In my case, it's my cats. Midnight strikes, and suddenly they remember that they haven't paid me enough affection for the past several years. So they have to crawl all over me, get in the way of the keyboard, and do it right this minute. Cocoa's on my shoulder purring up a storm, and the new guy is getting nicknamed "Get Off the Keyboard." Cocoa has now settled down on my forearms and hands. I love my little guys, but...right now?
----------
2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance
36,754 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 02 53
It's wonderful that everyone else is experiencing smooth sailing with no problems whatsoever.
But not only have the cats been claiming my attention, I've also had to deal with a dozen computer crashes within the last couple of hours. So I haven't gotten that much done.
----------2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance
47,154 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 03 36
Well, what a coincidence - my youngest cat, Jacques, who never jumps on my lap, jumped on my lap this morning as I was starting my NaNo novel and tried to get on the keyboard... I just managed to reach over him in time and click 'save'. It's pouring with rain here today and he had just been chased down the garden by a magpie, so I suppose that was why he was suddenly so affectionate - not that he has anything against me being too absorbed in my novel to notice him!
----------I see you're ahead of me in word count, Zookeeper, so something must be going right!
Sheila
2009: was 'Watching the Neighbourhood' - now 'Reunited!'
2008: (Winner!) A Place of Conflict
2007: (Winner!) Community
2006: (Winner!): Independence
50,102 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 04 53
Right now, it's cats, too. I have 7 of the furry freeloaders and only two hands to pet with. Fortunately, 6 of them are content for an hour or two to be out in the kitchen eating and napping in the morning, but the 7th one, Sombra, has to remain closed up in my bedroom with me and the computer because she's on a special diet and must eat her particular food in here. So, she believes she's my favorite and is singled out for extra petting, which can only be done while she's curled up in the crook of my left arm while I try to type with just my right hand.
Tomorrow, the problem will include all 7 of them because, when I get home from work, they will ALL want attention while I try to use what little time I have to work on the novel.
And, frankly, writing about the cats taking up my time is actually taking up my time!! Aarrgghh!
----------"Old age ain't no place for sissies."
Bette Davis
5,531 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 05 42
LOLOLOL, all you guys are too funny!!! LOLOLOLOL! You should all be writers!!!!! Oh ... you ARE!
I sort of have cats, too, and can empathize with you, but I have locked them up in the sun room, a room with windows and a long window ledge and a radio. I also bribe them with catnip.
The only thing getting in the way of Nano for me is sleep deprivation. And Facebook and Vampire Wars. But it's all part of the Nano experience to work through the distractions to strengthen our self-discipline.
----------2,045 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 07 26
What is it about writers and cats? : ) I'm a dog person, myself. And as you can see by my non-existent word count, I haven't even begun to write yet.
I was too tired after work last night (I get home right around midnight on weekends). I wanted to start, but just couldn't work up the energy. Then, I slept late this morning and I have my son recording his podcast in the next room and my husband walking back and forth, in and out, so there's TOO many distractions right now. *sigh* Plus, I have no idea what my first sentence will be.
Maybe I need to get a few cats. You guys are doing great! : )
----------"Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over." F. Scott Fitzgerald
2009: Aliens Wear Eyeliner, Too
43,004 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 07 29
inertia
----------An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered. - G. K. Chesterton
58,648 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 07 41
Cats -- gee I'm right at home! There are only two indoor cats and one is a real pester! Can we say every year about this time she demands lap time. Not just lap, but one arm has to be available for her to lay her head on. For touch typing - wellllll -- no can do for half hour to hour...
Outside cats (currently 7 of them) also want their nightly feeding and when that happens, its stop and pet each one which can be quite demanding!
But I still managed to get a couple hours of time - little more...but not as much as I need to get done, because later this week it will be time to cut and haul wood....
MEOWwwwwwwwww... :)
26,628 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 08 27
All those cats have stories they want told, heh. My cat wants to shop on ebay.
41,704 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 08 31
What's getting in my way?? Good ole Procrastination. Nothing like it. Beats cats all to heck. Need proof. Look at my big fat Zero on word count. I mean why write now when I can be doing this or that or the other thing. Seriously, I do want to get started today. Just when is the question.
38,422 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 08 56
Sereana said: "I mean why write now when I can be doing this or that or the other thing."
I have it on Good Authority (an actual published writer's LJ) this activity is officially known as ... Cat Waxing.
Yes, she has a cat. Known as either the Presumptuous Cat or the Complaint Department.
I think I'm a Cat Waxing specialist, in spite of having no pets. Big Zero for the word count and am I working on that? Nooooo, I'm here on the forums!
Dumb. Must fix that.
----------“It only has to be written. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” - Elizabeth Bear
41,331 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 08 57
What's getting in my way? ME! The dogs are fed and the cat's gone out to prowl the yard, but my dadblasted internal editor is leering at me, scoffing, questioning every word, and suggesting I might find more interesting writing in an email from Kohls. Arrrghh!
