No Hope

I feel like this week's quote is a bit of a downer. Even though the true message is basically to keep on keeping on.

Still, keep going when there seems to be no hope? Yeah. I think we all feel like that about something at some point in life, but I think the main thing we all need to remember is that we need to keep GOING.

Sometimes it's hard when you feel like everything is against you, but no one ever said life - or getting published - was easy. And if you ever think someone's life or writing journey was easy, well then you probably don't know them very well.

It's hard to remember that when it feels like everyone around you has great news and fantastical deals and the whole of the interwebz is celebrating with them, but just remember: your time will come, you simply must keep going.

This past winter was a big moment of seemingly no hope for me, and now, well, now summer's fast approaching, I've made it through finding a new normal with the family, have taken some time for myself and started back into the wonderful world of word counts and writing, and now, I think I am stronger for the experience.

What's your moment of seemingly no hope? How did you make it through?

Quote of the Week

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

Dale Carnegie

Random Stuff Friday

Welcome back to another installment of "Otherwise Amusing Events Occurring Within the Aphayrath World" also known as "Random Stuff Friday"

#1 - We give our old cell phones to play with. The bubs LOVE pretending they have phone calls or are text messaging their friends. The other day I was driving to Home Depot with Hubs, all 3 bubs, and brother-in-law-who-now-lives-with-us (who will heretofore be known as "Bil"). 3yo was playing with my old Samsung Glyde - not an advert for the phone, as I totally hated it - when Bil asked her what she was doing. 3yo: "I'm texting to Twitter. Duh." Hubs turned to me. Me: "Ohmigod, she is totally my kid."

#2 - One of the best reasons I found for following some of my favorite places on Facebook is finding out about events that might take a while to learn of otherwise. Case in point: The King's English (SLC's awesometastical indie bookstore) does summer reading groups for kids, run by teachers, where kids are broken out into appropriate age groups, given reading lists, etc. It's like book club! And lucky for me, the timing of both kids' sessions are the same, which means I'm gonna get an hour once a week to hang out at my fave indie bookshop! Woohoo!

#3 - It's a pirate life this weekend at the Aphayrath house. Jake and the Neverland Pirates, that is. All my pre-planning efforts were for naught when 3yo decided she HAD to change the theme of the party 2 weeks ago (I've been gone for 1 week), so now I'm scrambling to get everything ready. *sigh*

 #4 - I've not seen The Hunger Games movie yet. Nor have I read the book. *ducks flying tomatoes* I've not seen the Avengers yet. I don't know when I will. Here's my reasoning why: there's been so much hype, so much positive gushing, just so much ... much that I'm not sure if I want to experience any of these for fear that I will be so devastatingly disappointed because of all the gushing there's just no way any of these could live up to my expectations. Irrational fear? Yeah, probably. Is there someone out there who can convince me otherwise? I'm not sure ...

#5 - I really want to have something else amusing for you here, but yanno, I just don't. So hope everyone has as awesome weather as we do here in the Salt Lake valley (mid 70s all weekend!) and an enjoyable weekend. Catch ya later!

Joining Short Races

This week's quote has really stuck with me. When I first saw it, I didn't think much about it, but then I realized how true it is. Especially for me right now.

I tweeted a while back that I signed up for my first 5K. Ever. I hate to run, but I needed something to get me moving. And people always told me it's a lot harder to commit to training unless you have a predetermined deadline.

So here it is: my next birthday, June 9, and what a way to start a new year of my life, right? Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I only have 2 goals for this 5K. #1) run the entire time & #2) survive.

I think those are very reasonable goals.

As I thought through my running goals, I realized how remiss I've been on the writing front. I've been losing all the short races on this side by simply not participating at all. On pinterest there's this little poster:

And yeah, I've been the one sitting on the couch as everyone's been passing by.

Well no more!

If I can get training for this 5K, then I can get back into the writerly swing of things. I've said it before, the getting started again, but if you never start (however many times it may take), you'll never ever finish, right??

Since I've committed to 2 goals for the 5K on my birthday, I've decided I need to commit to 2 goals for my writing to be done by my birthday. #1) get to 40K words in the current WIP (I'm right about 5K right now) & #2) blog twice a week to get back into my writerly groove.

Nothing too crazy or impossible. Not gonna jump into any marathons right away, because that's how you end up quitting before you get started, I think.

Realistic enough goals, but at the same time, a bit of a stretch for me.

How are your short races going? Are they pretty reasonable without being easy reach?

Quote of the Week

"Perseverence is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other."

Walter Elliot