Bleeding Espresso

30 November 2007

NaBloPoMo & NaNoWriMo–ciaooooooo!

And now, the end is here. And so I face the final curtain. My friend, I’ll say it clear. I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain.

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew [NaNo too?!]
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out [Take that Telecom!]
I faced it all and I stood tall and did it myyyyyyyy way!
Go ahead, give Old Blue Eyes a listen while you read the rest of this post.

So here we are at the end of a great, exciting month in the blogosphere. I survived NaBloPoMo, but came up a bit short on NaNoWriMo.

Thems the breaks.

The most important thing is that I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished, and I *really* am.

Thirty blog posts in thirty days is nothing to shake a stick at, as my grandmother would’ve said. And I’m proud of the content in each and every one of those posts to boot. I thank all of you for keeping up and commenting so fully and frequently; your continued support is appreciated more than you could ever know.

Now regarding NaNo, the novel that I’m working on requires a lot of research for one of the characters that I hadn’t done prior to November. Sure I could’ve cheated and continued working on a book that I already have nearly 50,000 words written for already (remember my manuscript counter in the sidebar?). But that wouldn’t have been very NaNo of me.

Instead, I wrote the half of the book that I was prepared to write going in, and I’m pretty happy with it. Indeed, I’m more inspired than ever to get into researching my other main character and get going on that part because I now see a wonderful novel coming out of these quickly thrown down words and ideas. There’s so much potential for growth there, and I wasn’t so sure of that before I began. So that’s been a nice surprise.

Even better? I’m also inspired to pick up that old manuscript and get working on it again. I may even join NaNoFiMo, National Novel Finishing Month to get working on those last 30,000 words or so on that book. Who knows? It’s all up to me, isn’t it?

But back to the blog. I do have some unfinished November business right now–my November Monthly Musing:

With each leaf that falls
We offer thanks for present,
past, and future life.

Today I’m thankful for:

Eden Marriott Kennedy, founder and organizer of NaBloPoMo. She started with a fabulous idea last year and has built an impressive community around it. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of (mostly thankless) work that is involved in keeping up with all of this, but I would like to give this special woman and blogger extraordinaire a pat on the back from southern Italy for all those hours of keeping us in line.

You’re a true blog heroine, Eden! Thank yeeeeew!

I’d also like to give a special thanks to BoogieMum who came up with the idea for 30 days of thanks. It’s been an amazing exercise in stopping and appreciating what’s important every day, and I will continue to do so in my own private journal.

P.S. Don’t forget that the Dolce Italiano Contest is over at Jenn’s The Leftover Queen today, where she’s made a decadent Chocolate Salami.

Past posts include:

Mosaic Biscotti, Sara’s Ms Adventures in Italy
Chocolate Kisses, Ilva’s Lucullian Delights
Ricotta Pound Cake, Here!
Chestnut Brownies, Shelley’s At Home in Rome

Remember, all you need to do is comment on any and all of the Dolce Italiano recipe posts to be entered into the drawing to win a personalized, signed copy of Gina DePalma’s fabulous new cookbook full of Italian sweets and treats, Dolce Italiano.

And, finally, buon weekend!

Phew. Breath.

31 beans of wisdom »

31 beans of wisdom to “NaBloPoMo & NaNoWriMo–ciaooooooo!”

My Melange on 30 Nov 2007 at 1:27 pm #

It was a fun month! Congrats on the progress of the book! How exciting for you. Just curious, do you let P read it from time to time…or is it a secret..until the bitter end????

Going to Atlantic city this weekend…so I se win…I’ll be on your doorstep on Tuesday Put the espresso on and cross your fingers!!!
Giulia on 30 Nov 2007 at 2:19 pm #

You’re definitely a trooper for sticking through this whole month. Especially with all of your issues with Telecom! Thank you for your dedication.
Jen of A2eatwrite on 30 Nov 2007 at 2:20 pm #

I’ve loved your thirty days of thanks. I just couldn’t wrap my head around one more task for November, but it’s been wonderful to read your thoughts, and who knows? Maybe I’ll do my thanks month in April - the birth month of my son and truly a month I always feel very, very thankful.

