I didn't meet my goal...

But, I learned a lot about my book.
First of all, I figured out that this will be a bit more than 50,000 words if I keep at this pace. I also learned that certain characters have decided to become more important than I intended them to be.
I also learned that it is ridiculously hard to make a character move on when I'm so enraptured with where she is now.
I've never understood what authors meant when they talked about just absolutely having to write, about having a character assert himself or herself so firmly in the forefront of their mind and refusing to leave until they are put to paper, but I've really grown fond of my characters. This is such a rough sketch of my novel and what it will be, but I've gained some understanding about how I want the characters to be and feel, what their weaknesses will be, their flaws, etc. This truly is the most I've written of any one project. I'm almost to forty pages typed, double-spaced, in twelve-point Times New Roman (like a good college student...er, former college student). I would also be willing to say that it's the most I've written in a month for any collective projects, though I'm not sure because all my papers are currently running together in my mind.
Anyway, thank you for your encouragement. I will definitely keep writing (this lit a fire under me, so to speak, and I have that feeling again of having to get back to that really good book I'm reading...only I'm writing it!), and I may just keep a word count up there so I can both keep my likely disinterested readers up-to-date and have a visible way to keep myself accountable.

On another note, I've rekindled my love with Pixar lately. I got Wall-E as an early Christmas present, and I saw Bolt yesterda. Both are beautiful movies, and I think Wall-E is probably one of the more important movies they've made. Of course, being in the middle of a job search, I couldn't resist looking at their web site to see if they were hiring. Sadly, I don't qualify for any of the positions...though the thought of working for Pixar makes me want to go back for another four years and get a graphic arts degree. Fear not, reader, it is more than likely my fear of my lack of qualifications...not a lot of experience, odd degree with little training in something I can use without a few more years in school...etc. I may entertain for a while the idea of going back for an art degree (and someday it would be amazing to do that...absolutely amazing), but I think I'll stick with one career plan before I go for another. Of course, who knows what I'll say tomorrow or the next day.
Anyway, Pixar is amazing. I think a good guage of a company is whether when you see a mini-documentary showing a company's history and culture, you want to work there immediately (I did this with Jet Blue airways, too...but I think it would be more fun working at Pixar...it would be nice if they randomly decided to hire a "random, will do whatever" person, who worked as a gopher, receptionist, and occasionally came up with brilliant ideas for films. I could dream, right?).
I used to joke that my degree - major and minors - was the triad of not being able to find a job or get paid. I mean, Psychology, Art and Religion are not the big earning areas of study, though I love them so dearly. I can't picture majoring in any other areas (apart from English perhaps...which at least means I could be a teacher and would likely have a job...which is something I'm bad at and really don't like to do, oh! or folklore! Is there a degree in fairy tales?). I never realized how frightening this year off could be. I didn't know I would graduate into such a lousy job market, or that it would take me so long to find...anything. But it was nice to have this time to write, and it is nice to know that I have a place to go (I have no idea what I'd be doing if my parents had said "too bad, you're out of the house and good luck!" though really, who says that when their child is legitimately looking for a career?). More than nice really.
Methinks I've been rampling. I apologize. If you've made it this long, gentle reader, I don't deserve you!