It’s actually snowing in Boston and north and west. Not sure if here, it will switch over to an icy mix, or just stay cold rain.
I managed to give my mom a nice 96th birthday celebration, in spite of us being in the middle of a pandemic. Good food, presents she really wanted, quiet companionship. So that was good. And lots of lovely wishes from so many people, which delighted her when I shared them.
I didn’t do much; a little bit of writing, some LOIs, some reading. I just enjoyed the day with her.
It’s also hard to concentrate with all the political frenzy going on. Today, I plan to clear off as many deadlines as possible, so next week can be about riding the crazy and hoping for the best.
Knowledge Unicorns was fine yesterday, although at this point, all of them either have friends who are sick or know someone who died. Fortunately, the parents of these kids remain resolute about not sending their kids back out to die.
I don’t get the parents that are not only sending their kids to school, but some of them are increasing the days their kids are there. They claim the kids need the socialization. Honey, they can’t socialize if they’re dead. For crying out loud, don’t deliberately put your kid in danger. Your kid’s life is far more important than missing a few months of “socialization.”
I do understand the parents who have to go to work and don’t have childcare. That I get. They’re between a rock and a hard place, with everyone in the family in danger all the time. But the parents that have the option and send their kids out into danger? Or allowed their college-aged kids to go in-person to college because “it’s their decision”? Crazy, in my eyes.
We’re hit with the remainder of Hurricane Zeta today. We need the rain, and it should be nice for Halloween/Samhain tomorrow.
Case numbers continue past 1000 new cases each 24 hours in the state. Yesterday’s was part 1200 cases.
Tomorrow, I start the ceremonies for Tending The Dead for the next few days. With so many dead in the past few months, it feels overwhelming, but it’s also necessary.
Next weekend, I hope to get some extra sleep.
Yes, we fall back an hour this weekend, but I’m sure the cats don’t know that, so we’ll be up an hour earlier.
Have a good weekend, friends. See you on the other side.
Next week either breaks this country beyond repair, or starts the possibility to heal.
The powers-that-be want to clear cut 170 acres of trees (which we need to, you know, breathe) near an aquifer in order to build a machine-gun training range. I think that’s one of the dumbest ideas they’ve had lately.
170 acres destroyed for guns.
The stupid never stops around here.
Kids are getting sick in Barnstable and Bourne, yet they refuse to close the schools. They shouldn’t have opened them in the first place.
In-person learning is not more important than children’s lives. Or the lives of their teachers. Or the families, who then are exposed.
Dropped off a big bag of books at the library on my way to my client’s. it was quiet there, for most of my time, as it should be, with me on my own. Got a lot done. The boss came to overlap for the last hour or so, so we could catch up and do some planning. Our other colleague was out with a stomach bug.
There were two possible places to pick up the specific kind of cheesecake my mom likes. The first place – the entire large parking lot was filled. No line outside the store. Which meant that they were over capacity, not enforcing protocols, and not distancing.
I didn’t even get out of the car. I drove out of the lot and drove a few towns over, where a different store carries the same kind of cheesecake. It’s a bigger store, and there were only a few people in it, with plenty of space for all of us. I was in and out in just a few minutes, with only minor worries.
But the traffic! Backed up in both directions.
We’re in a pandemic, people. And it’s nearly November. We shouldn’t have traffic issues as though it was high season.
And people wonder why our numbers are steadily increasing. Yesterday was the 5th day in a row of new cases over 1000.
The Boston Marathon in April 2021 was postponed until at least fall. The right decision, absolutely, but it means they know we won’t be even close to out of this by next April.
Came home, decontaminated, was a little late for Remote Chat, but caught up.
The cats were all in a tizzy that I was gone all morning, so a good portion of the afternoon was spent with them.
I managed to get some admin work done, though.
I was up early this morning, wrapped my mom’s gift and wrote her a card. She’ll find it when she comes down.
I have meditation group with Concord Library via Zoom. Then, I’m making my mother Eggs Benedict (with salmon, not pork) for breakfast.
I’ll write most of the day; for dinner, she asked for my special turkey meatloaf, one of her favorites. And we have her cheesecake.
It should be a nice, quiet, but special day.
I need to buckle down and write a lot today. Let’s hope I can keep up the focus. I’d also like to finish the book for review, and write the review either later today or tomorrow, and get that off. That way, tomorrow, I can work on the pair of pitches I need to get out next week.
The last few days, researching companies, there haven’t been any to whom I wanted to send an LOI, so more research is needed.
Knowledge Unicorns tonight, which should be fun.
It’s amazing how Nano Prep Sense Memory always kicks in during October, ideas spinning, even when I have no intention of participating.
Just a reminder, if you are doing Nano and feel like you need some encouragement, 30 TIPS FOR 30 DAYS has prep suggestions and daily encouragements. It’s always free here.
