It’s been a month since my post about taking a vacation from Facebook, Twitter and the BlueBoards! At first the withdrawal was painful. I was itching to see what everyone else was doing and living my life in 140 character spurts (now it’s in longer terms for blog posts). After a month, it’s better. I miss the fun and industry news on Twitter and the community on the BlueBoards, but I’m surviving. I don’t miss Facebook, except for a couple of people I only connect with there. I have heard through the grapevine that I have friend requests, which I don’t know what to do about. I feel awful that I haven’t approved them, but I’m not logging on to Facebook for four months so there’s no way around that. My hope is that people will understand and not be offended.
How am I doing on my goals?
- Exercise: I’m exercising on a regular basis (this is week three)!!! Some days I’m so sore I can barely get out of bed (even though I’m using one pound weenie weights … yeah, I’m that out of shape). I know from the last time that eventually it gets easier (it’s starting to get better). I’ve only lost a couple of pounds but my clothes fit better, so I’m guessing I’ve gained muscle weight.
- Zombies: Almost done revising the beginning! Plus I have a shiny new synopsis that has helped me figure out the ending! I have a ton of writing left before the book is done, but I’m happy with how it’s going.
- Chickens: This is going to be a chapter book graphic novel, or at least that’s what I’m shooting for. I just sent a story overview and three act arc to my critique group. I’m crossing my fingers that they won’t find too many plot problems so I can start writing and drawing (actually, I already started, but knowing if the story works will help me keep going).
- Blogging: Still working on how often to blog and how to fit it into my schedule. Lots of planned blog posts haven’t happened either because I didn’t have time or I thought they weren’t that interesting (in otherwords, posting to my blog all the things I wanted to Tweet about seems like a bad idea).
- Visiting Blogs: I thought I’d be visiting blogs all the time now, but I’ve only visited a few. The first week I stayed away because I didn’t want a new obsession (or actually an old obsession – blogs were my time kryptonite before I found Twitter). Then I got involved in my projects. Since I’m not online much, I don’t think about going online just to read blogs.
- Having a life offline and away from work: This is starting to happen now that the crazy deadlines are done (meaning all the stuff I was neglecting because I was online all the time).
- Reading: No novels yet, but I’m almost caught up with my Writer’s Digest magazines and SCBWI Bulletins. Novels are next on my list; I can’t wait!
- Art: I finished my cats wearing hats picture. I’m also working on my chicken graphic novel and new pieces for my portfolio, as well as creating art for the ripple project (all proceeds from the sale of art goes to help animals affected by the gulf oil spill). Two of my paintings are still up for sale ($10 each) with new artwork available later this week!
That’s what I’ve been up to the last month … well that and wondering about all the fun stuff and news that I’ve missed.
How’s your summer going so far?
I scribbled my ideas down and put them away for when I’m done with my zombie novel and chicken graphic novel projects. I love when solutions suddenly present themselves after years of not quite working out!
but I am going to paint it later because the idea totally cracks me up. 
Doesn’t the idea of chickens in the wilderness make you laugh too?
