My highly-structured schedule sort of worked this week. I got some things done I wouldn't have otherwise, but I fell short of my non-negotiables more than one day. It was good, though, because it illustrated the difference between what I thought should happen each day and what tended to really happen.
In light of this, I'm going to do another 3 level week with some adjustments. Less "X will happen on Tuesday" and more "X, Y, or Z will happen on Tuesday."
I've got to say, even though I didn't get done everything I wanted to, it was still very satisfying to mark something off my list on the fridge. That's the best part of TO DO lists.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Castle
I just watched the pilot for Castle. I like it. The most hilarious part, of course, being the portrayal of writers. Also fun, Castle's daughter & mom as foils. And, of course, it's hard to go wrong with Nathan Fillion as the lead.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
New To-Do List Plan
This week went okay in terms of productivity. I did get a few things done, but it wasn't much above and beyond the things I get done any other week. So, I decided to change my strategy.
I just printed out a plan for the week. This plan is broken down in two ways: by day, and by levels. I'm falling back on a technique I learned doing sales. The idea was that for each goal you set for yourself, you create three levels:
1. Must do - this is the non-negotiable, bare minimum level. If I do nothing else, I WILL do this on that day.
2. Should do - this is what I should reasonably be able to do on that day.
3. Could do - this is the one where, if I'm really on my game, I can achieve.
Each level builds on the one that came before and I've got it all worked out on a spreadsheet stuck on my fridge. The funny thing about it all is that once I put it all on the page, it really doesn't seem like much. I've also built in some catch up in my goals toward the end of the week to help fill in the gaps if I need to. It's all doable, it's just about a greater level of structure. I'm feeling good about it.
This time next week, assuming I stay on the plan and get done what I want to, I'll be feeling really good about it.
I just printed out a plan for the week. This plan is broken down in two ways: by day, and by levels. I'm falling back on a technique I learned doing sales. The idea was that for each goal you set for yourself, you create three levels:
1. Must do - this is the non-negotiable, bare minimum level. If I do nothing else, I WILL do this on that day.
2. Should do - this is what I should reasonably be able to do on that day.
3. Could do - this is the one where, if I'm really on my game, I can achieve.
Each level builds on the one that came before and I've got it all worked out on a spreadsheet stuck on my fridge. The funny thing about it all is that once I put it all on the page, it really doesn't seem like much. I've also built in some catch up in my goals toward the end of the week to help fill in the gaps if I need to. It's all doable, it's just about a greater level of structure. I'm feeling good about it.
This time next week, assuming I stay on the plan and get done what I want to, I'll be feeling really good about it.
A New Symbol
Symbols are important. We all have our talismans, and there's a reason we have them. Heroes are nothing but symbols. That's why they say you shouldn't meet your heroes in person, because suddenly they're a real, flawed, human.
In the past few days, I've been watching more reality TV than I've watched probably in the whole of the past six months (I'm really not a reality TV fan). I started with Hell's Kitchen and now I'm also working on Kitchen Nightmares. The common denominator: Gordon Ramsay.
The first thing that struck me about him is that he's a bit psychotic, then I watched more and other things came out. Mainly, that guy is incredibly smart and demands excellence. Anything short of perfect just isn't good enough for him. It's a tough standard, but the part that makes me like him is however much he expects from others, he expects just as much or more from himself. He is absolutely NOT the "do as I say, not as I do" type. He's more, "What do you mean five o'clock is early? I've been here since four and I've already done inventory on the whole kitchen, prepped today's food, and killed a Russian spy." The man's a machine.
My new interest in Ramsay is well-timed. This semester is a tough one for me between working on my thesis, drafting the Cass book, and teaching three classes. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed about it all. Then I watch Ramsay and think he'd probably roll his eyes at me, tell me to stop whining, and say he's going to write two theses and found a university just to show me how it's done.
This morning I set a picture of him as my new desktop so the first thing I see when I hop on my computer is Ramsay at a kitchen doorway looking out at me with an expression on his face that says, "Is that the best you've got?"
In the past few days, I've been watching more reality TV than I've watched probably in the whole of the past six months (I'm really not a reality TV fan). I started with Hell's Kitchen and now I'm also working on Kitchen Nightmares. The common denominator: Gordon Ramsay.The first thing that struck me about him is that he's a bit psychotic, then I watched more and other things came out. Mainly, that guy is incredibly smart and demands excellence. Anything short of perfect just isn't good enough for him. It's a tough standard, but the part that makes me like him is however much he expects from others, he expects just as much or more from himself. He is absolutely NOT the "do as I say, not as I do" type. He's more, "What do you mean five o'clock is early? I've been here since four and I've already done inventory on the whole kitchen, prepped today's food, and killed a Russian spy." The man's a machine.
