A bit of a reprieve

Well, I am pretty far behind on my NaNo novel at the moment, although I'm at least past the halfway point.  As far as schoolwork goes, I've got two research papers, one presentation, one French composition, a batch of French homework, and one recitation left to do.  Oh, and my senior portfolio.  *gulp* Wondering if finishing NaNo is going to be a possibility at this point... *mental face slap* Of course it is.

Just got done typing up all of my info about sales for Black Friday through Cyber Monday, hoping that those will be good days this weekend for sales :-).  Note to self:  remember to start posting info tomorrow morning.  Going to my grandmother's for Thanksgiving.  Second note to self:  remember to go to bank and finish laundry tomorrow.

I should try to get some more writing done tonight, as well as whip up a few more pieces to add to the shop. Oh, and here's some preliminary info about the sales this weekend (but the codes aren't active right now so don't get any ideas! ;)


From Black Friday through Cyber Monday I will be running a few storewide sales.  Please make sure to note the differences in coupon codes as they will only be active on their respective days.
11/23:  Coupon code is BLCKFRIDAY20 for 20% off storewide.
11/24:  Coupon code is SMALLBIZ20 for 20% off.  Support handmade & small businesses!
11/25:  Coupon code is ENJOYFREESHIPPING for (you guessed it) free shipping on domestic orders ONLY.  For obvious reasons, I won’t be doing any actual shipping on Sunday, but you get the point.
11/26:  Coupon code is CYBERMONDAY25 for 25% off storewide.
A note on how shipping will work this weekend:  I will be out of town from 11/21-11/24.  Purchases made during these days will not ship until Monday, 11/26, probably around 4pm EST (I do still have class).  Purchases made on Monday will not ship until Tuesday at the earliest, probably around 2pm EST.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

NaNo: Day 6 and my week so far...

Well, we're coming to the end of Day 6 of NaNoWriMo, and I've only gotten in a hundred or so words for the day.  I'm not too far from the recommended 10k, though, so it won't be a problem to finish.  Schoolwork is rearing its head, though, especially since tomorrow is my 5-class marathon.  I've got breaks in between at a couple points, though, and luckily I don't really have that much to do.  What I DO need to concentrate on is my Shakespeare paper due next Monday, so after shining up my cover letter for class tomorrow, I'm going to dash off the 900 or so words to meet today's goal, and then start an outline for my paper.  There.  I've written it down and put it out on the Internet so everyone can see me and hold me accountable for it ;-)

In other, perhaps more exciting news, business in the Etsy shop is picking up quite nicely.  Definitely need to craft some more Once Upon A Time pieces since those are getting the most views, hearts, and sales.  Sold one of my babies the other day--I was very proud of that piece.  Etsy's also added a way to print/purchase shipping labels through them, which made my life INFINITELY easier when it came to getting stuff ready to ship.  Paypal is just so pricey, and I hate having to go to the post office--especially the one closest to my apartment.  The people aren't nearly as nice there.  Which reminds me--I've got to find time in there somewhere tomorrow to go to the post office.

Aaand I'm procrastinating at this point--more NaNo updates to come!

NaNo: Day 1

Well, we're nearing the end of Day 1 of NaNoWriMo, and I'm starting to not freak out as much as I was earlier this week.  Last year, my strategy was just writewritewritewrite, and I had schoolwork at the same time, but the enormity of writing 50,000 words only really hit me near the end when I was racing to catch up.  This year, I knew exactly what I was getting into, and I had some moments where I was almost to the point of hyperventilating (not literally, but it sure felt like it at times).  After having done over 2k words so far on this first day of NaNo, I'm reminded that I'm not writing 50k words overnight.  These research papers I have to write are not due until the beginning of December, and therefore I'm not going to write them overnight, either (7-10 pages is a little much for a "night before" paper).  This Shakespeare paper I have due in eleven days isn't going to get done overnight, either.  In fact, since I'll be at a wedding the weekend before it's due, I'm already brainstorming ideas to try and get it done this weekend, or into next week if I have to.  Then I'll start working on my research presentation for one of my papers, which will then become the outline for that paper.  These huge projects don't get done all at once.  They're broken down into little bite-size pieces so people don't spontaneously combust.  I will survive this month.  I WILL!

The Doom of my month draws near...

Here it comes.  It's almost time for NaNoWriMo to start, and I couldn't be more excited.  Of course, I'm supposed to be finishing up some character sketches and various other loose ends--and there's a lot of those--but I think tomorrow I may just start scribbling sketches in my notebook during class.  I won't take my laptop with me because I only have one class Tuesdays/Thursdays so there's really no point if I don't already take notes on my laptop.  Gah, I'm so EXCITED this year!  I'm also rejoicing in the fact that I've completed my last short story for my fiction writing class, and therefore can turn my editor brain off without restriction--until I have to write other papers for school, that is.  Just a little blurb of an update!  Onward to Nanoland!

The Impending Doom that will be the Month of November...

