Posts Tagged ‘ToDo’

It’s the last day of the year and of this decade. It came up very fast, at least for me.

I was thinking about my new years resolutions the other day. Those little changes that we plan for the new year. Promises to ourselves to do things we always wanted to do, Somehow the fresh new calendar is supposed to make it easier to keep those promises.

Ofcourse we always forget them a few days into January. Or we put them off and never get to them.

But I was happy. for the last few weeks I’ve been believing that I finally kept one of my resolutions. To lose weight.

This year I lost 50kg.

I believed I had done one of my new years resolutions and was now planning a whole bunch of new resolutions for next year…

That was until I checked my new years resolutions post from last year and…

Losing weight wasn’t one of them. For the first time in many many years I had no plans on losing weight!

Isn’t it always the way.

But I’m going to make some plans for the new year anyway. I’m not going to let doing something this year I didn’t resolve to do the previous year make me not plan to do things next year.

So here’s my resolutions for next year -

1 – Get on a career path.

No more with the part time jobs as my sole source of income. Ofcourse I will need to get one presently for monetary reasons, but it’s only a temporary situation until the careery thing is on the go.

2 – lose weight.

Three reasons I’m putting this on here. One, because I didn’t last year. Two, because I put on a couple of kilo over christmas and Three, because even after the fifty kg loss I could still lose a bit more.

3 – Finish a Novel.

This one is obvious. And I’m going to put in so much effort that I might do this on three times over… If I keep on dreaming.

4 – Complete all of my other plans as well.

This one covers some other plans I’ve got which aren’t exactly resolutions but are things that need to be done which I can’t be bothered listing here because I’m typing this post out on my pda.

5 – Maybe consider giving up smoking some time.

Because I hear that cigarettes are bad for you. Supposedly.

Well, that’s it for now. Enjoy your new years, drink too much and spend the first morning of 2010 sick and hung over.

As mentioned in my previous post, I’m working on getting my shit together. I’ve been letting time pass without making any effort at all for far too long, so it’s time to put in some effort. To quote Randall Graves ‘It’s time to shit or get off the pot.’

One way of doing this was to create a site for flash fiction type dealys. Yesterday I did that. Which was good in two ways because it was simultaneously moving forward and also procrastinating. But the site is up now, mostly. And it’s ready for updates. There isn’t anything there yet but It’s called Evil Ninja Penguins. Click through and have a look-see.

I was thinking of making a daily thing but I don’t know if I can manage that, I’m going to try doing a bi-weekly or even a three day a week thing. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays kinda thing.

And – as promised – Number one of the Daily photos deal. It’s from while I was working on the site. It looks a little different now but that was what it looked like in its first hours… -

ETA: I also started a new short story last night. Got 500 words before I even realised it.

A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away,

I had a pretty crappy April, as I’ve said. But May hasn’t been to bad… so far.

One good thing, my new phone arrived in the mail. It’s a Palm Treo Pro. Back in January I finally upgraded from my Treo 680 to a Treo 750. Unfortunatley the 750 didn’t last me very long, the touch screen stopped working, several keys became hard to press (I repeatedly had to go back and fill in the e’s) and the battery wouldn’t hold a charge for very long.

So I finally gave up on it and ordered a new phone. I bid on a second hand 750. After two months of waiting (and putting up with my broken phone) The guy tells me it has been returned to him twice, unable to be delivered to my address. He has offered me a refund, which I’m still waiting for. (I’m pretty sure I’ve been screwed out of the money.)

Anyway, as soon as I got the message about the refund I went onto ebay and started looking around. Still weary of buying another 750 that might break down again. And so I put a bid on a Treo Pro, sure that I’d be outbid in the last moment.

I wasn’t. And I’m glad I wasn’t.

Because 2 days later. (yeah! Two days from winning to delivery!) This arrived in the mail –

In April, the worst month of the year this year, another thing that happened was my computer broke down. One of the monitors kicked the bucket, amongst other problems. I finally gave up on the old thing and have switched over to my laptop permanently. I’m using my one remaining computer monitor and a slim usb keyboard to run it like a desktop. I also bought a 1tb external harddrive to replace the 500gb internal in my old computer.

So here’s a look at my setup now –

I’m going to do a bit more moving around but you get the idea.

BEHOLD! THE RETURN OF THE TODO LIST!

Okay now, it’s been a few months since I’ve done this, but I’m returning to the monthly ToDo lists. So without further ado here is my List of things To Do for the month of May.

