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 |   The Good Life. |
I am a professional musician  , worship leader , small business owner , songwriter , aspiring author and freelance nonfiction writer with a chemical engineering degree . But that's just my resume. My profile of qualifications is only one of the ways in which I am unique. Here I chronicle my personal and professional goals and my efforts to achieve them. Occasionally I fail. Mostly, I take daily baby steps toward all my long-term goals. Much like the stories I pen, the songs I compose, and the businesses I run, I am always a work in progress. ![Merit Badge in Music
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To a dear friend whose talent for writing music is sensational. May you have a fabulous New Year, (((Brandi)))!!! *^*Kiss*^*
Big hugs,
Sherri *^*Heart*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/genre-Music-1050.gif) ![Merit Badge in Organization
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I don't know how you do it, but I assume there's magic involved *^*Bigsmile*^* I have really enjoyed this month of planning and preparation for NaNoWriMo and I love how organized it all is. Thank you for hosting a great challenge and for your dedication to helping so many of us prepare with confidence and trepidation for National Novel Writing Month (known to sane folks as 'November' *^*Laugh*^*) at your [Link To Item #1474311]](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Organization-1150.gif) ![Merit Badge in Leadership
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For your hard work, commitment, talent and innovation in running the October NaNoWriMo Preparation each year, which helps many of us get our scattered thoughts together for November's novel-writing. And also because this badge has ducks on it.](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Leadership.gif) |
| PLEASE GO TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE AND "LIKE" MY STATUS UPDATE ABOUT PERFORMING LIVE AT SENOR PATRON TOMORROW. I realize most of you don't live near me. So please refrain from commenting things like: "Sorry, but I live in (fill-in-the-blank) and therefore can't make it." Just LIKE it if you can't make it. That will boost the status to a higher priority for the people who DO live in the area and help me market the gig so the restaurant will keep me on as a regular. Much love and kisses. Friend me if you haven't already. Here's the link to my wall - the status update should be public. Please let me know if you can't see it. https://www.facebook.com/MichelleTuesday  |
| ...but none of which are urgent: * Going through receipts and reconciling against checking and cash on hand accounts * Creating a scheduling database * Uploading photos to the website from recent events * Plotting marketing schemes aimed at meeting October - December volume goals * NaNo Prep exercises * Zombie poetry * Updating book prices in inventory module * Reconciling the business checking account * Calling or emailing potential students * Preparing for our two new songs that we'll go over Saturday in band rehearsal * Preparing or at least thinking about a song list for the new worship service * Performance evaluations * Working on our homeschool proposal * Working on our non-profit scholarship program * Going through my email looking for other potential things I could be doing Instead I've been playing with the puppy, playing in scroll, and playing the piano all morning. Christmas music!!! Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 222.Writing: (1)  Blog at MT.com by the end of the month: Caught up through Sept.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes, 750 Words, but behind two days now on my Prep work.Count points: Today: 21 so far. And dinner plans with Keith, which may or may not be a points disaster. |
| SCATTERED. Don't I have something I should be doing? GAH. Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 221.Writing: (1)  Blog at MT.com by the end of the month: Pending.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: I almost forgot about 750 Words. Because I'm so scattered. But I remembered at the last minute, mostly because I started this blog post. Yay WDC.Count points: Yesterday... I ate maybe a half a bag of Doritos. And I think Chris has been lying to me! She tells me she's being bad, eating donuts and stuff, but then Keith told me Robert (Chris's husband) told him that she's starving herself. Gah! Devious! So you would think that would motivate me, right? Well... Today: 14 so far today (2) Coffee (2) Yogurt (5) One piece pizza (5) Lean pocket (and it's only noon.) |
