Writing is such sweet sorrow

There are only so many hours in a day and so many of those are taken up with eating and sleeping. When the mood strikes, um excuse me... the muse strikes, you must write. For the first time in three years, it appears my muse and NaNoWriMo have struck at the same time.

I might be a little crazy for tackling a writing challenge this big right now. I am currently in my last semester of my bachelor's degree. I have several projects due at the end of November that are very involved. Yet, when you have to write there is no stopping the urge to write.

Anyhow, I will tackle the 50,000 words in 30 days goal and hopefully succeed this year. I have my outline
ready to go and even created a book cover. Possibly a little 'cart before the horse' mentality there but it is motivation.

In addition, I have 30 themed prompts that co-relate to my story in case I get stuck. In writing out my outline I have prompted each chapter so that if I get stuck on one, I can move to another. Obviously i plan on editing after the month is over. That is key, edit AFTER the month is over.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? Do you know what NaNo is?

You can learn more about NaNoWriMo here.

Honorable, they say

I entered the Sky's The Limit photography contest that the Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee had this fall. The photos are currently on display in their gallery until November 2.

On October 5th, there was a reception where the winners of the contest were announced. There were over 300 entries, 40 finalist and it came down to a tense couple of minutes.

Red Hawks Soar

I was pleasantly surprised to be included as the honorable mention of the finalists. This photo is of the 2012-13 Creekwood High School Drill Team just after one of their competitions.I am so proud of these young men and women.

I am greatly humbled to have received the Honorable Mention. This was the first photo contest I entered.

A Tribute In Memory

Sometimes you have that person in your life that inspires you to be great. On occasion, you are related to that person.

Rarely does that person have a major impact in your life and you only remember meeting them once when you were a teen and there not being a whole lot of interaction between you.

This would be my cousin.

She has inspired me to be me for a while. My mom and her mom used to joke about how she was my mom's child and I was my aunt's, in reality I think our personalities were not that much different. My cousin studied film and photography. She was a graphic designer long before it was the cool thing to do.

She was an advocate for her children, which I find myself becoming.  One of her children and one of mine have very similar health concerns; she shared a lot with me so that unlike her, I am not starting from scratch and clueless.

My cousin was a fighter.

She never took no for an answer. Even when it was the only answer. I love my cousin and right now, my heart is breaking for her family and her sisters.

See, my cousin fought breast cancer for 4.5 years.

Her fight is over.

(Withholding name to honor privacy wishes.)