Had to leave the premises to go to Trader Joe’s, as we were getting low on some things. Ended up, as always, buying more than I planned. But I have what I need for my mom’s birthday dinner tomorrow, and I will pick up her cake on the way home from my client’s today. She loves cheesecake, and that’s something I’m terrible at making, so I buy her one for her birthday.
The staff was great as always, and it wasn’t too crowded, everyone masked and careful. Had to stop at CVS on the way home, and that was the same. Everywhere I drove past, though? Maybe 40% masked. If even that. Not masked, not social distancing.
It’s frustrating.
We had our fourth day in a row with new cases up past 1000. CT and NY have put us on a restricted test; so much for all the people smirking how MA does it right. No, they don’t. At least not around here, where they stopped wearing masks or social distancing in summer because they’re bored.
I’m also tired of errands taking a half day. You have to prep for them (map out what you need to do, the best route, and how to time it for least contact or when you’re allowed to shop by age), mask up, do the actual errand/grocery shopping (and you can’t just forget and run back in for one thing – you have to stand in line again and go through it all again), navigate through the Covidiots – even when people are masked in the store, they rip the mask off as soon as they are out of the store, even if people are in close proximity, because they’re too fucking stupid to understand what an AIRBORNE virus means. Then you have to get home, decontaminate and/or quarantine anything before it can come into the house, put it away or in quarantine, leave you shoes outside (I don’t wear shoes in the house, but I used to take them off just inside), wipe everything down you touched during decontamination, strip down, decontaminate yourself, get dressed in different clothes and then half the day is gone and you’re exhausted.
It’s nearly impossible to then settle down and focus on work.
But if I wait to shop until later in the day, the Covidiots who delight in harassing people trying to follow protocols and survive are out in force.
I lost most of the morning.
Got some research done, and followed up on some LOIs. Couldn’t focus enough to do actual writing, although I’m playing with some more ad ideas. There’s so much nagging and predatory marketing going on right now that I’m sick of it as a consumer, and don’t want to do it as a marketer.
The migraine came forward and receded, came forward and receded.
Knowledge Unicorns was fun. The kids talked about having a virtual Halloween party with each other on Saturday, since none of them are going out trick or treating. I’m glad they’re interacting when we’re not in homework session.
I have to admit, I had no idea there were so many kinds of bats and that bats were so interesting. I knew they could be kind of cute, but I had no idea about all the other stuff. So I’ve learned a lot, too.
The kids are focusing on vampire movies as “extra credit” for learning about bats, which I think is funny.
Also brainstormed a query letter with one friend for her project, and gave another colleague a lead on the kind of writers’ group she’s looking for. I hope it works out; I think the contact I sent her will be able to suggest a few different options.
I read a lovely book, THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS by Erica Baurmeister. It’s been around for quite a few years (it was published in 2009). But it’s a beautiful, sensual book full of love and food, complex and simple at the same time. I loved it, and I’m going to read more of her work.
It was so nice to read a book that was about the positive things in life, making good out of sorrow.
The Seshat altar piece I ordered on ETSY arrived, which is great, because I can consecrate it on Samhain. It’s absolutely beautiful. I’m delighted with it.
Today, I have to go in to a client’s with other people for a few hours, which I’m not looking forward to. Then, I’ll pick up my mother’s birthday cake and be HOME. Hopefully, I’ll be back in time for Remote Chat.
I don’t have to leave the house again until next Monday, although I might have to do another CVS run somewhere in there, or hit the liquor store (and hope it doesn’t hit back). But I’m hoping I won’t have to.
My mother’s 96th birthday tomorrow. I intend to make it a special day for her.
It’s been a challenging few days, but before we get into that, hop on over to A Biblio Paradise to read about Barbara Ross’s newest release (today is release day), JANE DARROWFIELD AND THE MADWOMAN NEXT DOOR. It’s wonderful.
I like Barbara’s writing anyway, but her new series is one of my favorites. When she sent me the ARC, I sat down and read it in one go.
Back? Liked it? Ordered it? Okay, great, we can go on.
I only managed the first few sessions on the NetZero Climate Change Conference on Friday. I was so sick, I couldn’t even lie down on the floor of my office and listen (with Charlotte in the chair, well, not taking notes, but interested in the speakers). I had to get to the bathroom every few minutes.
So I gave up, took some medicine, and called it a day. The migraine was awful, and, after awhile, I couldn’t even read.
I did manage to read a thriller by a popular author. The action was good, and I liked the characters, although I thought a lot about them strained credibility. But then, she used the witch slur toward the end and it’s 2020, authors, especially those who claim they advocate equality and inclusion, should know better. She is crossed off my list and I won’t read her anymore unless I’m paid to review her.
