Tag: list of 100 things

Blog Frenzy – Day 24

Meg Dowell1 Comment

Well, it’s Saturday. And we all know what that means. That’s right: rain, five chapters of biology, and finally getting to these last scholarship essays. The way this one works is, you fill out the application online, paste your essays into the boxes, and submit it. Then they send you via e-mail all the things you’re supposed to send via snail mail, postmarked by the thirtieth. I can do this, right? I really hope so.

The next three weeks are going to be extremely busy, because I now have to start ultra-cramming for my first AP test on the 6th. That should be fun, right? I’m really going to have to push myself to get all this other stuff done, like writing my last speech, getting an A on my last math test, and studying for finals. And then comes all the fun stuff, like all the solos I’m going to have to sing, the Red & White concert (super fun, except I’m not even in it), and of course, graduation. But that’s not really fun. That’s just necessary.

But all this means that summer is almost here. I’m seriously in denial. I haven’t decided if I’m going to write two novels or read 25 books before I move into my (gasp) dorm. I could do both, but that would kind of be an overload. Sometimes I like reading more than I like writing. Sometimes I like writing more than I like reading. It all depends on how much I’m willing to make my brain work.

I’m still working on that list of books I want to read before I die. I should make it another list of 100, just to make you happy. There are so many good books I haven’t read, like all that old-fashioned literature that most people wouldn’t even think about reading for fun. I’m just that kind of nerd, I guess. But hey. If it wasn’t for my AP lit class, I never would have realized how funny Pride and Prejudice actually is. Especially the chapter when Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth. I had to write an analysis about that one, and it was probably the worst paper ever. But that’s all behind us now, isn’t it?

I should really start on those essays, before I get distracted by YouTube again. Seriously, I think that web site just needs to die. I hate it.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 20

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The funny thing about going back to your high school after you’ve “graduated” is how much more attention you get when you’re walking down the hallways than you did when you were actually going to school there. I got stopped by a security guard, two old choirmates, two teachers, and my guidance counselor—who just wanted to say “hey.” Well, thanks for the attention, but I’m on a mission. Let’s go back and time and do this when my mom isn’t waiting in the parking lot. How about three years ago? That would work just fine.

I did, however, get my giant scholarship packet turned in, as well as the letter of recommendation I need for this next scholarship due April 30th. I didn’t get as much done on them as I wanted to yesterday, so I’m either going to have to finish them today (during the time I blocked out for them in my wonderful schedule of schedule-ness) or wait until after my biology test is over. Because I shouldn’t even be doing this right now. I should be studying for my biology test. Yikes, I’m behind!

This is the main reason why I shouldn’t have focused so much of my attention on my novel the past five weeks. Don’t get me wrong: I’m glad I wrote it. It’s a decent story, one I would have driven myself crazy with if I didn’t get everything written down so fast. But I’m so behind on my schoolwork now that I’m going to be spending the next three days with my phone off, and most likely my computer too—after I’m done sharing my depressing life story with you—just so I can get the A I need on this test. I didn’t do as well on my comm quiz yesterday as I would have liked (7 out of 9 converrted to 25 points? Good luck with that). So I really need to buckle down these next four weeks.

In addition to my AP tests, which I’m going to fail if I don’t go by the $25 prep book I need. Even though I would love for my mother to pay for it, since she’s the one who’s making me take them. But no. I’m supposed to use my $20 Border’s card instead, and she’ll chip in the last $5. Wonderful. I guess Pendragon is going to have to wait.

I’m on a slightly-not-as-tight-as-yesterday-but-still-excessively-structured schedule from now until I go to sleep (at 10:30) so I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow, after I’ve completely lost my mind. Unless that’s already happened. Then I’d appreciate it if you would let me know ASAP. Maybe they’ll give me a scholarship for that.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 19

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The good news is, I’m almost free.

And by free, I mean free of all these stupid scholarships. Because I kicked myself about a thousand times yesterday, wrote those essays, and filled out the right forms. And once I make an out-of-the-way trip back to high school today, I’ll be that much closer to being finished with all of them. Not counting the stuff I’m turning in later, I have exactly two left. One of the reasons I’m making this trip is to pick up one last letter of rec. Finally.

