I spent Friday night setting up my new ipod. New ipod you ask? Oh yes. New because I was uber-smart and dumped mine in the washing machine after I got home from the club the other day, unbeknownst to me. Of course, I killed it by doing so and needed a new one. So I got the new one, sat down to upload my music and looked at the list I have on itunes. And I was suddenly thirteen again, sitting in the front seat of my dad’s car, rolling my eyes at the twangy country music pumping out of the speakers.

Me: “This music bites. Can I change the channel?”
Him, laughing: “No. One day you’ll enjoy country music.”
Me, frowning as I look out the window: “Don’t bet on it, old man.”

Guess what I have on itunes? Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and Tim McGraw.

All great artists, but man, what a wake up call. I am, after all, a child of the 80’s. Where are my roots? So I went in search of my music. Guns n Roses, AC DC, Def Leppard. Afterwards, with several new songs downloaded and the ipod blaring in my ears, I felt better. And then I realized what I’d just done.

Can you say, avoidance behavior?

Oh yeah, that’s me lately. Anything and everything to avoid the wip.

Lisa blogged about meeting deadlines the other day, and I have to say, her post has re-inspired me. Though I’m not usually a “plotter”, I sat down today and looked at my manuscript. I want to get this puppy finished. It’s all in my head, but in my head is not finished. The key is getting it down onto the page. And that takes discipline. I tend to write in fits and starts – like one week I’ll write twenty pages a day and then I can’t bleed out a word for two weeks straight (as evidenced by the past two weeks). I’m tired of writing this way.

So, I sat down and looked at my schedule for the next month. We’re leaving on vacation on April 29th. If I push myself in the same way I’m pushing myself to work out to get in shape for said vacation, I can have a finished manuscript by April 27th, leaving me a day to spare. Think I can do it? I hope so. People like Jen and Karmela and Lisa are inspiring me, so I’m going to go for it.

What’s on the ipod right now? Guns n Roses, Sweet Child O’Mine
What’s on the computer right now? Vanished. Ten pages down today, baby, and pounding out more as we speak.

How’s your wip coming?