| I still feel scattered. I need focus. I've always been a very focused person, so I don't know how to handle this. Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 223... our receptionist is giving notice at her other job! We're ready.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes!(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: I did my 750Words entry, but I still have a setting description and antagonist profile to write.Count points: Yesterday was like 35, which is 10 over. Am I taking this competition seriously? Chris could win, and I'll have to work FRIDAYS! That would be stinky. Well, except for the part where we're hiring a receptionist, so it's really not that bad.  Still... I have to do better. Her scale (which we're using for competition) says I was 175 to start, 174.8 today. That's crap, though. My scale at home has me barely over 170.  I like my scale better.Today: 16 so far. (2) Yogurt (4) Granola bar (2) Peanut butter pretzels (2) Coffee (6?) Doritos - they get hard to measure at the bottom of the bag |
Wow, I must have been exhausted... started this blog post last night and fell asleep before I published it.  I made the mistake of listening to my "Singable" station on Pandora. Now I wanna go gig somewhere. I find classical much more conducive to writing, but it wasn't loud enough to drown out the TV. So now I may be forced to play computer games. Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 223.5... just one extended lesson away from a receptionist and much less work for moi! Plus... Hallelujah... I get to start paying myself! Well, it helps that I'm finally in contract. I don't have to draw business funds to pay the mortgage on a house I don't occupy.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes!(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes, 750Words.com, plus a silly zombie haiku and a review. I'm in pretty good shape in the writing realm... except that I haven't written any Textbroker articles in the last couple weeks.Count points: 35.5 Breakfast: Sausage (4), cheese (1.5), yogurt (2), coffee (2) Lunch: Cereal (4), toast with honey (3) Snack: Yogurt (2), string cheese (1) Dinner: Pancakes (7), bacon (7.5) and apple juice (2.5) = 17 |
| When they talk about "the pitter-patter of little feet," I'm pretty sure they're talking about Yorkie puppies. They pitter-patter! It's those four little tiny legs. Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 221Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of the month: Pending.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: I'm on a 10-day writing streak at 750 Words, which is making it easier to Prep, because that's pretty much what I'm writing about... brainstorming the project.Count points: YESTERDAY: 30, not shabby, but would have been better without the pie at church. SO FAR TODAY: 31 (6) Sausage (2) Coffee (6) Doritos (6) Peanuts (9) Bagel with cheese & ham (4) Yogurt (-2) Brisk walks with the dog |
| Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 218. Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of the month: Pending.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yesterday, yes. Today, 750 Words and my NaNo Prep exercise are still pending.Count points: Monday: 25 points Tuesday: 27 points Wednesday: 16 points so far. (2) Banana (2) Nutrigrain bar (1) Coffee (4) Chicken and rice (6) Pretzels and Doritos (1) Soup |
| Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 218. Come on, 225!!! Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes/(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes.Count points: Starting a weight loss competition with a coworker today. Whoever loses the most weight by Thanksgiving gives four work shifts to the other - our least desirable shifts. So if she wins, I pick up four of her Fridays. If I win, she picks up four of my Saturdays. TOTAL POINTS AND COUNTING: 12.5 (3) Coffee (3.5) Griddle stick (1) Fiber granola bar (2) Nutrigrain bar (2) Cheese (1) Peanut butter pretzels |
| Wedding today. Not mine! It's a gig, and it starts in about an hour, so as usual, I gots to go! Playing piano, a little classical guitar, and singing "Walking on Sunshine" Potbelly-style. So much to do, so little time... "October Novel Prep Challenge" [13+] starts tomorrow. More to do... including participate, which I fully intend to do.Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. Around 215ish. Enrollments are picking up, but it's the end of the month again, so we will of course have some withdrawals next week.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes!(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes! 750 Words is a genius invention. Genius.Count points: Again, no. But apparently Chris, the MTMS office manager, and I are going to compete. She proposed a good incentive: If I win, she takes my Saturday shift for a month. If she wins, I take her Friday shift for a month. Friday is my day off, so I *don't* want to work it, and Saturdays would be awesome to have off. I could take this competition seriously. She's so smart. |
