Last year I successfully started and completed NaNoWriMo (which I affectionately call Bert). It was insane, strange and a little stressful but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the camaraderie.
So when it came time to decide if I would do NaNoWriMo again this year, I chose to go ahead with it. Gladly. Excitedly.
And with the full support of my darling husband.
It makes everything so much easier when you have the support of a loving partner, so even after I got an email letting me know that my proposal to speak at Ignite Portland 4 had been accepted I still intended to go ahead with my plans for Bert…
On October 31st Mike told me about NaPodPoMo. He let me know that he wanted to join in all the Nablahblah fun and that he would be posting a podcast every day in November. I thought it was a grand idea… have him join in the insanity… why can’t he be just as crazy as I am?
No reason, no reason as all.
Three days ago though, as I sat trying desperately to finish slides for my Ignite presentation by the deadline, I became weary. Sometimes you can have too much fun. So much fun that everything starts to suck until you’ve created a vacuum that, if you let it, will suck your brain clean from your skull.
If the only two things I had to do in the month of November were NaNoWriMo and IP4 then I might be able to pull it off… but I have a life and too many responsibilities. In a normal month I feel pressured by the weight of my tasks.
So it is with a light heart, a heavy mind and a restful hand that I tell you all I’m giving up NaNoWriMo this year.
I know, you’re devastated… but I’m pretty sure we can get through it together. Or you can blame Banana Lee Fishbones… she’s quitting with me.
xoxo
CamiKaos 
I don’t blame you. You do have alot on your plate. I think it’s for the best.
good for you for being a quitter. what i mean is, boundaries (and recognizing them) are a wonderful thing for one’s sanity.
Me too, me too. I just know how much it takes. I’ll do it next year but this month is just too crazy and I really want to do more with last year’s effort too. You are amazing babe, but you also need a none exploding head.
Good choice. :)
omg… i little corner just crumbled off my cami-shrine…
kidding! i haven’t managed it even once- you impress me no end with everything on your plate!
I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say the word vacuum before. I’ve certainly never seen you use one.
well I’m sure saddened by the fact that you found it necessary to allow your real life get in the way of Noblomeblabla.
Gives you time to read mine as it clunks along to 50K… :P
totally understandable. Though I loved the story your wrote last time, I think that knowing our limitations is healthy.