Photo of the Week

T-Rex, anyone? It’s a bit more “pinterest-y” than the tattoo artist I go to normally likes, but he’s graciously agreed to design a T-Rex and palms tattoo for me. Appointment set for Feb. 3rd! Something to look forward to.

General News
Is there any time of year more motivating than the first couple weeks of January? I got a lot done last week, which I feel pretty good about. I also did some light workouts, and found out I’m way, way more out of shape than I thought. I also figured out this weekend that it’s far too easy to overdo it with the shape I’m in. So, while I can’t really make my workouts any easier (I mean, seriously…I’d have to sit on the couch and do nothing), I can slow down and give myself ample rest time for muscle recovery. It’s really frustrating that my body can’t just “bounce back” like it once could. *sigh* But I will be in better shape at the end of the year, no matter how slow I have to go.

I got a surprising (in a good way) amount of writing and writing-related things done last week though, so it wasn’t all bad. And my eye is finally stable enough that I was able to order new lenses for my glasses, so that should make everything easier in terms of writing/working on publishing stuff.

I spent way too much time fighting with apps last week…my new organizing app and widget weren’t communicating like they should, and installing Spotify seemed to crater Stitcher, which is what I’d been listening to my favorite podcasts on. Stitcher still isn’t working, and the Spotify app isn’t recognizing my premium account so…we’ll see. I may just have to jettison them both and find something else, but I’ll give it a few more days and a little more thought.

Speaking of podcasts, it’s weird, but while I have trouble following fiction in audio form, I don’t have any trouble following non-fiction podcasts. I wonder why that is? Different requirements from the brain, perhaps. It’s odd, but I do enjoy the writing podcasts I listen to, so I’m glad I can process them better than audio fiction.

Currently Reading
On my kindle (app): Creative Self-Publishing by Orna A. Ross (non-fiction)
Print fiction: A Gambling Man by David Baldacci (thriller)

I finished The Lost Duke of Wyndham, which was a fun romantic romp, as Julia Quinn’s books always are. More to the point…I finished a book! It’s been so long since reading was a priority that it feels almost foreign to actually get to the end.

Video Highlight
Beckman’s Dog Training videos are some of my absolute favorites. He knows dogs, and his advice is always spot on. This is the one I watched this week. If you have dogs or just want a better understanding of canine behavior, do check him out:

Listening Highlight

Writing Excuses – httpss://writingexcuses.com/  (podcast)

I didn’t listen to much music this week, but the reason I was fighting with my streaming apps was because I really like to listen to this podcast while I’m making dog food on Sunday nights. I started at the very beginning a year or so ago, and I’m not quite halfway through season 16. Once I get caught up, I’ll listen one morning a week – it’s a weekly podcast.

If you’re a writer, I’d highly, highly recommend starting at the beginning and listening to everything. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned about craft and philosophy and plotting and…well, so many things, even when the genre isn’t something I’d normally write in, I learn a ton from these 15 minute conversations. Do check it out. I think there are transcripts on the site if you’d rather read than listen (though I find it very entertaining and not at all difficult to pay attention to).

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