After my little soul-searching tantrum yesterday, which to be honest very much bled into today, I can smell the finish line. I mean that specifically with work.

With my editing job, I get paid by how many minutes of finished product I can produce. That in mind, I set out goals of how much I wanted to finish before we take off for two weeks for the holidays at the end of this year. And, if you’ve been bored enough to read all of these daily bloggity-blogs, you know that I’ve recently caught up with my goals, something that’s been very satisfying.

Well, today I sat down and mapped out the rest of my week, work-wise, which will be a challenge because my brother is coming into town for Thanksgiving and that, naturally, affects how much and when work will or will not get done. Obviously, I want to spend as much time with him as I can, talk, do fun things…you know. I only get to see him once, maybe twice, a year. That said, I also don’t want to fall behind all this progress I’ve made in the work and making money department. But, I was totally able to work out a schedule I think that I can keep, and that will allow me to actually hang with my bro AND keep me on-schedule.

Then, with November all sewn up as the most productive month I’ve ever had with work, it’s just two and a half weeks left…if and WHEN I finish that out, I’ll be ending the year with enough savings in my account to pay what are likely to be some significant taxes, and still have a really good chunk left in my savings. Not as much as I had initially hoped, alas, but at the end of the day, it’s okay. A couple months next year of “high output” and I can get that, too, where I want it.

More importantly will be adjusting to working on the editing *less* so that I can focus on writing *more.* Settling into something a little more “permanent” to borrow from the theme yesterday. I’d also really really like to start working out again, every day. That’s a 2014 goal as well. Tried to do that a couple times this year, and gave up when it was clear that I was simply completely overwhelmed by everything else going on in my life.

I know it’s not quite time for retrospectives yet on the year, but man, 2013 was a beast. Just like 2012. I’m looking forward to setting some real concrete goals in the creative side of things for next year and really going after them. And I feel like this “meeting people” and “following up” thing is actually going to happen this time. It just feels right. I feel more at home doing it as a writer with writers than I ever did as an actor.

And I’m getting married. I honestly can’t wait to do that. Despite that it is indeed a source of stress currently, and probably will be to a certain extent until it’s done with…it’s mostly just exciting. What we’re deciding to do and where we’re going to do it, it’s just a guaranteed good time.

So yeah…I realize a lot of these blogs are about “work” and “career” — like I’m looking at what I’m writing and feel like “man, this is all I ever write about.” But…it’s honestly what gives me the most angst in my life right now. I don’t have things all figured out yet, and I’m not where I ultimately want to be. So I write about those feelings. Better to put them on digital paper than just let it swirl around on this inside, right? I hope so. And I hope it doesn’t completely lose you guys 😛

It is unfiltered 100% Ira…which is good for your bones, I hear.

Let’s see…nothing really happened today except some sleeping in that was glorious at the time, and then a little guilty afterwards. Coops was adorable. Liz was entertaining all day. I should write some time about how much the two of us really do keep each other company and laughing. It’s quite romantic, really. The Niners played, and dominated…but even so, I took some of my own advice and kept the game-watching pretty casual. And now, it’s to bed, kind of early.

Oh! Last night, I did start the short story I’ve been mulling over, based on “The Searchers.” It was just the opening scene, but it felt great. Actually, it felt suuuuuper rusty, writing prose, but even that felt nice. I mean, I get to sit and listen to music and just type the words floating around in my head. How freaking dope is that?

Aaaand, I had a long conversation with a friend today who has an opportunity to pitch some ideas to networks, and one of my series ideas I’d shared with him many moons ago had stuck with him long enough that he’s interested in optioning the material. Not sure ultimately where that will lead, since I don’t have any clout around this town yet, which would make it virtually impossible to sell, but he’s invested enough in the concept to even try and pitch it to writers he does know who *do* have the clout to head a TV series…so who knows. At the very least, I can dust off the very rough draft that Josh and I wrote on it, and get some real polishing work done on it.

See, there really was a lot that happened today 🙂

Till tomorrow, bitches!!!