National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2021
Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than we consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along to what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at timothy@createartpodcast.com
History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo
NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.
NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event along the same vein as National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you podcast every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp.
The Writing So Far
1 Nov 2021 daily count 1680 cumulative count 1680
Carl woke up at 6:30 AM, later than he usually did, and not refreshed as usual. On the TV was the music channel, Grover Brecht was playing in the background.
“Thought I told you to stop fucking with me,” said Carl to the TV. He quickly changed the station to another jazz channel.
The sun was just rising above the horizon and Carl got up with a stiff neck from sleeping on the sofa again. He headed straight for the kitchen where he pressed the brew button on his coffee maker. Soon the usual sounds of gurgling from the heated water started to go. Today, he reminded himself, they were going over to Nate’s and let the kids play while the adults figured out what to do about the issue of Myra. Wasn’t looking forward to having a vegan enforced day as his older brother and their family only served vegan food, so Nate went through the fridge to see what he could cook up quickly for everyone. Yesterday they had cheese omelets so today needed to be something different. He saw the breakfast sausage and some hashbrowns, he also pulled out some peppers and onions to make breakfast for everyone. He tried to be as quiet as possible to let Cheryl and Myra sleep in.
Pulling out the skillet and nonstick spray he turned on the stove and sprayed down the skillet. His coffee was just about done, and he opened the cabinet with all his assorted coffee mugs and poured himself a cup. As the skillet warmed up, he drank the coffee and let its magic powers refresh him for the day ahead. He could hear Cheryl from his bedroom, soon to be their bedroom he thought to himself, and pulled out another mug for her as well as milk and sugar as he knew she did not drink her coffee black. He methodically pulled out three plates and three forks. He was surprised as how automatic this felt to him. All the changes had just been a couple of days old now and yet his body’s muscle memory just seemed to kick in.
The smell of the sausage filled the room as it replaced the coffee aroma, that’s when Cheryl came out of the bedroom and headed straight for the coffee.
“I’d ask you how you slept, but I am pretty sure I know you well enough to answer that myself,” whispered Cheryl as she poured her first cup. She drizzled some milk into her mug and filled the spoon with sugar and quietly stirred her coffee making sure not to bang the sides.
“Well, I hope you got some sleep in last night, one of us needs to be on their A game,” relied Carl as he flipped the sausages and dropped in the hashbrowns into the skillet. He started dicing up the peppers and onions as the rest of the food began to cook.
“Yeah, that bed of yours will work. I think I got enough sleep to be the face of this group today. So, Nate’s today, how do we introduce me,” asked Cheryl?
“Well, I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I mean, from what we have been talking about, I don’t think fiancée would be right just yet. Nate’s wife will probably want to interrogate you to make sure you aren’t trying to steal my estate. She’s harmless, but overprotective,” replied Carl.
“I kind of expected someone would do that eventually seeing that Nate is a lawyer and we have already met with his custody expert. Let’s just say we are friends for right now and go with that, keep it nice and easy. Do you think Nate talked with his wife at all about what happened,” asked Cheryl?
“Oh, most definitely, Carmine would want to know everything before you stepped foot into her house and met their kids. My worry is what Myra is going to remember or say at Nate’s. If she starts up with the whole being adopted a year ago, Carmine may freak out a bit. I am pretty sure Nate will let her know so she isn’t blindsided, I just don’t know which Myra we will see this morning,” replied Carl.
“One other thing I was hoping we could talk about, and that is getting to Nate’s. I am going to be covering an evening shift so I may need to jet out of there before you are ready to go. Would you mind if I followed you two out there and left when I needed to,” asked Cheryl?
“That’s not going to be a problem, how about you take Myra to Nate’s house, and she can ride with me back here,” replied Carl?
“Yeah, I think that will work and if Carmine gets a little too much for me to take, I have an excuse to run away,” laughed Cheryl.
