oh, those summer goals.

I'm starting to realize that spending four weeks at camp is likely going to compromise those goals I set for the summer. Like, more than I thought. Not including, of course, the goal to be at camp. Hah. Update?:

1. To enjoy camp and let myself be there fully. Um, check. And getting even better. I do, however, plan to bring my notebook, just in case I find some time to write. Silly Julie, there is NO SUCH THING as extra time at camp, especially for writing. I knew this going in, but I printed out my draft and brought my colorful pens, just in case. And I will bring them along next week, too. Because I never learn.

2. When not at camp... ah. A perfect segue into this side-update: we are moving to Chattanooga. In August. I knew that we would be moving. I forgot that moving also means finding a house to live in, packing, enjoying the last morsels of the beautiful place we will be leaving (yes, this includes my beloved library. *sob*), and, you know. Not writing. Grrrowl. My time not at camp, thus far, as gone as such: be sick on the couch; house hunt. Oh my gosh I should just stop complaining.

3. I do need to start playing around with opening scenes. Okay, so technically, I've done this. I have a whole, like, three paragraphs. The downside is that I haven't touched them since starting camp, and am in an extreme state of self-doubt. Also, making excuses. Noticed?

4. Really enjoy my writing buddies. This one is easy to maintain, though it's hard to be cut off from communicating with them... or anyone, for that matter. As for SCBWI... that's still up in the air.

5. Exercise regularly. Ha. Well, running around camp has to count for something.

6. Keep up with my reading goals. Surprisingly, not too bad on this front. It's much easier to squeeze in a couple chapters of Graceling before bed than write a paragraph or two of my own. Perhaps that should be my new goal for next week: resist urge to read before bed. Write a few sentences instead. (We'll see.)

6a. Watch less TV. Done. We all excel at this during camp. (We are not, however, counting the two entire anime shows I watched when I was sick. That was legit. And Eden of the East was awesome and totally worth it.*)
* However, proceed at your own risk. There are a lot of naked cartoon men in that show (white squigglies only cover so much).

7. Clean the house... ? Who set this goal, my mom? I guess it's going to happen at some point, but it sure hasn't yet.

In other news! We're looking for a house, my hair is all summery and blond again (of its own volition--this happens every year), it was 95 in Chattanooga today, I have a Chaco tan, I can't stop signing (another thing that happens every year), and I almost swiped an old guitar out of a trashcan** today. (The smell is what held me back. There may or may not have been a dead mouse inside.)
** Completely unrelated thought: as kids, my friends and I wanted to start a band called Velvet Trashcans. It never really took off.

Oh, and one last thing: Happy 4th!

One of the best 4ths of July ever. I'm the Y. 

See you after this week!