Already?!?

November 15?!?
Really?!?
How can it be?

We've heard it before and we'll hear it again.

“How can November be half-gone already?”
“I can’t even believe it is November already.”
“Where did that month go?”

It seems that we are always lamenting how quickly time slips by. But it's true. It is November and even halfway through November already.

There has been a huge change in my blogging pattern. During October I participated in the 31 Amazing Days challenge – and succeeded in posting nearly every day – which was a healthy and fun exercise. Then came November One and suddenly it was time for NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month. This is my third year to participate in NaNo. I quickly realized that it must be my top priority. In fact, other years I've been lucky enough to arrange my life and schedule so that NaNo was my main priority in November and so that it had very little competition for my time and attention. I assumed that I would not be able to succeed if I had other important things to do with my month. Even so I was well aware that I was rather spoiled by that luxury.

This year my schedule is a little different. Yes, I am doing NaNo again but it turns out that there are other important things in my schedule as well – things that compete for my early morning hours. I had previously set aside the first hours of the morning to get my writing done – because that’s when I am the most creative. Well... and because I could. But this year there have been grandchildren to care for in some of those early morning hours. Not that I mind! I absolutely love being available to help with them. Then there are medical appointments (both for me and for other people in my life) that steal some more of those mornings.

In previous years, those “interruptions” or intrusions on my time might have caused me to panic about my chances of success, but hey! Other people do NaNoWriMo besides keeping up with busy schedules – work, school, family responsibilities, etc. Am I such a wimp that I can’t keep up with a few other things along with NaNo?

Well, here it is the middle of the month and I am happy to report that even though I have had more real life to live this year, I am indeed keeping up my writing pace. I believe that I am going to make it to my goal. Yippee! I think I can be proud of myself.