 | 3 Nov 08 |
I have to say it: I hate daylight savings, even when I gain an hour. It’s only six o’clock in the evening and I feel like it’s nine. I want to take a nap. Until morning.
But I’m not going to blog about hours, I’m going to blog about years. This year in particular. It’s November after all, which means 2008 is almost over. Can you believe it? I can’t. I also can’t believe how much I wish it were already 2009. That’s the bane of authors, I think — half the time, we’re living a year ahead. I’ve spent the last couple of months going over covers, blurbs, copy edits, etc. for books that won’t see a bookstore shelf until well into next year.
So now that we’re approaching the end of 2008 (the holidays will make the next two months fly by even faster…) I’ve been thinking about the goals I set for myself back in January, and whether I’ve met them or not.
- Slow down. Quit living for next year and enjoy this one — clearly I’m not quite there yet, but I put the wheels in motion!
- Call my friends, instead of e-mail and IM — yes! And I’m so glad that I did, because I’m much closer to them now than I was at the start of the year.
- Lose some weight — I’ve lost ten pounds since the RWA conference in July, but I’m pretty sure I gained that much since January so I’m not ahead yet. However, I still have a couple more months to go. I can still do it!
- Get some new author photos taken — done! Wish I’d have lost that weight first, but going back for thinner pictures is keeping me motivated.
- Give every book I write this year detailed, intense, unhurried attention — yep! Made me late, but I did it.
So what about you? Did you make some goals/resolutions to meet this year? Did you meet them? Are you still working on them? Have you started thinking about what you want to accomplish next year? (keep that in mind, I’ll be asking about that shortly!)
And go vote tomorrow, if you haven’t already done so! Your voice counts and it’s important.
Read of the Week: Have Yourself a Naughty Little Santa
Song of the Week: still digging on Love Remains the Same
© 2008 – 2009 Sylvia Day. All rights reserved.
Sylvia Day is the national bestselling, award-winning author of seventeen novels. A wife and mother of two, she is a former Russian linguist for the U.S. Army Military Intelligence. In addition to her novels, she’s written numerous novellas and short stories for both print and electronic-original release. Sylvia’s work has been called “wonderful and passionate” by WNBC.com and “wickedly entertaining” by Booklist. Her stories have been translated into Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, German, Czech, and Thai. She’s been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, the EPPIE award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and multiple finalist nominations for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award of Excellence.
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And here I am, earlier than usual because of the time change. I agree, even that one hour disrupts. Both hubby and I kept looking at each other last night and saying, “It’s only seven o’clock.” I really hit the wall early. We’re supposed to have gained an hour, but I feel more like I’ve lost 3.
I still have Rocki’s “Goal Setting Tips” on my desk for my writing. As for the rest of my life…well, I’m working on it.
by Terry Odell November 3rd, 2008 at 3:43 amNice goals, Sylvia! Actually, what really impresses me is that you remember what you promised yourself you’d do back in January. I’m sure I had New Year’s resolutions at some point, but I couldn’t tell you what they are now!
by Louisa Edwards November 3rd, 2008 at 4:52 amI’m with Louisa. I’m pretty sure I had goals at the start of last year, but I’ll be derned if I can remember what they were. At some point over the past year or so, I promised myself I would do something writerly every day. That was going pretty well for a while, and then it fell apart. I just got back in the groove again, so here’s hoping these last two months of ’08 are productive ones.
Who knows what ’09 will bring. *shrug*
by B.E. Sanderson November 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 amI’m w/ Louisa, I don’t remember what my resolutions were, but I do have some ready for this year. Ones I intend to keep.
S.J. – Great job not only remembering yours, but to have actually worked on them!
I hate the time change. Why can’t we just leave the clock alone. It takes me forever to get used to it, then it’s time to change it again.
by HollyD November 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 amI hate the time change. In our house it involves conversation like, “What time is it REALLY?” and a reply like, “You mean the REAL time or the time it would be BEFORE the change?”
I’m depressed thinking about this year’s resolutions so I’m just going to put my fingers in my ears and pretend la, la, la, I can’t hear you!
by wendy roberts November 3rd, 2008 at 7:24 amThe only thing I love more than shoes are goals. (Sometimes shoes ARE the goal.) Seriously, everything I’ve ever learned about goalsetting/keeping/exceeding was taught to me by Goal Goddess Debbie Macomber. Before I ever met her, I listened to a goals workshop of hers, and I was soooo inspired. That workshop truly changed my life. Later, Debbie joined our Florida chapter and I now count her as a dear friend and mentor. If you know nothing else about goals, know this: write them down, keep them in a sacred place, and go back periodically and see how you’re doing.
