Resolution Time!

Are you making New Year's resolutions this year?

I don't know how much I believe in them, but I have decided to go back to my "old faithful" for 2019 and focus on one main goal—more reading. 

It's becoming a pattern that each year I look back at my year in review, I'm disappointed in the number of books I've read. Last year, I only made it through 15, and while that sounds like a lot, it's about 20 short of my goal. Ugh. 

It's not all bad though, because although I didn't read as much as I wanted to, I did write. A lot. I finished my second ever National Novel Writing Month challenge (and even sent my story in to a publication contest!), wrote two short stories for Mrs. Kratky, and scribbled out a few haikus.

But to be a better writer, I need to read more. So that's the goal. In 2019, I plan to read 25 books—and  journal about them. They don't have to be long entries, but I should keep a record of them and write a few sentences about whether I liked them or not. <grin>

Of course, I'll also resolve to train harder for track and field, complete my third NaNoWriMo, continue getting good grades in Science and Math (my hardest subjects), and do more chores for my grandparents when I'm at their farm.

Gotta jet! I know it's not 2019 yet, but I'm getting an early start on my reading with a new book I got for Christmas. (Santa must have known I was going to make this resolution!) Share your resolutions—maybe we can keep each other accountable?

Have a fun (and safe) weekend. See you next year!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

DIY Cold Weather Crafts For The Season

It's no secret my sister and I like to do crafts. Arts projects are a great way to spend a chilly afternoon—especially since the weather in MY area has turned particularly nasty! Did anything in your yard topple over in that crazy wind yesterday? Brrrr.

Best to stay indoors! But mom says we have enough craft supplies in this house to open our own craft store. So, with the help of Google, I tracked down seven holiday crafts my sister and I can do with recycled products, or things you can find around the house. So, not only are these crafts FUN, they’re also environmentally friendly. Win-win! Check them out.

STAR ORNAMENT: All you’ll need is paper, straw, beads, coloured ribbon and pipe cleaners to make these star ornaments. Lucky for us, Grandma has a collection of different coloured beads!

RECYCLED CARDBOARD TREE: Rather than chop down a tree, why not use one that’s already been recycled? Dad has tons of boxes stored in the garage.

DRIFTWOOD TREE: Okay, maybe it’s a little harder to find driftwood, but if you can—or something similar—wouldn’t this be an excellent gift? My mom would love it.

UPCYCLED HOLLY LEAF HOLIDAY CARD WREATH: A Styrofoam ring forms the base for this paper holly wreath—and cutting out all of those leaves will keep my sister busy for HOURS.

RUSTIC SNOWFLAKES: There’s still time to collect twigs, pine needles, berries, old buttons, and ribbons to make these great snowflakes.

CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATION: Aren't these easy-to-make (and inexpensive) paper Christmas tree decorations cute? We could fill an entire tree with these.

WRAPPING PAPER: I’m wrapping up this list (see what I did there?) with environmentally-friendly ideas for giftwrap. Try fabric, comic strips, newspaper, wallpaper, calendars and more—just in time for me to start wrapping. I'm way behind this year!

Don’t worry if you’re not particularly crafty—everything on this list is EASY and fun. Plus, you might want to give away some of these crafts as Christmas gifts. I can already see some that would be perfect for members of my family.

Gotta jet! Stay warm and have a great weekend. Christmas is almost here!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Traditions — From My House To Around The World

I'm gearing up for a weekend of annual traditions—cookie decorating, our yearly "Whoville" party, wrapping gifts, a tour of the lights... It's going to be a busy couple of days. PLUS, we're going to decorate our Grinch gingerbread house.

But the truth is, this is just the beginning. My entire Christmas holiday is filled with family traditions.

Even the way we decorate our tree is traditional. Dad always strings the lights, Mom always puts the star on the top, and my sister and I put up specific decorations. All while listening to holiday music and drinking hot chocolate with peppermint sprinkles.

Family traditions are important. So, I thought it might be fun to check out some different Christmas traditions from around the world. Boy, did I learn a lot!

Like, did you know that in Ireland, kids leave mince pies instead of cookies for Santa? Or that in Russia and Ukraine, Christmas is celebrated on January 7, not December 25th?

The people of Netherlands, who celebrate Christmas on December 6th, await the arrival of SinterKlaas and his sidekick, Black Pete. SinterKlaas leaves candy and nuts for boys and girls who have their shoes filled with hay and sugar for his horse.

I’m a BIG fan of turkey, but in Japan, traditional Christmas dinner is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Can you imagine? In fact, you’d have to make a reservation to eat at a KFC on Christmas in the country!

And you all know how much I love Halloween, so of course I’m all about the Austrian folklore that jolly Saint Nick makes his rounds with a sidekick in tow—creepy Krampus. He takes care of the kids on Santa’s NAUGHTY list, and trust me, his “punishment” is worse than a lump of coal. Er…not that I would know first-hand of course.

What are some of your family traditions? I’d love to learn more about them!

Gotta jet! Have a great weekend.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Random Acts of Holiday Kindness

Sometimes it's easy to forget "kindness" when you're jostling for position in a long line, trudging through snow or slipping across ice, or when you're scrounging for quarters to pay for that last Christmas present you almost forgot to buy. The season famous for holiday lights, hot chocolate, and family gathered around the table can also be very stressful.

So this year—again—I'm making a list...of ways I can spread KINDNESS this season. Little things *I* can do to make it easier on someone else—my family, my friends, even strangers. The world needs kindness. And we can all do our part.

