Discipline

Heard from my music school mates! Talking about our college days and how much fun they were. We miss our professors and were truly blessed to have such good and patient teachers. A lot of my friends are still performing and teaching!

Back to my new career of being an author. I did it. I totally rewrote and finished The Sin Bin. I submitted it to the editor who rejected it. She gave me very good advice and I tried to follow it as she explained.

Other news, my ankle. I go back to the doctor this Wednesday for the next leg (lol) of this journey. To me, this was bittersweet. Never take things for granted. I miss exercising and driving like crazy. I have modified my work out routine so I can still do some things, but not everything. Because of it, it forced me to face my demons and rewrite my story.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, please? My story and my ankle turn out okay!

The Sin Bin and the Ankle Almost Done!

The Sin Bin is still a work in progress. I have finished the second go around of revising and now will print it out to see what it looks like and have someone else read it for their input. I set myself on a timeline with this and I think I'm going to make it. I will send it to the editor who rejected it for a second chance.

I set my other two works in progress aside to concentrate on this one. They are untitled at the moment but fresh in my mind. One is a romantic comedy about the NHRA and the other is about a wedding cruise on Bora Bora.

Finally in the home stretch with this ankle. I have 10 more days of the boot. My first week, I was scared to death wearing it. Because the bottom is a raised surface and you feel like your walking on a bubble. I can't tell you how many times I thought I'd fall over. I thought to myself, how could they let me loose?

The boot itself is a lot of work. I have five straps and I can't tell you how many times I've tangled those straps. I thought it would get easier as time goes on, but it really doesn't. You do want it put on correctly so you don't fall and break your ankle again.

Showers? Ha! After several scares, I brought in one of our small plastic patio chairs which fits nicely into the shower. I can position in right under the shower head and close to the door. Not so scary anymore and I can put a little weight on the ankle.

Second week, I gained more confidence. I started taking on my chores around the house, went out to stores more, feeling blessed to be able to walk. I felt a little twinge here and there in he healing bone but that is to be expected.

Third week, I gained even more confidence and now have mastered the stairs. For those of you who know me, I do all of my work upstairs. I have my office and my work out room. I've been doing exercises in the living room. Our downstairs is all wood floors, so I used the cushion from our patio lounge chair as my exercise mat.

See how creative I can be?? Or cheap because I don't want to buy things I'm only going to use for a short period of time!

Hodge Podge

Just to let you know, I'm getting pretty good at walking with the boot! The only problems I'm having is the mind set. I want it all fixed and I want it NOW! I want to run up and down the stairs; I want to go on my long walks again, I want to work out. All the things I took for granted, I really appreciate them even more now.

It could be worse. One of my favorite Chicago Bulls players had his shoulder separated while playing the Mavericks this  week. He had to have surgery to fix it and will be in a cast for four to six months. It's his right shoulder and he's right handed. So, I've decided not to complain about my ankle.

Back to The Sin Bin. I'm almost done editing and then something hit me towards the end. Now, I have to go back and fix something that was fundamentally wrong with the story. Good thing I caught it now.

I do a lot of reading and I've read some pretty bad books but said, whatever. This week I picked up a book by a new author and I could't even finish it. That is very rare for me. Her writing was superb, but it was the story. I like dom books but I don't like it when the heroine is defeated and controlled. I've spent many years fighting for women's rights and this story put the heroine back in the cave man era.

Busy 2016!

It's been a busy new year so far. I started rewriting The Sin Bin based on the advice from the editor who rejected it. She is right and I am making it a better written story. I didn't realize how many times I used the word 'really'. I find myself writing how I speak.

I'm only on the sixth chapter and I've cut 5000 words. Seventeen more chapters to go....

Also, I got my cast off!! Woo Hoo! Now I have one of those boots. I'm such a little person and it looks gigantic on me.

The only thing that perturbed me is three weeks ago, the doctor told me I'd only have to wear the boot for three weeks. This time he told me four. The thing is, I can't drive and I'm going nuts! I'm such a backseat driver, my husband and daughter are ready to put tape over my mouth when they take me somewhere!

When I was fitted, the nurse told me I'll be fine walking with it.I took one step and almost fell. The sole is a curved bubble designed to work your ankle and build up your muscles again. Heel, toe, Heel, toe. I was scared to death and spent most of the day on my scooter.

At night, my husband scolded me for being a baby. He said if I don't even try, it will take even longer. I took a stab at walking my scooter and it soon became easier and before bed, I could stand on it without assistance. Now I have the mantra; Heel, Toe, Don't slouch. So much work!

Each day gets better. I get tired easily because this is more physical work than I've had for five weeks, but I'll do it! Let the countdown begin.....

New Years Goals!

Down to the wire! Who will make the play offs?
Exciting things this week....the cast will come off on Wednesday and I will graduate to a boot!
I will get The Sin Bin fixed and ready for publication!
I will get writing on my other two manuscripts!
I feel very motivated to do well for 2016!