There are lots more tips on goals, which, evidently, I’ve written as something called “Goalsetting Tips” but I have no memory of that.
Terry, maybe you should send me a copy of my tips and I can forward them to my friend Louisa. 
Wendy, we have the same “time change” convo in our house. The new time, the old time, the real time, the “feels like” time, the “should be” time, the time it would be if it were yesterday, but it’s today. All I know is I like to wake up to sunshine, so I’m happy with this time, whatever you call it.
by Roxanne St. Claire November 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 amI remember my goals, sadly I have fallen far short of them. Great goal tips.
by Cele November 3rd, 2008 at 8:45 amRocki: Apparently I typed them from your handout to my blog — back in January of 2007. I can’t find anything in my Word files (which doesn’t mean they’re not there), but I’ll go copy the list from my blog and email it to you, OK?
by Terry Odell November 3rd, 2008 at 9:02 amRocki, I’d love to see that list, too.
Sylvia, we have the same conversation as well. For about the next month we’re going to keep having that conversation until the point where it finally sinks in. And then we’re going to start dreading losing that hour in the spring.
by toni mcgee causey November 3rd, 2008 at 9:49 amWhat? Huh? I was supposed to set goals? Just surviving another year isn’t enough?
Oh man, the pressure!!
Seriously, I have been thinking about my goals for next year just this week. Obviously we think a like! But I’m still thinking…the economy is complicating life for me and probably for most everyone else.
by Jen Apodaca November 3rd, 2008 at 11:21 amTerry — that’s the way I feel, too.
Louisa – I usually don’t but I was determined this year!
B.E. — good that you got back into the groove!
HollyD — Time change sucks. Arizona has the right idea.
Wendy — LOL! Sounds like our house.
Rocki – Goals are fabulous. And so are shoes. I bought the cutest pair of stiletto peep-toe Mary Janes the other day…
Cele — There’s still time!
Terry — I’d love to see them, too!
Toni – I hate that hubby will now get home after dark. Really makes it feel like he’s gone all day.
by S.J. Day November 3rd, 2008 at 11:43 amI found the list and sent it to Rocki. Since it’s hers, I should probably let her decide how she wants to handle passing it around. I’d be happy to email it to anyone who wants it, but again, that’s her call. She presented the list at a great workshop for our chapter in January 2007.
by Terry Odell November 3rd, 2008 at 11:55 amSylvia, I am a goal junkie. I have lists of lists! They are always getting revamped. And I did set goals for this year, but damn if I can find that list!
I noticed your read of the week is HAVE YOURLSEF A NAUGHTY LITTLE SANTA, enjoy!
by Karin Tabke November 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 pmMy 7 year old son was upset over the time change. We tried to explain it to him, but he said, “You can’t go back in time. Nature doesn’t change.” He was really distraught.
I don’t like setting goals because either I set them too high and am disappointed, or I set them too low and don’t work as hard.
by allison brennan November 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 pmI’m still working on my goals. The weight thing is going pretty well. I’m trying to lose those last few pounds, but the holidays are coming up and I’ll be pigging out.
by Jane November 3rd, 2008 at 2:38 pmbtw, LOVE the new pic!
by Karin Tabke November 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pmAh, goals. Losing weight. Sticking to a schedule. I NEED TO DO THESE THINGS!!!! Thanks for the reminder! And the new pic is terrific!
by Debra Webb November 3rd, 2008 at 4:37 pmKarin — I’m loving it so far! And thank you.
Allison — LOL!
Jane — Congrats on the weight loss!
Debra — Thank you.
by S.J. Day November 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pmSylvia, I set goals, but this year I didn’t meet them. I did lose a few pounds though. (Losing weight is a permanent goal; it could be tattooed on my forehead.) I have 5 to go, but I’m not putting my heart into it.
I really like your goal about calling friends instead of emailing them. I should do that more.
by Edie November 4th, 2008 at 5:40 amI hate DST, too. Such a stupid thing to do this “change” and make our bodies adjust. Mine finally figures it out right around the time it changes back again. Sigh.
by Natalie November 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pm