Sunday, November 22, 2009

Sunday, November 22, 2009
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Sunnier and colder

Yesterday WAS a better writing day, and today will be even better, although I’m packing everything up and spending the afternoon at a friend’s. The story’s coming along — not as quickly as I’d like, since it has to go to the printer’s soon, but it’s coming. I lost some of the delicate tone I started with, and I’m trying to get it back. I’m trying to write this story in a specific style which is not natural to me, so it takes a bit more work!

I also didn’t think I’d have to do this much research for a short story, but there you have it — I’m finding out I need all these details!

I did a test run on the gingerbread recipe I want to use for the holidays, and it came out perfectly. It uses a darker molasses than I usually use, and it’s fluffy and moist. I’m going to use it for all the small cakes that are the centerpieces for the cookie plates.

I found a good rolled chocolate cookie recipe in a Food Network magazine. I’m going to be cheesy and cut them out using the moose cookie cutters, for, yes, “chocolate moose.”

I’ve got a variety of rolled sugar cookie recipes I can use — just have to pick one. And my favorite recipe for thumbprint cookies is from a cookbook from the late 50’s-early 60’s.

I’ll do the regular Toll House (I mean, after all, I bought a 4-lb bag of chips), and I’m thinking about doing a lemon shortbread and a lime cookie. I want to find my favorite spice cookie recipe, which I used a few years ago, but I can’t find either the issue of GOURMET it was in OR the photocopy I made of the recipe, which is frustrating. I’m sure I thought I put it in a Very Safe Place.

Went to Michael’s, where I found some lovely little boxes I can use for gift cards, and also some ribbon for the cookie bags (since I’ve lost two boxes of ribbon somewhere in the fray, I have to get more). I’ll have to buy some narrower ribbon for smaller packages, but these ribbons will do for the bags, and they were 50% off! Picked up things like candles and light bulbs and laundry soap.

Read a lot. Skimmed through Frances Hodgeson Burnett’s A LITTLE PRINCESS to look at it from a stylistic point of view, instead of a story point of view. Also read Nancy Atherton’s AUNT DIMITY: VAMPIRE HUNTER — a pleasant read, and not at all what I expected. From the notes, I guess she’s written a dozen books in the series — unique take on guidance from beyond the grave, and a comment on self-created conflict that doesn’t really exist outside one’s own head.

I’ve also started re-reading Starhawk’s DREAMING THE DARK, which I picked up at a library sale. I know I have THE SPIRAL DANCE, I’m pretty sure I own TRUTH OR DARE. I know I’ve read DREAMING THE DARK, but I think I borrowed it. Anyway, I was interested in looking at it from a new perspective, having originally read it about 15 years ago. This is the 10th anniversary edition, which means SHE is looking at it from a more experienced perspective as well. It also reinforces what I’ve been saying for nearly a year — the seeds of the a we’re facing now, especially the economic crisis, were sown by the Reagan Administration. The way “They” have tried to re-write history, turning Reagan into some sort of deity, has always angered me. I lived through the Reagan years. I remember what a lousy president he was, and how many people suffered under his regime, while the rich just stacked up more money and got more arrogant. And, when you read back over events that were written as they happened, you can see, “Oh, THAT’s where it started.” It’s interesting.

It’s also interesting, when you try to get a sense of historical perspective even all the way back to Revolutionary times by reading diaries and letters, how little has changed, and how similar people’s worries remain.

Why is everyone fussing to much about last night’s Senate vote? It was to TALK about the bill, it wasn’t a vote on the bill. Don’t waste my time yammering until there’s something to yammer about.

I found movers — local guys in business for 30 years, offered me a fair price for the 3rd of December. So we’re booked and settled. What a relief. The holiday decorations will come out a week or so late this year, after the furniture swap is done, but at least I’ll have ROOM to put them up, instead of a couch frame standing on its side in the living room and boxes of books stacked up while I wait for the two bookcases to come in, and clothes stacked in suitcases because I need the bureau to come in.

Prepping for the swap (as in getting the stuff I’ve stacked on the bunk-beds stacked elsewhere so we can get to them to move them) will be a royal pain, but once the swap is done, the apartment will feel much lighter, and we can start to truly enjoy the season.

Back to the page for a few hours’ writing before I head off to my friend’s place. Happy Sunday, all!

Devon

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Saturday, November 21, 2009
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and mild

I went to check Angie’s List to try to find a man-with-a-van. You have to pay to join. I don’t think so. I’ll keep hunting on my own.

