Fri. June 28, 2019: Compounded Illness

Friday, June 28, 2019
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Sunny and warm

I had a major relapse yesterday and was quite sick.

I managed to drag myself out of bed to finish a project for a client which couldn’t wait.

As soon as I could, I went back home to rest.

It seems to be more complicated than the original illness — and, on top of it, I’m having severe muscle pain. Morning yoga this morning was difficult — nearly every pose was excruciating. But, by the time I kept pushing through, I started to be able to move again.

But I’m pretty miserable.

Had to go out and run errands. Have a few things to do at the library. Then, I’m going to spend time reading on the deck and trying to get well. I stopped at the bookstore to pick up the newest by Jenn McKinlay, Juliet Blackwell, and Barbara Ross. It’s going to be a happy reading weekend!

Hopefully, I’ll get some writing done, too. I’m getting behind again.

But I can’t do much of anything with this type of sickness.

Have a good weekend, all!

Thurs. June 27, 2019:Relapse

I’m worse again & miserable. Will post more when I’m better.

Wed. June 26, 2019: Sick Day 2

Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Sunny/Foggy/Warm

Yesterday wound up getting wiped out. I woke up with a nasty — and I mean NASTY — stomach bug. I could barely even sit up most of the day. I was either lying on the couch or in the bathroom.

I haven’t been that sick in a long time.

So I didn’t go in to my onsite client, and I couldn’t finish up the last few things for another client. I plan to go in today and pace myself.

I wrote a little bit yesterday morning, but nothing today. I’ve got so little in the tank, I’m trying to be careful with it.

I hate being sick.

New neighbors moved in yesterday to the house where my lovely elderly neighbors used to live. I felt guilty that I didn’t feel well enough to back them some welcome cupcakes. Hopefully, I can do it soon.

All I can do is the best I can do. Let’s hope I’ll be a little better tomorrow, and not worse because I pushed myself today.

Onward.

Tues. June 25, 2019: Weird Weather & Rest

Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde

June is such a short month, but, for some reason, this year, it feels long.

Basically, I took the weekend off. I needed to, or else I would be ill, on multiple levels, and not be able to function.

The Solstice as good, although it rained all day and into the night. But it was still possible to honor the hours of daylight, and realize that now it starts to turn.

Saturday dawned clear and beautiful. I got some errands done in the morning. I ran some books down to the library in the late morning, which was a mistake, because the Congregational Church next door was having a tag sale, and there was no place to park. I had to park in the lower lot by the ice cream shop and walk several dozen steep steps back up the hill to the door. But it worked out.

I wrote a little bit, but my neighbor across the street was busy making noise and cutting down two perfectly healthy trees (again). All he ever does is destroy. And the noise was awful. For someone who suffers from hyperaccusis, like I do, it nearly killed me (literally).

I spent as much time on the deck as I could, mostly reading. I read Ellery Adams’s THE WHISPERED WORD, which was quite lovely. I read a book by someone who is a mild acquaintance. I wanted to support the work. Unfortunately, there were a lot of copyediting errors and misused words, and there were some major logistical lapses that took me out of the story. I finished Elizabeth Gilbert’s CITY OF GIRLS, which I thought was well done. I had mixed feelings about it at several points in the story, but I wound up liking it.

I had an idea for a novel, which grew out of my frustration at someone’s hypocrisy. This individual has positioned herself as almost a cult-like figure, and pretends modesty when, in actuality, there is a lot of manipulation and she craves attention. Her work is good; I just don’t like or respect her as a person. Fortunately, I don’t have to deal with her, so it’s none of my damn business.

But it got me thinking. What if? What if? What if? What if she used that manipulation and glory to commit a crime and blame someone she felt wasn’t giving her the attention she desired? I wrote a rough outline. There are still questions to answer, but I have the bones of it, and it’s rather interesting. The character has evolved quite far from the individual who inspired it, which is a good thing and means I’m doing my job as a writer. It’s something I want to explore.

I don’t know when, but it’s something I want to explore.

