why don't you let it go, let it go, let it go

I love that 'research' for my writing can take the form of reading romance novels. I decided to read the first chapters of seven or eight of my favorite novels to see how they set up the story, what emotions they tried to engage, whether/how the hero and heroine met in the first chapter, etc. It was a good idea, except for the fact that I couldn't contain myself to just the first chapters, and so I jumped around and reread favorite scenes and whole sections, until it was far too late to do any writing tonight. Oops. But, I think it was helpful overall, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the writing tomorrow night.

I kept myself quite busy today, even though I didn't do any writing. I decided that I needed to keep making some progress unpacking, and so I focused all my energies on that. I'm not sure that you would actually be able to tell that I made much progress, despite the fact that I worked all afternoon at it -- but, my bedroom is no longer knee-deep in discarded clothes, I did two loads of laundry, and I took a lot of empty boxes to the garage. I still have a bit of stuff left to unpack, particularly the decorative elements that will bring everything together, but it's generally quite livable now.

As for the rest of the day, I forced myself out of bed at 8:30, and then spent some quality time setting up my Tivo to record a variety of shows that I love. I also procrastinated by looking at dog breeds online; I've been considering getting a puppy, but haven't made the leap yet because it's a lot of commitment, and judging by my complete hostility towards all forms of commitment, getting something that I have to take care of for 12-20 years makes me break out in hives. So, I started unpacking after I took a shower, but I eventually got hungry and had to take a break, so I went to Printers Ink Cafe on California Street, where I had a sandwich while reading the first fifty pages of my manuscript again. That's what prompted the desire to read the openings of a bunch of other books -- my second chapter is working, but my first isn't, and judging by experience with both this book and the previous one, the opening is where I really struggle. I then spent the afternoon contemplating what to do about that first chapter while unpacking, with a break to talk to my parents; they seemed to be in good form, even if it's ridiculously hot there and continues to rain, which is bad for both my dad's line of work and my mom's gardening. As much as I sometimes lament the fact that I'm so removed from nature and 'real' life, it is also sometimes nice to a) live in California, where there are no seasons, and b) have a career that is utterly unaffected by changes in the weather.

And now, I really should go to bed; the weekend ended way too soon, and I have to get to work early tomorrow so that I can get some stuff done before I participate in a half-day training. Goodnight!