By the way, Lori, the people running the leafblowers at 5:10 in the morning belonged to the Department of Public Works. Yeah, the city’s own employees completely disregard the city code. Of course what they were doing is illegal. But they don’t give a damn.

Yesterday was frustrating. I lost the thread of the Christmas story, and I’m having trouble getting it back. It’s been better this morning. I’m almost back, but I need to sort out more plot.

Ran errands, went to Costco to stock up on a bunch of stuff, went to Party City to stock up on plates and cookie bags — last year I waited too long and they were out. I’m trying some different cat food because I think Elsa has an allergy, and I’m wondering if it’s food-related, so I went to Pet Smart and bought a can of several different brands. This morning’s, called “by nature” was not a hit. Picked up a few things at the grocery store to get me through the next few days until I leave for Maine.

Started figuring out what I’m baking and who gets cookie plates this year.

Did some research for the Christmas story, took care of some unpleasant correspondence, searched for another man-with-van, sent out a few more requests for a quote. I guess we must be out of the recession, since so many of these places can’t even be bothered to give me a quote. They must not need the work. My great movers from July seem to have vanished.

Started reading AS Byatt’s THE CHILDREN’S BOOK. Not at all what I expected, and I have to shove away my expectations in order to properly appreciate it.

The cats woke me up at 4 and I said, “No way” and went back to sleep, which, of course, meant I overslept until 7 and had a slow start getting back to the page.

Writing today and more errands. It feels like I’ll have a better day at the page, which is a good thing. I’m behind, and allowing myself to get overwhelmed by the forest instead of dealing with the individual trees. i have to up my quantity and improve my quality simultaneously. Since I don’t have a day job to fall back on, it pretty much doesn’t matter whether I “feel” like writing or not, or whether the Muse smacks me upside the head, or whether or not life is getting in the way. The writing has to get done.

Devon

Friday, November 20, 2009

Violet and Elsa

Friday, November 20, 2009
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Rainy and cool

Woken up by a leaf blower at 5:10 in the morning. Not amused. Will file a complaint with City Hall.

I was a guest about the topic of Finding Time to Write here on Wednesday — check it out and leave a comment!

Yesterday’s trip back was okay. Up early, got some work done in the hotel, back to the great cafe for a huge breakfast — totally in love with their Western omlettes, and the corned beef hash was pretty darned good. Read the paper and got some more work done. I LOVE the print edition of the WASHINGTON POST. Some of the best writing out there. They’re one of the few papers who print multiple facets of a story in an article, rather than only showcasing a single point of view.

Washington, DC style has evolved a lot in the past few years. Everyone looks really GOOD. The women all wear flats, but they’re gorgeous flats. The clothes are simple, chic, tailored for both men and women. They all wear clothes that actually fit, instead of stuffing themselves into sizes that are too small. They don’t carry anywhere near as much as New Yorkers do — Washingtonians maybe have one bag, whereas New Yorkers usually have three. I wonder if it’s because Washingtonians have shorter commutes?

Once I got the Metro sorted, it was pretty good. I finally went to the Metro Center Sales office on Tuesday morning, explained what I needed to do and asked for the best type of ticket. They sold it to me then and there, and I had a ticket that I used the whole trip, as often and at any time I wanted, and I even have some money left on it for the next trip.

The Metro runs well and is comfortable. I still prefer the metros in Prague and Montreal, but this one’s pretty darned good, too.

I sent an email to NY’s MTA while I was in DC, with a return-trip question, and got an email stating it takes 15 days to respond to email. You’ve got to be kidding!

I stopped at a sandwich place on the way to the bus stop to pick up lunch. They were still serving only breakfast at 10 AM and started arguing with me, saying I should order an egg sandwich. I explained that: A) I didn’t WANT an egg sandwich, and B) that’s not something I could have with me for hours on the bus. And they kept arguing. So I walked out. I’m not going to give you money for something I DON’T WANT.

We got to the Megabus station early and managed to get on the 10:30 bus instead of the 11:30.

I finished NEVER AFTER on the bus back, which was lovely and charming, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.

I also read Juliet Blackwell’s SECONDHAND SPIRITS, which I really loved, too. A paranormal mystery that’s clever and interesting and avoids cliche.

We got into NYC at 3, hopped a cab (cab in the rain, it was definitely my lucky day), and managed to catch the 3:37 out of Grand Central, which meant we were home around 4:30.

The cats were happy to see us (okay, Violet wouldn’t speak to me for hours, but the other two were happy) and everything was fine. Sorted the mail, ate a little supper, unpacked, because there’s almost instant repacking to do.