Don’t get me wrong: I still really hate talking about myself. And writing about myself. Seriously, why can’t someone else to it? There are plenty of people I know who probably know me better than I know myself. And they probably wouldn’t be so shy to point out how awesome they think I am. Even though I’m not. But that’s not the point. The point is that it isn’t really fair that they have to go and make this process so long and difficult. Just give me money! Why do I have to suffer just to get a good education?

This week is going to be spent catching up on biology and math. And studying for my test. I also have to start doing research for my career speech next month, because I want to have that thing written at least two weeks in advance. I got a ton of points taken off last speech because of my delivery, which was because I didn’t prepare nearly enough. No, I did not write it the night before. We’re changing the subject now.

I actually woke up when my alarm went off. On a Monday morning. Normally, this doesn’t happen. But it’s not even seven thirty, and I already have a load of laundry in, am getting ready to study for my quiz later today, and I’ve written out a tightly blocked schedule on note cards to ensure that I get everything done and more that I need to before bedtime.

I’m not crazy. Just making up for lost time.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 18: Mission Accomplished

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Final word count: 80,309. Final chapter count: 34. Final page count (8.5×11, 12-point Tmes New Roman font, double-spaced): 243. But it’s not about the length: it’s about the content.

And honestly, I’m going to admit that I’m not completely satisfied with the last chapter, and think I may have rushed through it a little bit. I feel like the story’s whole purpose wasn’t even addressed in the final moments of Melanie’s narration. But I have a thousand other things to do, and if and when there comes a time when I find myself bored and looking for a task, I will go back and add in what I must. But if I don’t get these essays done and proofed, I’m not going to college. And that’s a problem.

I won’t start the next book, Mirror Image, until after finals. Because finals are the end of May’s craziness. We won’t even think about the ACT in June just yet. Because first (obviously) comes these last seven scholarships, which I am determined to get out this week, even though they’re not due until April 30th (and one due on May 7th). I need to get them off of my floor, out of my head, and into the hands of the nice people who should continue being nice and give me some money.

I think AP tests are next. That should be fun to study for, right? Wrong. Career research presentation. NHS induction ceremony (at which I finally get my cords, thank you very much), some wrap-up thing for Tri-M I’m sure they’re going to schedule without my consent, voice recital, and finals. And you would think I could do it all, and I will, but something’s going to have to go. Thankfully, it won’t be this novel. Because I’m finished. Maybe I’ll just have to give up sleeping. Because I also have to pull my two B’s up to A’s before the end of the semester, or all my hopes and dreams of starting GPA fresh will be worthless.

I can’t stop posting daily blogs until April is over, because I’m challenging myself to do twelve more days of constantly boring you with my boring life. But I can’t promise another Frenzy next month, because my life is on the line here. I really shouldn’t have spent all this time writing an 80,000 word novel, yet I did. So it’s time to play catch-up, and nobody’s going to help me. I’m on my own, here.

If I tried to make a list of all the things I have to get done when we get back from church, I might explode, and you might explode, and this ongoing theme of people exploding is really starting to worry me a little. So I’m just going to go spend some time with Jesus, and then I’m going to come home. And when I come home, I won’t just think about all the stuff I have to do, I’m going to do it. Starting with writing all these essays about how awesome I am. Why do they make us talk about ourselves like we’re royalty? I don’t get it.

Also, I’m not that awesome. Ask anyone.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 16

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My word count is something over 71,000, but I don’t remember the exact number. Even more depressing, I’m way too lazy/tired to go look it up. Which, really, would only take a total of three clicks. When I’m too tired to click three times, we officially have an issue.

I would like to be sleeping, please. Under the covers, with the windows open. But no. I had to be dumb and sign up for an all-day nine o’clock class. I don’t really care that there are only five (or four) weeks left. I don’t think I can do this five more times. Seriously, it might kill me. You think I’m kidding.

I would also really like to finish this novel today. I can’t promise that’s actually going to happen, but it would be really great if it could. I have a ton of other things to do besides force myself to write.

Sorry about the short post. I really need to find a way to wake up in the next half hour.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 15

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69,921.

Why did I stop there, you ask? Because writing when you’re tired is a very bad idea. Words start getting into places they don’t belong, and synonym choices start repeating themselves without you even noticing, and everything just starts falling apart. And yes, I realize that I had from three o’clock to ten o’clock to write about 3,000 words. But I lacked the necessary motivation to do so. So I stopped just short of 70,000 words, which was probably a good idea, because the part of Chapter 29 that I’m about to add in takes a lot of brain power to kick into gear. So let’s go kill some snow people (please don’t ask).