Not much work on ELLA. I’m at the point where I need to make a final decision on certain key place names and draw a map of this fictional Caribbean island.

I meant to work on the Brighton Pier research so I could start that radio play this week, but I didn’t. The big book has to go back at the end of this week, so I better get to it.

Worked out some obstacles in GRAVE REACH, so hopefully, I can get back on track with that, and get to work on THE BARD’S LAMENT (Sylvie’s book, #5).

My next book arrived for review, a book of poetry, and it’s quite wonderful.

We had weird weather on Saturday. Thunderstorms. It would rain in the backyard, but be clear at the front of the house. Very odd.

Sunday was a pretty day, albeit a bit humid. It was quiet, thank goodness. I got some writing done. Not enough, but I decided I needed the rest more.

Managed to get the garbage to the dump, though. Always a good feeling to get that out.

Read Val McDermid’s BROKEN GROUND, which was excellent. I really enjoy her work.

Started reading another book on the Kindle I’d recently downloaded, from another acquaintance. It was fun, and upbeat, but the Kindle ran out of juice, so I have to finish it another day.

The grass is growing — definitely ready for the guy to mow it this week.

Treated the deck with the tick repellent on Sunday, so it could really soak in and not get washed away by the rain.

Che Guevara Chipmunk was on the rampage on Sunday, complaining about everything. We have three bunnies now in the yard. I keep patches of dandelion and purslane that they like, and they leave the lettuce alone. They rest and enjoy the twilight at night, knowing they are safe here. It’s fun to watch them.

Monday, they were next door, making noise again with heavy machinery. As if last week’s septic tank replacement wasn’t enough. They destroyed the beautiful garden that my neighbor worked on for years. Now they’re dumping a bunch of dirt back on it.

With a client Monday, then off to do work for another client, get out some LOIs, get some writing done, and meditation. Today, I’m onsite with one client, then off to work with another client. I was invited to a wine event tonight, but I’m just not up for it. I’m really tired of networking events where 60% of the attendees are solopreneurs trying to sell supplements. They don’t want to pay anyone for the marketing materials they need — they want to provide supplements instead.

Yeah, no. Eversource, National Grid, and the landlord want cash. Not pills.

And I don’t trust anyone who hawks something I’m supposed to take every day for the rest of my life.

Let’s hope this is a strong writing week. I’m in limbo on a couple of projects, and wish we’d get them sorted, so I can plan the next few months.

Back to the page.

Mon. June 23, 2019: Attitude – Balance #UpbeatAuthors

Monday, June 24, 2019
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde

If you look at everything with positivity, you run the risk of repressing what you really feel. Do that, and it will leak out at another time and in another way that can be harmful.

If you look at everything with negativity, you miss a lot of beauty and joy in the world.

How do you keep it in balance?

For me, one of the most important things is acknowledging what I actually feel, not putting it in terms other people find acceptable. I get angry, I get frustrated, I get restless.

That doesn’t give me the right to lash out at people, especially if the lashees aren’t the ones who caused the anger, the frustration, and the staleness.

But admitting what I feel is important.

Taking a breath. Taking a moment of mindfulness to feel what I feel.

So often, we think of mindfulness as being in a moment and only thinking/feeling good things. That’s overly simplistic and unrealistic in the complexity of life.

Mindfulness is accepting the unpleasant, uncomfortable feelings, along with the good ones.

Acknowledge what you feel.

Try to figure out the cause.

Decide on an appropriate response.

An appropriate response fulfills maintaining your core integrity, while also acknowledging that we are all a part of a society containing other people, and we have to give each other a certain amount of physical and emotional space, and find a way so to do without hurting either of us.

Not every response has to be immediate. Sometimes you respond in the moment, as positively and calmly as you can, and then give yourself time and space to figure out a better, long-term solution.

The constant question is, “How do I do what’s best for me without causing harm?” Or, in certain situations, causing the least harm.

