The End of the Month

We made it through our first real month of having "a budget." I am proud of us. We stayed within our limits in each area, and I think this is going to work. It takes a lot of dedication on my part, since it was kind of my idea and I'm the one who keeps track of numbers, but it's a dedication I'm willing to give if it's going to get our debt paid off sooner than later. And Collin is good at answering my questions when I need them answered. Basically I think there will be two times each month I look at the budget. Once in the beginning, once in the middle. I thank God we don't have much debt and hope this trend will be one we employ the rest of our lives.

I've started reworking a novel I wrote in college. It's the same concept, a similar setting, similar characters ... but totally rethought. I actually LIKE my characters now. I believe in them and in the story in a way I didn't before. I think it is more mature. I've tried to start any number of projects in the past months, and then given up on all of them. Maybe I've been too intimidated. This is something I can work with. Something I know can work because it has before. I guess we'll see how it goes once I reach "the great swampy middle." But I'm excited to be writing again. My goal is to finish this rework in a timely fashion so that I can start work on something else fairly similar ... and start shopping for an agent!

Let's predict the number of rejection letters that await me, shall we? I'll say ... 33.

American Idol and Melinda Doolittle

I don't know how many people who read this blog watch American Idol. I had never watched it before this season, and I watch it now because a girl I stood next to in choir throughout junior high and high school is in the Top 9 (and after tonight's elimination round will hopefully be in the Top 8). Her name is Melinda Doolittle, and I am so proud of her. She is amazing. She was amazing back in the day, and she is even more amazing now. If you haven't been watching the show you should watch it just to see her perform. And if you never thought you would buy into reality TV and actually pick up your phone and VOTE, you should suck down that pride and rethink. Vote for Melinda is what I'm saying!

And now for a shout-out to my friends Sean and Mara from the great state of New Hampshire (Live Free or Die!) ...

These two are having a baby boy here in the next couple of days, if they haven't already, and I say, Congratulations!