Wednesday, November 7, 2012

IWSG and the Resurrection Blogfest


It's the first Wednesday of the month and that means it's time for another meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh

This month's insecurity topic is an easy one for me, as I'm totally insecure about finishing my NaNoWriMo project now that I've started it! I planned to really amp up my word count over the past weekend but unfortunately I didn't even come close to my goal. While I'm ashamed to say it, I actually wasted several hours on Sunday afternoon watching the always pathetic Cincinnati Bengals. What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment. 

I'm now doing my best to stay on track with my goals for this week and continue churning out the words and pages of my novel. So far I'm really glad I signed up for NaNo as it has been motivating for me, but I can't deny I'm also kind of frazzled by the whole thing. 50,000 words seems a LONG way off! 




Today is also the day of the Resurrection Blogfest, hosted by Mina Lobo to celebrate her first anniversary of blogging. Congratulations to Mina!

To participate in the fest, all we had to do was "resurrect" a post from our first year of blogging. The post I decided to share is just one that makes me laugh because, to my continued surprise, it has consistently been the most popular post on my blog ever since I first wrote it. I never would have imagined how many people search google for "Sesame Street Vampire," "Counting Vampire," and "Vampire Von Count." But now I know. 

I'm also sharing it because I still love Count Von Count, and I never tire of his counting. :D And because it's a reminder of how much I enjoyed participating in the A-Z in April Challenge in both 2011 and 2012.  I encourage everyone who is interested to give the 2013 challenge a try. You won't regret it!

And so here it is, the post I came up with in April, 2011 when I was totally desperate for a "V" word. 

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V is for Von Count

I was originally going to use vampires for my V post, as I love vampire characters and stories. But then I really couldn't think of much to write beyond the fact that I love vampire characters and stories. So, I decided to write about the first vampire character I ever loved, Count Von Count.




The Count rocks, and I still totally love him. I found this clip on youtube, and I love how he enters the scene with his cape half over his face. I also love the crazy laughter, and the lightning and thunder.




I read that in later years The Count was toned down and made friendlier, over concerns that children were frightened of him. I don't know if that's true as I wouldn't have still been watching Sesame Street then, but if so it seems kind of a shame to me. Maybe I was a weird kid, but I was never frightened of The Count. I thought he was awesome.

It's kind of funny though, as I have mild OCD and can be compulsive about counting. It's nothing debilitating, but it's just something I've always done, counting things like steps and tiles, etc. When I watch The Count now I can't help but feel like the poor guy has a really bad case of OCD, and that's why he can't stop counting. Regardless, I've no doubt he helped generations of kids learn about numbers, and how to count.

I'd like to write my own vampire story someday, and have been kicking ideas around in my head. I don't know if it's possible, but I hope I can find a way to work in some sort of homage to my first vampire love, Count Von Count.

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Thanks as always to Alex for hosting our monthly insecurity meeting and congratulations again to Mina on her first blogoversary! And to my NaNo friends, how are you all doing? I hope you are maintaining your sanity while also meeting your goals. :)

51 comments:

  1. Just keep plugging away. Even if you miss the count, you'll still be further along than if you didn't try. Besides, what is it they say about eating an elephant? (I know - who really wants to eat an elephant?)

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  2. Don't think of it as 50,000 words - think of as 1600+ words a day. Or break it down more. But that's as far as I go with my math skills. :)

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  3. After a slow NaNo start, I'm getting more and more words down each day, still not up to the daily target but hopefully I'll get there soon :-)

    Good luck with it.

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  4. Hey, I watched that Cincinnati-DENVER game too. :PPP

    And I can't even imagine writing 50k in a month, not novel writing anyway. I tip my hat to anyone who can do that.

    Also, I tagged you on the blog today. :)

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  5. @Alex, LOL, I've always wondered who came up with that elephant quote LOL. But it's a good way to look at it, thanks!

    @Madeline, you're already beyond my math skills LOL. Thanks!

    @Annalisa, good luck to you as well, glad you're moving along with your project.

    @LG, LOL, I thought of you watching that game. I actually like Peyton Manning and totally expected the clueless Bengals to lose so I wasn't even upset. They are so pathetic you'd have to be a masochist to be invested in them at this point! Thanks for the tag, I'll be over soon! :)

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  6. I hear you, boy do I hear you. I just wrote in my blog today about one, little bite at a time. It's how I have to focus to stay, well, focused.

