Hmmm. I seem to be made of win.

It's 10:14 on the last day of April and I just finished my NaNoWriAp! Still cutting it majorly close, but I technically finished more than an hour earlier than I finished last month, so I'm calling it an improvement.

Final word count: 52,996

I was listening to my Bon Jovi playlist for the last part of the story, so it ended up that "Always" (which is, incidentally, my favorite love song of all time) was playing when I crossed 50k and "Have A Nice Day" was playing when I finished.

Phew.

I'm going to go sleep for like a week now. Except that actually I have six huge exams coming up. So actually I'm going to go study.

*Sob*. Life.

Hmm. I seem to be made of fail.

Number of days left in April: 13

Number of words left in NaNoWriAp: 37,589

Number of AP Tests in less than one month: 5

Well, don't I just fail?

And now for the failure cherry on the top of our sundae of suck: so, last night I was going to get my little sister, and I was running barefoot across the lawn. It was really dark, and I smashed through what I think was probably this huge pile of sticks we have in our yard.

And it hurt.

Anyway I got back inside and my foot was bleeding like craaazy and it appears that I have managed to stab multiple holes in the bottom of my left foot. I can't walk on it, which means that I couldn't go to the mall today to get my shoes for prom... which is next Saturday. Joy.

On a happier note, I'm 17 now! Wooooo! It was my birthday on the 10th. For some reason I didn't blog. I also didn't blog the next Sunday (Easter! yay!), although I intended to because I wanted to upload the pictures of the awesome Star Wars Easter eggs that I made (I had this whole awesome Darth Vader/Yoda egg fight). I'd put those up now, except I can't find the cord for my camera. Coming Soon?

Oh yeah and I got a Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/StaciCooper

Phew. Could I cut it any closer?

Forty four minutes left in March, and I am FINISHED!!!!

Total word count: 51,577.

Phew. That was crazy. The song playing? "Loved Ones and Leaving", HP 5 soundtrack. Weirdly appropriate (as was the Hall of Prophecies for when I hit 50k.)

It is... goodish. As I said, I wrote most of it the first six days of the month, and did the last twelve thousand words or so between yesterday and today, which means that I had over twenty days in the middle to forget every single plot point I had going from the beginning of the month. So I'm pretty sure that it's a bit disjointed and... blegh, but it's not poorly written. I mean, the end was rushed. Poo.

Doesn't matter. I am DONE with the first three nanos of the year - only nine to go!

Whoa, what are the odds

I just checked my word count and it is EXACTLY 50,000 words. "The Hall of Prophecies" from the HP5 soundtrack was playing.

Gah I still have a lot more story to get through, though. Must keep writing! Must keep writing! Although technically I have officially won already.

With an hour and a half to go before the time is up, but hey. Winning is winning.

DOWN TO THE WIRE

It's a little after 8 o'clock PM on the last day of March and my MarNoWriMo is not complete. As in, 4,000 words shy of complete.

It's really coming down to the wire with this one. Basically what happened is that I wrote ridiculous amounts of words for the first six days of the month, and then didn't do anything again until... yesterday. Niiiice time management, Stace.

Anyway just thought I'd let you know that I'm mildly panicking. Now it's time to go WRITE LIKE CRAZY!!!!

Agony Agony DIE DIE DIE

Three months into NaNoWriYe, my entire lower right arm is about to FALL OFF. It's killing me. My wrist hurts the most, but it goes right down to my fingertips. AUGH!

At first I thought it had something to do with my burn - about a week ago I was making this pineapple upside down cake and I dropped it while I was taking it out of the oven and smashed my arm against the top of the oven trying to catch it. Second degree burns from pineapple upside down cake - I know. Anyway the burn has been bothering me, and it was hurting yesterday, so when my arm, like, exploded today I thought the burn had something to do with it.

Anyway now I think it has something to do with the insane amounts of typing that I've been doing. Sigh. Spectacular.

The man-whore is back

So remember how I wrote that essay a while back about Hedda Gabler? The one where I couldn't think of another word for "philanderer" and was seriously considering writing "man-whore"?

Yeah, that essay's back.

So for English class we have to do this literary criticism paper, and rather than writing a whole new essay just so we can insert litcrit, my teacher's letting us revise an old paper. And I was like... um, I don't remember any essays I've written. Like, all year. They were not exactly memorable pieces of work.

But I do remember the whole man-whore thing, even though I didn't really remember the rest of the essay. So I picked that one on a whim and I have spent the last HOUR sticking bits of literary criticism in and trying to smooth it all out so that they don't look tacked on (which they are). And yes, an hour is nothing when it comes to essay writing, but this is boring as poo. And I really want to just stop and go read some more of Corrupting Dr. Nice, and I can't, because this is due tomorrow and I WANT TO KILL HEDDA GABLER EXCEPT I CAN'T BECAUSE a) SHE'S FICTIONAL AND b) SHE ALREADY COMMITTED SUICIDE.