One – Write. Always my number one of things to do. I haven’t been doing a great deal of this lately, especially over the last month while I’ve been very melancholic. It’s been quite difficult to focus on anything but the cause of my mood. But it’s time to focus, productivity is the enemy of… something something. I don’t know, I’ll finish it later. Depression? maybe…

Two – Edit. I actually have some work that needs editing badly, It’s a bit of work that I’ve been putting off because… well, as above. Once I’ve finished this project there will be major news that I’ll be posting here and on my facebook page and anywhere else I feel like.

Three – This one is physical. I’ve actually been on a diet for the past month. Well it started out as something else (Trying to deal with stuff…), but wound up being a pretty good diet. And so far I’ve lost about 15kg and about 10cm. Which is damn good for me, whose never lost a kilo thanks to a diet in my life. So I’m going to keep that up and hopefully I’ll have lost the same again by the end of this month… maybe even more since this month is a day longer. Still, I need to exercise more.

Four – Well, I don’t know if I need a number four. I can’t really think of anything anyway. Maybe I’ll do another Doug update. I haven’t written a Doug of the Darkness in about five months. And I think last time I left it he was about to get in some serious shit.

Okay, so I’ll leave the ToDo at that.

What else is there?

Oh, In news unrelated to me, (a rarity on this site, I know. It’s such a narcissistic blog isn’t it?), Apparently it’s been 10 years since the release of fight club, one of my all time favourite movies. I know, I was shocked it’s been ten years too! There have been several tributes around the blogosphere but my favourite has to be the one from Suicide Girls. Remember the sixth rule of fight club – No shirts and no shoes. Yay!

Check it out here.

Well that’s it for now. I’m going to go, I have work tonight. Bleh! Anyway, here’s a little comic I found somewhere on the internets that gave me a bit of a giggle –

- You get it? Cause it’s March?

Anyway…

I have a small story about Treo
Yesterday the screen went a crappo
I tapped all I could
And register it should
But still the phone was a no go

So I’ve fiddled all of this morning
including on and off -a- turning
Cooled battery does work
So, I’ll replace it young turk
If that doesn’t work I’ll be mourning.

And so that’s my horrible tale
about a phone and a battery sale
now do not a worry
just make me a coffee
and If you don’t you can bail.

So, it’s a wonderful (sarcasm) start to march. My phone is fraking up, but I think I’m onto a solution… hopefully. And talking about speaking too soon – You remember yesterday when I was going on about my quitting smoking going good? Well, in an effort to fix my treo’s problem I did a hard reset which wiped all my programs. Including my quitting program, losing all the records. So I have to begin my quitting smoking all over again. Oh gosh darn it to heck!! (sarcasm)

It seems like everything electrical has it out for me at the moment.

Anyway, It’s the beginning of a new month, which means a new ToDo list and as far as plans for March go (apart from fixing or replacing my phone) it’s pretty much down to four things.

1- As always – Write. So far I haven’t kept up my 1000 word a day thing that was part of my NYR, But I might start that today… or tomorrow…

2 – Quit Smoking – As mentioned earlier

3 – Find a job. Still considering looking for a grown-up job. Maybe one of those ones with an office and an assistant that does all my work for me.

4 – Drink coffee.

And I don’t have to tell you how important number four is. It’s very important.

Last but not least, here’s a random picture for no reason whatsoever –

It’s coming up on the end of another month and another year. I feel this year has been a little better to me, and I’m hoping naughty nine will be even better. So, it’s time to look at my last years resolutions and see how little I got accomplished that I had planned at the beginning of the year.

But, first things first – How was yer Crimmas?

I had a pretty good one. Lots of nice presents, fun times, noisy kids and some assembly required. At the top of the list – A nice new comfy business chair. I like to spin around in circles until I’m dizzy… Oh, and it’ll probably come in handy when working as well… But mostly the spinning.

So, onto other things, I had a number of plans for this month. My Todo list wasn’t a very long one but that didn’t stop me from not doing all of it. I did read a little more, as I’d planned, and I also got a short Doug update finished. I got my Christmas shopping done, buying awesome presents for everyone to tear open, look at in confusion for a moment and then toss aside in anticipation for larger presents from others more willing to open their wallets.

Last year I made some resolutions for the year. Here’s what I came up with.

#1 -Complete Two Novels.
#2 – Keep to a sleep schedule.
#3 – Complete 3 short stories.
#4 – Loose Weight.
#5 – Cut down my smoking.
#6 – Save Money.
#7 – Get out more

As for number one – Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha… ha.

ha ha ha.

ha.

