He shoots, He scores!!!

A superb day - no matter what the weather is (overcast and mild)

Did you see the game? Dear God - Michael actually had to leave the room he was so stressed! We were up 2-0 at one point, then the US scored and it was 2-1 for the longest time. We all, including the Americans, expected Canada to collapse - as it had in previous games. And sure enough, with about 5 minutes left...well they didn't so much collapse as started paying defensively. Instead of trying to win they were trying not to lose. We were all shouting instructions, and warnings, at the television.

The time was counting down. The Americans, a fabulous team, were firing shot after shot at the net. They pulled their goalie and put an extra player on. Boom, boom, boom.

And, with 25 seconds left - they scored! Our heads almost exploded.

It went into sudden death overtime. I now know why they call it sudden death. Not the team's - but we'd be the ones to die.

But about five minutes into the game Sidney Crosby - the kid from Coal Harbour - scored! Pandemonium!!! Shrieks, clapping. poor Trudy got at excited and upset. I raced around the house trying to find michael, yelling, we won! we won!!! He was in the bathroom...praying I think.

It was a great game. And while we sure wanted to win, we also all knew if the Americans won they too deserved it. Wow.

And now the Olympics are over. And I started book 7 this morning.

A World of Sighs. The title, not the experience.

I set the bar at a reasonable height. 500 words. I generally, when I get into the swing, set it at 1,000 words. But I find when I'm at the very beginning it is so scary and intimidating I need to set the goal where it is fairly easily achievable. Be kind to myself. And be reasonable. Work up to it.

But I did 800 words. Granted, I wrote the title 20 times. Perhaps those words don't count.

Funny, but when I start a book I count every word. Hoping for more. And by the last chapter I'm praying for less - my books are always too long. But, when you're at 800 words out of 120,000 - it does not seem too much.

I'm writing on the old laptop. Familiar, comfortable. Again, the beginning is not a time for me to mess things around. There are already too many unknowns. I realized getting out of bed this morning that there are certain things I need to do to write the book I want to write...

1) write with joy - gratitude
2) leave the critic outside
3) set the bar low, then raise it.
4) drink cafe au lait and eat cookies
5) be kind to yourself
6) focus, don't get distracted
7) write with joy

So far so good. When I'd finished I put my iPod on and got onto the elliptical torment device. Did 20 minutes and listened to what is the beginning of the soundtrack for A WORLD OF SIGHS...

Requiem for a Tower - Lux Aeterna
Falling - Alicia Keys
Ali in the Jungle - the Hours
Beds are Burning - Midnight Oil

I know more music will present itself as I go on, but this is enough. When I'd finished I lay spread eagle on the bed, listening to the music, exhausted...and my mind free. All sorts of ideas for polishing what I'd just written appeared. So I went downstairs and added them. Best do it before I forget. And I can always take it out later.

There's nothing mystical about writing a book. It seems to be about knowing yourself. And setting myself up to succeed. What works for me might not work for any other human - that's the folly of giving advice. All I know is what works for me.

But it's nice to be at that stage where I trust it. As you know, there will be some distressing, depressing days when nothing is working and I just feel like dying. So might as well celebrate the happy days.

thanks for keeping me company!