| Ahh... tomorrow is Friday, my day off. Except I have to go to the grocery store and watch the kids and deal with the puppy and do laundry and perform at a wedding. But other than that, it's my day off. *deep breath* I am {e:determined} to participate in "October Novel Prep Challenge" [13+] this year. I've been brainstorming about the premise in my 750 Words postings, because I've always felt that it's a bit weak and unbelievable (title: Andromeda Sings), but I decided that it would work exceptionally well as a YA novel - not because YA are more gullible, but just because I think this premise speaks to teens in particular.I'm toying with that. I *am* supposed to write two Textbroker articles on Fridays, and I *did* plan on working on a submission for Seisa-sleepingcatbooks.com  's anthology, The Storm is Coming , before the end of the month, before I get tied up with Prep in Oct and NaNo in Nov. I'm so exhausted right now, I have a hard time picturing myself actually accomplishing those things tomorrow.In typical efficient Michelle fashion, I did consider combining my anthology submission and my NaNo project. Perhaps one of my backstories will involve an approaching storm. Reach 275 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. Around 215ish.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Yes!(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Actually, 750 Words reports that I completed my entry in 26 minutes. But I'm sure this blog post took at least 4.Count points: No. I'm not sure how I feel about my goals. I've always had better long- and short-term goals on the list and felt like I was accomplishing more. It's probably just a lack of documentation - I'm too busy accomplishing things to blog about them. My P&L (Profit & Loss report) at the music school shows accomplishment. I'm in contract on my house, so that's good. Overall, I've been working toward financial health from a job I love, and I'm getting closer all the time. I'm just not sure what my writing goals are or why I even bother to have them. Isn't this strange? I quit my job... opened my own business... achieved independent success as a business owner... found success as a freelance writer, whenever I want the money... picked up responsibilities (and salary) at my church thanks to my obvious competence at my current responsibilities... basically get to do all the things I love and make a living at it... ...and now, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm not bored. I'm just... dissatisfied. Because I'm no longer driven. This has always been my problem. It's why I left my job at Abbott. I never hated my job as an engineer. I would even say I still liked it when I left. I was just done with it, and this yard looked greener, so I moved. Now my yard is starting to see some dry patches, and I have no yard next door. Maybe I need a therapist. I should be happy in my own yard. And if patches are dry, I should be watering and fertilizing. |
| I have a little more time this morning, but I still feel incredibly scattered. Saturday, I worked all morning; my parents flew in; I led praise band rehearsal; and we chilled out and ate dinner. I brainstormed things that needed to be done for Sunday's open house. Sunday, I had church in the morning, and then went straight to the school to prepare for the open house. I created a list, but I always get pulled in so many directions at these events. It was hard to keep up with any one project. I didn't catch all the student performances, but I was able to see all the teachers play and sing, so I was able to honestly compliment them. They were all amazing! I heard several comments from guests about their performances, too, as well as their professionalism, their sincere concern for the kids, and how well they got along with each other. I love my job. OMFG my dog is driving me crazy. I want out. I want in. I want out. I want in. The second I sit down, he wants out again, every single freaking time. The one time I tire of it and say, forget it, you just want to chase the damn cat, shut up and go lay down... what does he do? He poops on the rug... right under my feet... as if to say, see, Mommy, I really need to go out! And I was so busy trying to finish the one-paragraph email I'd been working on for an our that I didn't even see him do it. So I had a lovely mess to clean up. Too bad he's so darn cute, or I'd be taking his ass back. I just gave him a wadded up ball of paper to demolish - that should keep him busy for five minutes or so. Reach 300250? students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 216.5. Very strange enrollment happenings this week. One student who withdrew changed his mind. One who was going to withdraw just one daughter decided to withdraw both, because they found a teacher who would teach them in her home and work around their "crazy schedule" - we're okay with the withdrawal, more because they always thought we were cheating them than because of their crazy schedule (although that didn't help.)Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Still no... by the end of this week. It's turned into a monthly task, so let's shoot for before Friday.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes, and 750Words.com thinks I'm an introvert again. But I'm still just journaling and not venturing into fiction or songwriting. Count points: Um... no. |
| I'm one signature away from being In Contract... I should have news by the end of the day. My dog is driving me crazy. He's learning that if he stands at the back door and barks or rings the bell, the door will open for him. That's good because he knows how to alert us when he needs to go outside and go to the bathroom. That's bad because he knows that the door will open every single time he barks or rings the bell... and the cats, and Penny in particular, like to hang out on the deck, just on the other side of the glass door. My 750 Words entry was interrupted four times this morning by the dog asking to go out, and I have to let him out every single time, so he understands how to go to the bathroom. I could have kicked his ass. So every time, I let him out; he chased down Penny; a barking and hissing fest ensued; I yelled at Sammy to stop barking and come inside; he obeyed and was quiet just long enough for me to gather my thoughts again; he rang the bell. Gah! The last time, I curled the bell up around the door handle so he couldn't reach it. Now he's in the bathroom pawing at the bathtub like there's some rodent inside. He's so darn cute. And finally! 750 Words thinks I'm an extrovert today. Until my first four 750 Words entries, nobody in my entire life, ever, has accused me of introversion. Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. We enrolled three new students yesterday, so we're one away from making our September goal. We have to get one more student willing to start lessons next week!Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Gah, this needs to go on today's to-do list. It's already getting long-ish.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes.Count points: Yesterday was decent. I stopped counting, and I ate a bunch of Twizzlers, but overall I ate reasonable portions and stopped when I was full. Today so far: (1) Special K bar, (2) coffee, (1) fresh tomatoes from the garden with a little ranch dressing. But it's only 9:00am, so no celebrating yet. |
Amazingly, my counter resulted in a slightly better offer on my house. She didn't give me what I asked for, of course, but nobody ever expects that, and her counter bumped me up to where I really wanted to be. Sooooo... I gave my agent a verbal "yes" over the phone and expect to be in contract by the end of the day.  Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. Nope, and not on track to reach that goal. I'm confident we can reach 250. 275 might be a more reasonable stretch goal at this point.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No, no, no... and it's been awhile. This is getting urgent.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes, and I'm on a four-day streak. Right now it's just personal journaling, which feels like on long, extended bitch fest. But the stats are interesting, and my posts managed to go from "negative" and "uncertain" the last three days to "positive" and "certain" today. So perhaps my brain dumps are helping relieve some internalized pressure. I was labeled as "introvert" all four days, which is utterly ridiculous. As usual, I'm on the border between "thinking" and "feeling" and have gone back and forth.Count points: So far so good this morning - a Special K bar (2 points), two steaming mugs of chai prepared with sugar-free vanilla creamer (1 point apiece), and a Nutri-grain bar (2 points.) I also left the Japanese steakhouse leftovers home today, and Keith promised to eat them later (he's eating his own leftovers for lunch.) Today will be a good day. Today will be a good day. Today will be a good day. I can't take back what I ate yesterday, or all week, or so far this month (pretty much, a bunch of junk.) But I can start fresh now, and today will be a good day. Mostly because I'm still full from yesterday. |
| I countered the offer on my house. Now we wait. Meanwhile, I am in some sort of weird state of lethargy about work and to-do lists in general. I'd tell you more about it, but I don't really care to. Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. Good grief, no. It feels like a yo-yo in here.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: Yes! I followed the lead of Storm Machine  and signed up with 750Words.com.Count points: Japanese Steakhouse tonight... after single-handedly wiping out half a bag of chili cheese Fritos and half a bag of coconut M&Ms. It was a GREAT points day. |
| I got an offer on my house today. |