Two?

ha ha ha…

Anyway… onto number two. I was having trouble sleeping back then but it’s been pretty good for a while now. The secret is to close your eyes early and open them late. Number three – finally, some good news. Not only did I do this one, I DOUBLED it. Booya. Four and five – I’m starting to get a roll on but there wasn’t a great deal of progress this year. Ditto for six and seven.

And as for ‘09. I haven’t really thought that much on resolutions except for one thing.

Write 1000 words every day.

Simple. Easy. Straight forward.

I can handle a thousand words a day. I’m sure of it. If I know what I’m writing then I can get through that in an hour or two. Although most of the time I don’t know what I’m writing, so It may take a little longer. But, dag nabbit, a thousand should be easily done.

By this time next year I should be sitting on about three hundred and fifty thousand words more than I am today.

Ouch.

It’s the last month of the year. 31 days to go, and a couple less than that till Christmas…. and about a day or two before that is when I’ll start my Christmas shopping.

2009 is going to be a much more productive year than this year and so it’s about time I got into the swing of things.

So, here’s my ToDo list for December -

1. Read more – I haven’t been reading a great deal lately and I think this is one of the reasons my writing is suffering. I seem to write more (and better.) When I’m reading more. I’m just finishing off Neverwhere and am heading on to Dune.
2. I plan on trying to do this… Two months – A complete first draft. It seems possible but I’m not even sure what project to focus on. (Which is a bit of a problem since I should be doing at least 1500 words today.)
3. I want to get a Doug update out too. It’s been somewhere around two months since the last one, this was supposed to be a weekly thing! shit!
4. I have a great concept (and title) for a short story, I want to get that one out before the end of the year too. It’s got a little bit of time travel and a little bit of existentialism. Fun for the whole family.
5. Violate the first law of awesomedynamics
6. I should probably throw in Christmas shopping as well…. – Although I usually leave it till last minute and then run around the shopping centre dodging all the bastards that can’t walk fast enough and grumbling to myself, as I do when I’m pissed off, all the while finding awesome presents for everyone.

So, that’s the plan for December. I better get to work I have a lot to get through…

Hmmm, my workspace looks a little dirty. Maybe some cleaning first. Oh and there’s a movie on in a few minutes that I want to see…

And an even early ToDo for the month Post (for next month).

Usually around this time… Actually – the last day of the month… I go over my months ToDo list and realise that I didn’t do anything at all.

Then the day after that I come back with a whole new ToDo list for the next month.

Exciting isn’t it. I almost peed my pants from all the excitement.

Well I just had a look at my ToDo list for October (Have a look at it here) and I just realised two things.

One – I didn’t do any of numbers 1 through to 7.

Two – I noticed I made a mistake. It reads “My ToDo list for November“ – It was supposed to be for October. I think that explains why I didn’t get anything done. I wrote the list for the wrong month.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Anyway… My ToDo list for November is simple. It’s one point and one point only.

1 – Write NaNoWriMo Project.

Luckily – the one thing I did do on my October ToDo list was to choose a project for this years NaNo and Write down the plot points.

I then went a step further and wrote out a plot synopsis. I think it came to about 1800 words or there abouts. Then I went even further and extended it a little more. Adding a couple of details and moving some stuff around.

It’s now just short of 3000 words long.

Which is great. The story is a lot clearer in my head and I’ve gotten rid of most of the “Maybe this happens or maybe not…” type stuff. (All except one or two small maybes)

So when November 1st arrives in two days, and I get home from work about midday, I’ll be ready to roll.

All in all, I’m already doing a lot better than I did last year.

I’ll be posting updates as the months rolls along, with little word count doobers and all.

hrmm… Did I say Productive? I meant… Lazy.

I got up late, watched a movie or two, napped on the couch, read a comic, watched Tv… That was my day.

