I find that when I give myself a ridiculous but quantifiable task such as, say, drafting a 50,000 word novel in thirty days, it helps to have some kind of visual aid that allows me to keep track of how far I’ve come and how far I have to go.  By breaking it down into small enough steps, I can also use it to prod the spot in my brain that takes pleasure in a sense of progress.

I came up with a tracking sheet for NaNoWriMo that allows me to cross off a box for every twenty-five words I add to my wordcount.  I batted around the idea of putting together a sheet that would allow me to mark each one of my ten thousand flowers, but I calculated that it would require a 100 by 100 grid, and I wasn’t sure how to put one together without driving myself mad.  I wanted it to be small enough that I could paste it on the back of the bit of cardboard I carry to bear down on when I take my art supplies with me and go to make flowers outside of my home.  One millimeter squares would do the job, but how on earth to draw them?

Answer: find a website that can calculate and draw a grid to just such a set of specifications.  Print out the resultant PDF.  Fill in the squares completed so far.  Victory!

66 down, 9,934 to go . . .

Now each time I complete a flower, I add a single dot to the grid and over time I hope to fill the thing completely with color.

And, yes, you’re right.  I do have a lot of work left to be done.

Click this link if you would like one of my ten thousand flowers.