The World According to Leslie

Yesterday, November 1st, began NaNoWriMo. If you want to know more about it, check out the site here .  NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. As we all know, my dream is to write a book!  I have several floating around in my head with notes on paper for some of them.  So, I have set a goal to write 50,000 words this month.  Yesterday, I wrote 1500. Today, I wrote 1403.  If get to a point where I am convinced I should being sharing parts of the book, I will do so.  I will share here, on Instagram, and on Pinterest. I think that is all I have that I can share on right now.  I may have to add a few more "authory" things to be able to share out the book, but for now,  I will do updates here.  Of all the things I could write about, what do you think this first project is? I may even give clues as to what it is about, but you'll have to comment below for me to see the guesses. 

 In August 2019, I started a 2nd Master's degree. I went into the M.A. Professional Writing program at Liberty University.  After the first semester of classes, I decided to change my major, but I did not do it until last week. I officially changed my major to the M.F.A. in Creative Writing. When I grow up, I want to be a writer!  I am a writer, but I want to be a professional writer. I have ideas in my head for a book, and they have been there for years. I do not know how to get them out of my head an onto a page. I think I just need to sit down and do it.  That comes back to my will power and time management skills. I really do not have either of those. I desperately NEED both of those. For now, I will continue to write here. I want to begin formatting this blog a little differently than it is. I want to monetize. I want to vlog, but I haven't figured out editing yet. I want to do a podcast, but again....editing. I can edit my writing, but I'm not very good with te...

Recently I rediscovered my love of writing. I started taking classes toward a 2nd master's degree--Master of Arts in Professional Writing. I remembered how much I love  putting words on a page. Then I saw a post on Facebook not long ago about #NaNoWriMo2019--National Novel Writing Month. I haven't even started planning out my novel yet, but I have been putting words on a page. In the 3-4 days I have been able to just sit and write this month, I have been able to put almost 10K words to the page. I still have oh-so-many words left, of course, but I have started. I have research to do for my dream novel, but for the book I'm putting on the page now, I know the story and I'm typing it as quickly as my hands will allow me. We moved the computer back upstairs tonight to work on some other stuff, but I think if I leave it up here, I may actually get more writing done. Here goes...something!

I can't believe that it's March 1st already!  I say this all the time, but HOW does time go by so quickly? Way back in January, I wrote out my goals for the year.  You can read them here . At the end of January, I wrote how I was progressing on those goals.  You can read that here . Now that February has ended already, (again, HOW?!), I can update how my goals are going now. 1. Go ice skating       I am hoping to do this in Ober Gatlinburg in March.  :) If not, I'll have to find somewhere to do it.  There is an open-air one at Concord Mills Mall at Christmas time. 2. Enter a bowling tournament       The tournament that Tony and I were supposed to enter...well... we didn't get entered.  That's a good thing. We would have been out the money.  I was very sick that weekend and couldn't have bowled anyways.  There WILL be another tournament, and I will find a way to enter. 3. Go Horse...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I'm simply amazed that 2017 has ended and today begins 2018! My motto for this year is "It's going to be great in 2-0-1-8!" (You have to say the numbers separately for it to sound right!) Anyways, I made a list of goals for this year. Some of them are things I have done before, but I want to do again. Some of them are things I've never done, but I want to challenge myself. I didn't make any RESOLUTIONS this year. I guess if I were to make one, it would be to do things that make me a better person, a happier person.  I read somewhere, and shared with my Sunday School teens, that only 12% of people actually succeed in completing their New Year's Resolutions. It also said that about 1/3 of people never actually get started with them at all. That sounds bad, but the reason given for it is that if people say "I'm going to lose weight," but they don't put in the meal planning, correct grocery shopping, and daily wo...

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try . Author Unknown It doesn't matter what I have tried to do in my life, I had at some point to make a decision to try it. I'm sitting here today thinking of all the things I've tried and some I've accomplished. When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer. I guess that since I'm posting here, I have (somewhat) accomplished that. I am writing on a (somewhat) regular basis. One day, I still hope to write a book, I just haven't made the decision for the correct topic yet. When I was in high school, I decided to become a teacher. I accomplished that. I taught in high schools for four years. I still teach, at a daycare. I made that decision and accomplished it. Everyone who has ever done anything, has decided to do it. I'm not saying that the decision was conscious. It could have been that they just decided NOT to do something else and the accomplishment was from that decision.  For example, I h...

