Eating Healthy Costs Money

And time, and planning, and and and.

I get it; I have to. I'm gluten-free. I didn't go to the doctors and have them rip open my stomach and test my guts, so I may be a self inflicted gluten-free person. I don't care. The difference was night and day. Before: puffy, bloated, stomach pain, odd rashes, tired, no energy, spacey. After: trim, no unnatural bloating, no pain, no rash, more energy, spacey only if I choose to be. Normally, I don't write about food as this is a blog about writing, but being gluten-free has become a HUGE part of my life and takes a lot of time to do well. Kinda like writing and publishing a book. :)

Here's what happened: a colleague in the office decided to try being gluten-free as she has been sluggish and tired. She went one day and reverted back--telling me that it was way too hard to be gluten-free with a family, way too expensive to buy the right products, and way too much hassle.

She's right, and I wish I had that option. And I guess I do--be in pain and eat what I want or don't eat wheat and feel like a human. For humanity's sake, I chose the latter.

But it is hard. Right now, I need to go shopping because we don't have anything in the house that I can whip up anymore. And by whip up I mean plan a meal that includes a protein, carb, and veggie. I just finished making lentil soup with broccoli and potatoes as we ran out of meat last week.

The difficulty isn't in dinner really, but in lunch, or going out to a restaurant, or more specifically, in trying to eat quickly. Frozen GF foods are for the most part, pretty lame. So how does this relate to writing?

Time
It takes time to plan and cook your meals so as not to waste that expensive food you just bought. The same goes for writing. If I don't take the time to write, it doesn't write itself any more than if I just buy the food and leave it on my counter. You have to do something with it. Those words flying around in your head--get them down and then worry about planning the book/story/poem out of them.

Effort
Time's BFF is effort. If you don't put in the effort to make time, to plan, to revise, nothing will become of it. Getting the words out is one thing, now you have to mold them into something more. When I put the effort into my cooking and planning, I usually have enough food for lunches and dinners with a bit of variety. But if I don't, then it is--what is in my kitchen that I can throw together to resemble food? It never turns out as pretty.

Money
Being GF does cost more. The pasta, cereal, breads, flours, or items that are just listed as GF are often a bit more than their cheap counterpart. Once you have molded something good, your writing has to go somewhere and that may mean investing in paper, ink, envelopes, stamps, etc. to get your manuscript out. Some places do take them online, so that may help. Also, don't forget to buy some reference books that helps you narrow down where/who you send your manuscript out to. These are pretty expensive, but like the GF symbol on the bottle, you get what you pay for here.

How to Make it Easier?
Mostly, I find that following others on Twitter that are GF or writers often have helpful recipes or tips that make it a little less stressful. Plus, you feel there is a community of people out there suffering just like you, and that will make you smile that someone knows your pain.

Take a look on my twitter account if you'd like some place to start. But if you'd read this far, you must at least share my pain.

When Remodeling Your Kitchen Overtakes Your Writing

So, I am remodeling my kitchen. Not refacing, or upgrading, but actually demolishing the entire kitchen and moving it into the dining room where we can have a much more spacious area in which to cook.

What does this have to do with writing?

Well, two things really.

One: instead of upgrading or refacing, I really pushed for a complete redo. I often do this in my writing as well. Revising just seems pointless and so I will often just rewrite something. Completely. It usually turns out better and I often say it better the second time around. Now if it just needs some minor tweets, then I will touch those up, but if it is in need of a major overhaul, I start again. This was the attitude I had with the kitchen. It needed work--and a lot of work, not just a small amount. So why just place pretty doors on a crappy kitchen? Have you ever read a book because the title and the cover were really cool--only to be sorely disappointed with the actual words? I have. So this is something I have discovered about myself. First, I am attracted to pretty covers and titles; and second, I really don't like revision.

Two: I have been consumed by this project and let it get in the way of my writing. I didn't write for two weeks. Now, I only write on Sundays and so I really only missed two days, but two weeks away from your novel is heart wrenching and I began to miss it. By taking that time off though, my heart did grow fonder of my work and I was very happy to come back to it last Sunday. All of the manual labor was also nice because it allowed me to do something different and creative from another perspective. I learned how to build a wall and what size is the smallest item you should put in a 12 inch blade saw. That would be 6 inches (thank you Eric). Luckily, I still own all my digits and truly just enjoyed the power I welded with that machine. This helped me to also understand the power I also weld with a pen when I write and create stories, images, ideas that can be lifted from the page.