My word of the day is satisfactory, because we spent a good portion of my communications class yesterday talking about the difference between satisfactory and unsatisfactory, like how in elementary school we used to get E’s, S’s, and U’s. I never got one U. So ha.

Yesterday was a very satisfactory day. Actually, it was more  than satisfactory: it was beijing. And if you didn’t already know, that means it was amazing. I would tell you all the reasons why, but that might take three days. And that would be wrong and terrible in so many ways. So I’ll just pick out three main reasons why yesterday, April 14th, was the best day I’ve had in the history of ever a very long time.

I got my NHS hours fixed. And by “fixed,” I mean I now have eighteen hours entered into the system, when I really only needed sixteen. This means that (though I will still be nice and layout the invitations) if I don’t want to, I never have to do another act of service again. Don’t get me wrong: I like helping people. But there’s something about an hour requirement that makes volunteering a lot less satisfactory. Anyway, all I have to do now is show up to the last meeting, show up to the ceremony, and pick up my cords.

I found a roommate. Very exciting, if I do say so myself. It’s another thing to cross off the list, of course. And what’s better than a roommate who likes Gilmore Girls, writing, and being awesome? Nothing! So thank you, Olivia, for being awesome. I will see you soon.

And finally:

I got a cookie. But not just any cookie: a smiley-face cookie. Because my mother-dearest loves me so much, and had to order my brother’s birthday cookies anyway. So while she was in there, she thought, “Well, I guess I should get my favorite daughter a cookie.” And I ate it, and it was yummy.

I hope today is just as satisfactory as yesterday. And I hope yours is, too. And I hope I can get to 73,000 words. And I hope I don’t explode submerged in all this hope.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 14

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67,369.

Seriously, guys, this book is almost becoming a problem. So I’m either going to have to finish it really soon or put it on hold, because things are kind of getting crazy, and I’m pretty much just shoving everything else aside just so I have time to write. That is not what you should do, ever. But right now, I really don’t care.

I was so preoccupied with my NHS hours yesterday that I didn’t even remember to mention Glee! I didn’t know the episode was coming on last night until about a few hours before (good thing I’m a Facebook fan, right?). But I was pretty satisfied. I mean, nothing really changed—it was the same old Glee. The same amount of drama, with a few new characters and relationships. I was just mad that it ended so fast. I mean, come on.

Today includes a communications class I didn’t prep for, voice lessons I’ve had two weeks to prep for but haven’t started yet, and yet another visit back to high school (the third day in a row). Hopefully today I’ll be able to finally straighten out this whole issue with my hours. He also asked me if I wanted to do the invitations. Why not? It’s better than writing scholarship essays, and studying for AP tests. Etc, etc.

I also got my polo, which I’m going to wear today just for fun. Woot.

My goal for today is 70,500 words. That’s about how many words were in my last novel, the one I did for National Novel Writing Month. But this book isn’t really even that close to being over. I mean, it’s close, but it’s not going to be over in 3,000 more words. Or eight more pages. Like I mentioned before, I just finished a chapter that I kind of just added in on a whim. It’s supposed to serve a purpose, but I didn’t do a very good job of it. Maybe I’ll make it go full circle later.

I really have to go. Five thousand things to do and only time for about seven.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

P.S. Happy birthday, Meagan & Jess!

Blog Frenzy – Day 13

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I’m not even going to tell you what my word count is. It’s too embarrassing. (65,336) If you were paying attention yesterday, you would see the problem here.

I finally turned in my music honor society hours yesterday. I actually had six units, instead of five. I feel like such an overachiever. Actually, the real requirement was ten, but he cut my units in half since I was only in school for one semester this year. So really, I’m an underachiever. But that’s only if we’re being technical.

 I turn in my NHS hours today at 3;15—the biggest relief of all. I really wish I could have gotten them done a lot sooner, like last semester. I’m just hoping that I can get the error in his count straightened out, since only half of my outside hours so far have been counted. He’d better count the hours I spent holding sick babies in my lap at Evie’s church. I spent four and a half days on the couch because of those hours. And besides, if I don’t get them counted for some reason, I won’t have met my requirement. So I won’t get my cords, and the world will probably end right then and there.

