Thursday, January 02, 2014

Happy 2014!



HAPPY NEW YEAR! We've finally made the leap over to 2014, and I believe things are only going to get better from here :0)

How has 2014 been for you so far? They say the first day of the year sets a precedent on how you will spend the rest of the year. I don't really believe that because I think it's never too late too start over even if you fall off the wagon. But I do believe in starting the year right. So after my loooong looooovely swim, I spent an hour and a half editing Blood Promise in the morning, woke my dad up, fetched my grandmother to the temple, had brunch with my dad and went shopping for Chinese New Year decorations after that at Chinatown.

The decorations for Chinese New Year are pretty much all up. And my dad and I walked up and down the streets in the blustery weather to capture some shots.

These flying horses look so portentous against the steel-grey sky.
I am just itching to write a story based on the above photo. Something for Indigo Tides, maybe?

This one was right in the middle of the road junction.
Horses galloping down Chinatown under a shower of golden coins.

Guess we weren't the only ones getting started on our Chinese New Year shopping

Melon seeds, anyone?

How cool are the Chinese-mask lanterns in this bakery!

And finally, my dad convinced my my hair didn't suck (my hairstylist wrecked my bangs - I'm sorry, but he did), and he made me pose for this photo. It doesn't look that bad here thanks to the wind.



Oh, and I was reading Laini's old blog today and I learned she's a new-start/Monday/New Year-lover like me! This is an excerpt from her old post back in 2009 (yes, that's how far back I've read, because that's how awesome she is to justify my trawling through her old posts):
I love a new year. I love a new week, even -- Mondays feel like a time for beginnings, for making new commitments, you know? So, a new year is like the emperor of Mondays, the perfect time to spiff up one's life and routines, make new routines, break some bad habits, start fresh. It is possible to form new habits -- as proven by the fact that since painting the bedroom and getting new linens back in June, we have made the bed every day. Which, er, wasn't the case before. Nothing like new bed linens to entice one to make the bed every day! So: what is the life equivalent of new bed linens? How to spiff up your life? Your writing habits?

So. New reading/writing habits (or ones I'd like to keep) for 2014:

1. Write something every day, be it a blog post, a short story, a scene, a chapter, or even a miserable paragraph.



2. Read something every day. In fact, read more than I do now. Back when we didn't have Internet (I feel old saying that), reading was about the only form of entertainment I had so I read more. But now with the Internet, there are so many other things you can do other than read, and I feel like I've fallen back on my reading. My Goodreads to-read pile has 186 books, at last count!

But, you know:


3. Be constantly updated on publishing news. You have to learn all you can about the place you want to go, after all. Being in the know can only up your chances in the game.

4. Be more of a perfectionist in my writing. And less impatient to see results. I tend to hurry the writing/editing process because I'm to eager to see the end product and start querying agents. But you can't really rush this. Because you only get one chance to impress an agent before he or she decides to toss your manuscript into the slush pile. It has to be PERFECT. Or at least somewhere close to it.

And some mood-lifters for the first workday of 2014,

*dies of cuteness*
(Speaking of cute babies, Laini Taylor's daughter, Clementine, is impossibly adorable! I die every time I see a picture of her! She always seems so happy, like her parents. Arghh, so much happiness and cuteness - such a perfect family.)

And more cuteness (of a different sort):




Yes, I am completely shallow. What's your point? ;0)

And something to ponder over for the day:


And with that,

Have the best year of your life yet!

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