According to my Official NaNoWriMo Countdown Clock, which I cannot find a way to transport here, there are five days, one hour, and various change of minutes and seconds until November 1st, aka The Longest Month of My Life. Apart from this 50k novel I am DETERMINED to conquer/complete, I will also have two 7-10 pg (each) research papers and one 1800-2k wd Shakespeare essay due. No sweat, no...*looks at previous sentence* *gulps*...no sweat. I will do this. I WILL. I have the most adorable little writing buddy owlet, whose name is Percy. Look him up on my Twitter/Instagram. Tres adorable (say it in French!)! I have a feeling he's going to take on a WHOLE personality during the month of November, if he's not already firmly established by then. I may even write him into the story in some way/shape/form, if I can think of one. Trying not to get carried away here...

I also need to get in gear (majorly) involving The Etsy Shop, since November is the Ultimate Shopping Month (mostly). Well, it contains *shudder* Black Friday and Cyber Monday, anyway. I finally have my usual backdrop with me, so I can retake pictures of my most recent pieces and that way they'll actually match the rest of the shop. The Once Upon A Time line seems to be doing rather well, that phrase in general is generating a lot of views and favs onto my site. I'll post some pics once I have the new ones. I love trying to recreate Regina's jewelry from what I have; it really challenges me to think creatively and then I come up with some *coughs modestly* truly spectacular stuff. I must say, though, whoever does the Evil Queen's costuming on that show has fan-freaking-tastic taste. I'm also thrilled to have a bought pendant of Nancy Schindler's to play with for a Captain Hook-inspired piece! Note to self: must get that done this weekend!

Therefore, I shall plunge headlong into the month of November and hope I come out alive (and with passing grades)!

Behind the Curtain FlashFiction Contest

Well, I finally sat down to scribble out some thoughts for Anna Meade's Behind the Curtain FF Contest.  Needless to say, I think I may have creeped myself out.  Here goes!


Fade to Black

   She was once the hottest light in the theater district.  The brightest star.  Now, age was beginning to show through the cracks in her makeup.  The mask was beginning to wear off.  To dance, to sing, had been her life’s dream.  A dream which was now fading, the bright colors of opening night giving way to the greyness of a deserted theatre after the play is closed.  Discarded snacks and leftover playbills littered the otherwise empty corners.

   She stared at her image in the mirror, turning her head this way and that, endeavoring to find the youthful beauty that had once been so naturally conjured in her face.  She had been able to imitate it long after the youth had flown, until yesterday.  A new star was rising to light the stage that had been hers for so long.  It was rightfully hers, and she’d been told to step aside like some pathetic chorus girl.

   She sat at her table in the dressing room one last time, memorizing its appearance.  A tear tracked through the stage makeup and landed on the vanity.  She lifted the object she’d been turning over and over in her hands, finding her reflection in the knife’s blade as well.  She gave her reflection in the mirror a sad smile before letting the pain consume her.  Red, everywhere.  Colors faded into greyness.  Fade to black.

Typing machine....

I feel like a typing machine this semester.  Kind of glad, in a way, that I haven't been able to find a part-time job, because honestly, I have been flooded with classwork/homework/papers since the semester started.

So far, for my Shakespeare class alone, I've turned in two papers, read two and a half plays (we're on Henry IV, Part 1 now) with daily reading quizzes, memorized one 30-something line speech, and participated in two staged readings.  There's a good reason for not having a midterm or final.  One of those papers had to be over 1800 words and was due today. I feel like a boss this week.

For my Phonetics/Phonology/Morphology class, I haven't really had a lot of papers, or particularly difficult homework, but I have had a lot of homework.  It's hard to keep up sometimes because the professor covers the material so quickly, but I at least manage to take decent notes.  We've got our second exam Friday, and this one I'm a bit nervous about. *gulp*

My advanced fiction writing class is a lot of fun, but there's a lot of writing (duh) that has to be done-- not just when it's my week to turn in a story.  Which was this week, btdubs. 2k minimum requirement.  I miss NaNoWriMo.  It put things into such perspective.  Anyways, the bulk of the writing is commenting on other people's stories, which isn't really too bad.  I feel like I'm running out of ideas for plots, though.

History of English is a lot of fun, although the text could really use an update.  The information in it is fascinating, but it's not presented that way by a long shot.  I have a test in there tomorrow, but I'm not too too worried about it.  I'll look at some notes tonight and tomorrow morning and I should be fine.

French IV is getting to the fun stuff as far as vocabulary goes-- we're learning how to discuss emotions, favorite TV shows/movies, make suggestions. I totally rocked my exam from last week. *fistpump*

I'm really liking my English Professional Seminar class, too.  We're starting to have speakers come visit (free pens!!) and I feel like it's really helping me prepare for The Job Search coming after I graduate.  Especially all the links on our Career Center webpage.  Lots of reports to write, though.

That's the basic rundown of what my life has been like this semester.  I've had time to make some jewelry, and I'll start posting it eventually.  Possibly tonight if I can get some decent lighting.  I've found lots of inspiration from ABC's Once Upon A Time, which had its second season premiere this past Sunday.  LOVE that all of my shows are back!!

Show lineup:
Once Upon A Time
The Mentalist
Castle
Criminal Minds
AND, once it starts, The Vampire Diaries

I'll try and get some DWTS in there somehow.  I also watch a lot of TV on Netflix-- Doctor Who is my absolute favorite right now, and I've just GOT to get ahold of the new season.  TTFN!