Yes, I know that it’s not Monday, and yes I know I missed last week for posting. But September started slightly mid-week and since we’re welcoming September, well, it’s only fair that we start it in September instead of saying hello to September during the last day of August, right? That’s not exactly fair to our dear August as it left us.

Last week was a mix of not posting because it was my birthday and I took a little time off, but also coupled with a small downswing in my mood that threw everything off for most of the week. I’ve since recovered from said downward swing of mood – partially by taking walks around the part to get some fresh are because I think a lot has to do with just being cooped up inside for so long.

My introverted self doesn’t mind being able to work from home and not having to deal with the random issues and questions that slide past my desk back when there was the old normal – a normal I do hope that we get back to soon though I think I heard that the best case if the vaccine works for widespread distribution is like next summer? Because once we find a vaccine, it takes time to make and then get to everyone so we’re able to go back to what we used to know as normal. My go-to when I’m feeling too closed in is outside. Be it the park or Mom and I have really gotten a lot of use out of our Arboretum passes this year. I used to enjoy going to like the outdoor mall to get away but shopping has become very stressful over all so it’s not exactly an escape from the house anymore. But the Arboretum with all the plants, sunshine – and sunscreen I remembered last time and will remember this weekend when we go – and sure there are occasionally people but it’s a large enough area with timed entrances so there’s never too many people in the place wandering around at a time, it’s actually relaxing and helps.

Plus, I get to take some really nice pictures, like the one at the top of this post. Crafting is normally my go-to for relaxing too but writing has been hard, I think partly from the stress of everything going on, and crocheting while it has been fun and I made some cute bees has aggravated my wrist so it’s been hard to work on that as much as I want. And with the heat, my garage where I do my painting hasn’t been friendly either. So all the things are letting me down for stress relief, at least in their own ways.

But September is here, and with it, hopefully, some cooler weather. I say hopefully because the last week or so here in Illinois it’s been record-breaking highs in the 90’s. Which has left me melting and not wanting to do much because ugg too hot.

This weekend Mom and I are headed to the Arboretum again because I wanted to get out. Plus they’re having their annual plant sale, so I’m curious to see what they’ll have that we can buy and bring home. All the pretty fall plants hopefully. I’m also, as of September, started last Tuesday, going to try to do a million words in a year. Not solely novel type words, though that is a large part of why I want to strive for this. But all words, even the words from this blog will count. There’s an authortuber I watch that’s decided to do it and I thought it would be an interesting challenge to try and do along with her. It’s a good motivational goal to try and do. The authortuber in question is Kate Cavanaugh, and you can find her channel here.

For those trying to count it, it’s roughly 83,333 words a month which, thankfully she did the math for in one of her videos. It’s roughly 2,741 words per day if you write every day or, if you’d like to be able to take holidays and weekends off, it’s 3,831 words per workday. Which, as a whole, is a lot more than a NaNoWriMo month, but at the same time counting editing words, blog words, and other words writing past your writing project, it does help to add up a little better, or well, should.

So September word count, all words, goal is 83,333 words. Will I hit that goal? I certainly hope so or this new million words in a year challenge will be off to a really poor start.

I’m also trying to aim to edit and finish my one novel that’s been in editing for a while maybe by the end of this year. So gotta get cracking on that. I did around six chapters of it originally but I think I’m going to do another quick run-through of them because it’s been a while since I even did those. So to finish editing the novel, starting from technically scratch, we’re looking at twelve chapters a month for September, October, and November, and then ten chapters and the epilogue for December.

Overall, I think it’s a do-able goal. Then track down some beta readers to give it a once over, and I think I’ll feed it through my Writer’s Group to get their feedback on it too.

Naturally, I’d also like to get some new original words. I have a few short stories I started that I’d like to finish, edit, and get released as well. Plus new shorts and novellas that are sliding around in my head that want to get out and written. So I think for this year I’m going to try and finish a few that are halfway or more toward completion and then start new things with the new year in January.

So kind of a quarter goal for me right now instead of just a September goals list. But I think over all if I can keep myself moving, it’s an achievable goal.