“I just thought, having a kid is a great way to get out of family functions. I can always say that she needs to do some homework or isn’t feeling well, and no one would suggest I stay over, I think this being a father thing is going to look good on me,” said Carl.
“Well fathers are very attractive, at least to me they are,” replied Cheryl.
“That works if we are going to be a couple, I am not sure how long I will be attractive with all my brain stuff going on,” joked Carl.
“Hey, let’s not joke about that, knowing you have something like that going on really creeps me out a bit since I am basically going into this knowing you won’t be there to raise Myra with me regardless of the curse,” solemnly replied Cheryl.
“I’m sorry, that’s how I cope with this stuff, I just make light of it and figure that one day I won’t be here anymore, so I find a way to laugh about it. It helps keep the tears from flowing, “replied Carl.
“For the rest of us, it is not that easy knowing that one day you won’t be there, so until that happens, please don’t joke around about your condition,” replied Cheryl.
With that they both became quiet and lost into their thoughts. Carl plated the food and both he and Cheryl heard Myra waking up as she headed to the bathroom. Cheryl poured Myra a glass of chocolate milk that they had bought during yesterday’s shopping trip and put the plates and silverware on the dining room table. They heard the water running and then a few minutes later the toilet flushed. The water ran again, and Myra came out of the bathroom with a groggy look in her eyes.
“How did you sleep Myra, are you ready for a fun day today,” asked Cheryl in a happy tone?
“I slept so good that I almost forgot where I was when I woke up,” said Myra.
“Well, I have some breakfast sausage and hashbrowns mixed with green peppers and onions for you and some chocolate milk to wash it down. I was thinking we could get over to Nate’s house at about 10 this morning if you are feeling up to it,” said Carl.
Myra sat at the table and Cheryl took the seat next to her and took a drink of coffee. Carl grabbed his coffee and sat on the other side of Myra. They all began to eat silently for some time. It felt like an eternity for Carl, he didn’t know what to say first.
“So, Nate and Carmine are vegans, do you know what that means,” asked Cheryl?
“That they don’t eat meat,” sleepily replied Myra.
“Thats right so this is all the meat you will be getting today until dinner time. You and I will go in my car because I have a shift later today, but Carl will make sure you both get home in time for dinner. Are you okay with that,” asked Cheryl?
“That works for me,” said Myra.
“Nate has two kids Seth is 12 and Rachel is 14. I know they will be excited to meet you and they have a large lot, about 5 acres so you will have plenty of room to run around and have fun. And Nate’s wife Carmine makes fantastic food and does a bunch of crafts so she may have something for you to do while you are there. How does that sound,” asked Carl?
“Really exciting, I can’t wait to get there. What should I wear,” asked Myra?
“Well probably clothes that can get dirty because they live out in the country. I am wearing a t-shirt and jeans. This is nothing formal, just going out there to get some fresh air and have some fun,” replied Carl.
They all finished up their breakfast and Carl collected the empty plates and silverware and started to put them into the sink. Myra and Cheryl went to the bedrooms to change, and Carl began washing the morning dishes. “So, this is what a family is supposed to feel like, I think I can get used to this’ thought Carl. He had a smile on his face and was feeling upbeat as he cleaned the dishes. His phone buzzed and he took it out to look at it. He read the text message that Nate had sent him, it said “How are things this morning?’ Carl replied back, ‘Everything seems to be okay; we should be there at about 10, Cheryl and Myra are driving together because Cheryl has a shift this afternoon.’ Nate responded ‘Okay, I let the kids and Carmine what was going on and Vince may drop by with some information while you guys are here. Angela is coming by at 1PM as well with some paperwork and information for you to fill out. Looks like you are going to be a father.’ Carl replied back ‘Sounds good see you in a few hours.’ After the last exchange of texts Carl put his phone back in his pocket and finished washing the dishes.
Reaching Out
To reach out to me, email timothy@createartpodcast.com I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and lets start that conversation.
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