Confessions of an Uncommitmentphobe (plus a tip for Blogger bloggers & a good read by Anna Cowan)

1. For Blogger/Blogspot bloggers
2. What if heroes stopped eating bonbons and stepped it up?
3. Learning to not commit is oweee

1. FOR THOSE USING BLOGGER/BLOGSPOT
Did you guys notice that you can edit your images on the blog now?? I didn't know!! What the--!! In case you didn't either, you click on the picture then choose "Edit Image." MY DAYS. It's got effects, frames, stickers, everything--I've only started to explore, but it's a little buggy. This is why I haven't left Blogger yet, though. They always add something nice.


2. SOMETHING GOOD TO READ

I just found this Betty blog that I don't think is on the Betty RSS feed.

If you're a writer, or just interested in books and what makes for an interesting hero, then read this post! Très très intéressant! It's like someone freshened up the oil in my brain gears. Here's a taste:

What would a fantasy epic look like if the hero wasn’t “chosen” (i.e. got to have his epic destiny without any autonomy or responsibility)? What if some farm boy (because they always are farm boys, right?) looked around himself and decided to do something about what he saw; to act autonomously, and to be responsible for what he caused? The first thing that occurred to us was: They wouldn’t get away with nearly so much.

Then you can go and discuss! Well I did anyway. En masse. Cause you know that's how I rollz.


3. AND NOW SOME NEWS & PERSONAL CRAP

I was relieved to hear that Bonafide Betty is not ready for a June nano, because neither am I. We're doing July instead. So those of you who thought you might like to try for July - Mouah ha haaaa!!!

And I warned her that, because things in my personal life might get kooky this summer, I'm going to attempt... for the first time ever... Purposeful Undercommitment.

Looking at my messy apartment, my what-ev-ah meals, my home haircuts, my never-makeup, my wrinkled clothes, you wouldn't think I'm a perfectionist. (See below - the view from where I'm sitting, on my bed, in my bedroom/library/office. See the pile of clean laundry, sitting on the boxes of my grandfather's dissertation? One of my favorite Betty conversations was about how a bunch of us have slept on clean laundry before.)

Sadly I've learned that I am, in specific areas of my life. And one of them is that if I commit to something like a Nanowrimo, I WILL FINISH IT. Especially if I'm doing it as a partnership with someone.

But I'm reading a self-help book on procrastination, and it's teaching me that my perfectionism, and my over-commitment-ism, lead to my procrastination. I meet all my deadlines, I've never underperformed at work, I've NEVER turned in a late paper at school, but I work too many hours, I exhaust myself, I lose pull all-nighters, I exacerbate my headaches, and I hurt my personal life instead. So I've got to change.

And one step is to say (though it send shivers through my soul) when we attempt our Nano in July... I'm giving myself permission to "lose." To not complete my word count. I'm not even doing a "real" nano for heaven's sake, cause one of the rules is it can't be a re-write. Imperfectionism! That's got to be my credo.

You've got my four badges, they ought to be enough for heaven's sake. You've got nothing to "prove" Mabelline. And you can cheer on Bonafide and anyone else who joins, even if you make a decision to stop partway through. Hush hush it's going to be okay.

(Looking at these badges, anyone want to guess what year I went back to school and when I graduated? At least I'm not that bad of an overcommitter.)

 


I should add that I've improved in one way, which is no longer freaking out over posting on time on my blogs. Self head pat.