And I still can't think of another term for philanderer. 'Womanizer' is the best I've got, but now I've got the Britney Spears song stuck in my head, and that is not helping my mood.

Find a happy place.

I - drank - so - much - coffee!!!! *Twitch*

I really love espresso. Unfortunately, I am unable to channel the energy into, you know, productive things.

But not this time! I have just crossed the finish line of the world's greatest Calculus Marathon. Sixteen pages of freaking calculus study problems, holy crap I rule the world of mathematics! Oh man. I sat there with assorted episodes of House, Psych, Flight of the Conchords and Firefly playing while evaluating more integrals than have ever been evaluated by a single person in a twenty four hour period. That's the good thing about math, though - it's the only kind of homework I can do while watching tv.

I'm also 30k into my NaNoWriMar. My protagonist superhero is attempting to escape from the sewers of the enemy lair. I wrote all 30,000 words in the first six days of March and haven't gone back to it in ages because my workload at school has become so heavy that it is CRUSHING MY SOUL. Anyway I'm going to pick back up with it today, and let my MC out of the sewers.

AND I've officially passed the big Three-Oh in the MAD Book Challenge. Thirty freaking two books down in the year of 2009. Highlights? The Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton (thankyouthankyouthankyou Marshall for recommending them to me), the collected works of John Green, Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule, and my favorite book in the world - Terry Pratchett's The Truth. Oh, and The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. I've been meaning to read that for ages, and I finally borrowed it from Sarah... Oh man it's fantastic. If you can read it without crying, you HAVE NO SOUL.

Ah, in looking back at my list of books, I see that I have written "The Harvey Boys" instead of "Hardy Boys". Hmm. Oh, and I haven't written down the other two Anita Blake books I've read. And I just finished Jumper by Steven Gould (holy crap, Marshall has recommended like everything I've read.) Never mind, I've read thirty five books this year.

WORD

Or, more appropriately, WORDS. Three thousand and twenty five of them, to be exact.

I just started writing my MarNoWriMo* about an hour or so ago, and I'm trucking right along. It's a fantabulous superhero novel and I'm writing it in the POV of an unidentified first person narrator, which I'm really enjoying, to my surprise. I'm actually really liking this one, too. Things are going well.

*Technically that stands for March Novel Writing Month, which is a little redundant, but that's how most of the people on nanowrimo.org refer to nanos that they write outside of November. Personally, I favor NaNoWriMar, or National Novel Writing March. I think I'll stick with that from now on. Yeah, it totally sounds better.

But anyway, I expect I'll be done with this one earlier in the month, this time. The February one was good, but it was very... plotty. Whereas an X-Men inspired story pretty much never comes in contact with the word 'plot'. At least, not in the same sentence as the word 'good'*.

*Not that I'm saying anything bad about X-Men. James Marsden in sunglasses? Hugh Jackman? I mean, even with the uglyugly hair, he's still all Hugh Jackmany. And... did I mention James Marsden?

Two down, ten to go

Oh, wow, when you put it that way it sounds dreadful.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have finished my FebNoWriMo. NaNoWriYe is going well so far - two nanos under my belt and still not particularly stressed, so things are looking up! This NaNo was about a magical carnival. It was inspired by Deborah - when I frantically confronted her, panicking about my complete lack of plots for FebNoWriMo, the first thing she suggested was "karate-chopping sandwich-making elephants", and I know how to take an idea and run with it.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was playing when I finished the whole nano - coming in at a grand total of 53,019 words. "Lights" by Journey was playing when I hit 50,000. Oddly enough, if you switched the two around they would have been appropriate for the scenes I was writing at those moments.

So, this nano started out all, like, pure comedy, and ended up weirdly sentimental and... I don't know, emotional? I got kind of dark for a while there. Then again, it also has a pretty big reveal at the end, and I didn't screw up the surprise either (which I normally do). It's actually reasonably hard to see it coming, I think.

And I did write over 10,000 words of it between when I got home from school and now, so.... Yeah. I swear I've written this nano in like six marathon writing sessions and the rest of the time I've just been lazing around trying not to feel guilty about not writing.

Happy Valentine's Day!

<3s for all!

Seriously though, this has been a good Valentine's Day. My NaNoWriMo t-shirt, No Plot? No Problem! book, and NaNoLand Chronicles book were all officially Valentine's Day presents. I also managed to snag the last box of Indiana Jones Valentines at Target on the half-off sale, thus acquiring many fabulous Shia LaBeouf Valentine's Day cards and temporary tattoos.

Plus I finished reading THREE very Valentine-appropriate romance novels recently. In order of how much I liked them, they were: "Having the Boss's Babies" by Barbara Hannay (which was so sucktacular that the best that can be said of it is that it was short), "Fulk the Reluctant" by Elaine Knighton (which was also sucktacular, but had the benefit of being unintentionally hilarious), and "Let It Snow" (which was actually sort of awesome. It's got three stories in it; Maureen Johnson's was good, John Green's was predictably MADE OF WIN, and Lauren Myracle's was okayish).

AND, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I decided to give the MC of my current NaNoWriMo a love interest. Her name is Red and she knits, and she's totally perfect for him. J is being adorably awkward around her at the moment (aw). Plus, I'm officially over halfway done with my second nano and not remotely stressed out (yaaaay).

This is in no way related to anything (but since when do I care?), but I am currently dancing around in agony over the fact that I do NOT have the sequel to Terry Goodkind's "Wizard's First Rule", which I loved. I must must must have it. Now. But Sarah is bringing me "The Book Thief" to read tomorrow, and I... gah, I have to read that too. So, poo. But at least this way I have a couple guaranteed-to-be-great books lined up, especially after reading all those sucky romance ones.

The tables have been turned

You know how you can be having a really crappy day, and then suddenly something happens that just makes everything better?

I've been feeling a bit stressed out recently, due to the fact that I have a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR SUPER FREAKING MAJOR project due in school on Friday, and a poo load of tests and stuff, AND an essay due soon which if I do not pass, I will literally not graduate (not that I've ever failed an essay in my life, but I still manage to freak out).

And so when I got home from school I was ready to hit someone. But then we went to the library.

I am a HUGE supporter of libraries. Libraries are, I believe, the source of justice and light and kittens and rainbows. I LOVE libraries. I've worked in them for four years, and librarians are some of the coolest people I've ever met. But I haven't been to a library in almost a year, on account of having the most fantastically epic library dues in the universe (because my family all uses my card, and my sisters both lost books. That made it worse, the fact that I couldn't go even though it wasn't my fault.)

And anyway, today I HAD to go to the library to get a school book, so my parents paid off my card. And I checked out books! Books! From the library! AHHH! I hadn't realized how much I missed it until I went back.




Oh, I also should mention: know that plan I had to write a NaNoWriMo every other month this year? I'm taking that back. I'm doing one EVERY month, in what (if it's not the first) is at least one of the first NaNoWriYe s ever. Bring on National Novel Writing Year, 2009!

My FebNoWriMo is a humorous novel about a magical carnival and it is currently pwntastic.

I am tired, but also victorious

I just won my first NaNoWriMo of 2009.

At 50,655 words it is not particularly lengthy, but--and I hesitate to say this--it is actually... decent work. Like, reasonably well-written. I find this surprising.

"Elevation" by U2 was playing when I hit the 50k mark, and "Beautiful Day" (also by U2) was playing when I finished the novel.

It is now one o'clock in the morning and I got like four hours of sleep last night, so I am very, very tired. I shall celebrate more in the morning.

For now, I'm going to bed.

Chris Baty is the man

The Man, I tell you.

So I was just filling out the NaNoWriMo 2008 survey and it mentioned something about "The NaNoLand Chronicles". I didn't know what they were, so I nipped on down to the Office of Letters and Light to take a look.

For only ten dollars, you can buy a book of nanowrimo fables written by Chris Baty, which are -- and I quote -- "designed to warm the heart, embolden the noveling soul, and radically transform the general public's understanding of muskrats, sprout farmers, and the dangers of tea-oversteeping."

It is difficult to explain how much I MUST HAVE THIS BOOK.

And then, of course, there is "No Plot, No Problem," which is the best book in the world and which I for some reason do not own a copy of. While I was at the OLL, I glanced at the description for NPNP (we nanoers know how to abbreviate!) and I read the following statement:

"All copies autographed by the author."

Let me explain something to you. What I have for Chris Baty is a form of hero-worship. He is, quite simply, The Man. He is hillarious and witty and came up with the NaNoWriMo program, and let's face it, NaNoWriMo is sort of the best thing to have ever happened. Ever.

I must have a book autographed by Chris Baty.

This is a simple statement of fact. The NaNoLand Chronicles costs $10 and NPNP costs $15. I need $25.... I think I have enough money (poor person that I am). Oh, and also they're having a sale on NaNoWriMo t-shirts, $10 for a shirt, so more like $35.

Gah. I do not have money.

On the other hand, this money will be going to the OLL, and I want so badly to support NaNoWriMo! It means so much to me, and I'd love to be able to give back.

Okay, Chris Baty. I give in. I think I'm going to buy them all.

In which things get done

So, in the past few days, I have been extraordinarily productive.

First off, I FINALLY finished knitting the Man Scarf, seen below as modeled by my stuffed monkey, Stanley:

It was long and boring and generally blegh to knit (34 stitches a row! In size eight needles! On a SCARF! I hate knitting scarves with small needles!) but I really like the scarf. And it's so worth it to be able to own a pink "Man Scarf".

I also successfully learned how to crochet (thank you, Marshall) and am now attempting to crochet this adorable little owl. Unfortunately I am having MASSIVE PROBLEMS trying to crochet a circle, and this does not bode well for the project. Currently all I have managed of the pattern is "chain two". However, I shall prevail.

I finished my eighth book for the book challenge! It was Love Over Scotland by Alexander McCall Smith, and it took me almost as long to read as it took me to read all of the other seven books combined. It was interesting and well written and all--but although it held my attention while I was reading it, the second I put it down it was hard to pick back up. It was also freakishly long - you wouldn't think so to look at it, but I swear that that book took AGES to read. That being said, it was enjoyable.

(By the way, I am just now starting on book number 9: The Truth by Terry Pratchett. It's the first re-read I've done all year, but I couldn't help it--Terry Pratchett is amazing, and The Truth is my favorite book of his.)

I also just hit the 40,000 word mark in my January nanowrimo yesterday. I haven't written any yet today, but I plan on doing that once I finish this post... It's looking pretty good (suprisingly). I haven't had the urge to start massacaring characters yet, at any rate.

Aaand I also just finished watching the audio commentary of "Ghostbusters" (best - movie - ever), which does not SOUND like an accomplishment, except that I've been trying to finish it for ages and was never able to get around to it. It's a good commentary. Watch it.

Well, I'm off to nano then--I just hit a major turning point in the story, it's fantastic. I still have lots of stuff planned, which is great, because it means I don't have to streeeetch out the ending. In fact, it looks like it's going to be a bit of a squeeze--I'll have to start writing scenes more briefly from here on out.

Ciao!

NOOOOOOOO

The Oscar nominations came out.

CLINT EASTWOOD WAS NOT NOMINATED. WHY WAS CLINT EASTWOOD NOT NOMINATED? CLINT EASTWOOD IS THE FREAKING MAN!!!!

WHY - WAS - CLINT - EASTWOOD - NOT - NOMINATED?

Okay. Sorry. I had to get that off my chest. But seriously - I mean, seriously. In defiance Danielle and I watched "Fistful of Dollars". Ah. I really love Clint Eastwood. Everything he does is like, epic.

Life, and more importantly, SNOW

Holy crap, I am so HAPPY right now!

Reasons that Staci is happy:

• Today it SNOWED. Six inches of snow, which (for somebody living in North Carolina) might as well be a blizzard. I haven't seen this much snow in what seems like forever.
• Because it snowed, school was cancelled today.
• I just found out that school is being cancelled tomorrow, too.
• I have almost 32,000 words in my January nanowrimo, which I'm pretty sure isn't technically on schedule - but now that I don't have school tomorrow, I'll be able to write like crazy.
• And did I mention that my current nanowrimo pwns the world?
• I finished the first seven books for the book challenge and am almost done with numero ocho. Go me!
• Today Danielle and I filmed a movie entitled "The Abominable Snow Dog Strikes - AGAIN!" in which I star as a really, really stupid hiker who almost gets eaten by a villainous snow dog (but escapes to a hiking lodge just in time). This is a very, very awesome movie.
• Speaking of Ceilidh, this is the first time she's ever seen the snow and she freaking LOVES it. There are very few things in the world cuter than puppies seeing snow for the first time.
• I sort of crocheted a square. Almost. I still think I need to get Marshall to show me what I'm doing wrong (because there is no way I am doing this right), but it was better than all of my other attempts.
• I went to Michaels and I bought a huge bag of BUTTONS! For some reason, I really like buttons.
• I started working on the Man Scarf (long story) again, and it's getting pretty long (although Ceilidh did tangle up the skein of yarn, and it took me six hours to untangle it, causing a mental breakdown so big that I missed Owen's (that's Marshall's brother) play and suffered a massive "Staci you are so stupid" guilt trip. However, I am DEFINITELY going this weekend).
• Because there was no school today, I got to stay home and watch the presidential inauguration, which was awesome. And then we made an Obama cake. And it was a really, really good cake.
• IT - IS - SNOWING!

Ah! Happiness!

(However, I did just realize that there are more posts labeled "Nanowrimo" than there are posts labeled "life" on this blog. This is both entertaining and in some, sad way, a little bit pathetic.)

Freedom is fleeting

Things that happened today:

1. It ocurred to me that Ghostbusters is totally my favorite movie. I marathon-watched both.
2. I realized that I watched an entire season of House in two days, and that makes me both awesome and exceedingly pathetic.
3. I finished my second book for the Book Challenge, proving my total nerdom.
4. I hit the 9,000 word mark in my NaNoWriMo.
5. I decided that I really, really do not want to go to school tomorrow.

Seriously. Do not want.

DO NOT WANT!