NONE of the man-with-van places I contacted before I left got back to me, so I guess the furniture swap is not happening next week before Thanksgiving. You’d think, in a recession, these guys would be happy for the work. I’ll have to check Angie’s List — that’s supposed to be a good place to find reliable people.

Three boxes of books arrived while I was gone — an astronomy book from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, a box of books about Victorian times from Strand, and a box of assorted cooking, pirate, knitting, photo books, et al from Edward R. Hamilton. My next round of research is set.

Back to the page. I have a lot of writing to do, then some stuff to deal with that came in the mail, and some errands to run — I’ve got to get everything sorted for the trip to Maine next week.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Devon

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Interior, Library of Congress

Thursday, November 19, 2009
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde

I’m on the road all day, headed back to NY. I’ve got a post up on Kemmryk about loss, since this is the first anniversary of my grandmother’s death.

I am so sore that I’m almost looking forward to the long bus trip back home!

Hit the ground running early — breakfast at the same great cafe as yesterday. Again, here are the highlights — I’ll be doing some essays to go into more detail in a few days:

Ford’s Theatre — where Abraham Lincoln was shot. Didn’t go in — too many noisy kids. Loved the real gas lights outside. The Petersen House — where Lincoln died — was closed today because it’s getting re-roofed.

Library of Congress — I had no idea that it’s just about the most beautiful building in America. And Jefferson’s “starter collection” library practically made me weep with joy — especially since he read novels as well as Aristotle!

Supreme Court — they were busy and working and tons of security.

Folger Shakespeare Library — lovely, unusual exhibition on the way Elizabethans imagined China.

US Botanic Garden — can you imagine, there are roses still in bloom outside in mid-November?

Museum of the American Indian — stunning and amazing and fascinating and wonderful and somewhat sad. I found some wonderful books and also joined the Smithsonian Institute as a member. It’s worth it — there’s no admission in any of the museums, and I’ve gotten far more out of them than membership cost.

National Gallery of Art — lovely galleries, one of the worst meals in recent memory.

Visits with politicos — very quick and friendly; Capitol HIll was VERY busy today. Good. That’s why we pay ‘em. Unfortunately, I think I’ve developed an allergy to politicians — I start sneezing around them.

Hirschorn Museum — I ducked in to see the Anne Truitt exhibit because I love her TURN so much. And found a book I really, really needed in the store.

“The Castle” — the original Smithsonian building — absolutely gorgeous.

Hit the Macy’s sale on the way back, since the sale was about 75% off. No skirts. Too hot. I lasted 12 minutes, and remembered why I hate shopping in department stores so much, and, until the recent skirt kerflamma, I hadn’t been in a department store other than Target in years.

Back to the hotel, really sore and hurting. Downed a couple of Advil, read the paper (I LOVE the print version of the WASHINGTON POST), and went to a local Italian place for dinner, which was excellent, although I’m not sure why they were playing Spanish guitar music in an Italian restaurant.

Back to the hotel, soaked (this time in bath salts). Tried to figure out how I wound up with so many books to haul back — I thought I was SO careful. Thank goodness I made them ship up all those government reports.

Packed, typed up notes, worked on some writing.

Tomorrow, I have to hit the ground running yet again in preparation for Maine next week and getting the Christmas story finished so it can get out to the printer.

Devon

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde

Still in DC. But I’ve got a post up on The Scruffy Dog Review blog about Nano and Real Life, so go check it out.

I’m also a guest over on Penny Ehrenkranz’s blog, where I talk about organizing writing time.

Enjoy!

I am REALLY angry about the “new guidelines” saying we shouldn’t get mammograms until 50. Yet another way for insurance companies to deny women coverage, as if women’s health care isn’t shunted to the side enough. It’s bad enough that some companies consider being a woman a “pre-existing condition.” This is absolutely unacceptable.

Now, to yesterday — well, let’s just say I did far too much to write it all out tonight. I took well over 200 photos.

Here are some highlights:

Arlington National Cemetery — amazing, astonishing, heartbreaking. 29 funerals scheduled for yesterday. We witnessed 6, without intending so to do. Ideas for stories.

Washington Monument — wow, it’s really tall!

World War II Memorial — gorgeous architecture

Reflecting Pool — so many leaves in it that it couldn’t reflect.

Lincoln Monument — Abe looked tired and kind. Met a lovely woman from Australia.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial — as emotional as the first time I visited.

Women in Vietnam Memorial — I helped raise money and signatures for this, but had never seen it complete and in place. Very emotional.

Who knew there was a huge duck pond?

