March 2015 Month In Reiew

**Recapping my monthly progress serves two purposes: first, it keeps me honest and accountable to my goals; second, it allows me to truly capture just how much work I’ve done over the last year. So let the recapping begin!**

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It’s that time again. Time for a month in review. March blew past me as I kept busy.

I’m in the place in my revisions where I’m slicing, stitching, and slicing again. It’s a bit maddening, actually. As soon as I’ve fixed one scene there’s another, lurking, just behind it. But it’s good work, worth doing. Each time I stitch a scene back together I feel like the story is better and stronger because of it.

Running was sidelined in March. I developed a strange pain in my big toe (the joint where the toe meets your foot). It came on suddenly and was so bad that by the end of the day I couldn’t walk normally. After staying off my foot for the weekend, and with no improvement, I went to the doctor.

The Orthopedic doc saw nothing on the x-ray (woot woot) and decided that the pain was caused by a ganglion cyst on or near the joint. I was relieved it wasn’t a bunion or arthritis. A course of steroids helped clear it all up and I was able to get back to running.

And March saw its own law school activity. I attended an ‘accepted student’s reception’ where a bunch of potential new students get to mingle with the Deans, current students, and alums.

The event was at a firm downtown and I have the worst luck with downtown ATL driving. I got lost and was late…but it was still an enjoyable experience. I talked to a few other admitted students – most of which were planning to attend part-time, like me – and a few current students. It was a cool event.

The month wrapped with a fun trip out of town to visit the in-laws in their adorable 55+ community. We had a blast running a 5k with them and their friends. Afterward, we went to a dance at their community center which was surprisingly fun.

With all this going on it might be hard to imagine I was able to get any goal related work in – but I did. Here are the details for March 2015:

1 Out of Town visit (including a rockin' dance)
1 5k with family and friends
1 strange, sudden foot problem - later resolved (thank goodness)
9 gym workouts (including elliptical/treadmill and personal training) – (less than my usual, due to my toe)
4 books read for fun (and there are still more burning up my Kindle I’m dying to start)


And on top of all of that I still had words. *does happy dance* This month’s grand total is 11,595 words. This brings my total ‘tracked’ word count for 2015 to 24,359! Not too shabby. I’m off to a good start. (note: I gave up on tracking every word during revisions - it is madness. Now I only track if I have net gain).

And as for miles, this month’s grand total is 16.6 miles, bringing my total ‘tracked’ mileage to 112.3 miles. I’m just thrilled that my foot is okay.

All in all, March was a good month with progress made. I’m still feeling good about my start to 2015. #NeverGiveUp #NeverSurrender

Remember, my goal year is shortened in 2015 due to school starting in August. So next month I my 'mid point' in which I will be recapping and fine-tuning my goals. Stay tuned for more goal related posts.

How are your writing goals coming along?

National Poetry Month: Jeffery McDaniel

If you follow this blog you know I have a deep love for poetry - the music of the written word. Even as a child I globbed onto verse with chubby, dirty, hands. It's my first love.

And with April being National Poetry Month I feel it is right to kick it off with one of my favorite contemporary poets, Jeffery McDaniel.

Watch this video of Jeffery performing his poem, The Ben Franklyn of Monogamy. Enjoy.

TBT: Hot Chicks Who Kick A$$ and the people who write them

For today's TBT I'm sharing a post inspired by my brilliant best friend's thesis. A few years back this friend of mine wrote his graduate thesis on Buffy (sounds freaking cool, right? It totally was). So in the spirit of my recent post about Strong Characters I thought it was time to share Hot Chicks Who Kick A$$ and the people who write them.

Enjoy!

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My brilliant bestie, @Proper_Rich, is defending his graduate thesis today which is a monumental moment in anyone's education. Countless hours were spent writing, and revising, his work so that he could get to this point. It's a huge milestone that could not have been possible if not for lots of hard work and Mountain Dew.

But this event is so much more amazing because the premise of his thesis is near and dear to my heart for two reasons:

1. It's about female empowerment (woot woot!)
2. It's about female empowerment in Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!

And in light of the recent, amazing #yesallwomen Twitter conversation I felt like roaring. And this post might need has some awesome roaring. So,*cue butt kicking*




Studying television and movies is something we writers do everyday. I can't watch ANYTHING without dissecting it into a three act structure, seeking the inciting incident, stacking the deck, and tracking the character's growth. So I think it's abso-freaking-lutely cool that @Proper_Rich got a degree doing it. (Well, he did a hell of a lot more than that, but you get the point.)

Aside from plot structure and craft, why study television? What's the value in studying that form of media?

He astutely notes that, "Fictional television programs can be viewed as a reflection of imperfect reality—human flaws are intensified and accentuated on the screen in order to provide moral lessons and entertain the masses." TV programs, movies, and novels are the mirror in which we can examine ourselves.

In celebration of his thesis defense here are some awesome quotes from his thesis and Buffy Gifs. If you don't know Buffy, or if you aren't a fan, this might just convert you. Enjoy!

Why Buffy? What makes her so special?

"Buffy did not spend her time pining for a man or primping in front of a mirror, engaging in stereotypically traditional female activities. She fought the forces of darkness while maintaining a social life anchored by her small circle of friends."




"Buffy was mature enough to realize that her abilities isolated her from her peers and that her responsibilities far outweighed the societal pressures of having the most recent blouse by a famous designer or dating the high school quarterback."




"When viewing her combat of demons and vampire metaphorically, it is clear that the monsters Buffy slays are not just present to provide antagonists for the protagonist to battle. She is battling the patriarchy that has oppressed her biological sex for centuries—she just uses different weapons, like stakes, axes, and sarcastic commentary."




"Buffy is a woman, Buffy is the Slayer, but Buffy is more than that—Buffy is a symbol of how women can take the power for themselves, elect to be a hero, and disavow the patriarchal society that keeps them from achieving their potential."

Cheers to you @Proper_Rich, on an amazing paper; a wonderful accomplishment.

What characters from TV or film have inspired you? Share your stories here: