Six Month Future Outlook

The other day I shared with you my comments about life since quitting my job.  Today, I’m going to share with you my plans for my future.  Well, at least for the next six months.

First, I decide every day to be thankful for what I do have and focus on the future.  Is this easy?  Of course not.  I still have bouts of doubt and “bad” days, but ultimately wallowing will get me nowhere.  So, here's THE PLAN:

*  Continue applying (at least 2-4 hours a day) for teaching jobs and any other jobs I can do.
*  Search for a roommate.
*  At least 1/2 an hour-2 hours of exercise EVERY SINGLE DAY.  
*  Continue making my list of "Things to do When I Get a Real Job", like a HUGE grocery shopping, paying the money I "collected" for swearing during Lent, buying some plants and flowers for my patio, clothes shopping, new blinds/curtains for my bedrooms etc.
*  Reduce my cable!  Admittedly I spend WAY too much time on the couch watching idiot shows (and some good ones).
*  Only spend 2 hours AT MOST per day online playing, emailing, researching.  (This does not include the time I will spend online when teaching my online classes.)
*  Blog hiatus from now until August at the earliest.  I've been spending WAY too much time lately on my blog posts and pictures.  HOWEVER, ANY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED!
*  Hiatus from commenting on others' blogs.  It's so easy to waste so much time blog hopping.
*  Prep Lies to mail when I get a response from my queries. 
*  Research in July and August a new writing direction (a new sub-genre).  (Which will basically consist of reading current books in that sub-genre.)
*  Rewrite and revise an old manuscript for that new direction and submit it to a slush pile by the end of August.
*  In September, draft the next romantic suspense manuscript, one I'm already brainstorming, I Dare You.
*  In October, turn 40, recharge the batteries, read, brainstorm next manuscript for the new sub-genre and prep for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November.
*  In November, NaNoWriMo, enter the Golden Heart (if I haven't sold by then).
*  In December, relax, read, plan for 2012.

So, there you have it.  Some more minor changes to make the most of my situation.  I realize most of the bullet points on this plan have to do with writing, but if I want to be a published writer, then I have to write.  I know.  It sounds simple.  But lately too much is encroaching on my writing time, which I think is partly why I get down sometimes, and so I'm going to put it back in the front seat.  I will continue to update my  word counts for I Dare You and the story I'll be working on this summer and as soon as I have something good to share with you, I'll post here.  As soon as I decide to come out of my writing cave, I'll post here and to facebook and then I'll visit all of you too!  Take care and please stay in touch with me if you have any news and shoot me an email.  Alexa (at) alexabourne (dot) com.  (I like good news!)  I promise I'll email you back!