Being aware of that balance and maintaining it is part of a healthy attitude. You might not succeed all the time. You won’t be balanced at every moment of every day. But these steps, and keeping that inner awareness of the need for the balance, will help you with some equilibrium, and give you time and emotional space to make better decisions.

Better decisions feed into a healthier attitude that winds up more positive for everyone.

Namaste!

Fri. June 21, 2019: Happy Summer Solstice!

image courtesy of Nanou22 via http://www.pixabay.com

Friday, June 21, 2019
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Summer Solstice/Midsummer
Rainy and cool

Four planets in retrograde, with Mercury getting ready to join them in early July. Time to take the time for clarifications on multiple levels.

Blessed Summer Solstice! This is MID-summer, not the “first day of summer” as is so often erroneously cited.

Hop on over to A Biblio Paradise, where I finally have the post up about the play I read for the #ReaderExpansionChallenge.

Yesterday, I was up early, and on the bus to Boston. Even though it’s about a two hour trip, especially in traffic, since I’m not driving, I don’t mind. I managed my first 1K of the day on the bus by the time we hit Plymouth.

Traffic was bad from Hingham all the way up to Boston, but we were only five minutes behind schedule, and I was still very early for my meeting.

I enjoy South Station enormously. As I walked down the platform, from the bus terminal to the train terminal, the Acela from Boston to Washington was boarding, and they called out the name of my old hometown (Rye) as one of the stops. For some reason, that just tickled me.

It had started to rain quite heavily. It wasn’t a long walk from South Station to the meeting on Tremont Street — just up Summer Street, then Winter Street, then turn left on Tremont. About ten minutes, past stores and restaurants. But I was pretty soaked by the time I got there. I was early, and waited in the conference room, trying to keep the dripping in one place.

The meeting was short and went well. We’ll see. Either I’m what they’re looking for, or I’m not. I suspect they want to go with someone younger and with ad agency experience. And, of course, in the back of my mind I’m saying, “I had to make a four hour round trip for a half hour meeting?”

But I wanted to take advantage of being in Boston.

Unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out for me to get to the MFA and research in their library.

But the rain had lessened to a drizzle by the time I left. I walked back toward the Station. I got my New York City smarts back the second I’d left the bus, so the grifters looking to hit on the tourists scattered the minute they spotted me. Don’t even, people, I lived a block from Times Square.

There was a green market on the plaza opposite the station. Small, but good quality. But I forgot all that when I saw there was a Vietnamese food truck. Bon Me. I haven’t had Vietnamese food since I moved to the Cape, and it’s my favorite of all the Asian cuisines.

I was enchanted by the choices and stood to one side, taking my time to make my choice, without getting in the way of people ordering. I decided on the Namesake sandwich (a banh my, from which the truck’s name is derived) and an Iced Vietnamese coffee. I adore Vietnamese coffee — didn’t even know one could get it iced.

Those of us who waited under the shelter of the awning (it started pouring again), laughed and chatted. It was so nice to be within a diverse group of people. I didn’t pay attention to it when I lived in New York, because it was a fact of life. But on Cape, it’s homogeneous, and not in a good way. So it was nice to be around a different group of people who were smart and funny and looking forward to their lunch.

I took my meal in to the station and sat at one of the high tables in the food area, enjoying it immensely and eavesdropping on various conversations, as writers do. I mentioned, at one point, that this was the second best sandwich I ever had. That meant that other people at the table wanted to know what was the best, which was the first muffaletta I ever had from Central Grocery in New Orleans.

I stopped at Au Bon Pain to get some chocolate croissants, and headed back down the train platform to the bus terminal and to the bus. I’d missed the previous bus by about five minutes, which is why I decided I could indulge in lunch. Although, once I spotted Bon Me, I would have happily missed the bus on purpose.

The bus I wanted didn’t show up; word was that it was cancelled. But then it showed up late, and took the first ten of us (all that could fit). Traffic was bad and it was raining. I settled back in the seat with my book to enjoy the ride.

