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This past month seemed to have passed by far too quickly, but then again I’ve noticed with every year I age time seems to slip away faster and faster. ::Sigh:: Anyway, it’s that time of the month again. Goal review time. Let’s see how I measured this month.

As usual, a review of last month’s goals are shown in italic, while my comments on their success are shown below each in bold.

1. Write – I’m shooting for 20,000 words again. I came close last month and if I just stay focused I can do it this month.

FAIL – Honestly, with as much as I read this month I didn’t leave much time for writing, but I didn’t completely drop the ball, I just didn’t reach my goal. I finished the month with just under 11,000 words which isn’t terrible, but it’s not 20,000.

2. Read – I can’t pretend I’d be capable of staying away from a book for longer than a week so I’m not going to even attempt to tame my addiction right now. Plus reading keeps my writing sharp, I have to do it! But since I’m proving to blow through books at ridiculous speeds now (for me at least), I’ll up the goal by 1. Read 4 books for September.

SUCCESS – And a huge one at that. Seriously, I never thought myself capable of reading as much as I do now, but every month that passes I impress myself more and more. I reached my monthly goal shortly after the first week of the month and it just seemed like after that I was testing myself to see just how much I could actually read if I tried (not that it was hard considering I was reading something highly addictive in nature, but still). Anyway, I finished the month with reading 11 books total! 11, can you believe that? I don’t know if that’s common, but I feel like patting myself on the back for it because never in my life could I have seen myself blowing through books like that.

3. Buying Books – So I’ve already ordered the next three Dark-Hunter books, even though I bargained with myself last month after my sick shopping splurge that I wouldn’t be able to buy more books until October. The idea of that, I realize now, is just ridiculous. This is me we’re talking about here. I’m like a wild beast for them. But I will try and keep it a bit tamed. I have a book on pre-order this month and if I buy anymore books it will only be more Dark-Hunter books as they are fairly cheap and I will have almost all of them soon anyway.

SUCCESS – In my mind at least. I said that if I bought any books this month that I would only be the remaining Dark-Hunter books and so that’s what I did. Now, there were apparently quiet a few more to buy than I thought originally, but still I stuck to my word. The other books I received this month were either already pre-ordered and paid for or won.

4. Weight – 5lbs. This has to happen. It’s no longer something I can keep overlooking. My weight is at the ‘spiraling out of control’ point and I can’t even stand to look at myself. That’s a problem. Plus I already promised my sister we’d do weight watchers together in preparation for her wedding next year. I have a lot more to lose than she does, but somehow it’s easier when you’re doing it with someone else. As far as working out (which is a necessity in my battle with this fat suit), I have to find something. I did Wii this weekend and thought I was going to die, but it was fun. It’s something I may steal from my Mom. Or I suppose with fall drawing near I could actually go to the track. All I know is I need cardio – BAD!

FAIL – My weight has been on a rollercoaster ride this month. First I lost weight, then I grained half of it back, then I lost some more and gained it back. Then I got sick and lost 5 lbs in 2 days (likely water weight), then I gained some more weight back over the weekend. I just can’t get this under control.

5. Music – Let it keep coming. Obviously it’s helping me write more consistently again and so I won’t stifle it. Time to update the book’s soundtrack though as it has changed greatly from what it once was.

SUCCESS – I did update my books soundtrack and the new music I’ve been listening to has given me loads of ideas for future chapters and edits.

6. Pray – I’ve fallen out of this habit and nothing good ever comes of that. Maybe it’s why I continue to get little spikes of depression more than usual lately and maybe my stress level over other issues wouldn’t be so high if I remembered to pay Him the respect He deserves.

SUCCESS – With the bonus of answered prayers. Had that scare with my Dad this month (remember the almost heart attack?), but luckily it looks like it might have just been stress induced, part of said stress was that fact that my father, like me, works in the engineering field and because of the fallen economy has been out of work for a year now. But our prayers for work have finally been answered and the weight of that stress has been lifted because he starts a job next week as Senior Project Manager at one of my companies rivaling engineering firms. Yay Dad!

So my grade for the month is a ’C’, which still was never passing in my home growing up, but it’s better than the failure I faced last month so I’m going to try and see the bright side of things and hope it motivates me even better next month. And speaking of next month….

New Goals for October:

1. Write – I’m going to reduce the word count this month. I’m starting to think my ability to produce 20,000 words in one month was a one time thing/fluke and maybe if I drop the number I won’t be as intimidated. So for October, I want to write at least 10,000 words.

2. Read – No problem here (obviously as I’m officially a book-a-holic). But since I blew my goal away so much last month and I already know I’ll be reading at minimum 3 more Dark-Hunter books alone as well as THE REPLACEMENT and BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS closer to Halloween (for their scary factor) that will be 5 books total this month. So as long as I can at least do that, I’m good (which I have no doubt I can accomplish).

3. Buying Books – It’s forbidden. I will receive BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS this month, but it was pre-ordered two months ago and is already paid for. I told myself I will not buy anymore books until after Christmas and I’m sticking to it. I have plenty to read.

4. Weight – Really work for those 5 lbs. and keep them off. Rachel and I are already going dress shopping (for her wedding) the last weekend in October and I’d like to be a little less heavy for the first round of dress testing. My goal is to lose at minimum 50 lbs by next September (her wedding). If I really dedicate myself to it, there’s really no reason why that’s not feasible.

Four goals shouldn’t be hard to work at as long as I practice managing my time better and stay focused. Truthfully, reading seems to be my worst distraction which is odd. Most of the writers I know say it’s the internet, but like I mentioned in my post yesterday it seems I’m going backwards in the way of technology. If it weren’t for the fact that I can only communicate with most of my friends via the internet I doubt I’d even miss it. But I do miss my friends and this is why I feel guilty for bailing on it for too many days at a time (not to mention it takes so much longer to play catch up).

Anyway, hope everyone attempting goals this month has success with theirs and hopefully by the 4th of November I’ll be reporting an ’A’ for the month!

Peace – Sarah

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Note: I spent a great deal of time today catching up on what appears to be weeks of missed posts. Where the hell was I? Aside from all of m_stiefvater’s Tour posts and the short stories on tangledfiction, merry_fates, and sistersfate I’m finally caught up (I think). I will tackle the rest another day, probably this weekend when I have more time to soak up the content better!

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