Good luck with both manuscripts and congrats on all the wonderful writing you did!
Anali on 30 Nov 2007 at 3:04 pm #

I love Sinatra! What a classy way to end the month. Congratulations! We did it! ; )
Rebecca on 30 Nov 2007 at 3:14 pm #

As always, I love reading your posts….congratulations on a very oviously FULL month - looking forward to reading about the exploits (hopefully free of internet challenges) of the next….and also excited about what ‘celebratory’ recipes you will be tossing our way!
witnessing am i on 30 Nov 2007 at 3:17 pm #

That is a lot of writing in one month — some in a novel, lots of blogging, some photographs, a whole lot of recipes, joining forces with other blogs, working, emails, and then throw on the rigors of life and you have one full month. Way to go.

I like the idea of NaNoFiMo more than NaNoWriMo. Go ahead and finish that novel. Old Blue Eyes would be proud. And so would your grandmother.
Karina on 30 Nov 2007 at 3:53 pm #

Like you I was successful with NaBlo, but not so much with NaNo, but unlike you, I got completely sidetracked from my novel early in the month, and focused on other things. However, I’m also really happy with how the month turned out, and with all the things I did focus on, so if nothing else, both NaNo and NaBlo served to make for an exciting November.

Congrats on all you did accomplish, and I think it’s wonderful that you found the “soul” of your new novel through NaNo. It was all about “writing” anyway, right? So, in a way, we did it!

Love the Sinatra too…thanks for that this morning.
nyc/caribbean ragazza on 30 Nov 2007 at 4:22 pm #

congrats on your very productive month.

I have enjoyed reading your posts and the 30 days of thanks really gave me some food for thought.

xo
A
saraarts on 30 Nov 2007 at 4:56 pm #

Considering what you went through just to connect to the internet, I think you especially deserve a pat on the back! Mazeltov!
Judith in Umbria on 30 Nov 2007 at 6:12 pm #

I counted mine up and I did 32! Wow! Problem is because I used the post-dated posting and screwed it up a couple of times, it doesn’t look like one a day. Boo.

You’re a trooper, and always eminently readable, so I give thanks for YOU.

(I made a horrible typo in comments on the Amateur Gourmet this AM. Trying to say duck.) I’m going to shut up more.

So now Blogger doesn’t allow our blog addresses?
BipolarLawyerCook on 30 Nov 2007 at 6:32 pm #

Conversation at my house:
BLC: I finished NaBloPoMo.
BH: That’s antihistamine blogging.
BLC: Hunh?
BH: Nothing to sneeze at.
Stefanie on 30 Nov 2007 at 6:58 pm #

Finishing that much of a novel is nothing to shake a stick at, either! Good for you!
cheeky on 30 Nov 2007 at 9:08 pm #

Congratulations! And thank you very much for supplying us with all you share. You did have some hurdles to get over and you did just that! I’m always happy to come here and see what’s in store.
xo
Taffiny on 30 Nov 2007 at 11:17 pm #

Congrats on Nablo, and on getting 25,000+ for NaNo. You got the most important part, which is having written something you are excited about, interested in, continuing.
JoAnn - NL "My digital eyes" :) on 30 Nov 2007 at 11:56 pm #

Hi!!!!
My congrats:0) :0) :0)
I Love to read your blog,’
I love to listen to the song,
I love your creativity!

Thanks :0)

I Just want to let you know that: I POSTED TODAY (FRIDAY) again 3 more HUGH works of the LOUVRE on my blog, a slide- show with 34 photo’s and 8 collages, also a close-up of the MONA LISA, so please watch it

Have a great weekend!

JoAnn:)
Wanderlust Scarlett on 01 Dec 2007 at 12:07 am #

YAY!!!!!!!!
I am SO proud of you! Way to go.
And, I *LOVE* Frank Sinatra.
And, I am thankful you wrote a ‘thankful for’ every day; they were very good.
And, even though it’s been around since Moses, I think… what’s with that ’shaking a stick’ proverb? Who started shaking sticks at things? How did that happen so often that there was a need for a proverb?
And everybody knows/uses it!

…just wondering…

Scarlett & Viaggiatore
qualcosa di bello on 01 Dec 2007 at 1:12 am #

yeah!! yeah!! yeah!!! we did it!!!! what a cool month it’s been.
Just Expressing Myself on 01 Dec 2007 at 1:47 am #

You know where this post will be appearing soon don’cha?
You’re 30 days of posts were a delight!
Sending bloglove your way,
Frances
Roam2Rome on 01 Dec 2007 at 2:34 am #

Congrats!!! We made it!

