Tag Archives: claremont village

NaNoWriMo: It Begins!

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Today was the first day of November, which means it was the first day of National Novel Writing Month.  I met with a friend at CK Cafe in Claremont, a little hidden cafe filled with comfy chairs and tables that are just the right height.  Soon there were nine writers there, plugging away at their manuscripts–some on laptops, some with good old-fashioned pen and paper, and one woman on a 1930s typewriter.  Best of all were CK Cafe’s $2.25 Thai Teas, which are the best beverages in the world. 

All together, I kicked out 2,890 words!  In order to write 50,000 words in thirty days, you have to write about 1,600 words a day, so I’m really happy that I’m ahead of the game at the moment.  If I can get up to 5,000 words tomorrow, I’ll be 10% done.  I was also expecting that I was just going to spew out a bunch of words, just to get the story on the paper, which I would later have to go back and fix.  Not so!  I’m actually happy with most of what I wrote–at least for now–and the good thing about where I’m at in the story is that it’s going to be pretty fast-paced and action-packed from here on out.  It should be relatively easy and fun to write.

It looks like the gathering at CK Cafe are going to become regular, so I encourage any Claremont/Montclair/Rancho/Ontario/Pomona writers to come on down and soak up some of that great energy that develops when you get a lot of creative people working in one place.  And if you’re taking part in NaNoWriMo this year, be sure to comment and let us know how you’re progressing!  You can also watch my progress here on the NaNoWriMo site, or send me a buddy request so we can both do this together: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/419938.

NaNoWriMo Event This Saturday

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This Saturday beginning at 1 PM there will be a “write-in” held in the Claremont Village to kick off National Novel Writing Month, 2008.  Visit CK Cafe in the Claremont Village during the early afternoon hours and you’ll find me there, trying to plug away at the first 1,667 words of the 50,000 needed to complete NaNoWriMo.

From Jennifer Carey, another Claremont-area writer who will be there: “CK Cafe is really a hole-in-the-wall. CK Cafe is at 109 Yale Avenue. You’ll want to park on Yale then pass the Danson (which is also 109 Yale), going into the alley that is adjacent to the Danson, then turn left and you’ll see a patio. There’s a door on the patio that leads into CK Cafe. It might be hard to find, but it is worth it. The place has great atmosphere and wonderful coffee and tea. And: free wi-fi!

You can check out their website here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/ck-cafe-claremont

All are welcome and invited, even if you do not reside in the Pomona Valley area.”

So bring your laptop, your pad of paper, your outlines, and an insatiable urge to write, and let’s kick off NaNoWriMo with a bang.

Another marathon training update

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I ran ten miles today in 1:33:40, slightly over my goal time. I actually felt pretty good, except that I was really, really thirsty for the last two miles or so. I went out on a limb yesterday at the Claremont VIllage Venture street fair and purchased four packets of energy gel, two from Gu and the other from (I think) HammerEnergy. The book Marathon Training for Dummies quasi-recommended energy gels, and I figured that after feeling totally burnt out last week, I’d give it a try this week. Since there may be others interested in these products, I’ll describe them in detail. The one I took today was Gu Strawberry Banana. It actually tasted pretty good, and the consistency was palatable. I’d say it was only slightly more viscous and sticky than yogurt, although after riding in my pocket for 45 minutes, it was unpleasantly warm. I wasn’t able to just choke it all down at once, as the makers recommend, but over the course of a few minutes, it gave my mind something to do, relieving the monotony of running. I couldn’t say that I got a burst of energy, although I did feel more energetic almost immediately. The fact that I ran faster almost as soon as I swallowed it leads me to believe that this was more of a placebo effect than anything else. I kept an eye on my watch, and after five and then ten minutes, I still had not gotten the expected burst of energy. However, by the end of the run I felt a little more upbeat than after running nine miles last week, which could be a result of the gel. It should be noted that the one I got was caffeine free, since caffeine usually has an adverse effect on my energy stores. I’m going to try a chocolate one next week during my eleven mile long run, so we’ll see if that has a noticeable difference. In conclusion, I liked the product because it tasted all right, it had a placebo effect on my for a while, and it gave me something to do for a few minutes midway through my run. As for its purported ability to increase your energy, I still have no idea if it worked or not.