July goals: a spectacular last minute pivot! (#SFWApro)

Between the cone of shame and the various unplanned articles I did for GoBankingRates and Career Trend, it’s no surprise that I only made 47 percent of my goals for this month. However that’s actually better than I expected — Monday the 31st I was able to wrap up a whole bunch of things.

Of my four top goals I blew the two personal ones but hit the writing goals: to publish Atlas Shagged and redraft three short stories (No One Will Save Her, Angels Hate This Man and A Famine Where Abundance Lies.). I got in my screen rants for the month, submitted a new film book proposal and I think I sorted out my problems with Undead Sexist Cliches: the book (we’ll see if I still feel that way at the end of August, after I’ve worked on the second draft).  I submitted two short stories on Monday and got one of them back by the end of the day (siiigh) And I beta-read a novel by one of my writing group colleagues.

Personal goals were pretty slim. However I did make progress reducing my pile of to-read books on the shelf, and I watched lots of films (yes, that is a goal. Sometimes I have to make myself schedule time). Due to my influx of cash from various projects, I was also able to catch up on the charitable donations I always plan to make (Amnesty International, Animal Protection Society of Durham and a couple of others).

Exercise tanked. Between Plushie’s problems and the overwhelming heat I didn’t get anywhere near as much exercise as usual, and I don’t think I went out bicycling but once, and a short ride to boot.

I also fell behind on getting some paperwork mailed off due to the need to stay home with Plushie. Nothing that can’t wait, though.

This week has been a good finish to July and also a good start to August. Details this afternoon.