Typed 300 words today (excluding this blog sino’ng niloko ko ‘di ba). That’s like a third of a win given my own rules, but I don’t feel like punishing myself for it. Instead I’m going to celebrate that I made it through SEVEN DAYS. This is unbelievable. You don’t know me! I’m not this person! The only way I’ve ever been able to motivate myself to actually stick to something is if I’ve got other people relying on my output or it pays the bills. I’ve only ever written on the side, and it’s the on the side part that gets to me. Man, if I die tomorrow, you know one of the things I’ll be thinking of before I die? Why didn’t I bang out this story when I had the time?

The weekend is coming! Will probably be spending half of Saturday doing work stuff, but I’ll also have time at home to write even more. Sometimes I ask myself whether any of this writing for fun will be worth it. Then another part of me immediately counters with–well, what else would you rather be doing anyway? What I’m most excited to apply this time around is actual, intentional revision (In stories! I’ll always be writing on the fly on this blog! Time!). Often while writing I have to remind myself to not get so precious with my work, because I’m going to scrutinize it at some point in the future anyway.

I put one tablespoon of sun dried tomato pesto on my rolled oats this morning and a whole new world opened up to me. Google savory oats. Do it! My body’s been telling me to stop eating eggs for a bit. I don’t do a lot of processed meats either but would still like to feel grand in the mornings. Eating boiled oats by itself just makes me feel sad for some reason.

I took the picture above while taking a walk through the woods with some Clarion buddies last year. Looking at this is exactly how I’m feeling seven days into this scramble for words and stories: overwhelmed, excited and incredibly inadequate. But screw all that, I’m doing it anyway! You can all laugh at me later and I won’t care.

Note: I acknowledge that I need to get out more. What clubs do adults join in the Philippines that’s explicitly non-sectarian and will not cost as much as a gym membership? SHOULD I START A CLUB?!?!