----------"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them" - Ray Bradbury
50,797 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 09 36
I have commitments that I must keep and so I must write in between those but my story is sort of writing itself right now but I have this fear that if I stop writing even for a few minutes it will all crash already new people have shown up and want their say.
----------52,096 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 09 44
Haven't found my MC's voice yet. It'll come to me.
WON'T IT???
----------25,099 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 11 27
Two things:
MS word on my laptop has frozen three times since I began writing at Midnight.
I've had to re-write passages each time, at least I'm getting more words out of the exercise.
Luckily, the University Library is open Sunday to Thursday until Midnight.
I can just come and write here. With my earbuds and my playlists on Youtube I'm good well into the night.
of course - you can't eat here. One down side.
The rest of the time I'll use my Neo, once I find the recharger for it. those 700 hours battery life are dwindling fast.
The second thing - speaking of frozen, is that I'm not able to find work. So at home I'm really freezing my butt off,
as i have no funds for my utilities for November & December, there's no way I'm going to be turning on the heat.
You'd be surprised how cold you get sitting in one place for several hour.
My hot water bottles are coming into a lot of use.
Ah well,
----------So be it.
Chance is only Fate using a pen name ~ ej runyon
'01 Your Little Red Book...'02 Treasure Island Vin Rose (win)...'03 A House of Light and Stone (win)..'05 Good People (win)..'06 Subway Tunes (win)...'07 900 miles (win)
'08 Bridge to Story
43,576 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 12 37
Tried to make it to the midnight starting point, but fell asleep! Got up late and now way behind my goal for the day (5K)! Although I have a great outline to work from, I can't seem to make myself stick to what I am supposed to be doing! Did the laundry and wrote 800 words on my blog - but can't count those! The dog AND the cat are continually wanting to go in and out, in and out! Jumping up to do their bidding.
Maybe I've drunk too many cups of coffee! Mentally pacing back and forth here!
http://craesmith.blogspot.com
43,154 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 13 45
My typing sucks. And I can't resist making corrections sometimes, which further slows me down. I expect my typing will improve during the month.
I bailed out of a typing class in high school in the first week. When word processing came along, I was ecstatic. A backspace key that erased! Life was good. Still is,but my typing still sucks.
----------Hope is the thing with feathers -
50,320 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 13 47
The Minnesota Vikings v the Green Bay Packers.
BUT, I started at 12:17 AM and worked straight through for 7 hours and got way ahead of myself before going to bed (turning the clock back helped!) Then had to get up for the game, oh, and I have to get on the treadmill for an hour too. But my goal is to reach 5000 words before I stop today, because these are the easiest 5000 words I will be writing--I've been writing them in my head for days!
After today? Not so good.....plot already twisting back on itself, one character refuses to know her place, and I think I screwed up my geography!
Plus, gonna be gone for the 4-day Thanksgiving weekend, so have to really be done before I leave.
Tick Tock, tick tock.....
Good luck everyone!
btw, my protagonist would be watching the game, too! ;-)
50,320 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 13 47
The Minnesota Vikings v the Green Bay Packers.
BUT, I started at 12:17 AM and worked straight through for 7 hours and got way ahead of myself before going to bed (turning the clock back helped!) Then had to get up for the game, oh, and I have to get on the treadmill for an hour too. But my goal is to reach 5000 words before I stop today, because these are the easiest 5000 words I will be writing--I've been writing them in my head for days!
After today? Not so good.....plot already twisting back on itself, one character refuses to know her place, and I think I screwed up my geography!
Plus, gonna be gone for the 4-day Thanksgiving weekend, so have to really be done before I leave.
Tick Tock, tick tock.....
Good luck everyone!
btw, my protagonist would be watching the game, too! ;-)
50,320 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 15 14
OOOPs sorry for the double post!
36,754 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 17 05
My hopeful goal was 2500 words/day, and I didn't make that. I see most of you are ahead of me. I'm still having cat and computer problems. It's like the cats sense that you're totally focussed on something else, and that won't do. You're supposed to be totally focussed on the cat, until the cat gets bored with it.
EJ, I feel your pain. Literally. My furnace gave out a year and a half ago, and since I've been unemployed for two years today I haven't been able to get it fixed. I'm using space heaters, but that takes a lot of juice and has tripled my electric bill. I also bought a space blanket, and I definitely recommend them. Before I was shivering under a sheet, an afghan, a blanket, a quilt, and another blanket. Last night, under the space blanket, I got so hot I threw a couple covers off.
Back to the grind. This year, my lofty goal is to not only get my 50K but to finish the rough draft of the novel as well.
----------2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance
58,314 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 18 12
My typing isn't so great, but right now, my biggest problem is that I went to a memorial party today. In Nashville, friends' deaths are remembered with a potluck and guitars, or so it seems.
I'm nano rebelling this year. I'm starting in the middle of a story, but still intending to write 50K. So it's a paranormal suspense story, and I'm in the middle, where it should be real dark, but I don't feel dark. I feel all kind of sweet and touchy-feely, because I was at a memorial.
So I ended writing a really sweet love scene, but this isn't what I need to write. I just can't listen to emotional songs and hug people, then come home and write terror.
