The Write-A-Thon

Getting ready to start...been warming up by reviewing and adding to my NaNoWriMo Prep exercises (even though I never finished that challenge). Hurricane Sandy left me with electricity and internet but no work for a few days and decreased work for probably a few more (one of my three jobs is in the financial district) so I am taking advantage of the opportunity to get a good head start. On a side note, for any of you who don't live on the east coast of the United States of America, all I can say is wow. I drove through downtown NYC today and it is mind boggling. Here's to hoping for a fast and efficient recovery for the east coast, especially the areas that were hit really hard. And I can say, after having an event like this hit so close to home for the third time in my life (I was in Dallas when Katrina hit, and in New Jersey for 911 so maybe I'm bad luck) it is finally hitting home for me how these things affect us all. Maybe because I'm all grown up now. Anyway, I hope this message doesn't bother any of you, but all I have been able to think about for the past few days is this hurricane and I am hoping that the motivation I have received from this site will enable me to be in a position to help the world instead of feeling like such a leech. On that note I will begin my novel...the second one, and hopefully one that doesn't get me stuck in the middle since I am attacking it from a different angle this time. (By the way: while this message is meant to inspire and inform, it is also an excuse to burn time since I am DYING to start my novel. Hoping it will get my mind off of the devastation surrounding me and move me forward in my dream to become a successful writer someday. I send good thoughts in the directions of the victims of this and other tragedies and regret that I have not been so empathetic in the past.)