Rocking Right Along

A whole week into 2014, and what's happened? Mostly I've learned that after my Q4'13 of Awesome Productivity, I turn moody and unpleasant when I'm not actively working on a book, as opposed to merely being distracted and laughing at things no one else can see when I am.

In trying not to turn into a raging jerk around everyone I know, therefore, I've started working on the new novel. Here's my week in bullet points, writing first:

• Read The Dark Side of the Screen. Although the new book takes place before the noir period, I figured I had to start somewhere with learning about movies, and I'm likely to steal some aesthetic touches. This was a good introduction to its admittedly rather specialized topic. 
• Did a lot of brainstorming, as a result of which I have sketched out the main character and the big-picture plot for the new book. A lot of details will have to wait until I have a firmer grip on the setting (why oh why did I decide to do a period piece?).
• Finished reading Red Seas Under Red Skies. Have some issues with these books. I will read the third one, but after a break. Started reading Guilty Pleasures, as part of an ongoing project to get more familiar with popular genre tastes and expectations (even if I have no plans to ever write anything like it).
• Cleaned up most of the post-holiday mess, put my new containers to use in the baking cupboards, cleaned out the medicine cabinet, and organized the kids' craft stuff (so. many. crayons.).
• Made it to the gym a few times. 
• Did almost all of the gross budgeting stuff that was on my to-do list for January (which is Finance Month). 

Not too shabby a start. I'm especially pleased with having gotten off to a good start with reading, which has been a real problem for me in the past few years.

It occurred to me last night that we are entering a new phase of life this year. Our youngest is three, and no new little one is on the way behind her. All three kids being three years apart, we are looking for the first time in nine years at a world without diapers, at a world where the primary parenting issues we deal with will not be those of infancy and toddlerhood. I have some hopes for this new world.