My Legs Hurt

Well, a long day is over, but it was worth it. Prior to the event it was estimated that around 10,000 people would participate in today's race. It really seemed like it could have hit that many. We were about in the middle of the pack and looking behind us there were people for a good half mile behind us and in front of us. Pretty amazing, and a great opportunity to get all choked up thinking about all the great people who care so much for this cause.
I forget how long 5K is every year. Right around the 2 mile marker my legs start complaining loudly to my brain to turn the switch to "off." Luckily my brain only listens to orders from me, and I shouted "no! we must continue!" Then to show the mutinous little buggers I'd speed up and they'd groan. Quite funny actually.
Now that that's behind me I can begin focusing on other things...like my overwhelming urge to just get this darn novel started so I can finish it. I've been practicing kicking my inner editor out of my head while writing some random word prompts. I'm doing pretty well just ignoring him and trudging on even when what I'm writing isn't gramatically correct.
Well, that's all for today, I'm going to go carve my Halloween pumpkin.
Until tomorrow....

November is almost here!

I realized last night, while at a wine tasting event, that I had made plans to be away for an entire weekend in November. I made the plans long before I even had thought about NaNoWriMo. Now, I'm stuck.
While I still fully intend to go (who wants to miss a wine release party, after all), I plan to take my computer and spend at least a couple hours each day typing away upstairs at the beach house. Either that, or my daily word goals for the first week are going to be raised so that I can already be ahead when we leave that Friday...what to do?
This weekend, my last of freedom, will be spent in reflection. I am doing the local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to honor my sister who passed away last year. It's going to be a rough weekend, but I'm always exhilarated by this event, and I know that being around so many others who have gone through similar trials will be comforting on some level. I'm just going to do my best to keep composed, it's still such a fresh wound since it hasn't yet been a year.
Because of that, I'm hoping to have my novel done before the end of November, since the final day of the competition is the one-year anniversary. I'd prefer to spend that day with my family.
Needless to say it's going to be one tough month. But I'm determined and I will win this year.

Welcome!

This blog has been specially set up to document my month of writing for NaNoWriMo. I have actually participated since '06, but since I was right in the middle of grad school, I never really got past 5K. This year, since I no longer have school to burn up my time, I have a renewed sense of "I must do this for me!" So it's going to be a month of H-E-double toothpicks, if I do say so.
This year I've also had time to prep, and actually have some storyline plots and characters already in development. It's great! By the way, Google Notebook is awesome for doing such things! I found out about it (along with Q10) on the NaNoWriMo forums. Handy-dandy little things they are!
So that concludes my introductory statements, oh wait! The title for my blog! I need to explain. My two favorite things, which really brighten my day, are rainy days & soup. They really go hand in hand, especially for the month of November! Sadly I don't live where it rains too often, but when it does, I'm a happy camper.
So, let the countdown begin to November 1!