DAY 14.2: HIGH OFF THE LIFE

So the countdown begins. It feels like New Year's all over again. The Good District is celebrating two weeks in the blogosphere in just a few hours.

We have officially recovered from the performance anxiety that I suffered last week after adding the town of Clayton (reminder: pop. 6973), to our small but growing group of readers. In fact, we/me are starting to love the idea of cultivating a readership. Although, my confidence in a strong cult following coming out of North Carolina is starting to wane.

So with our two week birthday only hours away, and a new website in our sights, what is there left to write about? This feels like the mountain top to me. Except there are still 351 days left in this project, and that darn book to write.

And what happened to the book? Well, I am afraid all I have is some solid hemming and hawing as my answer to that question.

Anne Lamott addresses the problem well in Bird by Bird, so I will leave it to her to explain:

"We all ended up just the tiniest bit resentful when we found the one fly in the ointment: that at some point we had to actually sit down and write."

Couldn't have said it better myself. So with the shield of web design soon to be removed from my excuses list, I will have to get back to.... THE BOOK.

But I will not let my writing dampen the spirit of celebration tonight. Mazel Tov to The Good District! Happy Two Week Birthday! May the best be yet to come!

14 Days Down, 351 to go.

Warmly yours, Milagros

DAY 14

After spending all day yesterday, and most of this morning, attempting to cut and paste digital images, I learned that all I needed was a pre-teen to teach me the ropes. I happened to find a You Tube video, taught by an 8 year old, who was picking his nose while teaching photoshop basics (kid you not), and successfully explained it all in 10 minutes! 10 minutes! Kids these days know everything. I bet he could have whipped up a book proposal while picking his nose too.

So, suffice it to say, that thanks to booger boy, we are now in the final stages of styling the new website. I have to admit, that after all this build up, it is still pretty simple. But we will reveal the new Good District for our two week anniversary (tomorrow).

So back to work for me, but more later...

I remain truly yours, Milagros

DAY 13.2: BIRD BY BIRD

Bird by Bird arrived today. For those of you who are new to this writing thing (OK, so am I), it is a book by Anne Lamott, fully titled Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. My first inclination upon opening the Amazon.com box, was to panic. I felt that I had already broken a cardinal rule of authorship - be original. If Anne Lamott had already written of both life and writing, what is there left to say on the subject? Fortunately, I quickly realized I don't really know who this Anne Lamott lady is, and the possibility does exist that we could have different things to say. Whew.

I came about ordering the book on the recommendation of a friend, who I hope will one day help secure a book contract for me (isn't that wonderfully presumptuous and exciting at the same time??). So dutifully following my assignment, I plan to dive into Anne's work tonight, and share my feedback in coming posts.

Other than that, I should let it be know that I intended to finish the new website by this evening, but I have a funny feeling that some where a web designer is laughing at my grand ambitions. Hopefully the reveal of the new "Good District" will be happening soon, so I can get back to the heart of the matter. Writing. Writing. Writing.

OK, here is my closer: I watched part of the movie Serendipity (2001, w/ John Cusack, very cute) this morning while eating my cereal, and just have to leave you with the following quote:

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." Risks I take everyday.

With that I remain truly yours, Milagros

13 Days Down, 352 to go.

DAY 13: MAKE OVER

The Good District is getting a make over! With our two week anniversary just around the corner, it is time for us to get dolled up. Admittedly, I have not mastered HTML code yet, but hopefully I have learned enough to bring us to new blogging heights. Or at least take a blogging baby step.

And let's face it. I am an American. I like new things. No need to exclude my blog from my cultural compulsions. It is time for an update. More to come soon!

DAY 12.2: WHO AM I? AND OTHER NOTES ON THE SUBJECT

While not much got done in terms of coming up with answers to those pressing questions from earlier, I am now more resolved than ever to upgrade the blog itself. Would you believe if I told you that the same questions I need to answer for the book proposal, I also need to resolve to increase interest and activity on the blog? It is true. I found all of this information on the Internet. Incredible that most of life's mysteries can be resolved by sitting down and answering the the question of the ages: "Who am I?"

So with a page full of questions, and a second wind of motivation to learn web design, I am back at tackling those 2010 resolutions. Today's scores: Blog = 2 pts. (2 entries today!), Unexpected soul search from book proposal prompt questions = 1 pt., Book = 1/2 pt.

12 Days Down, 353 to go.

Truly yours, Milagros