Meetings for confidential Job #3 — fascinating, rushed, made them ship the massive amounts of reports and paperwork so I don’t have to drag it around. I’d have had to purchase another suitcase.

The Smithsonian: National Museum of National HIstory. So much to see. I didn’t expect Julia Child’s kitchen to have so much STUFF. And I found so many inspirations for the steam punk novella . . .

The Smithsonian: The Museum of Natural History. A statue from Easter Island and a mortar and pestle so heavy I could barely lift it.

The Building of Arts and Industries — Fascinating Architecture

The Smithsonian: National Air and Space Museum. I could have lived here for a week. I mean, I got to climb into and poke around on the back-up model of Skylab. SKYLAB!!!!! And see Apollo capsules and what a Tomahawk missile looks like. I am of the generation where all that actually means something.

The White House: hey, Prez! Hope you’re having good talks in China. The house looks really nice.

A quick cocktail in a Very Upscale Hotel that’s just as big a meat market as desperate singles bar. No wonder a Madam was once based there.

Talked into another Happy Hour cocktail (long story, will wind up in fiction) at a more casual DuPont Circle hangout — not much different except the men and women are closer in age.

Fabulous dinner near DuPont Circle — great fish tacos.

I was so sore that I took a good, long soak in the tub.

Devon

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Partly sunny and mild

I’m up early because I went to bed early. I’m trying to find info on how to get the DC metro to actually give you a Day Pass — what it does is eat your money and then spit out a card that’s NOT a day pass. Most logical cities have you choose your option and THEN put in the money, but not DC — they’re going to take your cash and give you whatever. If that’s not a complete analogy of government, I don’t know what is.

The trip down was quite pleasant. No problems getting the train into NYC, got in so early (we took an “earlier” train that was late rather than waiting for a later train that would probably be later), that we walked leisurely, dragging our little suitcases down 5th Avenue and over to Penn. We realized that we packed less for a four day trip than most poor commuters cart in on a daily basis.

Grabbed sandwiches to take on the bus and newspapers. We had a double-decker bus, and I was every bit as excited as any five year old. Yes, we rode on the top level.

For the most part, it was great ride. Across the aisle where an annoying young 20’s couple who alternated between making out, spilling orange juice everywhere, and taling really loudy about how ecologically responsible they are — of course, spouting misinformation and dropping contents out of at least half a dozen plastic grocery bags instead of canvas bags! You know, in the slice-and-dice movies, the arrogant couple that are amongst the first to get chopped up? These two were THAT much of a cliche. It was pretty funny.

Once we hit DC, it was only two blocks to our Metro, and, once the fare card kerflamma was dealt with (for at least yesterday), it was a quick 5-or-so stop ride up the red line to Van Ness. Our hotel is only about 4 blocks from the stop. The neighborhood is really great — UDC Van Ness campus, lots of little stores and restaurants, and, if you head towards downtown, the embassy residences. Quiet, green, feels safe.

The hotel: mixed feelings about it so far. The positive side: Enormous, comfortable beds, Wi-fi. Good desk, good desk chair. Nice shower. Lots of natural light. Heat that works and that I can control (which is more than can be said for home). The towels are decoratively folded (yeah, i know, silly, but a nice touch). The downside: They made us line up in the lobby before “official check in time” started. WTF? The “coffee maker” makes one cup at at time, they only give you the ability to make ONE cup of coffee, and there’s no creamer, which I didn’t know until I tried to make a cup of really bad coffee early this morning. Can you say “cranky”? There are no drapes or blinds — just sheers. There’s heavy fabric along the edges of the window, but it’s for show and doesn’t pull across the window. On top of that, the lights for the well-lit parking lot shine into the room so I can read without putting lights on. Not all the lights in the room have light bulbs in them.

Let’s say I’m having a chat with the desk when I go down. I’ve stayed at this chain a lot, although never at this hotel, and this hotel does not meet the chain’s usual standards.

We walked around late in the afternoon, enjoying the embassy residences — somehow I ended up over by the Czech Republic residence — CZK turns up everywhere in my life lately. There’s some lovely architecture in the neighborhood, and you get the sense that people really live here.

And everybody runs. That’s the big thing here — running. I guess they spend so much of their day sitting that, the minute they get out, they run. I’ve never seen so many runners in the early evening in my life outside of marathon training sessions.

There’s a little cafe down the street, so we’re going there for breakfast, and then heading first to Arlington National Cemetery,then to the monuments on the National Mall, and then to the various Smithsonians. Tomorrow is Library of Congress and Folger, and maybe sticking my head in at Capitol Hill to say “hey”. We left timing loose. (And yes, I have solid enough relationships with those I’d see at the Captiol that they said, “Just stop in whenever you have a minute; we’re always glad to see you.”) I’ve also got a couple of work appointments for Confidential Job #3 that are scattered across the days, but everything’s pretty close together.

