Oh, all right. The Friday Five:
1. List five things you’d like to accomplish by the end of the year. Well, I would have liked to have finished that novel I was working on. Except, I really haven’t been working on it. I’ve been writing — not as much as I should, but more than not at all — but the novel just sort of stopped after 1,000 words of mostly recycled dialogue. There were ways, I know, that I could have jumpstarted it, but there just seemed like other more interesting things to write. I’m currently struggling with a short story I like. I don’t know if I’ll have it finished by the end of the year either, but I’m working on it. So that’s what? One thing? Two things? What else would I like to accomplish? Hmm. Getting a writing or editing job in a new city would be nice, but there’s only so much I can do on that front. (I keep sending out applications and resumes.) I’d like to start to diet and exercise again in earnest. And I’d like to get my holiday shopping done (which includes figuring out what to buy).
2. List five people you’ve lost contact with that you’d like to hear from again. I don’t know that there are five. I can think of three or four people from the Monty Python Society with whom I wish I hadn’t lost contact, and it might be nice to hear from them again. With the friends I had in high school…well, I wish we hadn’t lost touch after graduation, but it’s been almost ten years since I’ve spoken with any of them. And while I recently came across someone I knew online many, many years ago and have been vaguely tempted to say, “hey, remember me?” I haven’t because it’s more than likely that she wouldn’t. (This was 9-10 years ago as well.)
3. List five things you’d like to learn how to do. I’d like to learn to play an instrument (guitar or harmonica sound nice). I’d like to learn to cook. I’d like to learn to speed-read. I’d like to gain some practical work experience in writing and editing that I could put on my resume. I’d like to think up a fifth thing I’d like to learn how to do.
4. List five things you’d do if you won the lottery (no limit). They would all be pretty obvious things: quit my job, move somewhere warm, work on my writing, but expensive toys I probably don’t need, etc. I’d like to think I’d also give some of the money to charity, but that might just be wishful thinking. I don’t even play the lottery.
5. List five things you do that help you relax. Music, a warm cup of tea, a setting sun, a nice blanket, good friends.