On Rewards, Reaching 25K and Mr. T

Note: this entry was written last year, but never posted.  I thought it appropriate to send it out On Day 12 during NaNoWriMo 2014.  Heck, it was fun to write; so it should be fun to read.  Enjoy! (ahem, notice my current word count in the sidebar!)

Day 12 (NaNoWriMo 2013)

Today as I took a short procrastination break after reaching a little over the halfway mark on my noveling, I opened an e-mail sent to me within a few minutes of my landmark word count victory.  My middle child, Michelle, had inadvertently sent on an appropriate reward for having reached 25K.  Sent as an encouragement and motivation in lieu of our normal lengthy conversations, her timing was impeccable.

Milestone indeed, but I’m not really one to bribe myself with rewards in order to reach personal or business goals.  During the month of NaNo, I cheer myself and others on this journey by engaging in virtual shout outs & high fives, balanced with the occasional texting, e-mailing and – dare I admit to it – phoning of those interested in these NaNoWriMo deets.

Oh, I indulge in a food treat from time to time, but when the only way to NaNo success is to stay planted in a chair in front of the computer pounding out words for hours on end, such treats are not so appealing.  I learned that the hard way my first NaNo.  Gaining weight before Thanksgiving and Christmas tends to dampen the holiday feasting cheer.

This year, my friend Susan A. sent me an unusual hand crafted goat milk soap studded with coffee bean nibs for skin exfoliation.  I decided to use it as a reward for completing my first 6500 words, hoping it would be yet another way for my body to absorb precious caffeine. Such stimulation adding to my already maxed out liquid form thereof seemed like the way to enhanced NaNo performance.

Alas, 6500 words came and went and I forgot to take my Mocha Latte shower until 10K rolled around.  Which was around Day 5.

Day 5 fell on a Tuesday, and I needed to chalk up 10K by the end of that day in order to keep with my 2000 words per day goal.  I was lagging behind until I realized it was Tuesday, darn it, and NCIS was on TV.  My one and only television vice is NCIS; thanks to Terry’s Aunt Dell and his cousin Maria who got me hooked during out 3 year journey between – homes.  So, I challenged myself with the double whammy of getting it done in time to watch the show and then take my Mocha Latte shower afterwards to keep on writing beyond my 10K.  Well, it worked.  I even clocked in a full 10 words over that 10K for the day.

Today is Day 12.  You’ll notice it is also a Tuesday; time to use NCIS as an incentive for completing a word count goal.  Which I did, and intend to write more after I watch my NCIS reward.  Yum.  Much less fattening than a chocolate croissant!

Now back to Mr. T.  Mr. T has been an integral part of our family dynamics since our kids were little.  All three of them.  They each had a favorite character from those A–Team reruns.  For our middle child Michelle it was and forever will be: Mr. T.  During most of her middle school years, she sported a neck full of various bejeweled chains.  Quite the social statement, that.

Who’da thought he’d be here standing up for my right to NaNo the days away during this month of November?

Thank you, Mr. T.