The Patent Dragon's Zone of Soul Retraction

Another month approaches its end, and let's be honest, I really haven't done much to make progress on my Mission 101. Some of the monthly Tasks are proceeding - cooking, dinner, buying books, walks, movies, in particular - but some are directly competing for my free time, such as writing and art. I know some tasks are already lining up for big progress in the coming months - another concert, two of the "Road To Avengers" movies are coming this summer, the whole "clear up my crap" thing - but there are still things that aren't seeing any progress, or have even been considered for starting. I don't even take my Mission journal to work with me any more...

I've started the year in not exactly the best frame of mind, although writing for the "REIGNFALL Push" has helped considerably in that respect. There's still stuff on the horizon I have no control over, and the biggest upheaval of my life - the biggest easy excuse anyone could hope for...

So, what do I do about it? Well, how about selecting ten genuinely achievable Tasks and really doing something about them, such as:

18 Renew passport - how hard can it be?
32 Buy commissioned art - deviantART is rife with people offering to do art...
44 Master some origami - I can do boxes - and I already have a damn book!
47 Refresh art skills - Grab myself an evening just to work on that, and we're done!
50 Create hangable art - See Task 47...
52 Complete existing craft projects - ...and another evening should sort this one out too!
84 Make paper - Needs a bit of research...
85 Make books - Just needs some binding research, methinks.
96 Watch the original Prisoner in its entirety - Just buy the damned box set!
99 Get myself an audience - Just keep working at Charloft, for starters!

I'd like to double my number of completed tasks by day 501, if at all possible - May 17th, I'm estimating. That sounds doable...

Development News... I really need to limit the length of my chapters somehow. The final chapter of TDD-605 "She Returns" now totals 11 "screens" - and the event the whole story has been building to hasn't happened yet. I have had to "make room" for something that will be important fairly soon, which has added at least three screens to the whole thing - but this will lead to the answer to one of the biggest questions in Season 6: "why are The Unified Response and The Confederacy NOT on the same side?"

I am still aiming to have this chapter, and this story, "in the can" by Sunday's end. I want a "clean slate" (of sorts) for Monday, so that I can focus on Work, and get to grips with it on the first day. However long this lasts, I want to do it right, and this isn't work that'll allow for extended writing breaks. I may have been paid for Work Slot 1, but the income is ALWAYS welcome.

And then there's the whole "Mum's broken shoulder" thing. That has gotten in the way of creativity this week, but helping her deal with the injury is REALLY important. She's had WAY too much stress this last year, and this is another kick up the arse that she DOES NOT DESERVE. If the universe has been trying to tell her to take it easy, this is NOT the way. Bad universe - BAD!

Mission 101... Hmmm, got a small problem. I could be about to score my first failed task...

28 - Watch one "classic" film a month (1/33+1)

'cause I haven't been able to catch a proper classic, one I haven't seen, this month. A couple of times, there have been suitable movies on, but I miss them, either entirely or in part - I could count Brighton Rock as an official movie for this task, rather than a "bonus". I'd prefer not to squib-kick a task just two months in...

Meanwhile, I could be about to officially kick off another task (or two)

47 - Refresh my art skills
50 - Create "proper" pieces of art, fit to hang, or give as gifts

as I very much have something in mind, amply helped by getting the printer/scanner operational again. With the aid of that piece of equipment, I can take a work in progress that never progressed, and turn into a real hangable painting!

Oh, and now I've been paid, I can seriously consider getting hosting for thepatentdragon.com...

Development News... Okay, I'm back to writing, trying to press onward with TDD-605 "She Returns". In trying to move Chapter 6 forward, in the hope of posting another chapter at the weekend, I have, however, stumbled on what could be a key factor in tying up the current story arc - namely, the whole Pandemonicum thing. The scene where all this is set in motion needs to be put down on paper/screen before the inspiration fades, so I won't be taking too much longer in writing this post.

And when I'm done writing, I need to put together a list of the DVDs and CDs I haven't seen or listened to yet - I have quite a few. Actually getting the opportunity to do all that depends on whether on not I'm allowed the time to even write...

I'd like to get some more photos up on deviantART, too, but... well, see above. My "featured deviation" may develop into a finished piece of art somewhen along the line, too - that'd move two more Mission 101 tasks onto the "In Progress" list...

47 - Refresh my art skills
50 - Create "proper" pieces of art, fit to hang, or give as gifts

Kinda wishing there was an easier way to cross-post entries, 'cause I may have a HUGE update to post come the end of the month.