I hate playing catch up. While there is satisfaction in coming from behind, it doesn't match the satisfaction of retaining the lead. The end result is the same in both cases, but the paths are very different. The former is the path of anxiety; the latter is the path of relief.

Today is the eleventh day of NaNoWriMo. Of those eleven days, four have been writing days. I fear I'm setting myself up for a Hail Mary effort that may never materialize. Do I really have an 8,000-word day in me like I did four years ago? Or do I have four 3,000-word days in me? I've never done that before. I may still never do it.

The last thing I want is a situation similar to what the Indianapolis Colts faced tonight against the San Diego Chargers. After being down by 23 points, the Colts came back to within 2 points of the Chargers. With less than two minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, Indianapolis got itself into field goal range. All they needed was a 29-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri. When he kicked the football high and wide to the right, they lost the game. It was a horrible way to lose.

If I want any chance of continuing this comeback and avoiding the same fate as the Colts, I need a good writing day tomorrow. The sooner I can get back on pace or even ahead of the pace, the better I will feel and the better my chances will be of success.