    By the way, love the count. ;)

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  7. I spend several hours every Sunday watching football. Even when my team has a bye week. It's never a waste.

    I am the same worry about my NaNo project and today, I seem to have hit a wall. Inevitable, I know, but still worrisome. But I'll just look for some small place to expand what's there and the rest will fall into place. I think.

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  8. It really is so easy to get overwhelmed when you think about all that you have to do. I love that elephant eating story, too. :)

    And I was a huge fan of the Count. What a great character. He fit right in with my love of The Munsterss and The Addams Family.

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  9. I certainly know a thing or 2 (more like a million) about OCD! I never thought of that with the Count! LOL. I always thought he was so funny that he never scared me!

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  10. @Julie, I totally agreed with your blog post, I'm trying that too. Good luck!

    @MJ, I love both college football and the NFL so I know what you mean. The Bengals just kill me though. Good luck with your project, I know it will fall into place for you!

    @Melissa, yeah, I love creepy characters like that too. The Count was one of my faves for sure.

    @Lisa, I never thought of it before either but I do think the poor Count has total OCD! I never thought he was scary either, that's crazy to me.

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  11. Just keep going with NaNo. Whatever words you accumulate will be more than you had when you began. Count them! Pardon the pun. I'm a bad blogger today :)

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  12. You can do it! I know you can :)

    And the scary count was my daughter's favorite character ever.

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  13. Oops, 'scuse me. That should have read 'Von Count them'.

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  14. @Carol, LOL, thanks! I love the pun. :)

    @Johanna, thanks, I appreciate it! And your daughter has good taste LOL.

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  15. The numbers do kinda sit on your chest don't they. 50,000 wrds in a month. When I do NaNo I just think of the writing and not the word count so much. Sitting down is the hard part but after that I write and write knowing whatever I write may be crap but the words are adding up.

    And the Count rocks!!!! Him and Oscar were favorites for me. AND I think he may be a bit smarter than some of the Vampires I have met later in life.

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  16. I think it's important to move in small increments. Like you're doing, 1600+ words a day. Doesn't sound near as bad as 50K.

    Nice to meet you, Julie. I'm a new follower, #192 on Alex's list.

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  17. NaNo is definitely for the brave. I applaud your writing focus. Also, I love The Count. He makes me smile!

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  18. Just keep writing, even if you miss the word count for the day or the week. It's worth it to get the ideas on the page. And your "Count" post is really cute!

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  19. Good luck with the nano. RAH! RAH! and all that jazz. I give you a lot of credit for even trying it. Hey, watching football isn't a waste of time, especially if you watch like we do ... have a shooter of apple liqueur every time the Falcons score. (Eight and 0, baby!)

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  20. @Nicole, I loved Oscar too! Good idea about the word count, I know sometimes I get too focused on that.

    @Joylene, oh, that's a good point. And thanks for coming by, it's great to meet you!

    @Brinda, thanks! Count always makes me smile too. :)

    @Tyrean, thank you!

    @Susan, oh, you guys must really be enjoying this football season! I will think of you and your shooters next time I watch a game LOL. If I tried that for the Bengals I'd still be totally sober at the end LOL.

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  21. Oh, Nano.*sigh* I am stuck on 4300 words as well. I really hope to catch up soon. I echo Alex's comments. GOod luck, Julie. Oh, I'm off to search for you in Nano,,maybe we can motivate each other. :)

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  22. @Cecilia, oh, that sounds good! I will look for you on there too. Good luck! :)

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  23. Keep writing! You're doing great with NaNo so far. :)

    And I love your Von Count post! I always like the Count too.

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  24. One of my kids had nightmares about the count for years.

    Ugh, the Bengals. I think they did well for a couple of years when I was a kid.

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  25. The secret is not to count von count the words after every sentence!! lol Keep on keeping on Julie :)

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  26. We all go at our own pace. I get annoyed with myself for slowness very often. But I'd rather go slower and have a cleaner first draft that needs less fixing than a lot of words that are a total mess. But, as I said, we all work differently, and playing to your strengths and what works best for you, is best for you. :)

    The count was cute. But I was older when Sesame Street came out. But I often watched with my younger sister and brother.

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  27. We all write at a different pace, so don't stress it. You can catch up! :) Refill that cup of coffee and write. :) Good luck!