An aging Southern Belle was on the bus, on her way to visit friends on Nantucket. She did that helpless thing that absolutely drives me nuts, to get the men to jump to her tune and help her, instead of just asking for someone to help. Then, when the bus hit the brakes because some stupid car from New Jersey cut in front, made an abrupt stop, and then gunned the engine and took off, she claimed she hit her face on the safety bar (she was in the front seat). She was moaning and carrying on how she needed ice and would have a black eye and scrambled to put on her oversized sunglasses.

I finally couldn’t take it anymore and said, “Let me see.” I took a look and told her (in all truth), “Sweetie, your foundation’s not even smudged. It’s not going to get red, much less swollen or a black eye.”

She wasn’t pleased, because then she had to shut the hell up.

I didn’t make it home in time to get to the yoga class my friend was covering. But I made Moosewood’s “Best Chili” and cornbread for dinner, and it was darn good.

Today, I’m doing some remote work for a client and getting out some pitches. I have some errands to run (because we can’t run out of toilet paper, you know), and then I’m headed over to Old King’s Coffeehouse, which just opened up on the Hyannis/Yarmouth line. I’m looking forward to trying them.

It’s pouring with rain, so I might move some of my other errands to tomorrow. I’ll play most of the day by ear.

Have a lovely weekend! It’s supposed to be sunny and gorgeous here, so I’m going to alternate writing and working in the garden.

WEd. June 19, 2019: Good Event

Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Rainy and cool

I hope to get up the #ReadersExpansionChallenge for the month up over on A Biblio Paradise later today, and also the Ink-Dipped Advice post.

Yesterday was all about my client’s event. It went better than I expected. My bit was fine, except for the president of the organization, who kept thrusting her salad plate at me, telling me she was finished with it, in spite of me telling her repeatedly I was not the waitress, I was there dealing with the models for the fashion show. Had I been there representing only myself and not my client, I would have dumped the plate of salad over her head. I have no trouble burning that bridge. But it wasn’t about me, so I didn’t.

That was really the only irritation on my end. Even the last minute substitution of two models that they didn’t tell us about ahead of time was fine. I had everything organized, and I had a great pair of women helping me. The models had a positive attitude (I know, what a shock, right?), the show ran smoothly. I’d done plenty of prep and had a book of style photographs and running orders and all the rest. It was fine. I kept out of anything not having to do with the direct show, and it saved me a lot of tsuris.

I was pretty wiped out by the time I got home. I should have done plenty of things, leading into the rest of the week, but I had no energy left, so I have to catch up today. Actually, I’m on top of things; I just have to keep moving forward. I haven’t fallen behind on anything.

Of course, the day I had everything done ahead of deadline and warned people NOT to contact me because I was out of touch doing an event is the day that everyone panics and decides they need an answer RIGHT NOW.

They had to wait until I finished my commitment. There was NOTHING that needed an immediate answer. EVERYTHING that was needed for the first half of this week was done and out by Friday.

I’m with a client today, although I’m hoping to get out a little early, because I have some running around to do. I’m in Boston tomorrow for a meeting, so I won’t have anything of substance to say until Friday.

Work is going along well on both ELLA and GRAVE REACH. I turned in my review and am getting the next book to review. This one’s in print, so they’re mailing it to me. I should receive it in a few days.

It’s been rainy and cool. The lawn looks nice and green again. It will definitely need mowing again when he comes back a week from Friday.

My best friend from college contacted me to see if I could remember someone who was part of an important presentation we had on a project back then. I don’t remember off-hand (although I remember the meeting and how one of our teachers after pulled me aside to encourage me to do my own work and not keeping working with my friend — I didn’t listen). I’m going to see if I can find the diary from that year, and see if I wrote it down. I’m the official memory keeper of the people in my life, as well as being the kin keeper.

My friend revealed to me that he didn’t get along with the screenwriting teacher who was one of my biggest champions in college. I had no idea.

