All These Things (8): Space for what matters

Before anything else: help me out for one of my final projects for school? If you’re a romance reader anywhere in the world, may I borrow ten minutes of your time to answer this reader survey? This is to profile our target market so I can create a marketing plan for indie romance books by Filipino authors. Survey is open until Wednesday, so please answer and share! Thank you! ♥

I was planning my week last night before going to bed and while I was doing so, I started freaking out because why are there so many things to do? I feel like I’m running out of time, which, of course, is all in my head. But I can’t help it sometimes, especially when I realize that it’s almost past half October, and soon it’s November, and the last two months of the year is usually my busiest.

And the lola in me just wants to get enough sleep.

I’m not complaining, because there’s nothing to complain about. I do know that I may be too busy sometimes. My friends at work tell me this all the time, and lately, I agree. And lately, I’ve been thinking of the things and activities that I could maybe let go of, even temporarily, to make room for other things that I need to prioritize. Like writing, school, SFC, exercise, and sleep (most important!).

I guess I’m coming to a point where I realize that I don’t need to do everything. Years ago, I kept on saying “Yes” to so many things because they’re fun and I want to try new things…but maybe now, it’s time to start saying No. Because I only have so much time, and I need to make space for the things that matter.

Reading

The Mermaid From Siquijor by  Justine Tajonera, from the #StrangeLit Fateful Turns bundle. With all the things I need to do, I barely have the time to read, and when I do read, I want it to be as stress-free as possible. Meaning short stories, or stories that don’t make me think too much (but feels are okay!). I hang out with my Kindle and my Buqo app a lot, because paper reading makes me fall asleep too fast and I just feel guilty with the book.

That said, the #StrangeLit bundles are really fun, and I’m only about 1/5 through the stories (there are 41!). Reading these makes me wish I could write fantasy, but I think I’m really more of a reader of the genre. But who knows, maybe later.

Go get them if you haven’t – they’re Php 90 each on Buqo, with 10-11 stories in each bundle!

Writing

Sill that novel, and also some articles for work. :D I have to put that novel on hold for a bit because of school, but when I’m on break, I write some. It’s an uphill climb, but that’s good for the heart, right?

Listening

Jon McLaughlin’s new album, Like Us. Liking it so far. :)

Thinking

Of what to do after this. Do I design, or do I edit?

Smelling

Nothing as of the moment, but I bought a new air purifier scent from Mia Maison last week, called Rain. (I may have bought it because of the association with my book. :D) It smells so nice and clean. :)

Wishing

That I be satisfied with the productivity I have every day, when I know I have exerted effort. (Because there are times when I know I haven’t, and that just feels right to feel bad about that. But I mustn’t let that get to me.)

So now my wish is that I would focus, give my all, then let go at the end of the day.

Wearing

Purple and black dress, black cardigan. It’s Monday, and it’s always dressier during Mondays.

Loving

Studying! It’s not easy to juggle schoolwork and work, and it’s totally not easy heading to Makati for the whole day on Saturdays, but I like being in class. Learning is fun, and meeting new people is also very fun. We had our last class for Digital Marketing Analytics 102, and we still have a long way to go with our marketing plans. But look at us, so happy in our last class picture!

We have a final defense on October 24 to get us our Specialist titles, so wish us luck. :)

Wanting

A pair of hands to help me out at work would be nice. What did the Gospel last week say? Ask and you shall receive? There. Lord, please give me someone to help out with all of this soon.

Also wanting to iron out the schedule this week – including the non-work event tomorrow at Makati, and the dentist appointment on Friday. Not looking forward to the dentist thing on Friday, but alas, it is needed.

Needing

A good workout. And not to be lazy so I can get that workout.

Also to pass the defense on the 24th.

And yes, sleep. But that’s a given.

Feeling

Slightly bit hassled because of the adulting things I need to do. Haha, but well, we cannot avoid being adults, and stuff. Remind me to call my dentist later.

I also feel like I need to hustle now. So, hustling. Don’t let the Monday blues beat you, folks!

Image credit: Time’s Up by Ana Fuentes

All These Things (6): Writing crap, and Current stuff

So I’ve been trying to write a post for the past few days, but everything I write seems blah. This is also happening in my fiction writing. Are you familiar with that feeling, too? I know what’s going to happen, and it all sounds good in my head but it’s all feels like crap when I write it down. I’ve been rereading some local romance books and some of my favorite books in hopes of making the magic happen, but the words that come out are still awkward. :/

I have several theories why that is happening, though. One, it might be because I am right smack in the middle of the story and we all know how I feel about middles. Two, I’ve been doing a lot of editing at my day job so it’s a bit hard to get rid of my editor mindset — now I understand what my friends who write for a living were saying about writing for a living and writing for fun. And three, I  guess this is the time where I’m supposed to just keep writing, so I’m still trudging on. (It helps when my manager at work actually encouraged me on this.)

There may be other reasons why the novel is so hard to write right now – art imitating life, life imitating art, or the lack of it, that kind of jazz. It could be that the novel is really just making me take my time instead of rushing, but I won’t know until I just keep writing. So I’m going to battle with the writing demons again this weekend (and also work on editing some overdue reflections). Wish me luck.

Onto other stuff, I’m adopting a meme that I found on several blogs, but I think this is the source? It’s not Sunday, though, but I’m going to do it today anyway, because it’s Friday. (Did not make sense, but hey. :P)

Right Here, Right Now.

Reading

unbreakable

(un)breakable by Kesh Tanglao. Rereading, actually, because like I said, I need words. And feels. Also, still reading John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert, which I want to savor. And The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammet, but I am stuck somewhere halfway and I kind of want to quit reading it because I’m just not engaged. The problem is, people say it’s good and I am still curious to how this will end.

Writing

Still Novel # 2. Still at the end of Act 2, and ugh, words. So awkward.

ktf
Spoiler-ish. Or not.

Also need to write a presentation for work and edit a bunch of reflections.

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