It is foolish to expect more from those around you than they can reasonably deliver. The key is knowing what is reasonable and what is not. Balance then, between hope and apprehension, is all.
~Helin Tshamis D’kur Uliekin
My nightmares are ferocious. Their ferocity can be gauged by how close the dream world and the waking world are. The closer the twain, the harsher the nightmare. I feel alien afterward…as if a bit of the ‘otherness’ is now part of me and I am a stranger to this world.
It is a distinct probability I will not “win” this year’s NaNo. I’ll not go into the litany of obstacles typical of many a fledgling writer’s blogs. Suffice to say that baring circumstances, I’m rather disappointed in myself because that’s where the ultimate responsibility lies. Though I still have the approaching Thanksgiving Holidays to look forward to, if these past less-than-1000-word-days are any indication, I’ll not expect more from them than I can deliver.
This is not to say there is no hope (curse it). If nothing else, the NaNo helped jumpstart a writing routine that had been long on the verge and nearly derelict. Though I was writing—like now; this blog entry—all my manuscripts had stalled. Even this present NaNo manuscript is progressing in but fits and starts and I’m not very excited about writing it. I am, however, tired of not making it to the Rough-Draft finish line. Once there, I can cast about for inspiration, but I sense that it will take more than a few lucky sessions at the butt-crack-of-dawn and/or good ideas to get the process running smoothly and reliably again, but it’s a (re)start and I count that as a victory.
The bookcases are in and (may my wife’s name be forever exulted) built, so this weekend’s projects include getting the Library in order. And with that, save for the garage—that black pit of despair, every room in the house is livable. There might be a box here or there, tucked away in the corner or temporarily misplaced on a shelf, but essentially we will be moved in. What genius scheduled a move to culminate during NaNoWriMo?
I have not named the house yet. I may decide to keep “Iona Céin” for as my daughter pointed out “…a rental is your house, what you put in it is your home…”. Home is my family and the material and sub-cultural constructs that are the results of that expression. This rental is simply a shell I am presently constrained to encase it in.
I’ll think on it more. Maybe the dream world can serve up some inspiration to season it’s terror.
The Salamander's Quill 
Woah, I thought I was following your blog looong ago. o_0 Sorry about that.
Victoria Lynn Schmidt (author of Book in a Month) includes in the beginning of the book some commentary about being reasonable with certain circumstances, including births/deaths, moving, and things like starting a new job if it disrupts your ordinary life. You may “win” this NaNo, but maybe not. No matter what, it’s a fantastic feat!
I’ve moved during NaNo once before (my first NaNo) and that actually turned out fine because we were moving from one bedroom in a shared house to a one bedroom apartment. Couple of days and we were all done. But a bigger move? It’s a lot to try to accomplish all at once. I’m not saying impossible, but it’s in that “you’re a little crazy” zone.
Obviously the most important thing is to keep on putting words down especially when you don’t feel like it. Another important thing is identifying a problem and finding a way to address it. I’ve got a fair number of “hasn’t made it to the rough draft finish line yet” manuscripts, too, and those sorely need to be addressed.
You made and put in bookcases amid all this chaos? Amazing. 🙂 Seriously.
Keep on swimming, I’m rooting for you, too!
Nicolette