Part of me is tempted to wonder about the road not taken, but what’s the point? Had I listened to my teachers and broken away from my friend and his projects, there’s no guarantee that I would be some big time screenwriter now. In fact, quite the opposite. My projects were always quiet and more internal. I was passionate about the production side of things, which is what I handled for my friend — the organizational/production management elements. I don’t regret that.

But it’s interesting how, as close as we were, didn’t know certain aspects of what was going on with the other person during our experiences together.

Interesting times, people. Interesting times.

Neptune will go retrograde on Friday (the Solstice) and then Mercury will go retrograde on July 7. We’ll have 5 planets in retrograde during July. That’s going to suck.

One day at a time. One word at a time. All we can do is the best we can do.

 

Tues. June 18, 2019: Weekend Writing Groove

Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Last Day of Full Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde

The #ReaderExpansionChallenge post will be late, but I’ll post as soon as I can. Crazy couple of days.

Weekend was pretty good, writing wise. Saturday was terrific. Worked on both the first (longhand) and second (typed) drafts of ELLA BY THE BAY; worked on GRAVE REACH, and finding some cool new stuff in it; worked on the newest draft of GAMBIT COLONY, where I’m breaking the big manuscript down into manageable books. All in all, a little over 11K.

Also finished the book for review. It was quite good.

Windy and stormy on Saturday night. Gloomy start on Sunday morning.

Worked on ELLA, took a break, went back to the page. Worked on GRAVE REACH. Took a break. Went back to the page. Did revisions on GAMBIT. Wound up for the day. Again, a really good word count day. I was also happy with the quality, not just the quantity. I have to keep up both.

Wrote my review, polished it. Sent it off yesterday morning, and hope to be assigned my next book soon.

Good first writing session of the morning yesterday.

Worked onsite with a client yesterday. We have a big event today, so I won’t be around much.

If I can keep the momentum going, and pick up the pace just a little bit on GRAVE REACH, I’ll be in a good groove.

 

Mon. June 17, 2019: A Presumed Negative Attitude Can Be Positive — #UpbeatAuthors

Monday, June 17, 2019
Full Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde

How often have you heard someone complaining about another person’s attitude? Or even stating, in a derogatory tone, that so-and-so “has attitude”?

How often is it really a person standing up for themselves, and not allowing someone else to dictate their lives or responses? Someone being assertive (not aggressive). Someone who has enough self-esteem not to be bullied?

If someone says or does something derogatory/harmful, you have both the right and the responsibility to speak up and stop it.

“Keep your hands to yourself.”

“Please keep your tone professional and cordial.”

“Stop making racist remarks and expecting me to agree with you.”

The person hearing these statements will say you have attitude. Good. You should.

The person making these statements has the attitude that they are right, that they are entitled to decide how others think, feel, and behave, and that they are better than those they disparage. They are wrong.

The next time you stand up for yourself or someone else and are accused of having “attitude” — smile and say, “Thank you. That’s the best thing anyone has said to me today.”

Shuts them right up!

Fri. June 14, 2019: Preparing for a Writing Weekend

Friday, June 14, 2019
Waxing Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Sunny and pleasant

Yesterday, I did a bunch of client work in the morning, got out some LOIs. It was pouring with rain in the afternoon. I worked around the house and read.

I’m re-reading GOOD OMENS, in preparation for watching the mini-series. I’d forgotten how much I love the book. I’m giggling on every page.

It’s such a relief not to have to worry about the mowing. Now, I can work on the beds here and there on nice days, and get the rest of the planting in.

ELLA BY THE BAY is going well. Ella’s struggles with forgiving herself for making bad choices as she works to make better ones resonates. GRAVE REACH is going slowly, but it’s going. I’m happy with the shape the book is taking, and with the way Lesley and Sam try to navigate their relationship.

I feel like I learn a lot from each book I write, and then I can apply it to the next one. That’s a good thing.

This weekend, I’m hoping to balance rest, writing, some gardening, and also purging some boxes from the basement. I’m hoping a bit of rest and downtime will help get a few things into perspective. I also have a hectic week next week — a big event for a client early in the week, and a few other demands and meetings later in the week.

