Due to the inner ear virus I have, from all evidence, contracted out of the blue, my original ROW80 goals were shot in the proverbial arse. I spent most of the 11th through the 14th in bed or on the sofa, fighting off vertigo and trying not to make sudden movements, and utterly unable to hear anything in my left ear. Still have only a VERY ANNOYING BUZZ in that ear.

This last week has been spent trying to balance my highs and lows: doc gave me a corticosteroid, Prednisone, which apparently makes you zip along all the livelong day…at the end of which is a deep chasm of utter exhaustion you can’t see until you hurtle into it, usually half an hour before you’re off work.

So no real work done on my goals. After triage, I realized there’s no saving this patient except through reconstructive surgery. So instead of trying to “catch up” and get back on track with the original goals, I am revamping them. I am reveling in the flexibility of this writing challenge.

Here are the new goals. I’m having to scale back a little due to a new business venture and my recovery from my illness, which has–much to my chagrin–effectively kicked my ass.

New Goals:

• Now through February 15, 2011: Finish character summaries and novel blueprint
• February 16 through March 24: 11,000 words (500 words a day, 4 days a week) & any accompanying research.