Here are a few ideas I had:

• Bake cookies (with Grandma) and drop a batch off at the local senior's home—or maybe the police station, fire station, or hospital. Retailers aren't the only ones working extra hard over the holiday season. 
• Shovel the neighbour's walk—or for someone else on my street. 
• Buy hot chocolate for the person behind me in the coffee shop line. 
• Take my sister ice skating. (If you saw how she skates, you'd know how kind of me this is!)
• Help my neighbour put up his Christmas lights. Obviously I won't be climbing on the roof or any ladders, but I can arrange the light-up snowmen and deer on the lawn!
• Smile! It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised what a genuine smile can do during this stressful time of year. 
• Volunteer to wrap presents for local seniors or maybe the children's wing at the hospital. 
• Leave a Christmas card for the mailman in the mail box. 
• Pick up trash at a park and throw it in the garbage.
• Donate some of extra toys, books, or clothes. 

That's not a bad list. Have things to add? Great—we can all brainstorm together and come up with the BEST list. Share your Random Acts of Holiday Kindness in the comments so we can keep the ideas coming.

Gotta Jet! I’m going to start on this list this weekend. See you next Friday!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 30: The End!

I did it.

I. Did. It!

5,000 words in 30 days—my second successful NaNoWriMo challenge. My story has a beginning, a middle, and an END. The end.

Oh I know that NaNoWriMo is technically about completing 50,000 words in 30 days (and when I get older, I'm totally going to try that), but 5,000 words is a BIG deal. You can look back at my journey this month starting here, but what really matters is that I finished.

And now, the real work begins.

I'm going to take a few days to celebrate my personal victory. I'll buy a couple of books and a new notebook. And then, I'm going to start revisions on my story. It's not official, but I'm making December MY month to make this story shine...because in the New Year, I plan to publish. Somehow.

Even if you didn't hit your word count goal, congratulations—every word you wrote is more than you had before you started. Don't stop now. I don't plan to, and you shouldn't either. The only way to get better at writing—or anything—is to keep practicing.

I'll be back to my regular weekly blogs starting next week...but today? Today I'm going celebrate.

Gotta jet! May the words be with you today...and always.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 29: Finding Balance

This is it, writers! Tomorrow is the last day of NaNoWriMo 2018, and with just 50 words to go, I'm more confident than ever that I'm going to hit my goal. 

I'm excited, for sure, but also a little sad—because while my story isn't perfect, the NaNoWriMo challenge does exactly what it's supposed to do...force me to write almost every day. Something that I don't do throughout the rest of the year. 

For some reason, when there's a challenge, I carve out that writing time—like practicing for a track event when I know there's a race coming up. But I struggle to find time for my hobbies and passions throughout the year, and as a result, my life is a bit unbalanced. 

So, I spent some time last night digging up tips to help you keep writing throughout the year—without the NaNoWriMo challenge pushing you forward. (Or, without the stress of having to write a set amount of words a day!)

The truth is, you don't have to write every day to be a writer. But if you're planning to keep up some kind of schedule—and I definitely am—then here are some tips for you:

1. Make a time map. Sounds complicated, I know, but essentially you use a calendar—print or virtual—to slot in the non-negotiable. Like school, homework, family outings, sporting events, etc. Then you find time in-between to slot in some writing. It could be 15 minutes while you're waiting for your sister to get ready for school (heh) or maybe half hour before you go to bed. Maybe you write during your lunch hour. 

2. Minimize social media. I know, Facebook and Instagram and even blogging are fun ways to communicate with people, but sometimes social media can be like a black hole...luring you into endless clicking and scrolling. Limit your time on social media and use it for writing. 

3. Take care of yourself. Sounds simple, but sometimes when we try and take on too much, we end up neglecting ourselves—and that doesn't make you more creative. In fact, the opposite happens. So if you wake up uninspired to write, don't be too hard on yourself. Go for a walk instead—or, in my case, a run. It might clear your head!

Pretty easy list, right? Feel free to add your ideas in the comments. 

Okay, I've gotta jet, but I'll see you tomorrow for THE END of NaNoWriMo! 

May your (final) words be with you.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 28: To Write, You Must Read

Good morning, fellow scribes!

With just a two days left in this year's NaNoWriMo challenge—2 days!—I'm starting to reflect on some of the things I didn't do while I was scrambling to hit my word counts every day. Turns out, I didn't do a lot of reading.

Oh sure, I flipped through my Superman comics, and read a Goosebumps book (after seeing the movie last month, I had to!)—but I try to read at least two novels a month, and that just didn't happen. There's only so much time in the day.

But to be a good writer, you have to read. And not just because Stephen King says so, though if there was ever an authority to listen to, he'd be it.

The truth is, when we read, we absorb writing craft—the perfect way to phrase sentences or convey themes, how to describe characters, the best way to write dialogue, weave in backstory, or even assess pacing. You're still reading for pleasure—if the book is good enough, you can't help it—but your subconscious mind picks up on tips and tricks you can apply to your own writing.

It's easy to forget that when you're busy writing.

Tomorrow on the blog, I'll be talking about balance—how to fit in writing daily when you're not doing a challenge like NaNoWriMo—but I think today I'm going to carve out a half hour or so to read. I miss it.

What books will you dive into once the challenge is over? Share the name of the novel—or comic—you're most excited about in the comments and you could WIN a complete set of the Superman Duffy graphic novels. There's 16 of them!

Gotta jet! Happy writing...or reading.

~ Chase Superman Duffy