*Stretch and Yawn*

But, as promised (to myself and to all those who don’t read this blog), I’m coming up a ToDo list for this month and planning on sticking to it. This means work everyday and marginally less napping…

Without further ado…

My ToDo list for November –

1. Write everyday… Sounds familiar, right? It’s always been on my todo list and always will. It’s just easier somedays, other days the blank page (or even the next paragraph) just seems too daunting, an impossible to overcome obstacle that stops me from even opening up the file… and those days seem to come more often. But, I’ll be writing everyday now. 1500 words minimum to be exact.
2. Write another Short Story… I’ve been thinking about what to write next. I was thinking about writing a vampire story. Sort of a companion piece to Where Wolf. Maybe.
3. Think of something for Number Three…
4. Write a Doug Update. Or maybe two. I have some plans on the next one but nothing’s written in stone… or at all…
5. I was thinking of recording a reading of one of my stories to put up on the site. I found a little plugin to do it… (although not for the sidebar like I wanted) So, I’ll add that to the list.
6. Win a million dollars on the lotto and lose it again through a combined gambling/drug/alcohol/hobo killing addiction.
7. Learn to play the piano… You don’t need to have one to learn do you?
8. (Late Addition) – Work out what I’m going to write for NaNoWriMo. Do a little plotting and Outlining…

Well, that’s about it. Check back at the end of the month to see which ones I kept to.

And remember Bruce is…

I have no reason for putting that in. I just felt like it.

You may remember at the beginning of the month I made a little To Do list. You may also remember that I’m not the greatest of actually getting shit done.

That being said, Here was my To Do list for september –

1. Write everyday.
2. Finish the current Short Story I’m working on
3. Rewrite the last short story I wrote.
4. Start on novel. Get through a few chapters at least. Let’s say 5.
5. A couple of Doug updates. (I’ve gotten a bit behind on the Doug updating lately).
6. Let’s throw another short story in there just for the hell of it
7. Do other stuff too.

No. 1 – Fail – I tried to do this and managed for the first week or so but it kind of slowed afterwards and I took a number of days here and there and in between.

No. 2 – Pass! – That story I was working on was Where Wolf. I finished it like a mofo! You can read it here

No. 3 – Pass-y fail-y kinda thing That was Out of Reach. I rewrote parts of it but in the end gave up on the total rewrite I planned on. I may get back to that sometime in the future but for now… Meh

No. 4 – Fail… With a capital F!. Five Chapters? What the hell was I thinking?

I did, finally, find a half decent way to begin the novel and it’s slowly moving along which is awesome. but five chapters? I must’ve been nuts!

No. 5 – I’m gonna say pass… Because well… I got one done. So that’s more than nothing. Go here to see.

No. 6 – Fail. There wasn’t any old ideas I felt like working on so I started thinking up some new ones. I considered about writing a story about gay spiders called Arachno-Fabulous, but didn’t get further than the title. There are better ideas in the stew pot, so keep an eye out and an eye in.

No. 7 – Pass. – ‘Cause I did do other stuff. Including fixing up this site and adding a static front page like I’d always intended to do.

There were also some other changes as well, as shown in these before, during and after transformation pictures….

That’s all for now folks. Check back tomorrow when I come up with a really difficult to complete ToDo list for November!

Otherwise known as Things to do in September…

Firstly though, you might remember my favourite pants from this mishap.

Unfortunately, That was only the beginning of my pants problem.

Slowly, more holes began to form around the original. Then more appeared on the other leg. And another just under the bum pocket. Due to years of wear, I think they’re are starting to show their old age. They aren’t much longer for this world. Don’t get me wrong though – I’ll keep them till they’re barely a scrap of fabric left.

I feel like Seinfeld when ‘Golden Boy’ died.

On the bright side, I have found my ‘Baby Blue’ in a new pair of black pants I bought today.

Now, onto the real reason we’re all here.

Well, at least why I’m here.

Over the last couple of months I’ve let things slip by me, as you do. Things are only slowly getting done at a snails pace, (Two snails are sitting on a turtles back, one says to the other ‘Hang on tight, here we go!’) if they’re even getting done at all.

So I’ve decided to start a monthly todo list. (although, like most of my decisions – who knows how long it’ll last) and then go over it again at the end of the month. Noting my progress.

To start things off heres my ToDo list for September –

1. Finish all 5 or 6 novels and 8 or so short stories I have plans for…

(Okay, so I might not get to mark off that one, but it’d be nice wouldn’t it?)

Okay – Real list.

1. Write everyday. – I’ve been pretty good on this one lately, but I’d like to add to the word count.
2. Finish the current Short Story I’m working on
3. Rewrite the last short story I wrote.
4. Start on novel. Get through a few chapters at least. Let’s say 5.
5. A couple of Doug updates. (I’ve gotten a bit behind on the Doug updating lately).
6. Let’s throw another short story in there just for the hell of it
7. Do other stuff too.

Well, that’s about it for now. There’s probably some other stuff I forgot to add, but then who the hell cares.

These pretzels are making me thirsty.