----------Winner 2005: The Tribe of Palmetto Bay
Winner 2006: The Blue Light
Winner 2007: Fido
Winner 2008: Disappearance
Winner 2009: Comp Psi
http://cookingback2reality.blogspot.com/
41,704 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 18 48
Man, I feel for you guys w/o heat. I can't stand to be cold. And I'm always cold. Even in the summer in air conditioning. Luckily, our utility offers level pay and I qualify. So right now I can crank up my heat.
As you can see, I finally started writing. Went to our write in today and that helped. We had a great turnout. More than 20 people crowded into the Panera meeting room, lap top cords strung everywhere. Really don't have much in common with people there but that's good. I can write w/o the distractions of talking to friends. Tomorrow will be another thing. Back to work 10 hours a day and trying to keep up my word count. Can you say - typing all through lunch.
36,754 / 50,000
nov. 1, 2009 - 20 15
I hate being cold. My air conditioning went out at the same time, but that's not as much of a hardship. In summer I can stand the heat until it gets up to the mid-80s. Then it starts being uncomfortable. But usually I'm fine with a fan.
Went out and stocked up on groceries. Nearly fainted away at the price, even shopping sales. Feeding several cats is expensive. Luckily, Halloween candy was half price.
----------2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance
53,173 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 06 32
Oh, me too. I didn't realize that it was NaNo rebelling to start in the middle. I'm about halfway in a teen paranormal and hoping this year's NaNo will get me almost to the end.
50,102 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 09 03
You folks without heat...I know what it's like. I live in an older mobile home (read: trailer) and quit using the gas furnace years ago. Couldn't afford the price of propane, plus it was totally inefficient. Have a woodstove in the front part of the place and use a space heater for the bedroom...where my computer is. That means some pretty cold fingers on the keyboard a lot of times.
Too soon to fire up the wood stove (and my youngest son has had time yet to help me put up new pipe outside) since we've not had a frost yet, and I can take the cold better than I can the heat. My cats, on the other hand, think I'm a sadist for making them, fully-furred though they are, suffer in 50 degree temps! Which also leads to more of them on my lap while I try to type.
Haven't gotten up to what some of you have in word count. Have to fit it in around my work schedule, even on weekends when I have to deal with the discussion forums postings for my online students. Just because my contract says I teach weekdays doesn't mean I'm not expected to work whenever students need me...usually on weekends when they realize assignments are due on Monday and they go into a panic!
----------"Old age ain't no place for sissies."
Bette Davis
25,099 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 09 44
What is a space blanket, and where can i find one?
Dead serious, anyone know?
----------Chance is only Fate using a pen name ~ ej runyon
'01 Your Little Red Book...'02 Treasure Island Vin Rose (win)...'03 A House of Light and Stone (win)..'05 Good People (win)..'06 Subway Tunes (win)...'07 900 miles (win)
'08 Bridge to Story
10,282 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 13 08
1) The World Series, but that will be over soon.
2) Eye strain. I put in so many computer hours trying to get EVERYTHING ELSE pushed as far along as possible before Nano began, that now my eyes are rebelling (achy, itchy, blinky, watery, arghh!) and I need to seriously curtail computer time until the sightly orbs have recovered. That means I'll be focusing on getting daily word count in and a few keep-the-business-going essentials but, after this post, staying away from the forums for a while. Hope to be back soon.
The upside of eye strain is that I failed miserably to cobble together a story-line before 11/1; I'm now hoping that away-from-computer time will be the opportunity tI need to ponder my plot some more.
Aloha for now,
Stephanie
41,704 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 15 56
Work. 10 hours a day and I'm tired. And now dark at 5:30 and I just want to go to bed. Hoping I get a second wind cause I would like to get more words tonight. AARRRGGGHHHH
9,538 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 17 22
Several things:
My cat scratched the crap out of my palm on Saturday.
My daschund thinks HE should be my laptop, not my computer.
I started jury duty today.
My sweetie suddenly decided to take exception to my typical snappish remarks, which sent me into a funk for the second half of Sunday.
Worst thing getting in the way: my best friend's son is extremely ill and I'm eaten up with worry for the both of them.
Oh, and just incidentally, my story pretty much sucks so far.
36,754 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 19 39
Dead serious, anyone know?
Think baked potato. Seriously, the way baked potatoes are wrapped in tin foil. A space blanket is a reflective mylar sheet that reflects your body heat back to you. There are the flimsy emergency space blankets that are kind of fragile (but very cheap), and then there are ones that are backed by a sheet of plastic (about $10-$15). Campers use them, either over or under the sleeping bag or even over the tent itself if it's a small tent. I think I got mine from Amazon. Outdoor or camping stores may have them, too.
Go to Amazon and search for "space blanket." You'll get a lot of hits. They apparently also have space blanket ponchos. I didn't know that. I might get one.
2005: In Back of the North Wind -- WINNER!
----------2006: Leopard's Paw -- WINNER!
2007: The Old Straight Track (finished) -- WINNER!
2008: The Other Side of the Wall (finished) -- WINNER!
2009: Dark Inheritance
2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance