Monday, November 15, 2010
The War Against Dangerous Acronyms
Dead Reckoning’s Hierarchy of Avoidance (HOA) is almost legendary at this point. It’s integral to the operation of this ship and a natural philosophy for a group of writing pirates. But at some point, something must get done. And now is not a good time for me to become a die-hard follower of this movement.
Unfortunately, I seem to have taken this philosophy one step further. I’ve gone beyond avoidance to a whole new level. I have embraced the CAD philosophy.
CEASE AND DESIST.
I admit it, yesterday morning, while driving to work, a dangerous thought flitted through my brain.
“What’s $50? I could let it go. It’s spent. It’s no big deal.”
That’s right, I began to rationalize how bad it would be should I not send my entry for the GH and my money goes to waste. So I make one more contribution to RWA, I certainly make plenty of those during the year. What’s fifty more dollars?
IT’S FIFTY BLOOMIN’ DOLLARS IS WHAT IT IS!
Money ain’t cheap and I don’t have a lot to be throwing away. If I found a $50 bill on the street, would I toss it in the nearest garbage can? You bet your sweet knickers I wouldn’t. So what the hell was I thinking?
I know what I was thinking. CEASE AND DESIST. Go back to the days of being a couch potato when there were no voices in my head bitching that I needed to be doing something else. No more pushing this heavy-ass bolder up that giant damn hill. No worries of getting back a score card showing I was in the bottom 1 percentile of entries.
No more of this negative nelly stuff!
By some miracle, while sitting at my desk at work yesterday, after a very productive day, I opened a blank file. And I started typing. At first I flew through that first page, hit the second page running, and realized I was still describing the first scene.
Damn it.
But I dug in and I tried again. Focused. Moving it along. And by the time I left work, I had three pretty good pages of a synopsis. Even impressed myself with a funny metaphor. Can't remember the last time I did that.
No telling how many more pages I’ll get and how many new gray hairs I’ll gain trying to turn this into something usable, but by golly I’ll do it. And I’ll do it *glances at Hottie calendar on cabin wall* in less than two weeks!
*takes healthy swig of rum*
Today, I’m flipping CAD around and the plan is DAC - DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
Whose with me? How are y’all doing on NaNo? Anyone even thinking about the holidays? (They’re coming up quick!)
Unfortunately, I seem to have taken this philosophy one step further. I’ve gone beyond avoidance to a whole new level. I have embraced the CAD philosophy.
CEASE AND DESIST.I admit it, yesterday morning, while driving to work, a dangerous thought flitted through my brain.
“What’s $50? I could let it go. It’s spent. It’s no big deal.”
That’s right, I began to rationalize how bad it would be should I not send my entry for the GH and my money goes to waste. So I make one more contribution to RWA, I certainly make plenty of those during the year. What’s fifty more dollars?
IT’S FIFTY BLOOMIN’ DOLLARS IS WHAT IT IS!
Money ain’t cheap and I don’t have a lot to be throwing away. If I found a $50 bill on the street, would I toss it in the nearest garbage can? You bet your sweet knickers I wouldn’t. So what the hell was I thinking?
I know what I was thinking. CEASE AND DESIST. Go back to the days of being a couch potato when there were no voices in my head bitching that I needed to be doing something else. No more pushing this heavy-ass bolder up that giant damn hill. No worries of getting back a score card showing I was in the bottom 1 percentile of entries.
No more of this negative nelly stuff!
By some miracle, while sitting at my desk at work yesterday, after a very productive day, I opened a blank file. And I started typing. At first I flew through that first page, hit the second page running, and realized I was still describing the first scene.
Damn it.
But I dug in and I tried again. Focused. Moving it along. And by the time I left work, I had three pretty good pages of a synopsis. Even impressed myself with a funny metaphor. Can't remember the last time I did that.
No telling how many more pages I’ll get and how many new gray hairs I’ll gain trying to turn this into something usable, but by golly I’ll do it. And I’ll do it *glances at Hottie calendar on cabin wall* in less than two weeks!*takes healthy swig of rum*
Today, I’m flipping CAD around and the plan is DAC - DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
Whose with me? How are y’all doing on NaNo? Anyone even thinking about the holidays? (They’re coming up quick!)
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59 comments:
I'm kicking ass and taking names this month. Get the hell out of my way unless you want to be run over. I breeched 40k tonight. I have this damned goal to see how many words I can get in the month of November and if I can type THE END on this novel by the 30th I'm getting snockered in celebration on the first.
Ter, get your ass in gear! You're gonna kick some GH ass.
The holidays!? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Run away! Run away!
No, actually, Last Chance and I have a plan already in motion for the Christmas holidays. I have a feeling gifts are going to be all about not much...but the economy is tight and it's like that for everyone.
As for kicking ass in the writing department? One round of revision down, waiting for the next, going through book two with an eye toward what I learned in round one, hoping to build from there and finish the book... Luckily, I'm at the steampunk spices and attending a steampunk conference this coming weekend. So, that should help!
I think I'll have it done before the end of December...
Go, Bo'sun! And Sin-ister!
Woo hoo, whole lotta ass kickin' going on!
Good for you, Terri -- I love your DAC philosophy.
Sometimes it IS just a matter of plowing ahead when you don't think you can. I did that with my NaNo today and got 3k in, when it would have been easier to quit. Of course, I'm competing against my Evil Twin, and she's so far ahead right now. (Sin, are you sure your word count doesn't have a typo? LOL)
I'm proud of you, Bo'sun. You could have taken the easy way out, but you didn't. You're inspirational. :)
And I'm still giggling at the thought of avoidance being integral to the ship's operation. It's a wonder we don't sit in drydock every day. Oh wait. . .LOL
Brits are banned from NaNo .... thank God!
I have enough deadlines without competing with half of America (the feminine half!) as well.
DAC is always the best strategy Bosun .... its pretty well proven mathematically in books on optimization.
Anyway don't let me dampen spirits here. I'll be cheering with the rest when you win.
Go Girl GO LOL
I was right there with you, until you mentioned the holidays, and then I wanted to bury myself back into a hole somewhere.
I love this. Divide and Conquer -- this has to be my new strategy. To be handled in balance with HOA, of course, because really, I can't be expected to accomplish *everything*.
I'm not officially doing NaNo, but I'm trying to keep revising. You guys are doing awesome!!! 40k Sin? And way to go Donna and Ter!
Good strategy, Hal -- balancing DAC and HOA. Which would make it DACHOA or possibly HOADAC.
*mind boggles*
LOL
I've got some HOA chores today that I'm finally ready to do. "Accomplishment through avoidance" -- yup, that's my motto!
Good morning, my dearies!
Sin - You hit 80K in one month and you'll be setting a precedent. As long as you know at that point we will expect nothing less going forward. :)
LOL!
Too bad NaNo doesn't have a cash prize at the end!
Sin - I know, the holidays are sort of freaking me out. Well, not totally. I've got Thanksgiving at someone else's house, so no entertaining on my part. Then Kiddo won't be here ON Christmas, which means I can use the lovely bonus to buy her stuff AFTER all the crazies have left the mall. When everything is really on sale. Huzzah!
I bet your second round of revisions - if there even is one - will be a breeze. You worked really hard on those first ones. And I love the idea of having those fresh eyes to get that stuff right in book 2. How lucky is that?!
Donna - Don't get too excited just yet. The entry isn't yet in the mail after all. LOL! But I feel better about it than I did. It's like riding a bike, only not so hard on my knees.
Don't be competing against Sin in that NaNo stuff. This is not about competition. This is about you getting to the goal line. Sounds like Sin's goal line is in Timbuktu and who wants to go there this time of year?!
Q - What are you doing over here? You have a wedding to plan! LOL! You are on the royal wedding planning team, right? They can't be thinking of holding an event that large with consulting a Quantum physicist. As it is, the whole world is going to get sucked into that thing.
Thank you so much for your (misplaced) confidence and (undying) support. I'm getting you a new bottle of scotch for Christmas.
Hal - We must attack the holidays in the same manner we attack the writing. And everything else. Embrace the DAC, darling.
We should probably make lists, huh? That's always a good place to start. Then we divide the list and pass the parts off to someone else. Sounds like a plan!
Go you on the revising. How you feeling? Waddling (sp?) yet? :)
Donna - HOADAC looks like Hodack which makes my brain jump to "Who Dat?" and now I'm off to New Orleans. Which is probably a great place to be right now. Though we're hitting almost 70 today here. In November. Not complaining.
This blog is inspired! *LOL* And I love the DIVIDE AND CONQUER--very piratey.
I think my brain is still in cease and desist mode though. I need to a plan about how to divide and conquer what I need to do. And I *WANT* to do it. I want it done. I want it finished. I want to stop opening the same chapter 14, damnit.
So divide and conquer seems like a good strategy.
Go go go, Bo'sun! I know you can do all of this. I've watched you tackle a seemingly insurmountable amount of tasks before and come out victorious on the other end. You're going to do great.
I'm already getting ready for the holidays. I want to get my shopping done early so I can enjoy a relaxing lead up. My future SIL is hosting Thanksgiving next week so I got out of the make-dinner-for-12 this year. I get to do Christmas Eve but I'm kinda excited about that. I haven't been home on Christmas eve for years and my oldest is in a fun Christmas phase. He's already got his Santa list. Last year he corrected the Santa at the mall when the poor guy didn't get the name of the toy he wanted right. "No, Santa, I said Percy." LOL!!
My household has been struck low by this very awful cold so I got derailed in my writing. I did manage a chapter and a synopsis. I'm hoping I get some more time to write here soon.
But go all you Nano-ers! DRD and Sin, totally proud of you both. And Sin, if you type THE END this month through Nano, I say we all coordinate a synchronized toast. Does everyone have Skype? LOL!
Hellie - I thought we decided you were skipping 14 and going right to 15. Whatever it takes to get you moving forward!
Marn - Could we really all Skype in together?! That would be amazing.
Quick meeting but I'll be back soon.
I think the holidays are freaking Chancer out. Not me. I've not really thought that far ahead. I've got tunnel vision this month. With lots of pink post-it notes taped all over both monitors at work.
And yes, I'm sitting at 40k as of last night at about 10:30. And about another 2k written in a notebook that's not been put in yet (nor will it since it's the end). This novel is a cluster. I've missed things and forgot scenes. My beginning is GOD awful. I've got to find some way to bring in the cops before I did to make it a little more plausible than it is right now. Vigilantly justice... loves. See not a pretty 40k so far.
DRD, I'm not racing you dear. There is this dick in the NaNo form for my region who was bragging that he was going to get the most words this month. *eye roll* My God, he's a HP fanfic writer and I can't deal with that happening. So currently I'm racing him. We're about neck and neck for first place in our city.
Wait, except I can't skype since I don't have internet at home. :(
Ter, yes we were could all skype together as long as we all had the capabilities to skype.
Okay, Hells, while you will be proud that I've yielding to writing in format (ugh, double space and indented paragraph- woe is me- I've conformed) I'm not writing in chapters. I'm just writing.
Does anyone else do this- just write without chapters?
Though I'm thinking it won't be such a great idea when I have to go insert scenes I've left out over the course of writing straight through.
Sin, I usually write in a more linear fashion than I am with my NaNo book. I'm just writing scenes as they occur to me, and make scene breaks when I'm done. It's the first time I haven't broken it into Chapters as I go. It's kinda liberating, and kinda messy, but I'm fine with it. Because when I get to 50k, it's still only halfway (it's a historical, so it needs to be about 95 to 100k).
I was teasing about keeping up with you. I don't blame you for trying to speed past the dickasaurus. I'll even cheer you on!
I supposedly have Skype on my new laptop, and the webcam is built in, which is kinda cool, unless it's on somehow and I don't realize it. Eeek. LOL I haven't used the Skype yet, but that could be fun, even though I hate being in front of cameras!
OMG, I am so excited about Wills and Kate getting married. I mean, I know I'm die-hard American and all, but I can't resist a Royal Wedding. *sighs* I've been rooting for Kate for years.
Hells, I just saw that too. *sigh* It will be so splendid!
My newest laptop is Skype capable as well. I just don't have the Internet or the ability to pirate out in the neighborhood we're in. I'd love to Skype you all. In fact, I'd love to just have a drink with all of you regardless if we're celebrating or not (wait, we're pirates, we're always celebrating something).
The first time I wrote a novel length piece of fiction it was the same way I'm writing this. Messy, uncomplicated, complete clusterfuck. I had no idea of the plot, just some vague idea I wanted to run with. This time I had a vague idea with a plot in mind and ended up writing a book that would go before it. Obviously I'm unable to plan. The key to NaNo is staying focused and stomping forward no matter how much you want to stop. I always want to stop. In fact, I thought about taking the week off. Will I? Hell no. I won't go back to writing next week if I take time off.
I'm ahead of the dude now. I just checked. He's at 37k. I'm at 40k.
I'm still agog at the guy Sin is competing with is a HP fan fic writer. Part of me sorta wants to read his stuff, but then part of me is thinking--because he's a guy and would focus more on action than the funny stuff that Rowling did so well--he's going to suck. And you know he's anti-romance since that has no place in a fantasy story. *LOL*
You're still the clear winner. You created your own characters, your own world, and your own rules. And you're still kicking his ass.
What is Skyppe? You have to understand I don't even have TEXTING capabilities on my cell phone, let alone anything clever on my computer.
Meeting got postponed. Yay!
I don't think my laptop has the built-in camera. But I have a webcam somewhere. I hide it since I sort of get in trouble when I have it out. Long (sordid) story.
But I'd find it for you ladies!
Sin - It's not like you couldn't head over to Hellie's place. LOL!
I am so excited about this royal wedding. Partly because this one looks to be a good one. They've been together for a long time and are such a gorgeous couple. Can't wait to see the gown!
Okay, clearly HP-dick dude must be defeated. You don't throw a challenge like that down in front of our Sinister and live to tell the tale!
Sin - Almost forgot. Last year I did the same thing, just wrote without breaking anything into chapters. Since I keep everything in one file anyway, it was no big deal to go back and break out chapters later.
NaNo is all about free flow. Keep it flowing and screw the chapter breaks.
Skype sort of lets you make a video phone call. All you need is a camera and I'm guessing you can download the program? Kind of like iTunes?
Anybody?
Actually I'm glad Sin has someone new to throw her icepicks into. I'm feeling safer already. LOL
Hellie, Skype is like a video calling thingie. Which is why you need a webcam, so you can see each other.
I'm excited about a royal wedding. I think they need to get it done before William loses ALL his hair. LOL I guess they could Photoshop it back in.
Yay, Ter, go with that GH entry! And, Sin, just the thought of 80K in one month renders me speechless (almost). My NaNo total right now is 7000. I'm finding that my brain doesn't shift very well between the factual and the fictional, so I'll probably be doing well if I hit 10K.
I'd love to cease and disist. Unfortunately--or maybe fortunately since I want the check--I don't have that option. I am dividing and I hope to conquer. My focus today is taking a 6500-word first draft of an article and cutting it to 2000 before editing and polishing, and tomorrow, I will be writing the first draft of a 1200-word article and cutting and revising a second of the same length. It will come as no surprise to you, Ter, that the shorter the article, the greater my struggle to reach the goal. LOL
Oh. Well, I have no camera on my current laptop and I can't afford to replace said laptop right this second. I mean, if it DIES violently, I will, but if it continues to plug along, I'm going to just live without skyppe. But Sin is welcome to come pirate internet at my house and we can share, if she wants.
Janga, you're almost halfway met your goal, haven't you? Weren't you planning to write 15,000 words? (10 articles?)
No one wants you to replace your laptop. LOL! You can get a cheap webcam for $25 or less. Then you just set it on the top of your laptop monitor. Voila!
Janga - I would say I could knock out 2000 words easy, but I know what you're doing takes research which is where I'd be out. LOL! But you're in a pretty good boat since your NaNo task really does come with a check at the end!
Go you! Cut those puppies up.
Actually, you can't video Skype with more than two people. My mom and sister live in Fl and we all Skype. But when all three of us are on a conference call, the video capability goes away. We could all conference call though. You don't need a webcam for that, as long as you have the microphone/volume capability.
Down with HP dude!
Then it's a date. Hells and I will skype via my computers for a date with the pirates if need be. I just have to remember what my skype name is. LOL
Bummed :(
And I'd love to be able to do 80k every month but I'd need a maid in the worst way. My house is being seriously neglected while I write.
I just checked and you can get Skype group video calling. They have a trial version you can use free for 28 days. If we timed it right, we could do that. Of course, after that 28 days we'd be screwed. LOL! Though I don't know how much it would be to keep it.
The 7000 words are toward the NaNo goal of 50K, Hellie. :(
It is 15,000 for the articles, but I have to write 15. The shortest is 750 words. That sounds easy, but for me to cover a huge topic in 750 words is painful. I spend more time carving away words than I do writing them. For example, I have to cover 500 years of the literature of a third of a continent in 1200 words. That's much harder for me to do than it would be to write 12K on the same subject. My essay for the journal Teaching American Literature on one author, Nora Roberts, was longer than that--and even then I cut and cut and the editors cut more. Clearly if I could divide the number of words I write for one article or one chapter, I'd be more likely to conquer. :)
I freaking love that you swapped those around! So awesome how that worked. :)
I'm really not kicking any ass or taking any names this week on writing.
Won't go into it here - there's a difficult post on my alter ego blog (Cheeky Reads) if you want depressing details.
Trying to pep myself up for writing - so I think I might try a little of your DAC!
Chance - we totally need to make that a drink!
I killed the blog.
LOL! Nah. It's just lunch time over here on the East Coast. We always get slow for a couple hours about this time of day.
I read your blog and the face you're making in that picture is so you. In fact, I'm pretty sure you made it in Orlando. You are so adorable.
Hugs to you again, girlie.
*hugs Scapey* Losing someone is always had to cope with and I hear from the girls all the time it's okay to cry. Even if it is later on. Your mom just wants you to be happy.
Oh that is priceless!
Thanks pirates - now where's that bartender.
I REALLY want a a DAC. Love that idea.
Maybe Drambuie, Amaretto and Creme de cacao?
Ha- anyone else with some DAC combos?
Since we sort of mentioned the holidays, I just had to share this. Chancey is walking around a mall and they're playing Christmas carols. LOL! She's trying not to scream.
That'll teach you to hang at the mall during this time of year.
That should be "seeing", obviously.
Gah!
I keep deeing those commercials for Disorano and Cranberry and that fits. I'll have one of those.
Since we sort of mentioned the holidays, I just had to share this. Chancey is walking around a mall and they’re playing Christmas carols. LOL! She’s trying not to scream.
ROTFLMAO
I'm actually proud of our local mall. I'm pretty sure they had Santa out before Halloween last year. I was there last weekend and nary a decoration. Much better!
Speaking of the holidays...
Look at what I just saw...
http://www.starbucks.com/share#/redcups
Buy One, Get One Free Holiday Drinks at Starbucks!
"Deeing" was perfectly fine. I just thought you were already tippling, that's all.
Oh, Kiddo just finished up her Starbucks card. And the small print says it's only from 2-5p, which works for us since it's not like we're ever up and out of the house before then. At least not on a weekend.
What the heck is tippling?
tip·ple 1 (tpl)
tr. & intr.v. tip·pled, tip·pling, tip·ples
To drink (alcoholic liquor) or engage in such drinking, especially habitually or to excess.
n.
Alcoholic liquor.
That makes sense now. And I'm clearly too lazy to look that up on my own.
Someone want to come do the corporate mail? I really have my hands full over here and could use the help.
I'll add it into my own I've avoiding. HOA and all that.
*faints*
I wrote 3600 words, and I'm all caught up--until I start over tomorrow. LOL
I might see if I can do some more later. I left the hero and heroine in the bedroom. . .I want to make sure they can figure out what to do. LOL
I am dragging my ass home...yes, carols at the mall. And a Christmas tree and the Hickory Farms people out selling gift boxes of cheese and sausages... GAG!
I mentioned the carols to the Starbucks barista in the mall and she looked so pitiful. Imagine...how many days until Christmas? And she's going to hear the same bland ones over and over and over and over and over...
Disarona and Cranberrie for the DAC...sounds good to me!
Now, if I can just manage the last 25 miles to the house without collapsing...
Did get some new shoes...
Congrats on the word count, Donna! Hope you got more in during the evening. I've had the strangest night, but I'm about to have cleaner water after tomorrow. (Don't ask.)
Sounds like you had a good day, Chance, regardless of the carols. At least you're not that barista, right? :)
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