But he should count them. I mean, it’s his fault anyway.

unfortunately, I’m going to have to put writing on hold for a few more hours. You have to learn to do that sometimes, when there are more important things you absolutely have to do first. I have to spend a few more hours re-formatting that program I worked so hard on, since they didn’t like the way I did it. Or something. And yes, I will spend a few more hours on it, so that he’ll give me five hours instead of three. That way, I’ll have the “technically” required ten outside hours, instead of the eight that I would have had otherwise. No, he didn’t cut my hours in half. He just let me get away with sixteen instead of 25. Even though I’ll already have more than that, because of my (hopefully) ten outside hours.

I’m not a cheater. I just like things to be perfect, that’s all.

Speaking of perfect, I got the score I wanted on my quiz yesterday. That means I’m one step closer to that A I still think I deserve. That one persuasive speech killed my grade. But that’s okay, because I’m pretty sure that this next speech is going to be awesome. I just have to prepare like crazy and not go OVER TIME like I did last time. I lost seven points for talking too slow. Yeah.

I should probably get started on this re-formatting, if it’s going to take me a few hours.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 12

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We’re almost halfway through April. That means I’m not a failure, things are about to get a whole lot easier, and the sun is going to stop hiding behind cold. Boo for burning, but tanning is always nice.

I wrote a little over one thousand words yesterday, putting my word count just over 65,000. My goal is seriously to have this thing done by Friday. I’m falling way too behind, I have five more scholarships to do before April 30th, and if I don’t go on that Border’s field trip with Evie and friends soon, she’s going to come over here and rip my head off. And then she’ll sew it back on and drag me by the hair all the way there. She’s just that determined.

I just cleaned my room the other day. So why is it a mess again? This makes absolutely no sense to me. Maybe if I just leave it messy, we wouldn’t keep having this problem. Every time I get it perfect, I need something. And then I end up messing it up again. So maybe I just need to stop needing things. This is going to be interesting next year when I have to keep my side of the room clean for the sake of my roommate. I doubt I’ll have much to mess it up with. But you’d be surprised.

I wish I could get a ton of writing done today. But I also have to catch up on my comm homework (which I had a week and a half to do—go figure) before class. And then after that, I have to make sure I have my service logs in order for the meeting at three. But I’m finally getting them turned in today! I probably could have turned them in last month, but there’s just something about waiting until the last minute that makes things a bit more exciting. After that, though, I’m free for awhile. Free to write, I mean.

Seriously. I’ll catch up on school next week.

It’s not that I want to rush through this novel. Because I really like this story, and where it’s going, and I wish it didn’t have to end. But it also takes a ton of time out of my day to work on it, time that I honestly don’t really have right now. I’m kind of breaking the rules here, making time to write when I should probably be doing other things. But you have to understand: if I don’t work on this thing, it’s just going to sit there. And that is not a good thing to do to your unfinished novel. i know i’ve said that a thousand times before.

I’m guessing about 15,000 more words. That seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. I know it kind of seems like this thing just keeps going, but it’s vital to the story. I can’t just stop it here. I hate that it’s going to be longer than the first book in the series, but I guess Melanie’s problems take up a lot more time and space than Anna’s. Not that Anna’s problems aren’t unimportant. Entirely.

By this time tomorrow, I will have shed a huge chunk of responsibility off my back. And after the meeting tomorrow, I’ll be even closer to a responsibility-free summer.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 11

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Word count: 63,712. Chapter: 27. Page: 192.

I don’t think I’ll be able to finish this thing today like I would have hoped. I have homework to do, and more scholarships/program layout to do. And laundry to put away. Yes, Colleen, my laundry was hiding in my closet the entire time. Heehee.

I got sunburn through my shirt. I’m not exactly sure how that happened. But I sat outside most of the day in the sun and worked on this chapter that I’m still not done with. I’m adding in a few eements to this thing that I wasn’t really expecting to put in, so it’s taking a little longer to think through. But that’s okay, because I think I’m going to miss these characters. There are still more stories I have to tell about them, of course, but I’m going to have to put them on hold. School kind of needs to be my priority right now.

I still haven’t gone to Borders. But honestly, I can’t risk too many more distractions right now. The good news is, I’m turning in all my hours this week. So I’ll have those responsibilities off my chest. I can’t wait! In other news, I want to color in a coloring book.

Love&hugs, Meg♥