I am a winner!

I'm not exactly putting the icing on the cake yet, but I have passed the required number of words needed to claim NaNoWriMo success. My own goal is to write a whole novel, which for me is more in the 90-100k range, but I do not take reaching 50k in 17 days lightly. It is the single greatest word count I have ever achieved. And I am so pleased with the story. That's better than just achieving a word count.

Along with my 50k achievement comes the rain! And the return of the ducks to the pond in the apartment complex! They've both been gone these many months. I don't know why ducks wouldn't want to hang out in California during the summer. It hasn't been too hot, and heaven knows, our winters are freezing cold and rainy. I even caught a little duck-love going on. Poor little female was so small, the mallard nearly drowned her gettin' his groove on.

Birds and bees aside, I really think my new environs have helped my writing. I have a large window and a huge sliding screen door. The back of my apartment faces the pond, a willow tree, and general beautifulness. I keep the blinds open ALL THE TIME! I think the sunshine is a big part of my increased productivity and the disappearance of my insomnia. In the other apartment, I had to keep the blinds shut at all times, or I felt too exposed. I lived in a dark box. I never saw sunshine. I certainly never saw ducks. Or sleepily swaying willow fronds. 

So I'm about halfway done, and things are going downhill from here! Not personally or creatively, but for the poor characters. Things are just going to be so uncomfortable.... good times. Good times.