I’m going to try to get a little writing done in the next hour or so before we leave.

Enjoy!

Devon

Monday, November 16, 2009

Monday, November 16, 2009
New Moon
Uranus Retrograde
No idea the weather — hoping it’s good.

I headed off to DC before the break of dawn. Will try to blog from there, so keep checking in. Plus, I have links to all sorts of post scheduled throughout the week.

In the meantime, I’ve got a post up on Kemmyrk, called “Tapped on the Shoulder”.

I’m sure many of you will relate.

Yesterday wasn’t as productive as I wanted. The Christmas story isn’t finished, which means I’ll be sitting up late at night in DC hotel rooms working on it.

Errands done – cats have a new water jug, although it was a challenge to find a good one. Nearly came home with a five foot tall kitty condo as well, but I think that’ll be their Yule gift.

No luck with movers, dang it. I’m not confident enough in Craigslist ads to go looking there.

Cat slave, er sitter, and neighbor will both be on the lookout for the shipments of books that should have arrived Saturday and have yet to arrive.

Plan to read NEVER AFTER on the trip down and listen to music on the iPod. I’m trying to pack about three weeks’ worth of work into just a couple of days, and, frankly, the pace doesn’t let up until mid-January. I’m flat out until at least then. It’s all good, I just have to keep my head screwed on straight and be really, really organized so as not to let any of the balls drop. Because too much is at stake to let anything slide.

Devon

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Dark Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and mild

Pretty good weekend. Got a lot done on Friday morning. Went to one site for part of the afternoon, then the site where I stayed overnight. The weather was dreadful.

Had a slow start on Saturday. I’d like to say it was due to the weather. I had “busy” dreams all night, dreams where I was off doing stuff, so I woke up exhausted. It was hard to get the butt in the chair and write. All I really wanted to do was curl up on a big, comfy soft under a quilt with a good book and some hot chocolate.

I got some good work done on some articles that have to be cleared off and out before I leave in the morning. I got some good work done on the Christmas story. I’ve hit a point where I”m choosing to narrate for a page or so rather than develop all the information into active scenes. I can justify it by saying I’m staying true to the style of the time period, but the truth is that I need to cover a lot of ground, both literally and figuratively, in a few paragraphs rather than in a few pages. A jump cut won’t work here, so I’m using narration.

The Post biography is fascinating. So far, it contains information relevant not only to the Christmas story, but to GOOD NAMES, THE FIXER, and the novelization of GLAMOROUS HEARTS. Not bad for a book I picked up at a library sale! The only part I’m having a bit of trouble with is that the biographer points out, over and over again that Marjorie was spectacularly wealthy, lived an opulent life stye, but did a lot of good. I’d rather come to the conclusion myself than have the biographer tell me — every time she does, I get suspicious. But, other than my own issues with so-called social/celebrity philanthropy, I’m finding it an intriguing and very useful book.

I’m trying to sort out a man with a van to do the furniture swap. I need 2 guys and a van for two hours, to dump an old mattress, take 2 pieces of furniture to storage, and bring back 6. I’m getting quotes equivalent to the big storage move I did in July. Are you kidding me? I’m not paying the same for 2 hours and less than a dozen pieces as I paid for 6 hours and a whole storage unit with furniture and a couple of hundred boxes. I’m trying to reach the mover I used then, and his number’s changed. Since I’m on the road this whole week, it will be complicated to get it sorted and done before Thanksgiving.

I’ve got a few errands to run today — even with a cat sitter, if I’m not the one around, I like to set up a self-waterer, which is basically a huge jug that gives them access to lots of extra fresh water. My self-waterer has gotten kind of gross, in spite of the careful washings and care, so I’m getting another one — hopefully one of a better quality. I shouldn’t complain — I’ve had this one since about 1991. The feeder’s fine, but the waterer has crevices that, I guess don’t dry out properly in between uses. It’s been fine for years, and suddenly, when I pulled it out this time, it’s not.

The cat slave, er, sitter, is sorted, and, hopefully, the cats won’t be too much trouble. Yeah, that’ll be the day. Elsa believes everyone is her friend, but the twins are deeply suspicious and sit at a safe distance with disconcerting stares. Although, it was Iris who made friends with the cable guy, which I thought was funny.

