Parlez-Vous Francais? and #ROW80

I have a CD called Opera’s Greatest Moments. My music tastes range from that to Brad Paisley to Rush to Doris Day. Go figure.
Anyway, I would love to see the opera Carmen written by Georges Bizet. I adore the “Habanera” aria from the opera and sing with it at the top of my lungs in the car. Okay, I don’t actually sing because I don’t know the lyrics. They’re in French! I do know the word “L’amour” so when I reach that section, I belt it out like a Viking-helmeted soprano. Then when the other lyrics start, I mumble and hum.
Point being: I wish I knew French. I took one year of French in high school and all I still remember is “Je suis Americaine” and “la lumiere” (although that latter one I might have picked up from The Beauty and the Beast). I did also learn a little from Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade.” But I sure as heck can’t do this:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/jGFUKsv1epk&w=400]
Forget the amazing singing, I don’t know French. In fact, I’m still mastering the English language — trying to find all the right words to pen a young adult novel that readers will scramble to read in the near future.
Let’s see how I’m doing with that goal and others. Thankfully, I’m not mumbling and humming on my ROW80 this week!

• Finish editing Grace & Fire mystery novel and send to reader. Finished January 19.
• Write 2,500 1,500 words per week on young adult novel, Sharing Hunter.  1,682 on Monday, 902 on Tuesday, 2,546 on Wednesday, for a grand total of — drumroll, please — 5,130!
• Blog twice a week on Amaze-ing Words Wednesday and Deep-Fried Friday, and check-in with ROW80 updates twice a week. Posted Me, in One Word Only and ROW80 on Sunday and The Fun Encyclopedia: Alphabet Game today.
• Comment on at least 10 15 blogs per week (not counting ROW80 update comments). I have commented on 10 so far. I’m happy to say that I’ve been reading posts outside of my usual fare. There is some great stuff in the blogosphere!
• Read one writing craft book. Finished On Writing by Stephen King. For those asking what I thought of On Writing, I didn’t get as much out of it as others have. Check out Lesann Berry’s post in which she invites you to share you favorite writing craft book.
• Read five eight fiction books. I have read 10 fiction books during this round, having just completed Matilda by Roald Dahl. I chose this one as part of my At-Least-3 Reading Challenge for 2012.
• Exercise three times per week. Walk one mile three times per week. I walked 1.7 miles on Tuesday.
• Read through Writer’s Digest magazine issue. Finished.

Added goals for this week:

• Research agents and select top choices for pitch session at the DFW Writers’ Conference. I did one pass through the list and eliminated those who definitely don’t match up. I still have plenty of research to do.
• Write and enter a scene for Jenny Hansen’s More Cowbell Dirty Fighting Extravaganza. Wrote a draft.

We’re close to the end of the round so keep cheering on my fellow ROW80ers HERE. How is it going for you? Are you singing the ROW80 aria with gusto?