Of course, my kitchen isn't complete yet, but our floor is down and most electrical fittings and plumbing is now in place. Our cabinets and appliances are coming this week and all we have left to order is the range/hood and the faucet.

If you want to see our progress, check out my previous blog.

Still Alive after NANO

I've done it, I wrote a novel in November. Well, sort of. I mean, I have 52k words, but the novel is far from over.

*sigh*

It's a start and I didn't lose my mind, my jobs, or my boyfriend. Something must have gone right.

While sometimes I wish I could write full-time, what I realized is that when pressed for time, I actually get more done. It seems as if when I plan my day and set out goals, I actually get them done. Shocking, huh?

Seriously, I was a bit surprised that when I have loads of free time, I do nothing. I don't really even surf the net. It's not like I have writer's block or anything, I think I have activity block since I just want to watch episodes of Dr. Who or Torchwood or Dollhouse--maybe sit in a Snugli and drink coffee.

Ah, now I can already see what Christmas will look like.

So If I Want to Publish, I Have to What?

I'm working on a novel.

Hmm, sometimes I wonder who isn't. But I really am. Every Sunday, I dedicate about 2-3 hours to writing. I usually get something like 5 pages done--sometimes 10 if there is a lot of dialogue.

I'm starting to feel that isn't enough. I am beginning to think of it all the time. I even dream about it. Sometimes I am the main character, sometimes a fly on the wall, sometimes the vampire.

Here is what I wonder: how many novels do you have to write before you are taken seriously on one? Or maybe before you actually start writing a good novel?

If this one will take me over a year to write, then how long will the next one take me? And will that one be good enough to publish?

I used to think that it was the writing that mattered. Now, I realize I have a story to tell and I want to tell it to the reader. I'm excited and a bit pukey about the story. Like I'm so crazed to tell it, I might actually puke first.

Don't worry, I won't.

I've also been considering making a graphic novel out of the story. It lends itself well to this I think. But I want the artist to draw her sexy and a bit hard. Not that that should be a problem.

I've been talking to a friend about publishing as she is further along than I am. Apparently, while I was joking about everyone having a book to publish, editors and agents are not. The hoops are plenty and detailed. I imagine it is a lot like trying to find a job.

Best advice: find an agent first.
Second best advice: finish your book.

Sigh.

And the book goes on....

Well, an entire month later and I actually did go to Disneyland. I didn't see my name anywhere and apparently Tigger baseball hats are a thing of the past. Not a one to be found anywhere in the kingdom. Thanks Nate, for being such a great guide. And thanks Janice and Nate for being such great hosts. I hope we can return the favor.

My favorite part of the trip was heading our to Santa Barbara with Eric. He showed me his old stomping grounds and some of the beauty of Santa Barbara. I really like that little town. We drove to the Botanical gardens--which were closed, and then headed down to the mission--which was just closing and wouldn't let us in. Sigh, sometimes you just have to go back to a place.

The best part of the night was walking around with Eric, holding hands, feeling slightly buzzed from the Cadillac margarita, and looking at the shops and the people. The weather was just cold enough to really appreciate the art of the snuggle. Maybe one day, when he and I are all grown up, we can afford a condo on some tiny little street there...

So I mentioned that this was about the book. Well, just like with this blog, my book is still going on, but not at a very good rate. I seem to be filling my time with other things. Could it be that I am afraid that no one will like it? that I can't finish it? that I suck?

So what's new?

Time to just make time. Period. If I can make time to join a pottery class, I can make time for my book.

I'll let you know how I get on.

I originally started a blog last year and then promptly lost it.

I think I felt nervous that I HAD TO WRITE SOMETHING GOOD.

Ha.

Well, this time around, I am not as worried. Other blogs that I keep or read are listed here too. This blog will contain musings of a walled-up writer. I have no one to blame but me, though I have many good excuses. In fact, I've decided to list them:

• I just moved to the state and feel uprooted
• I just moved into a house/apartment/etc. and feel uprooted
• I just bought a house and feel uprooted
• I just found out that I have to have surgery and feel uprooted
• I just changed jobs and feel uprooted
• I just.....and feel uprooted...

I guess there is a bit of a theme going on here. Hmmm, well, if nothing else, I have just learned I have no more excuses. And if I feel so uprooted, I should be writing about it.