Step by step. That’s all we can do, right?

I hope you have a lovely weekend.

I hope the weather stays this temperate — sunny and not too warm. It would be nice not to have a brutal, humid summer.

Thurs. June 13, 2019: Writing, Garden, Rain

Thursday, June 13, 2019
Waxing Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Raining and cool

Hop on over to Gratitude and Growth for the details about the garden and the mowing.

People are pretty sad around this area. The Bruins lost the Stanley Cup last night to St. Louis.

Yesterday, the guy came to mow, early in the morning. I’d let my neighbor know, so that he wouldn’t be rudely awakened (although he was probably up). In one hour, the guy did what usually took me several days. There’s a lot of relief in having this off my plate. I never found my mowing Zen, I hated the mowing part of having a yard. I struggled for years. This guy is nice, charges a price fair to both of us, and does a good job. If anyone decides to give me a hard time for not handling it myself, too bad. I’m not twenty any more. There are things I can’t physically do anymore, and things I don’t WANT to do. Mowing is both.

The lawn looks good (okay, I admit, I preferred it to look wild in the back), and now I can concentrate on the beds and plants, and putting down fertilizer to keep it green and healthy.

Client work onsite was fine. I’m prepping for next week’s big event. I’ll probably have to put in some extra hours in the next few days, remotely, but that’s fine.

Another client gave me the greenlight on the material I wrote, so now I’m getting it out to the press and up on event calendars.

Again, I got jerked around by the potential client in Boston. We’ve now had half a dozen conversations that I need advance notice to come up from the Cape to Boston. It is ignored. When I follow up on meetings they claim they want for confirmation, I get excuses.

So, it’s finally gotten through my thick skull that they’re not serious about hiring me. Somehow, they can use me as leverage against someone else. They’re stringing me along for whatever reason. But guess what? I’m not willing to be anyone’s second choice. And if so many red flags come up during our initial meetings, what would working with them be like?

I’m going to keep pursuing other opportunities. I’m going to keep keeping up with my other clients. I’m going to keep sending out LOIs and article pitches.

I’m disappointed, I’m a little angry, I’m insulted. But it’s best that I acknowledge those feelings, then drop them and move on.

I’m doing all kinds of research in Caribbean history. It’s technically for ELLA BY THE BAY, but some of it is useful in THE BALTHAZAAR TREASURE and DAVY JONES DHARMA.

ELLA BY THE BAY is going very well. I enjoy my daily writing session on it, in longhand. I like mixing elements of mystery, romance, and the character’s self-exploration.

GRAVE REACH is going more slowly, but it’s finding its way. I look forward to getting this draft to my editor. THE BALTHAZAAR TREASURE and DAVY JONES DHARMA both have new release dates, early next year, and I’m working on the revisions. The new track for both books is much better. I’d rather spend more time on the book than rush it and put out a lousy book.

I’m reading some material on Brighton Pier in preparation to write the next radio play. I’m looking forward to it. I might also contact the museum with some questions.

There’s still an awful lot that needs to be dealt with in the next few months, but I’m doing what I can each day to deal with it. Mercury in Retrograde for the bulk of July isn’t going to help.

Have to follow up today on an article I submitted a couple of weeks ago. It’s supposed to be paid on acceptance, and there hasn’t been any acknowledgement of it, much less acceptance, or payment. If this was the first time working with the publication, I would figure this is just the way they operate, but I’ve written and been paid for a half a dozen pieces over the years, so I don’t understand what’s going on now.

Will follow up on a couple of other things, too.

Fingers crossed, and then back to the page.

 

Wed. June 12, 2019: Could There Be Some Relief in Sight? Don’t Want to Jinx It!

Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Waxing Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde

Over on Ink-Dipped Advice, I talk about interviews being more of information exchange sessions.

I don’t feel like I have many interesting things to say on the blog right now. There’s plenty going on; but much of it is inappropriate to discuss publicly at this point. It’s taking a toll, but until certain things are settled, it’s counterproductive and potentially harmful to discuss them here. So I hope you will be patient. I will share what I can as I can.