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  28. Von Count was so cute! I don't know how I missed this the first time, but I'm glad you resurrected it! I have faith that you will do a great job with NaNo as you always put your all into everything! Thanks again for your generous comment! You really are a wonderful person! Julie

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  29. The Count is classic! Best of luck with NaNo. It freaks me out just thinking about it. I'd like to give it a try one year, but I need to learn to write faster if I want to keep up and pass the finish line. Happy ISWG Wednesday!

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  30. I personally think it was good you took time out to watch the game. There will be some days you will just pound away at that keyboard, and other days where it won't happen at all, and that is okay, at least in my opinion.

    I always loved the count! Then again, I am a big horror fan even now...

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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  31. @Cherie, thanks! :)

    @Tonja, oh no, I'm sorry your little one was scared of the Count. I guess I was just a vampire nut even as a kid LOL.

    @Carolyn, LOL, thank!

    @Mary, good advice, thanks!

    @Krista, thanks for the good luck wishes!

    @Julie, thanks! You're so sweet, and you're very welcome for my comment, I meant every word. :)

    @Michael, thank you! It kind of freaks me out too even though I am doing it LOL.

    @Shannon, yeah, that's a good point. I need to stop beating myself up for it, I can't write every second without going nuts.

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  32. what a fun hop! love the count!

    and all it takes to catch up is one really good day! no sweat! you got this!

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  33. As a long-suffering Lions fan, I can totally understand why you'd want watch a bad football team -- makes perfect sense to me. If I were to do a Count Von Count counting episode of all the Super Bowls they've been to in my 50+ years of existence, it would be like:

    "Um, none! Zero! Null-set! Mwah-ha-ha!"

    Great resurrected post and I wish you tremendous success on your NaNoWriMo goals!

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  34. @Tara, thanks for the encouragement, I hope so! :)

    @Chris, LOL, I feel your football pain. The Count wouldn't get too far with the Bengals SB appearances either. Thanks for your good wishes! :)

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  35. YOu can do it, Julie! I'm sure you're going to rock this Nano! And i love the count:D
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  36. I commend you for signing up for NaNo. It is grueling and you should feel proud of yourself just for giving it your all, whether or not you are able to finish the whole novel. Still, I know it is in you. Go for it!

    And I truly looove Count Von Count, he's awesome! My kids still like to watch him, and Elmo, of course. So that's my guilty pleasure, sit and watch Sesame Street with them =). Now you know

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  37. @Gina, that sounds like a fun guilty pleasure. I admit I still love all the Muppets. :)

    Thanks so much for your encouraging words!

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  38. Hey, Julie,
    I stayed away from NaNo this year. I'm trying not to write anything new. Hope your word count inches up and that you'll get caught up.

    Like you, I love the Count! He's one of my favourite characters from Sesame Street.

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  39. I, too, heart Count Von Count! Amusingly, in some meme-based post where I had to list stuff about myself, I also mentioned that I count steps and referenced the Count! He did this song, "Eight Beautiful Notes" that I just adore, to this day - know it?

    Thanks for participating in my blogfest!
    Some Dark Romantic

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  40. @Mina, oh no, I don't know that song! Now I have to look it up haha. Thanks for hosting this fest, it's been fun. :)

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  41. @JL, I'm sorry I missed your comment earlier! Thanks for the good wishes, I'm hoping to get my word count up this weekend. Fingers crossed!

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  42. @Julie: My pleasure! Here's a link to the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbbd-9Pv9ZU

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  43. Fifty thousand words does seem like a lot, especially in the beginning. Hang in there, Julie!

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  44. @Mina, thanks for the link!

    @Emily, thanks, I think I'll be able to catch up this weekend.

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  45. I'm pretty behind on NaNo too, but that's okay. As long as I'm getting words on the page, I'm doing good. :)

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  46. @Shallee, good luck with your NaNo project!

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  47. Hi Julie .. I hadn't seen Count Von - loved the clip ...

    Good luck with your writing now the weekend is here ..

    But I think a story about vampires sounds fun ... cheers Hilary

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  48. @Hilary, thanks! I'm hoping to get a lot of writing done this weekend, fingers crossed. And I always think vampire stories are fun too. :D

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  49. Hi, I hopped over from Bards... glad I did. The counting thing is something we probably all have at least a tiny bit of--lucky numbers and such. Following you now.
    Cheers, Catherine

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  50. @Catherine, oh, thanks for coming by, it's great to meet you. Bards is one of my favorite blogs. :)

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