On Routines; NaNoWriMo 2008

Having recently moved, I've noticed in a particularly strong way the fact that different places seem to lend themselves to different routines, and how much easier it is to change a routine if something bigger in your life is also changing. Without even planning it, I find myself going to bed earlier, spending less time on computer games and more on useful things, finding time to read a lot more again. Suddenly I've started actually cooking, and cleaning, and decorating. Sure, I tried to do my fair share in keeping up with cleaning before... but all of this, with one change of address, has become almost natural to me.

I've lived other places that naturally lent themselves to different activities. One that even encouraged me to get up in time for a leisurely breakfast every day - an activity I have never, at any other place or time in my life, been inclined to participate in. I've lived more places - though not all - that lent themselves to staying up very late at night every night. One place I can think of actually encouraged me to eat healthier, and I went through relatively few of my candy supplies.

A lot of the changes here could just be "growing up," but I find it interesting that these things become so much easier when there are new surroundings to match.

Another change I've found myself making, one I'm particularly pleased with, is the fact that I've started writing again. Somehow during the move I found the time I had misplaced before and renewed my work on last year's novel. I find I still like it every bit as much as I did when I misplaced my time and stopped working over the summer, and in the past couple weeks I've done some editing and written a couple thousand words.

Since I've found that extra time, I've decided to take the change again, and pause this novel for a month while I start something new... and participate in NaNoWriMo 2008. My user name is Myth. As always, I invite you to join the challenge and participate with me! Or just follow along with my weekly updates here and cheer me on.