Hello December!

I'm alive, I'm alive, mainly because I didn't officially do NaNo this year... Did you?? If you did, I'd like to personally send you recovery coffee and Oreos. Whether you met your goal or not, nice work, you incredible person!! It takes a lot to take on the beast of NaNo. 

LIFE THINGS

November was much more chill than October, by far! Socially, I mean. In October, I was kind of all over the place, but this month I spent a lot of time at home, writing, reading, making cookie butter milkshakes (which are my new favorite...), baking, among other things that didn't involve leaving the house or seeing people. :) 

Not to say I didn't go out at all. For one, this month was our school gala auction, which I worked at. That meant, being at the Ronald Reagan Library for over thirteen hours. If you have never been to the Ronald Reagan Library before, I highly recommend it, but maybe don't stay for thirteen hours. 

Also a friend from Georgia came into town for a weekend. I drove down to LA and back. I auditioned for Zaneeta in our production of Music Man. I turned eighteen (????). I went to a basketball game with a friend. THANKSGIVING. 

I started spiritual direction this month also, because I feel like my spiritual life has been rather dry lately, and it's been incredibly helpful. I'm so so so thankful that I have this opportunity to talk about God and everything that's been going on (or not going on) between Him and me with someone who is so much wiser than I am. 

BOOK THINGS

I read two Agatha Christie books. And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express. Guys. Agatha Christie is a genius. I did go see the movie Murder on the Orient Express, and to be honest, I thought it was underwhelming. The book was better (when is it not). 

WRITING THINGS

Like I said, I didn't officially do NaNo this year. BUT seeing you guys being all supportive of each other on Twitter all month long was so inspiring that I actually got a ton of writing done! In the beginning of the month, I was writing maybe 500 words a day, which was an upgrade from my 1K words a week that I had done in October. But then I sort of discovered how to get myself more into it. I discovered I write best and most between 5PM and 7PM. School and homework are done, but dinner isn't quite ready and I have nothing else to do, so I turn all the lights off in my room, turn on one of Abbie's Spotify writing playlists, and get to work! It's actually kind of weird, because at 5PM, it's not that dark out yet so having all the lights off isn't a huge deal. But then I get so wrapped up in my writing and the music cuts out all my distractions, so when I look up from the computer screen two hours later, I'm surprised by how dark it suddenly is. Keeping the room dark actually helps cut out my distractions too. 

A few days ago I surprised myself by writing 2K words in an hour and a half! I think that's a record for me. I'm still super slow, but I'm getting better. 

I am putting this project aside for December, though, or at least for the first week or two, because I have to write my senior thesis and it's due in a few weeks. So unfortunately, my WIP is going on the shelf for the time being. 

NOVEMBER WAS...

//music in the car

//traffic lights at night

//ice cream

//hugs

//fuzzy socks

//milkshakes on cold days

//conversations about the more important things

//classic rock

//ping pong games

FAVORITE NOVEMBER MOMENTS...

//driving my cousins home at one AM. listening to music loudly and trying to lose our voices. finding our way around Los Angeles while staying awake thanks to the sugar highs. 

//drinking peppermint mochas and blasting Christmas music in the car the morning after Thanksgiving. 

//getting family together for Thanksgiving and taking time to see the little blessings in our lives.

//a class trip to my teacher's ranch. playing ping pong and darts outside. eating pizza and talking about Niagara Falls and flying chairs. riding horses and making jokes.

//eating too much sushi on my birthday.

//going through old memories and making new ones.

//writing in a dark room. 

//walking around the Ronald Reagan Library. sneaking into exhibits. taking pictures and laughing about nothing. 

LET'S TALK! HOW WAS YOUR MONTH?