Surprise! I launched my new site last week and I hope you love it as much as I do. For those of you who have followed my blogspot for the past 4 years, I just wanted to thank you and I hope you've found my new blog home.
So with revamping the site my drafting took a hit in progress. Instead of the 15K I had hoped to crank out, I ended up with 10K. Progress is progress, however, so I'm okay with my WIP at 25K for end of week two. I'm still pretty confident that I will make my self-imposed deadline with this draft (3 more weeks to go!), and with a three-day weekend around the corner, I'll have extra time to draft.
Week 2 was a tad bit complicated as I entered the 'dreaded middle.' I ended up jumping around in chapters and had to do two brainstorming sessions to clear up the path I wanted to take. Upon starting, I did have a sparse outline, but they never do include the ins and outs of every scene. I like to outline to give me a sense of direction, but no more than that as I like to explore the different worlds and my characters on their own terms. I've found it quite intriguing when a character dictates their story to me instead of me planning it. It's one of those wonderful things about writing.
To end the week, Michael and I went to a wine club social (something new we're trying out) and it was a blast. We got to taste interesting wines that we would have never picked up for ourselves, and Carson, the first-level Somm who led the social, shared such a wealth of knowledge about the region the wine came from. If you're new to wine, or an old-time lover, I'd recommend checking out a wine social near you. It's always fun to try new things and discuss your connection with the wine via taste, smell, or overall experience.
And of course, because it was the weekend, you know I had to have some dessert!
Buckwheat crepe, anyone?
The next day I had a leisure Sunday. After writing I made my spinach mushroom lasagna, enjoyed it with a glass of Syrah, and finished season 2 of Orphan Black. I would love to read a YA sci-fi thriller like that! (And if you were wondering, I did not watch the Super Bowl -_-)
The past weekend, I also found myself seriously nostalgic. It's the Lunar New Year and I miss my family. I think even more so considering we spent the last Lunar New Year in Vietnam with my relatives. Now, living away from home I've realized how much the holiday means to me. Though I am not a practicing Buddhist like my mother, I've come to miss her traditions around this time, the extensive preparations leading up to this holiday.
The importance of the Lunar New Year is something I've been wondering about a lot. If I had children, wouldn't I want them to experience the festivity of this holiday, to give them a sense of identity in our culture, to give them memories similar to the one I hold?
The questions prompted me to celebrate it in my own little way this year. Michael and I decorated the living space with little red banners, I bought traditional treats typical for the holiday, and we greeted each other in Vietnamese when we woke up this morning. They're small steps and probably won't equate to my mother's long offering ceremony to the ancestors, or a trip to the temple to pray and get our fortunes, or long family meals with games to play after, but it's a start.
Are there any cultural holidays you celebrate? Comment below!
