Do You Remember 2022 November?

I totally forgot I did my own version of NaNo last year. WriSoMoNo, write some more now. 

I had been looking at my on this day feed from years past and could see the build up of NaNoWriMo the three years I did it and then nothing recently and feeling pretty good that I fought that itch. 

But apparently I didn't. And just last year I did a version of it. Now, it was mine and I cut the word count in half and I only set a goal of 6 fiction pieces out of that word count so it wouldn't even be a sweat to finish but still...

Totally forgot. 

I read the rules I set for myself today and then I read the last blog of the month where I did the 2600 words or so that I was short in my no sweat at all to get that many words in a month month. 

And I did it. (Because I'm me) I wrote exactly that number of words. And I can see that I kept a pretty decent pace at the beginning of the month. Then things sort of fell apart. I had a massive sciatica attack that kept me from sleeping and being able to sit. Both things kind of hinder thinking and writing. Brent got Covid so I spent some time worrying about that. Katie came for Thanksgiving but it was the first year where you could tell she really would have rather not been here with us. At least not totally. Her chosen family is in Bend. And even though she didn't have a break from her born into family, there is still a longing to be with your chosen family at the holidays. This year all of them are coming here. Should be interesting.

And then Kevin died and from that moment on it was hard to think about anything else but that. 

Apparently so hard that I completely wiped the whole WriSoMoNo experience from my memory. 

I mean, that's the charitable interpretation. That it was grief. But honestly it was probably just age. It's crazy to me how much I forget and how quickly I forget it now. Teflon in the brain. Things slide in and right back out again. 

Why did I walk into this room? 

What was that brilliant idea I had while I was walking on the treadmill?

What was it that I REALLY needed from the store again?

It's always been that way with the fiction I write. Which is so weird. But I write quickly. The words rush out, I write them down. If I'm feeling sassy I proofread it once or maybe even twice, but not always (obviously to most of you) and I post. BOOM done. Which leads to me reading pieces I've written and surprising myself by how it turns out. 

Now it's the nonfiction as well. 

Lots of studies about how it will balance back out after I'm completely through the menopause transition. But by balance back out I'm not sure if they mean I will stop forgetting things at such a rapid pace or if I will stay at this level of forgetfulness forever. I'm pretty sure one of the studies I read said which one but...yeah...I don't remember.

But it did surprise me to see that I had done a NaNo version last year that I had zero memory of doing. 

Wouldn't it be nice if we could choose the things that vacate our brains so quickly? I mean there are things I remember from years and years ago that have no value in my life today. But that thing that I REALLY needed to pick up from the grocery store? That would be good to know. 

I guess the real bonus is that I can now rewrite every blog topic I've ever written and think they are new. And since more than a few of you are close to my age there is a group that will think they are new as well. The rest of you can just sit back and think...oh Nana is wandering again...

So if you'll excuse me I'm going to go stare at the pantry for a bit and try to figure out what that thing is. I mean, I know there is something...would like to remember what it is before I go to the grocery store this week. Again.