There are a lot of things I want from life. Some of them, I am working toward. Some of them, I just dream about having/doing. Some of them are on my "Wish List". If you go on Amazon.com or eBay, you can add things to your "Wish List". Naturally, I have lists on those... but some things just can't be bought. Here's just part of my "Wish List": I wish I could win the lottery (that I don't play)! I wish I could DVR more than 2 shows at a time without having to pay more on my cable bill! I wish I had enough money to help everyone who truly needs help. I wish I could come up with the right idea to write a book. I wish I could lose these last 12 pounds before I go to the doctor in June!!  (Personal choice, not doctor's decision) I wish we could find The Princess a dress for her Me and My Guy event (for Girl Scouts) and her 8th grade semi-formal.  (One dress will work for both....but seriously, she's worse at making decisions t...

Today is my final day of the writing challenge. I hope you have enjoyed it. Check out all the other days! Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Link up in the comments to share your Writing Challenge!  As always, I have a lot of goals for the new year. Some of which I can control. Others, I need help to reach. 1. Have a closer walk with God 2. Get a full time job 3. Build my crafty business 4. Build my travel business 5. Write a book 6. Build my blog 7. Get back in to the gym on a regular basis 8. Read a book every month (at least one!) 9. Spend more time with family 10. Keep my house cleaner 11. Pay off bills 12. Save money I could go on and on. We all could. Now....what are your goals for 2017? Link up in the comments!!

I know I have mentioned several times that I want to write a book. I have an idea. Now, I just need to do the research and make it happen.  I hope that it works out. Also, I think I have an idea for a blog, but I haven't completely decided on it yet.  I may combine the two ideas, and that could be very interesting. Before I can start a blog for money, I need to get all (or most) of my ideas together. Then I need to figure out how to make it work.... hosting.... naming.... drawing traffic.... making money...... all the important stuff. But.... I may do that at the beginning of the year.  I will probably start the book now.  I need to get it out of my head!  Those are my random thoughts of the day. Today is a GOOD day!

Today is one of those days where I just can’t seem to think straight.  The bad news is that it is only 5:20am!  Wait….maybe that’s the good news!  Maybe my brain will wake up ASAP!   I think I dreamed up a new seating chart for my classroom last night!  Even the kids in it!   I haven’t written more than about 5 sentences in my book in over a week!  I just can’t seem to get the time or the thoughts.   Yesterday, I had to work the gate for the baseball/softball/soccer games at work.  1 table—1 price—3  games!   I got there a little early and went to watch a little of the JV baseball game!  When I was leaving, I saw Mr. C!  WOW!  Mr. C is the reason I’m an English teacher! When I was in 11th grade, Mr. C told me I could do anything I wanted to.  He re-instilled my love for reading.  He helped me to overcome all the bad that I had faced in previous English classes!  HE is awesome!  Last...

I have always loved to write.  I hope I will always love to write. Recently, though, I have discovered a new love for writing.  By writing on here every day, I have learned that although I don't have absolutely fabulous things to talk about all the time (most of the time!), I love to write about the mundane things that happen in my life.  I just love to write. Last night, I decided that I am going to start a Scrapbooking Blog.  I love to scrapbook.  I love all the tools.  I love the new papers.  I love everything about scrapbooking.  I actually started a new blog on Blogger last night, but then I remembered that Blogger (for me at least) has been having issues posting.  (I am having to use my Windows Live Writer to post right now.)   So, I am thinking about using something else.  When I do start it, I will let you know here.  I’m sure some of you will come with me.   Some of you are probably scrapbookers (paper...

There are days when I feel I have nothing of interest (to anyone other than myself) to write.  There are day when I feel I have something interesting to write, but I don't know if others will care or want want to read it. There are days when I have interesting things to write AND I know that others will love it. Today, I'm not sure if anyone will care about what I write, but it's for me anyways! Writing is FREE THERAPY!  It is!  If I am aggravated, I write.  If I am sad, I write.  If I am worried, I write. If I am happy, I write!  I write! I write! I write! So all this stuff with the family that I stressed over this weekend, I wrote it out.  After writing it, and reading it, it really seems trivial.  I'm still a little hurt by all of it.  But, I wrote it.  I'm okay with it! :)  Writing is free therapy!  I write things out to figure them out.  I love it!  It is easier than tracking down a shrink! :)  ...