My new interest in Ramsay is well-timed. This semester is a tough one for me between working on my thesis, drafting the Cass book, and teaching three classes. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed about it all. Then I watch Ramsay and think he'd probably roll his eyes at me, tell me to stop whining, and say he's going to write two theses and found a university just to show me how it's done.
This morning I set a picture of him as my new desktop so the first thing I see when I hop on my computer is Ramsay at a kitchen doorway looking out at me with an expression on his face that says, "Is that the best you've got?"
Friday, March 6, 2009
Under Pressure
The latest show that I've gotten into is Hell's Kitchen. Last night, I couldn't help but think like Jenny was a while back with Top Chef. That it'd be interesting to translate the show. The specific dynamics of it are fascinating, especially watching Ramsay watch the contestants.
Now, a large part of the show isn't just about individual performances, but about making the individuals work together. That's where it all comes out in the wash. So, if we do a writing version it wouldn't be able to just be writers doing their own things, it would have to be group-based. So, I'm thinking some kind of collaborative setting. Maybe a Hell's Magazine. Each of the writers would, instead of working different stations in the kitchen, work different articles and/or different types of editing.
Or maybe a Hell's Critique Group. That one could be fun. We'd find a writing equivalent of Ramsay who would watch over each critique session and have fits, screaming things like, "Hey, you. You come here. Read that dialogue out loud. That dialogue is F*ing despicable. F*ing terrible! I wouldn't serve that dialogue to my dog." And then he'd throw the manuscript at somebody's head.
Then, after the elimination, there would be all the pettiness of, "Yeah, she can't write a strong protagonist to save her life," and "I can write circles around everybody here. Everybody. That's why they give me dirty looks, it's just 'cause they're so intimidated by me."
It'd be awesome.
Now, a large part of the show isn't just about individual performances, but about making the individuals work together. That's where it all comes out in the wash. So, if we do a writing version it wouldn't be able to just be writers doing their own things, it would have to be group-based. So, I'm thinking some kind of collaborative setting. Maybe a Hell's Magazine. Each of the writers would, instead of working different stations in the kitchen, work different articles and/or different types of editing.
Or maybe a Hell's Critique Group. That one could be fun. We'd find a writing equivalent of Ramsay who would watch over each critique session and have fits, screaming things like, "Hey, you. You come here. Read that dialogue out loud. That dialogue is F*ing despicable. F*ing terrible! I wouldn't serve that dialogue to my dog." And then he'd throw the manuscript at somebody's head.
Then, after the elimination, there would be all the pettiness of, "Yeah, she can't write a strong protagonist to save her life," and "I can write circles around everybody here. Everybody. That's why they give me dirty looks, it's just 'cause they're so intimidated by me."
It'd be awesome.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Productivity
My February challenge went all right until the last week when my revising time skipped the week all together and piled up on the weekend. Though, I did manage at least 100 minutes per week, and by the end I did twice the amount of time I was aiming for.
March is a bit of a grab bag with enough different things going on in different parts of my life (major papers are due soon in all three of my classes, I need to keep making progress on my thesis, I'm due for a CWC submission which means reviewing and preparing the first part of the Cass book, and I really ought to take down my Christmas decorations, etc, etc) that I can't think of a good specific thing to focus on.
Thus, I've decided to have a more generalized challenge for myself this month. For this month, it will be my aim to do something productive every day after I get home and to work on structuring my time more effectively. I've got this To Do list that's never actually gotten done and with this sudden beautiful weather, now feels like the perfect time to cross some things off.
March is a bit of a grab bag with enough different things going on in different parts of my life (major papers are due soon in all three of my classes, I need to keep making progress on my thesis, I'm due for a CWC submission which means reviewing and preparing the first part of the Cass book, and I really ought to take down my Christmas decorations, etc, etc) that I can't think of a good specific thing to focus on.
Thus, I've decided to have a more generalized challenge for myself this month. For this month, it will be my aim to do something productive every day after I get home and to work on structuring my time more effectively. I've got this To Do list that's never actually gotten done and with this sudden beautiful weather, now feels like the perfect time to cross some things off.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Finishing Honeymoon Edits
"The Honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. Roux" is one of the three major overhaul stories in my thesis (the others being "Albatross" and "When Bridgette Went Into the Water") and it's been the biggest 2nd time revision thus far. Two big details got changed, a few minor ones, and loads of things got either cut or condensed.
By the end, I went from 7,420 words down to 6,467. Put another way, that's about 13% of the story gone. I feel like I've accomplished something.
I didn't keep track of how long it took me exactly, but it took at least an hour out of today and boy am I ever glad to see the end of it. Plenty more stories to go, but just about all of the others will be easier revisions.
By the end, I went from 7,420 words down to 6,467. Put another way, that's about 13% of the story gone. I feel like I've accomplished something.
I didn't keep track of how long it took me exactly, but it took at least an hour out of today and boy am I ever glad to see the end of it. Plenty more stories to go, but just about all of the others will be easier revisions.
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