I had hoped to get two LARGE shipments of books here before I left, but they didn’t arrive yesterday. How much do you want to bet they arrive just minutes after we depart? Hopefully, the sitter will take them in, but sometimes concepts such as bringing in the mail are beyond . . .let’s just not go there.

The cats are not happy that there are suitcases scattered around. I have to pull out a bunch of stuff I had with me this weekend and transfer it and then pack my writing bag for DC. I’m using a backpack, because I’ve got the wheeley suitcase. I’ve never put my laptop in a backpack before and I’m nervous, so I’m going to reinforce the straps. In other words, I have not yet purchased the writing bag o’my dreams.

I could just ramble on for hours this morning, I’m very chatty, but I think I’ll get back to the page, polish and get the articles out, and push to finish the first draft of the Christmas story so I can edit it while travelling.

I’ll have links to articles up all week, so please keep checking back.

Enjoy!

Devon

Friday, November 13, 2009

Friday, November 13, 2009
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Rainy, raw, cold
Friday the 13th!

Woo-hoo! It’s Friday the 13th, always a good luck day for me.

I’ve got a post up on Sole Struck Fashions about “Holiday Prep Work” and a post up on Kemmyrk about “Daily Chakra Cleansing”. Stop by and drop a comment!

Do I even remember what I did yesterday? Hmm, I wrote, always a good thing. The Christmas story is coming along very well. I have to keep stopping to research, since, although it’s set in a fictional town (inspired by Saratoga and the Adelphi Hotel), it’s in a real time period.

I dashed to Greenwich to put something into my safe deposit box. I stopped at the library sale on the way back and picked up some interesting books. One, that I got on a whim, is a biography of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Her father, CW Post, was the cereal giant and invented things like Postum (shout out to Lara). Not only is the book exceptionally well written, it contains social history of the period in which I’m writing, and even mentions Saratoga!

Seshat, the goddess of libraries and scribes, was certainly looking out for me!

Back to the page for a couple of hours, and then I head to the site job. it’s my favorite site, so I’m really looking forward to it. The work there is fun, and I also have quiet time to work on my own writing and reading.

I probably won’t blog tomorrow, but I’ll check in on Sunday, and then, while I’m in DC, there will be various this-and-that posts — I’ve got articles going up at various sites while I’m gone. I’m supposed to have wi-fi in the hotel room, and I’m lugging the laptop with me, so I’ll try to blog from DC.

My goal this weekend is to finish the first draft of the Christmas story so I can edit in on the bus to and from DC and then finish the design and get it to the printer before I leave for Maine. I also want to do some more work on “Digging” — it’s coming along decently. I’m thrilled that so many of you are enjoying it!

I’ve got some business correspondence to get out today before I leave for the site, and a trip to the post office — hopefully it will be open; otherwise, I’ll have to make a detour to another town on the way to site.

Have a great weekend!

Devon

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Thursday, November 12, 2009
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Rainy and cold

I’d only planned to be out for about an hour. It was six hours before I got home. We went to Trader Joe’s, to stock up. We went to one of my favorite go-to stores in Larchmont, got there early, and wandered around the block, enjoying all the small shops and speciality food stores in the area — really great stuff. The go-to didn’t have my skirt — or anything else. Stopped at a few other stores. Nothing — although I did pick u some lovely glass ornaments. Kohl’s — a store I can’t stand but every once in awhile can find something basic. Nothing. The one here is just as rude and filthy as ever. On a whim, we went to White Plains — Target included. Nothing. Nordstrom Rack. I’ve never found anything I liked at Nordstrom Rack, so I could have skipped it. Nothing except a bunch of sick, snotty, crying children spewing germs all over the merchandise while their mothers ignored them to shop. I’m sorry, but especially in the era of H1N1, when you have a kid in the top risk category and the kid is sick — STAY HOME! It’s not fair to the kid to drag him around, and it’s not fair to put others at risk.

Had a lovely lunch at Legal Seafoods. Tried TJ Maxx — nothing. Stopped in at Christmas Tree Shops — packed, merchandise all over the floor, dirty, generally gross. The one in Hyannis is much nicer.

Didn’t make it to Macy’s or JP Penny. Had HAD it. I looked at Land’s End online – no luck. No luck at J. Crew or Gap or Banana Republic, either.

I’m pulling out the pattern books and also going through my patterns to see what I have for skirt patterns and fabric. There’s no way I can make something in time for Thanksgiving — between the site job, the DC trip and the other stuff that has to happen between getting back form DC and leaving from Maine — I’ll have to figure out a fallback outfit for the dinner and maybe pick up something in Kittery. Maybe Ann Taylor or Liz Claiborne will have something.

