29 in 39 Challenge

I know that after you read this post you will probably think I’m a little like Monica Geller or the guy who thinks he’s a doctor in the movie The Dream Team, but people, I am happiest when I make plans, lists, and goals, so this post is about a little challenge I’ve created for myself for my next MFA packet due January 21.

This goal is from a Big Picture class I’m taking developed by Elise Blaha Cripe.  I subscribed to her blog immediately after I read a quote she has in her work space: “I can’t do this but I’m doing it anyway.”  I love the projects she shares on her blog as well as her pursuit to bring creativity into her life everyday.

Last week I counted how many days I have to write until my next packet is due, and decided to set a goal of writing 29 out of 39 days.  Leaving 10 out seems ridiculous, I know, but this allows me some space for Christmas, travelling, drinking champagne on New Years’, etc.  I think there’s a Notre Dame football game on sometime in January and I like to be the supportive wife and pretend to watch that, so, you know, priorities.

I cut some cardstock, created some page numbers, and then glued a little worksheet to each page that allows some status updates: date, time, pages written, and a favorite line I wrote.  That last one is hard because I’m in the drafting stages of my next essay and it all is rather embarrassing.

However, what I plan on doing is taking a picture every day that I write, and posting under the “29 in 39 Challenge” tab of this blog.  I know this is only exciting to me, but I like to pretend you’re all waiting on the edges of your seats wondering if Callie wrote today.  Especially during the holidays and visiting families, and drinking champagne and watching Notre Dame beat Alabama (see? I know things).

Those of you who are into making lists and goals and plans, you will probably love Elise’s class.  She makes goal setting fun.  Even Hadley thinks so. She saw what I was doing and decided to make a book of her own.

Hadley chose this title because, “I’m six and Harper is four and what do I do now with this?”

I glued some journal questions to each page and she answers them every so often. (I found the prompts from a website called Organized Christmas.  They’re free and there are a ton of questions.)

She seems to think this is a pretty good idea.  So do I.

If you are interested, you can check out the pictures on the 29/39 Challenge tab and see how I’m doing.