so naturally I had to try again this year. On top of my now 70 hour work week. Did I cross the finish line? Absolutely. But only just and there were more than a few times I didn’t think I’d make it.
A few things were sacrificed for time. My blog for one has not been updated (until now). Content for my new site launching soon has been temporarily placed on hold. I haven’t read a new book since before October. I reread Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series gearing up for Last Sacrifice’s release next week and did not read anything during November. Fixed that already, having just finished JR Ward’s Crave. My house…yeah. Let’s not go there and just say that my vacation time I’m using during this month is not only for my writing.
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| My siser-in-law and nephew |
November was intense. Fast paced. Stress-filled. It almost got to me. So while everyone is gearing up for Christmas and the stress of shopping, I’m in my recovery zone. Cleaning up from November’s mess, using the rest of my vacation, slowing the breakneck speed on my NaNo piece so I can finish the draft satisfactorily, and reading. Lots of reading planned.
And post more photos like this one because the new site is coming soon and I can’t wait to share it with you all. So how do you all de-stress?
7 comments:
I would say reading is probably my number one way to destress. I love to get lost in another world or life or story and forget about mine for awhile.
I have to say the same thing as Danni. Reading and escaping into another world for a time to lose myself and forget about all the stressors helps me as well. Sometimes writing does it for me too. Usually I don't want to think too hard when I'm stressed, I'd rather find something to take my mind off it. Movies help too. :)
Reading I think is my number one destresser, mind you, its probably my number one cause of stress when I get a novel that I feel isn't living up to its potential.
Other than that I like to have the music channels on so I can enjoy some classic 80's music whilst I snuggle up with my books.
Other than that, I suppose I enjoy writing childrens picture books (just the story part as I can't draw) so I get a blast and a load of fun from that.
Reading, music, and lately, musing over how to put into words the scenes in my head. Or as my dad calls it, daydreaming. :) Yoga seems to help too. It lets me move, but it's more stretching and focusing than exercise.
Wow - how did you do it? Two jobs AND nanowrimo? Congrads!!
I destress with my cats :) I'm a confessed CCL (crazy cat lady)...
I have trouble actually de-stressing. Just stopping for a while. I read, but since that takes me totally out of the world, I'm just back in it when I put the book down!
Wow, that sounds super intense. Congrats on getting through all that, and NaNo. Enjoy your vacation!
I de-stress by riding my horse, reading, writing sometimes... sometimes just plain old daydreaming. Every once in a while I watch a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Darkwing Duck. It is a dire time indeed when I need to pull out the Darkwing, but it always works :)
Julie/Firewolf
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