TOL #5 50,000 Words, But Who's Counting?

Thank you to Amanda for hosting her weekly Thursdays Are For Thinking Out Loud linkup! Week five -- I can't believe I've been writing this column for over a month! -- of linking to her blog will all over the place: I’ve been thinking, thinking, thinking. 

Somebody better feed my monkey mind a banana, already! Here’s what’s been on my mind:

Coffee. I recently gave up coffee (sacrilege, right??). Until the last several years, I never drank coffee regularly. I have always liked the flavor of coffee but never really had the habit. In the last three years, I’ve relied on caffeine to get through the day because I’m wiped out so much of the time. I’m not really sure what to attribute the exhaustion to: iron absorption and/or thyroid issues, peri-menopause, not enough Z’s, etc. Honestly, it’s anyone’s guess. 

When we were in Kauai over the summer, I was snobby about the coffee (also sacrilege..who doesn't like Kona coffee??) at the timeshare we were staying at, so I didn’t drink any the week we were there. I kept getting headaches that ibuprofen couldn't touch, until I realized it was caffeine withdrawal. When we came home, I started back up with my coffee habit. I don’t really know why it took me so long to see it, but there is a direct correlation between my caffeine consumption and my anxiety level; the more caffeine I have, the more anxious I am. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Aside from an occasional soda, I have stopped drinking caffeine entirely. I feel so much better!

Prisma. This app is AMAZING. I feel like I’ve shared this before, but I’ll go into a little more depth here: I decided to make edits of the photos I took during our trip to Kauai, and mount them on note cards to sell. Although I’m hardly a professional photographer (I don’t even own a real camera), I like to think that I have an eye for composition. Plus, phones take such incredible pictures nowadays. I’m really excited about my new business venture! Here’s a sample edit from a photograph I took at the Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge:

I love this edit! It gives me the feels.

I have a dozen different photographs (and magnets) with a variety of edits for each. I am going to sell them at a few craft boutiques next month to raise money for an upcoming adventure. [...which is a segue into next item...]

Japan. This will be it's own blog post, but yes. I am going to Japan in 2018! The working plan is to run an event there, but I'll have to see how realistic that is. Mostly, it's to celebrate a milestone birthday and to see MONKEYS (with my best friend, obviously).

Photo credit: scoutski.com

NaNoWriMo. I have to be insane, but I'm considering doing this again. For those of you unfamiliar with the acronym (although it's not really an acronym since there is the second...and even a third...letter included), it stands for National Novel Writer's Month.

50,000 words in 30 days. ::wipes brow::
My submissions from 2012 & 2013

After participating in 2012 and 2013, it's taken me three years to even consider wanting to do it again. With a goal of 50,000 words in thirty days, it is one of the gnarliest things I have done as a writer. However, there are some phenomenal resources that come with participating, and it was a great way to gain novel writing experience. The jury is still out as to whether I have the stamina for this endeavor, but the badges on my blog from three and four years ago are looking sad and outdated.

Veteran's Day Half Marathon. This event is fast approaching and although I'm woefully undertrained -- the wicked switchback at mile 11 can SUCK IT -- I am really looking forward to it. One of my longest and dearest friends (who I ran Bay to Breakers with) is running the half marathon with me. I'm so excited to see her! Running the race together is just half the fun; we're going to see Temple of the Dog at the Forum the following day. Yesssssssss!  

And that's a wrap. 

Edited to add: I wrote this on Wednesday and thought I had set it to publish yesterday. Whoops! 

Any big trips planned for you in the next year (vacation, business, other)? I'd love to hear about it!