Finished re-reading THE ALCOTTS and also read Deborah Blake’s THE GODDESS IS IN THE DETAILS, which is quite a lovely book.

Worked on “Digging”, The Christmas story, and Blair Holland. Working out of sequence on Blair Holland, I see the enormous plot holes. I’m going to use travel time to and from DC next week to percolate and plug those plot holes. The Christmas story is going very well, although I have to keep stopping in order to do research on Christmas in this region in 1898.

I’ve got to run and put something in the safety deposit box this morning, but then it’s back to the page.

Can you believe it’s Thanksgiving two weeks from TODAY?

Devon

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and cold
Veterans’ Day

We had a few mild days of Indian-summer like weather, and now it’s back to being cold.

Ran around looking for a simple, black, mid-calf skirt. 5 stores, no luck. Either they’re micro minis (not happening), or pencil skirts (need one, but not in black) or disgustingly cheap ass material that doesn’t drape well. I have a feeling I’ll wind up making some skirts — not happy with colors, styles, patterns currently available. Did find a coat and some boots I might order. I have my big LL Bean coat for the winter, which is great for casual work/driving/set work – but I need a dressy coat. Also looking for my ultimate writing bag — know what I want, haven’t found it yet in my price range.

Went grocery shopping to pick up a few things to get us through the next few days until I leave for the site job and then DC. Have to go in the other direction to Trader Joe’s today to stock up on cat food.

Decent but not brilliant day on ‘Digging” and Blair Holland. Slow start to the Christmas story, but it’s getting there. I want to get a draft done before I leave for DC, so I can edit it and get it to the printer before Thanksgiving. Hoping I’ll have a more focused and productive writing day today.

Finished Louisa May Alcott’s journals. I’d forgotten how frustrated she often grew in Concord — the museum at Orchard House (which she called “Apple Slump”) idealizes the time spent there. Started re-reading Madelon Bedell’s terrific book THE ALCOTTS.

The newest A.S. Byatt novel, THE CHILDREN’S BOOK, arrived yesterday. Can’t wait to read it. Her novel POSSESSION remains one of my all-time favorites. I’ve got NEVER AFTER, with stories by Laurell K. Hamilton, Yasmine Galenorn, Marjorie M. Liu, and Sharon Shinn’s pieces in it for the trip to DC. I’m tempted to start it earlier, but it’s a paperback and the Byatt book is a hardcover, so the paperback is easier to maneuver while travelling.

My bags for the site job and DC are packed. I’ll have to add a few bits (like the computer and some files) to the writing bag for the site, and then switch it to the writing bag I’m taking to DC, but, for the most part, I’m set, so I can just focus on the writing and not have to worry about packing.

Mixed up a batch of spiced apple bread for breakfast. It smells good as it’s baking, and gives me inspiration as I write.

Remember the Veterans today, from all the wars, and salute them.

Devon

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Rainy and mild

I’ve been dipping into OUR PRIVATE LIVES: JOURNALS, NOTEBOOKS AND DIARIES, which contains selections from 40 individuals including Paul Bowles, Bill Clinton when he was still a Governor, Gretel Ehrlich, Keith Basso, Tess Gallagher, Gail Godwin, Jim Harrison, Ursula K. LeGuin, Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, Oliver Sacks, and Stephen Spender. I originally read it in 1990 — interesting to see how perspectives have shifted since, both my own and culturally. And also interesting to see what stayed the same.

Early morning TV instead of early morning writing got me all out of sorts, and the constant leaf blowers didn’t help. I never really got back on track yesterday.

I was nearly forced into an accident while running errands. One of the dumbass leaf blower guys at one of the houses up the street deliberately blew the leaves into my windshield as I drove past, completely obliterating it. He thought it was funny. I couldn’t see anything and slammed on the brakes. Thank goodness I didn’t swerve into the oncoming lane or I would have had a possibly fatal collision with an SUV. I should have pulled over and called 9-1-1 and had the leaf blower guy arrested; to be honest, I was so shaken I didn’t think of it until later.

Got out some submissions and other correspondence; there’s still more stacked up that needs to be dealt with. Started packing for both the site job later this week and the DC trip next week.

Most of the day was spent emailing and tweeting back and forth with family and friends in Europe about the anniversary of the fall of the Wall. It brings up memories and emotions. It brings up memories of seeing someone, in 1973, get shot about 500 yards away from me as he tried to get from East Berlin into West Berlin. It brings back memories of being stuck in East Germany, with the Stasi asking questions and not wanting us — American citizens — to go back through to the West, in spite of our paperwork. It brings back memories of changing trains in the underground at a station that was technically in the East, with armed guards pointing assault weapons at the us as we moved from train to train.