So I did it.  I read a book that really got me to thinking.  Then about an hour later, I started writing my own book.  Obviously, it's no where near ready to be read by others.  However, I think I have something good....so far! Anyways, although I love my computer and typing, I am doing it the old fashioned way.  I have been writing it by hand.  :)  Every day in class, I have my kids write for 5 minutes to clear their heads of all the high school drama so that we can focus on class.  Many times I write with them.  I have one of those composition books (the sewn together kind) and I write in it.  I try to carry it with me so if I have a minute before/after doing something else, but sometimes I forget!  So, I have been writing it in.  Some days I barely write a page. Some days, I write 5.  So far, I am loving writing like this.  This will be the FIRST draft.  Then when I get around to typing it, that will be ...

You know how when you are something, it's harder to deal with other people who are that too? For example, if you are an electrician, it's harder to deal with other electricians who are not as experienced.  They talk about stuff, but they don't really know what they are talking about.  You sit listening and wondering if you will ever get to just tell them to shut up? Of, if you are a Zumba instructor (I have a few friends who are), you sometimes dread going to classes with other instructors.  What if they really don't know what they are doing?  What if the music is lame?  What if you just don't like how they do the class?  Make sense? My issue lately has been dealing with Chasity's teacher.  When I ask questions, I don't get actual answers.  I get answers that make me feel as though the teacher is blaming everything on my 9 year old.  I get answers, which I "love", of "I don't know" or "I can't remember."  I get...

From what I can see, nothing really spectacular has ever happened in my life....  until recently.  (The last 10 years!)  So I really didn't think I had that much to write about. However, recently, I read a book called The House on Mango Street .  It's a very quick read.  The chapters are short.  The book is short.  It's really great.  It also got me to thinking....  If a house could influence a book like that, then the house I grew up in is perfect.  So I have started writing.  It's a REALLY rough draft.  I might finish is before I'm 90. :)  But.... if inspired, I might finish it before I'm 40. If I wrote a book, would you read it? 

I can't believe I did it!  Today is January 31, 2013.  I have written something every day this month!  (I don't think I have ever done that!)  I can hope I will continue this pattern.  It's a feeling of accomplishment to write something (even though it sometimes feels like nothing) every day!  I'm hoping that if I can write on here daily, I can start writing that book!  (Still searching for the perfect topic.)  The topic will come.  I just have to wait until it is time. :)  For now, I'm going to enjoy my accomplishment of writing every day for a solid month! :) 

I'm really not a morning person!  I hate mornings.  I would much rather sleep until noon and get up and stay up all night! However, for most of my life (almost ALL of it) I have had to get up early for everything I do.  I think they should have 3rd shift school.  I could teach at that.  Shoot!  I'd even send my kid to that!  (She's not a morning person either!) I have been blogging every day this year (haha!  4 days!)!!!  I have done it in the mornings for most of those days. Why is that I have time in the mornings to do things that I can't do in the evening?  It could be that I don't plan anything else in the mornings.... because I'm not a morning person.  It could be that I'm in here on the computer anyways (email, work email, etc.).  It could be that since I graduated in December, I haven't had to spend hours on the computer every night working on homework.  So, I have been letting my Princess play on my compu...

Dad finally came home from the hospital on Saturday.  He still has some recovering to do, but he's at home and feeling much better. Only a few more softball games until the season is over.  We play this weekend, and we have a game next weekend.  Then next Saturday afternoon the tournament starts.  So we could have as few as 3 games, but I guess we could have as many as 5 games left! :)  I guess we will see after Saturday! I only have about 6-7 weeks until GRADUATION!  I graduate on December 15th!  I'm excited!  We are supposed to close on the new house on November 12th!  I can't wait!  Tony has to decorate the outside for Christmas!  He said that if we got in before Thanksgiving that he would put lights outside for Christmas!  (He never thought we'd actually get in before Thanksgiving when he said it!  lol I'm so excited!) I have an idea for a book I am wanting to write.  I just need to get the approval of my ...