November 1 is, for a lot of people, the start of National Novel Writing Month – those 30 days of insanity in which dedicated individuals try to write a 50,000 word novel. I’ve attempted it twice, and while I find it an inspiring idea, finding time to write 1667 words a day – every day – for a month has been just about impossible. Something always gets in the way, like work. Or leaving the house. Or, you know, talking to my spouse.

This November it seems everywhere I go, someone’s having a challenge. The yoga studio I recently joined has a “30 days of yoga” challenge – they invite you to attend 25 classes  in the month of November. The prize is a six-month membership (and, likely, a fabulous new body). This challenge intrigues me. If we were all settled with the renovations, I’d consider it.

There’s also BloPoWriMo – Blog Post Writing Month. Same deal – a post a day for the month of November. I’m sure that one is doable, and once tried thirty posts in thirty days. It was fun.

Someone else I know (male, thankfully) is signing up for a beard-growing challenge this month. I guess at least you can do that one in conjunction with something else, unless fatigue from blog writing, novel writing, or constant yoga hampers the growth of facial hair.

I wonder what it is about November, specifically, that makes people throw down the gauntlet? You’d think January would be a popular month, with its post-Christmas let-down and complete lack of interesting holidays. Maybe it’s because by November, you start to realize the year really is almost over, so you’d better get off your ass and finish something, now, before the whole thing is a waste.

For the record, my attempt at this year’s NaNo is suitably half-assed, but I have a good reason. I’m finishing up the novel I started two years ago. If I can finish that, I figure a 30-day yoga challenge will be a piece of cake.