When the Wall went up, one brutal regime was simply replaced with another, only this time with the consent of the world. All of the politicians in this country who so casually toss around terms of “socialism” and “communism” so inaccurately should have to actually experience it before they can use the terms. Unfortunately, politicians don’t have to conform to any standards of truth. They should be held accountable for the numerous libelous and slanderous statements they make the way anyone else is — it’s not a matter of interpretation — there’s way too much deliberate lying going on at all levels of government. The fall of the Wall should be a lesson in what happens when the general population is fed up and revolts.

Decent morning writing session today on both “Digging” and the Blair Holland project. I’m writing the latter out of sequence, which is a weird challenge, but it’s getting words on paper.

I need to get to the grocery store today to stock up on a few things to get me through the next few days until I leave.

My editor’s happy with the copyedits — I’ll see final proofs in January, and the book is on track to publish in April. And my producer let me know that THE MATILDA MURDERS is getting an enormously warm and enthusiastic response, which makes me feel like i’m headed in the right direction with my work.

I want to do some more work on Blair Holland and start the Christmas story today.

Devon

Monday, November 9, 2009

Monday, November 9, 2009
Waning Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Sunny and pleasant

Today is a huge, emotional day for my family: The 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Having had family on both sides of the wall — and knowing what it actually MEANS to live under such oppression, unlike the GOP wingnuts in this country who don’t know what they’re talking about in their overprotected circumstances — this is a big day. Tom Brokaw had some wonderful insights, especially on the emotional divides between what used to be East and West Germany.

I feel guilty about not being over there today, but I have cousins who are celebrating in my name!

And Zenyetta won the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday — the first mare so to do under the brilliant rider Mike Smith. Woo-hoo!

Yesterday was a pretty productive day. I had a good writing session in the morning. I also managed to get through the final copy edits of the Anita Blake essay for the anthology and get it off to my editor. I am truly grateful to have such a good editor who knew what I was trying to get it and helped me sort through the muck to get there.

After that, I got a bunch of conference paperwork off to where I’m teaching in February.

I finished the newsletter and it’s out. Now I can reveal information on “Digging”. It’s a serial story that’s just for the newsletter. Originally, it was meant to be short — 5 installments of 500 words each. Let’s just say — it’s longer. I plan to write the rest of it before December’s newsletter comes out, and then just put in each installment as each month rolls around. I don’t think I’ll do anything that would change the beginning significantly. It’s a ghost story — fewer paranormal elements than some of my other stuff (in spite of being a ghost story). So we’ll see, and it’s a bit of playtime for me. I missed writing a serial. This has deadline pressure and the type of pressure in that I want my subscribers to enjoy it, but no publisher pressure.

If you don’t subscribe to the newsletter, unfortunately, you don’t get to read it. If you want to subscribe, just send an email to newsletter-at-devonellingtonwork.com with “subscribe” in the subject line. I’ll put you on the list, and send out this newsletter.

I’m getting better at the graphic element, too. It’s much easier on the Mac.

The questions for 2010 are up at the Goals, Dreams, and Resolutions site. If you’re having trouble figuring out your priorities for next year – even if they have nothing to do with writing — these questions might help.

Oh, yeah, and there’s a new post up on Kemmyrk.

I had a good second writing session on The Untitled Blair Holland Project. I’d planned some back stories for the characters, but it turns out that their actual back stories are quite different. Sigh. And I need to work out some more about the antagonists and the why of the antagonists. I have a lot of strong thematic material, but I need to layer some additional plot structure involving the antagonists over it.

So it’s writing, percolating, writing, percolating. I know scenes I want to write, but I have to figure out plot stuff so I can GET to those scenes.

Unless I decide to write this piece out of order. That’s an option. The more I think about it, the more I may do that.

Right now, I feel the plot has expanded so it’s bigger than the story/themes I want to tell. Certain revelations have to happen in the first chapter to set up what’s going on, but my sense is that they’re not the right revelations. So I may write scenes from different parts of the book, put them together like jigsaw puzzles, and then see where I need to create bridges and re-think plot points.

I’ve never worked like that before and it’s a little scary, but that’s the point — to keep challenging myself. Otherwise, I might as well be in 9-5 land.

Up early to watch a colleague on a show at 7:30 in the morning — and then he was bumped back to 6:30, so I missed him anyway. So my morning routine is screwed up. Writing to do, errands to run, but I’m hoping for a good, productive day.

Devon