Friday 28 February 2025: February wrap-up!

I was up really early yesterday and the first hour of the day was spent scrolling through social media. When I think of the amount of work I still had to do for February, I shake my head at my own idleness. Saying that, though, my eyes don’t wake up straight away anyway. I always have to let them ‘warm up’. So perhaps it saved me doomscrolling throughout the rest of the day.

I was delighted when I weighed myself. I’ve lost 4¼lb since the start of the year, 3¼ of them since starting the 16:8 diet. I hate using the word ‘diet’ because we’re not actually on a diet. We’re eating pretty much normally, we’re just only eating in an 8-hour window. And we’re snacking less. The poet is close behind me too, weight-wise. He’s lost about half a stone (7lb), at least.

My mobility and my energy levels, and probably my concentration, have all improved since the very start of this diet…regime, so I was seeing benefits straight away. I’m still trying to keep it low fat/low sugar, for my internal health, but that’s just over a quarter of a stone I’ve lost. Fingers crossed I hit half a stone too. I wish my skin had improved too, but I’m also hoping it’s the gallstones that are contributing to the dermatitis/eczema and that I’m fit for surgery next week.

I fed the birds and had my dirty cuppa, then once ‘at work’, I shared the gig list and I shared yesterday’s blog post to BlueSky. But the bulk of the day was spent writing. I was trying to get the client edit back with the author today, but I’d told him next Wednesday at the latest. I need this novella done today and I’ll probably carry on with the edit in down-time at the weekend.

February wrap-up!

Here, then, is how February went in the end:

• create graphic for Hello February
• create graphic for February wrap-up
• write Project Management for Writers: Gate 3
• pre-write Book 4 for Great Novella Challenge
• write Book 4 for Great Novella Challenge (finishing today)
• write Story 2 for 12 STORIES IN 12 MONTHS
• client edit
• newsletter
• (week) daily blog post
• weekly backup
• weekly diary work
• Monkey Dust admin
• share Diane’s gig list every Thursday
• Monkey Dust gig
• monthly schedule planning for March
• advance finances for March
• update 12-project spreadsheet (week) daily
• dental appointment (moved to March)
• hair appointment (today)
• write short story: The Sheep Shearer
• write short story: The Ace of Swords (started!)

Extras

• 3 book reviews
• revise & submit 1 short story

I published 2 standalone short stories in February. And I wrote 33,628 new words.

There are a few crosses in there, mostly due to me getting used to running errands during the day. I’m thinking of making the newsletter quarterly anyway, as I don’t feel I have enough ‘news’ to share every month.

I have a hair appointment this afternoon. It’s a small business and I’ll be paying cash, but it’s the only business getting my money today.

Have a great weekend!