It was definitely worth the effort
Jennifer on 01 Dec 2007 at 5:33 am #

congratulations! i can’t believe you were doing nablopomo & writng a novel!
homebody at heart on 01 Dec 2007 at 7:33 am #

What a great way to end your thirty days of thanks! Congratulations are especially in order with all of your internet problems. I always enjoy reading your blog, although sometimes I seem to be late commenting.

I loved the portrait of you and P. A great photo tells a story and your photo tells me that P is a sensitive, intense (ok, that is synonymous with Italian) soul and you are very sweet. I’d love to see a photo of P smiling or laughing and one of his garden. An a book or two to boot. You go girl.
Sparky Duck on 01 Dec 2007 at 7:26 pm #

NanoBloMo was great except for the weekends and Friday nights. I was pooped by then and it showed in shitty posts. Congrats to u though, or at least half congrats
Eryn on 02 Dec 2007 at 6:12 pm #

awww your video/song clip provided the perrrfect ambience for bringing your month of nonstop posts to an end.

thanks for all the interesting and intriguing stories, recipes, and of course your outlook on life!!!
Poppy Fields on 02 Dec 2007 at 8:32 pm #

Yay! You did it! and I can’t wait to hear more about that book.
Shameless on 03 Dec 2007 at 12:03 am #

Well done on finishing!
african vanielje on 03 Dec 2007 at 2:50 am #

Wow, well done. I still can’t quite believe you took on both BloMo’s at the same time. You should be proud of yourself. Well done. I’m thouroughly enjoying the DOlce Italiano posts as well , thank you.
Novel Nymph on 03 Dec 2007 at 4:07 am #

You inspire me! NaNoFiMo? If the novel I had written was coherent maybe I would have something to work with!;)

Congratulations to you for your ambition and drive this November!

Novel
sognatrice on 03 Dec 2007 at 11:00 am #

*Robin, P doesn’t read English, but I did tell him the basic idea of this one when I came up with a few months ago (the one I worked on for NaNo). The other one that I’ve already written so much on? He doesn’t know a thing….

*Guilia, thank you for your appreciation–it’s definitely appreciated

*Jen, great idea to do thanks in April! And I owe you an email….

*Anali, I love Sinatra too; congrats to you as well!

*Rebecca, thanks so much for your kind words and continued support…onward to December!

*David, goodness you always know what to say, er, write. I’m on it.

*Karina, I like to think that old adage applies–it’s not about winning or losing, it’s how you play the game. I got a lot of out of November, probably more creative thinking and general excitement than any month in recent memory, and it sounds like you did too. Yay us!

*A, and even though you weren’t technically NaBloPoMo’ing, you sure were a regular in my Bloglines–and we are very grateful

*Sara, why thanks, and congrats to you as well!

*Judith, congrats on all your posts! I still think of your typo every now and again and smile. WITH you. I’m smiling with you. Ah, and I’ve emailed you about the Blogger thing.

*BLC, hah!

*Stefanie, thanks. I ain’t shakin’ no sticks.

*Cheeky, I know I keep writing this, but I’m just so happy to see you around again

*Taffiny, that’s so true. I’ve written plenty of things that I couldn’t care less whether I got back to; this is different And congrats to you for writing so gosh darn much this month

*JoAnn, thanks for your kind words and info about what’s going on at your place; I always love visiting

*Scarlett, excellent question. I’ve never shaken a stick personally so I have no real knowledge of the subject

*Qualcosa, I’ll second that!

*Frances, woohoo! And thanks

*Roamer, I definitely agree.

*Jennifer, it was definitely a challenge but also a lot of fun

*Homebody, I will work on your requests; and don’t worry about “being late” commenting–comments are always appreciated

*Sparky, I agree that the weekends were the hardest part. I’m thinking it’s best for me to go back to only the occasional weekend post; I need that time to regroup

*Eryn, no one says it better than Frank, I say. And thanks for your kind words

*Meredith, secret details forthcoming….

*Shameless, thanks!

*AV, I’m proud of myself too So glad you’re enjoying the Dolce Italiano fun!

*Novel, thanks, and congrats to you on all that writing!
Janet on 04 Dec 2007 at 6:38 pm #

Chestnut brownies!!? I’m so going to check that out right now!
elena jane on 04 Dec 2007 at 10:17 pm #

congrats on both your writing challenges. i think half a novel is an amazing feat!!
and i, too, loved your 30 days of thanks, eventhough i missed some of them!
sognatrice on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:01 am #

*Janet, they do look good!

*EJ, thanks, and thanks so much for reading and commenting