Sunday Summary and #ROW80 Update

  1. The end is all kinds of nigh for Round 4 of ROW80 this year.  The end of the year in general is almost here, which is leaving me scratching my head going “How’d that happen?”  But part of me is really looking forward to 2014 and making it a super year.
  2. I’m waiting on the last Christmas presents to come in to finish my wrapping.  Goal for next year?  SHOP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.  I USED to do that and be really good about it.   And things have just gotten away from me the last few years.  I feel like I’m kind of fail on the gift front this year in terms of being unique and thoughtful.  But some years are like that and it’s the fact that you remembered to get a gift at all that counts.
  3. WordPress has been mucking around with the dashboard again.  Not cool, WordPress.  Give me my easy access to Widgets button back!
  4. I have baking to do today.  There’s banana bread in my future, and I’m not sure what all else.  Since hubby (and thereby his coworkers) will be working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I want to make them something to brighten their holiday.  Perhaps I’ll attempt gluten free short bread.  I think I picked up a Bob’s Red Mill mix of that on sale a couple months back.
  5. We’re having pork loin for Christmas dinner.  I’m trying to decide if I want to do a nice, slow roasted classic with garlic and rosemary or if I want to go all out and be decadent with a BACON BLANKET.  If my husband sees this post, I know what HIS vote will be.  (BACON MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER).  There’s going to be gluten free corn casserole and whatever else his mom decides to make as sides.
  6. I’ve been reading a lot of holiday novellas this month.  And watching a whole crapton of cheesy holiday flicks on TV outside our usual run (and we STILL have not seen Rudolph or Charlie Brown or Garfield–this is tragic).  I’m really enjoying these short reads where I can sit down with my Attention Challenged Brain and plow through a whole story in one or two sittings.  I’m starting to really learn to respect the category length of romance as well for the same reason.  I admit, I always used to sneer at category length romance as lousy and formulaic.  And yeah, there is some of that, but there is a lot being put out in that length now that’s quite good, an enjoyable read that’s got more meat than a novella but isn’t unnecessarily padded to make something longer.  I think that’s one of the things I love about the self publishing movement–a story takes as long as it takes to tell.  And that’s fine.  I hate it when something’s been unnecessarily shortened or lengthened to fit genre length expectations.
  7. About a quarter of the way into my next Meet Cute story, I decided I hated the set up I had and tossed it.  I liked what was going to be happening in the second half, but how the hero and shero got there just wasn’t working for me.  So last night while watching yet another Christmas movie, I sketched out a new outline that will, I think, work a lot better.  The dialogue immediately started popping in my head, which it wasn’t doing before, so I’m pretty sure this will be an improvement.
  8. How is it that having just ONE MORE PERSON in the house somehow totally DOUBLES the amount of dishes you do?  Mom’s been here since the start of December, and I swear I’ve never run the dishwasher so much!  Seems like every time I turn around, I’m loading or unloading.
  9. A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my pal Jess Witkins, who just got ENGAGED to her honey Joe!  You can read their adorable story here.  They’re so flipping cute!  Jess is one of the most marvelously cheerful people I know.  A real positive influence.

6 thoughts on “Sunday Summary and #ROW80 Update

  1. I heartily concur on the WP Widgetry Shenanigans! I had to give up my image-based widgets because they wouldn’t save or update. I’m afraid to touch anything else.

    In other news, we’re doing Cornish Hens for Christmas. Vera, vera sad I’ve had to give up bacon due to digestive issues.

    Merry Christmas!

  2. Wow, lot to comment on. I’ll keep it simple(ish) 😀

    First, I’ve tragically missed A LOT of ROW80 posts these past two rounds – will o better 2014!

    Enjoy wrapping. I say I’l shop through the year every year and forget.

    Hey now, WP rocks! I love the new update/dashboard. I do love this new blog/website too. Go you going all pro! 😛

    Your baking? Wha … Whi …. Ugh!

    Bacon is yummy, but doesn’t belong on a Christmas dinner (yeah, I know most peeps would argue, but I don’t like it!).

    Love it when a new idea comes together and your brain fires – pow, pow!

    I have the in-laws here and yep, treble the dishes. 🙁

    Congrats to Jess & Joe – Love is the grandest adventure! X

    Happy Christmas to you and your family. X

    shahwharton.com

  3. I am SO going to get my Christmas shopping done early this year. The setback with my husband lost us a few shopping days, unfortunately, but I should have been more prepared. Like done before December.

    I’m loving the short Christmas novellas. I like to read novellas when I’m in a time crunch. They just hit the spot. And thanks for recommending “Ripped”. I usually get bored with stories with that much…well, I don’t want to spoil it for everyone. But the author handled all that so well. I’m about 2/3 through it and loving it.

    That’s so exciting about Jess, isn’t it?

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