On the upside, I managed to get the final piece finished on the car — the hub cab. I can’t believe they charge that much for a plastic piece of crap that’s going to pop right off again the next time there’s a pothole. Which, by the way, is how most roads in MA operate — full of potholes. They spend months narrowing traffic lanes and causing delays to pave the roads. Two days later, some utility company rips it all up, puts a bad patch on it, and everything’s right back to where it started. It’s not about throwing money at infrastructure — it’s about coordination, and making the utility companies fix what they rip up.

I’ve been getting estimates from lawn care companies about the mowing. No luck finding a woman-run business so far. Hit and miss on the others. This attitude that I don’t have the right to decide what is done and when has got to stop. I’m not hiring someone who shames or demeans me. Why would I pay for that?

I finally found a really nice guy who is responsive, friendly, listens. He came by yesterday morning to take a look and talk about it. He’s going to start today, and then come every other week. It’s a reasonable price, and it takes a lot of worry off my back (and pain out of my back). What a relief.

Working with a client on a big event next week. Working with another client on a marketing campaign for a series of talks given at different locations. Trying to pin down the meeting in Boston with a potential new client. Working on a couple of articles. Following up on an article I submitted nearly two weeks ago to a publication — they pay on acceptance. In the past, it was always accepted the same day I submitted and paid. I’m happy to make any changes they want, but I can’t make them unless they communicate. Got out some more LOIs. Working on some pitches. I don’t feel I can send them out until I have a few other things finalized, because those projects will change my schedule and limit my flexibility.

Meditation was great on Monday afternoon. Even managed to get home before the rain started. It wasn’t anywhere near as big a storm as predicted.

ELLA BY THE BAY is chugging along nicely. GRAVE REACH is going more slowly than I’d like. I’m getting out the gift books to the donors on the GoFundMe campaign.

My “action card” for the month is the Eight of Swords, and that’s exactly what this feels like. All I can do is keep my head down, keep moving forward, and handle each thing as it comes in, so I can make the next necessary thing happen.

I’ve had a couple of good nights’ sleep in a row, which helps, but I really, really, REALLY need some time off. That’s not going to happen until 4th of July weekend.

Back to the page.

Tues. June 11, 2019: Working My Way Back

Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Waxing Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde

The weekend, of course, turned out differently than planned.

I’m still trying to find a reliable mowing service. The rudeness and misogyny with which I’m met when I ask for a quote and say what I want done — and they TELL me what I need without ever seeing the space — is infuriating. I am the person paying them. They need to provide the service I ask, not the service they feel like doing so they can charge extra.

Had an excellent Skype meeting on Friday afternoon with a potential client. Got out material to another client. Saturday, got out another draft of something else. Got some errands done and some writing done. Worked in the yard.

Saturday evening, I went to the fundraiser supporting the library. A wine tasting and auction. I wanted to support them, since I use their services so often.

Sunday, I did some writing, three loads of laundry, more yard work. It’s not like anyone ever enjoys their yards. They’re out there making noise with leaf blowers and the like all the damn time and never doing anything else.

Did some research on some stuff that’s coming up in the next few months, so I have an idea of my options.

Took most of Sunday afternoon off from “have-tos” because I needed the break.

Up early on Monday to get the last bit of the car repair done, then to work onsite with a client. Was already tired by 9 AM.

Library after, then meditation. Today, I’m onsite with a client, and doing some other writing, and some other stuff for another client. I have to work on the book for review this week, too.

But it’s the good kind of busy.

This week and next week are mostly caught up with an event one of my clients is doing next week, and planning for her big August event, while helping another client do a PR campaign for a speaking tour.

In other words, the good kind of busy.

I woke up feeling decent on Sunday for the first time in a couple of months, and Monday morning was the first time I’d woken after a really good night’s sleep in I can’t remember when.

Moving the pieces around, seeing what the best configuration is. It might not move as quickly as I want, but it’s moving, and that’s a good thing.

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