The sun is shining. It’s amazing. After all that snow and rain, you almost forget what a gorgeous area we live in. Then the sun comes out and you remember.

I seriously think I might have that SADS thing. I get all down throughout winter and I noticed the last couple of days that I feel much better. I think it’s because the sun is shining, buds are appearing on trees, bulbs even seem to be sprouting from the ground and the grey is gone.

Or it could be because I’m consistently writing almost every day. I took Friday and Saturday off due to lack of sleep thanks to some very discourteous neighbours who need to find a new area to live and fight. I did try to write, but I was having trouble coming up with coherent sentences just talking to my husband, so I figured it wouldn’t be any easier with the writing. After I retyped a very simple email several times I decided I must be right. Still, I’m making decent progress for me. I have a friend in from out of town this week, so I’m wondering what that’s going to do to my writing. We’ll see. I’m still going to try every day.

All right, I’m going to go have another cup of coffee and go enjoy the sun.

So I signed up for Sven. ‘Cause I love him I think. And ’cause he really whips my butt (in writing).

And see how motivated I am already? I typed about 1200 words last night in a quick chat/whip session – about 40 minutes give or take. That might not be a lot of words for some people, but for me it was awesome.

Hopefully I can keep it going. Tonight is date night so no writing tonight (unless we aren’t out too late), but it’s back at it tomorrow.

What motivates you to write (besides a contract, because yeah, that works for me too! LOL)?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yes, today is a day that’s filled with romance, but it’s also a day that’s filled with lonely hearts. I used to be one of those and it’s hard. Very hard. However, today I get to say that I have fallen totally in love with my husband, all over again.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve always loved him, but I seem to love him more now. It feels different somehow. More… something. I can’t explain it. Today, when I read his beautiful card to me, I cried. He’s not great with words usually, this plumber man of mine, but sometimes when he writes stuff he gets right to the core. This year it struck home. I am very lucky.

Not all of our Valentine’s have been like this. And it’s not about roses or chocolates (of which I received the latter), but about what’s in his heart all year round. Often my husband forgets to get birthday cards and Valentine’s and ends up using the kids construction paper to make me a card about five minutes before I enter a room. Most of the time I don’t mind. Some years he has been away and there’s been nothing. We’ve been together for 12 years, married for 10. That’s a lot of Valentine’s.

This year he made an effort to find the perfect card, the perfect gift and to buy the kids stuff so I wouldn’t have to.

This morning, after I texted his cell to say “Be My Valentine”, his reply was “For 365 days of every year”. Very simple, but better than anything else he could have said.

I think it might have been the huge 40th surprise birthday I just held for him, or maybe we’ve just finally realised that there’s more to our lives than just the daily grind with the kids and chores, etc. I don’t know. I just know this year, we seem to have it right.

Me – that’s who! I was recently notified that I won a registration scholarship. That means my conference fee is paid. I just need to pay for my flight, hotel and other stuff. And that’s ok, because that’s all arranged. I was just worried about the conference fee. Woohooo! I am so excited.

Can you tell?

Who’s joining me? Stop by and let me know if you’re going. If so, maybe we can arrange to meet up.

How about you?

So much for the Kick in the Pants. It pretty much kicked me. I did better with Sven. Maybe he’s cuter than Christine (no offense Christine ) – who knows. I think I just haven’t felt like writing. I do better when I have a contract staring me in the face. It’s more of the fire within.

However, I’m giving myself exactly one week to get rid of all this whiny angst crap in my head and busy stuff in my life and then I am going to start writing every night in Chat at RD with my friends crackin’ the (Seeley if you see this that means you!) No more of this “I don’t feel like it” “who’s going to make me?” “what’s the point?” crap! It’s time to start writing again and get that ST written. AND get Snowbound/White Out or whatever it’s called revised and back out there. Sheesh. It’s like pulling teeth.

Plus, I have a beautiful cover that I’ve asked to be put on temporary hold and a story even started for it. There you see I need to finish that too. And what about Return to Me? What about that? So it’s not like I don’t have ideas. I just need motivation.

I am a writer. I will write. Here’s your motivation. What about you? Anyone else out there need a little help?