| Even in Writing.com, blogging must step aside and bow to the mighty microblog. At work, we can't get the teen employees to read their email. If you want to check whether they can cover a shift, you have to Facebook or text them. Damn, I feel so flipping old. And yet, a new radio station has kicked off in my town, Gen X Radio. It's pretty sweet. They play Black-Eyed Peas then Backstreet Boys then Def Leppard then Nickelback. Like, all in a row. They advertise themselves as the best mix tape you ever made, but without all the pausing. Clearly, the market is still there. We're still alive, for a little while. Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. Still hovering between 210-215 somewhere.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: Nope.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: No, but I'm reading "The Catcher in the Rye" for the first time. It took many, many chapters to get into it, but it's moving okay now. I'm starting to get the point that Holden Caulfield is the biggest cynic in the history of mankind.Count points: YESTERDAY: Bleh. |
| Fridays are nice. I don't have to go to any of my jobs, which lately includes primarily church and the music school. I do have occasional gigs, like the nursing home this past Tuesday and the wedding at the end of this month. I picked up a new service at church. The service starts Sunday, October 16th, but we're in planning and recruiting mode, so the increase in duties has already begun. Somehow, I feel less organized that I was when I had more work to do. It's like busyness forces discipline on me. Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 215. I'm starting to think we might not make my 2011 goal. If I don't, my business plan will need another revision. On a related note, I may get an offer on my house today. As usual, I'm not holding my breath.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: No, but I've been steadily cleaning up my portfolio. Meanwhile, I do believe I'm going to compete in "October Novel Prep Challenge" [13+] this year. I have so much help, that I might actually have time to write. I'm thinking of picking up a few more Textbroker articles today... but I've been so bleh about those. The nice thing about TB is that you can pick and choose when and what you want to write. The bad thing about TB is that you can pick and choose when and what you want to write. {e:lazy} Count points: YESTERDAY: No idea. But I've been... betterish. Not nearly as gluttonous as I was throughout the summer, but still not disciplined about counting points past breakfast. |
| My cousin's stepbrother wrote this on Facebook: Eminem is the greatest raper ever and the only one I like! There are so many things wrong with this, I can't begin to explain them all. |
| Written by Kathryn Stockett, The Help is a novel about three Mississippi women during the civil rights movement. Skeeter is a young, white recent college graduate with journalistic ambition, who still lives at home with her parents on a cotton farm. Aibileen and Minny are black maids and best friends, working for two best friends (Elizabeth and Hilly) until Minny is fired by her boss, Hilly. Skeeter is in the same social circle as Elizabeth and Hilly, but soon finds herself an outcast when Hilly, profoundly anti-civil rights, catches clues about Skeeter's secret project: A book about what it's like to work as a black maid for a white family. 1. Characterization: The three main characters, as well as all the supporting characters, were remarkably believable. The majority of the book was told in first person by the three characters, and I could have identified each character by her voicing even without the helpful chapter titles. 2. Setting: Every other paragraph, something was happening politically or socially that defined the setting, which was Mississippi in the early 1960's. Skeeter's mother, after much resistance, finally agreed to install an air conditioner in the house. Martin Luther King was marching and President Kennedy was assassinated. A new singer by the name of Bob Dylan was singing The Times They Are A Changin. These events were not just background stories; they affected the way the characters lived their lives. More amazing, and even baffling to me in this age of portable electronic devices, was the typewriter and correction fluid bottle Skeeter used to write her book. When the trio decided at the eleventh hour to insert Minny's chocolate pie story, I wondered if Skeeter would have to re-number all the pages manually. 3. Plot: Poignant and powerful. So poignant, that when I looked up the author's website and read the book synopsis (after finishing the book), I choked up a little. Read it. It's amazing. |
| I've been reading "The Help" here: http://readbookonlinefree.blogspot.com/2011/08/hecn1tz.html I don't really know what this "readbookonlinefree" stuff is all about. I guess I'd be pissed if I were the author. Yet another reason why "novelist" is not at the top of my career aspiration list. Reach 300 students at MTMS by 12/31/11. 215. Come on, 225! That's our next milestone.Writing: (1) Blog at MT.com by the end of Wednesday: No.(2) 30 minutes of daily freestyle writing: No.Count points: YESTERDAY: 32 TODAY: 25 3 Half cup Yoder mashed potatoes 1 Fiber granola bar 6 Cup Tuna Helper 6 Snack mix 4 Fritos with chili cheese dip 2 Cottage cheese 3 Rice pudding ...so far. Leftover ice cream cake is taunting me from the freezer. |
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Aw, thanks, 