My AdAstra Schedule... Wait. What?

So it seems I'm going to be on a few panels at this years AdAstra convention. How did this happen you might ask? I responded to a twitter comment from @AdAstraSociety thinking I was saying I'd love to attend a panel about Apple products and such when what I was actually saying was that I'd like to be a part of said panel. Yay for miscommunication! (Entirely my fault by the way.)

Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound as the saying goes. After signing up for one panel the lovely convention people sent me a list of others and asked if I'd like to be on a few additional, and being the glutton for punishment I am I found some that I thought I could contribute to. Here's the list:

• Introversion Is Not A Bad Word - Friday 7:00PM - Floor 2 Salon 3
•  Does society reward extroverts? Do we marginalize introverts?
  Too often, introverts carry the negative label "anti-social" while
  extroverts are labeled with the positive "people person." With
  the SF community dominated by introverts, it's time to talk
  about the difference between "shy," "anti-social" and ""; the
  positive aspects of , and what we introverts can do to be better
  understood by our extroverted friends and colleagues who
  insist on pulling us out of our shell.
  
• Criticism and Critique in the 21st Century - Saturday 11:00AM - Floor 2 Salon 4
• Developments in social media and web 2.0 technology
  continue to blur the line between amateur and professional
  critics. As North American colleges and universities produce
  record numbers of graduates, the media consuming public is
  transforming itself into something that feels it ought to be
  included in larger critical conversations. The purpose of this
  panel would be to explore how professionals and amateurs
  work together to evaluate genre media,

• All About Apple... Love or Hate - Saturday 2:00PM - Arctic 
•  Flawless design or Flawless marketing?

• The Future is Fascist: The Military Command Structure As The Preferred Form of Organization in SF - Sunday 10:00AM - Melville Room
• While a hierarchical rank system may be the best form of
  organization for military spacecraft, it is not the way we
  organize everything in society. Why is this structure so
  prevalent within SF as the way to run, not just military units, but
  cities and whole societies? Is SF anti-democratic?

• Lost Girl - Sunday 12:00PM - Arctic
• As this show grows in popularity what does it mean for the
  future of Lost Girl? Now an international sensation, what
  makes this show a success?

And yes, I do find it very amusing that the first panel I'm going to be on is about introversion. The introvert part of my brain is currently screaming at me "What the hell are we doing!!!" but I'm currently drowning him out with positive thoughts of how much fun this is going to be.

The Importance of Having a Schedule

Arrrgh!! (Sound of a head getting thumped on a desk)

Ok, sorry, had to get that off my chest. Right now I'm annoyed with myself, and rightly so. You see, I had an entire long weekend with which to write, except for my regular kendo class on Saturday and dinner with my parents on Sunday, and I was looking forward to getting a lot done. Guess what actually happened?

So far, not much. Arrgh!

Truth is, this weekend has sucked for me for getting writing done. Sucked as in I keep getting sucked into things other than writing. Of course Space has to be running a marathon of the new Doctor Who specials. I've never been a huge fan, mostly because I was always busy doing something when the show was on, but the Doctor is addictive and I have enjoyed Matt Smith as the new Doctor. Yes, I did see the first episode of the new season and did enjoy it. Sigh, now I'm probably going to be watching it. Thank goodness I don't have HBO otherwise I'd be watching Game of Thrones as well.

So instead of writing that last two days I've been watching TV. This is why it's important for me to have a schedule and keep to it, so that these temptations are easier to resist. Every night, from about 6-8PM, or 9PM depending upon the night, I'm writing. A solid two hour block dedicated to just that one activity, no exceptions. That's how I was able to write 50,000 words in just over two months. That's how I'll continue on writing and honing my skills.

At least today I was able to pull myself away from the TV and get something done. I'm over halfway through the revisions of my first novel, and I just completed one of the largest chapters. I'll have to work extra hard tomorrow to make up for all the goofing off I've done so far this weekend.