Read more Louise Penny over the weekend, and enjoyed it.
Saturday, the migraine came and went. It was worse in the morning, and let up a bit later in the day. I had to do a dash to Star Market for, well, more than I expected, but with the virus case load rising daily, I’m trying to stock up. We both seem to be having food sensitivity to pork lately – not surprising with the rolled-back food regulations and people forced to come to work sick at the processing plants. The pancetta from TJ seems to be okay, but we’re steering clear of other pork for now. We haven’t eaten beef since probably January or February for the same reason – we feel awful whenever we eat it.
The Crystal Bar soap order actually arrived, so I have a present for my mom’s 96th birthday on Thursday. I’m grateful that they got it here in time, but I still hesitate to do holiday shopping with them. Maybe after the holidays, when it can arrive whenever, and a month to ship won’t be an issue.
Laundry and housework, usual Saturday stuff. Managed to bake challah bread, which turned out really well. I masked up and packed the Halloween treat bags, so they can quarantine and be safe by Saturday.
Migraine receded enough so that I could read. I read a romance novel (I don’t read many of those), which I enjoyed – until the end, when she used the witch slur. It’s an older one, and I don’t remember her using it in other books. If I read a more contemporary book and she uses it again – yup, she’ll be crossed off the list, too. Don’t care if she’s a NYT Bestseller. Started reading another book, set at Walden Pond, by a different author – same slur. Closed the book, put it in the stack to go back to the library, crossed that author off my list.
You can’t claim to support female friendship and empowerment and call another woman a slur that could have literally killed her in the past – and, with the current Supreme Court, very likely will be a danger in the years ahead – and have me believe you are anything but a hypocrite.
If you use “witch” to define a woman as nasty and cruel instead of as a spellcasting badass improving the world, you are NOT inclusive, you are NOT empowering, you’re spitting in MY face, and I will not support your work.
Write whatever and however you want, but I am not your audience.
It is 2020. Slurs like that are no longer acceptable. Well, they were NEVER acceptable, but finally, people are being called out on the “but everyone uses it.” That doesn’t make it okay. In the same way people who actually give a damn stop using the term “gypsy” they – and we – need to stop using “witch”. Even Broadway has moved away from calling chorus dancers “gypsies” and, within the community, that’s always been a term of affection because the chorus is the backbone of the musical. They even changed the GYPSY OF THE YEAR event back in 2018 because theatre people actually walk their talk. That’s now the RED BUCKET FOLLIES, and the Gypsy Robe, which has a beautiful, amazing tradition, is now called the Legacy Robe.
Because theatre people give a damn.
Saturday night, watched PAJAMA GAME, the 1957 version with Doris Day. I’d never seen the film before, although I knew the score. Stanley Donen co-directed with George Abbott. Bob Fosse was the choreographer, in one of his early jobs.
It was fascinating, in the big picnic scene, to watch the transition from the Donen-Kelly style of choreography, which is very up on the toes, perky, over-the-top comic and cheerful to the more down and earthy beginnings of the Fosse style. In that one number, you could watch choreography evolve. It was fascinating.
I enjoyed the premise of labor relations, although it was fluffied up to be a 1957 movie musical. I did think the Sid character was creepy and inappropriate, demanding a relationship with Babe. Other than his looks, he didn’t have much going for him on the positive side, and way too much on the creepy, predatory side.
Carol Haney was great at Gladys. I’m so glad she won a Tony for the Broadway production, got to play the role in the movie, and then won three more Tonys as a choreographer.
Sunday, still struggling with the headache. The landlord dropped off the extended lease. The clock has started, and we have to be out of here by April 30, 2021.
I have no idea where we’ll end up, but it will have been 10 and a half years in this house by then, as a renter, and it’s time to go.
Roasted a chicken (with garlic and rosemary), made mashed potatoes, and my carrot-leek-parsley concoction in mushroom sauce. Of course, I saved the vegetable bits for stock later this week, and made chicken stock from the bones.
Stocking up for a tough winter.
Watched the film version of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Elizabeth Taylor, Len Cariou, Diana Rigg, Lesley-Anne Down. Directed by Hal Prince (with whom I’ve worked), music & lyrics by Sondheim (with whom I’ve worked). Choreographed by Patricia Birch (with whom I’ve worked). Again, I knew the score, but hadn’t seen the film. There was an undercurrent of meanness I didn’t like, although there was also some sly humor. I still loathe “Send in the Clowns” although in context, it made more sense.
The White House admitted they’re not even going to try to do anything about the pandemic. They’re gleeful just to let as many people die as possible. They are mass murderers and ALL of them need to be destroyed, not land in cushy corporate jobs after this.
The Democrats failed us – AGAIN – and let the nomination go through. There is ALWAYS a way to stop something like this. Republicans have done it for my entire life. But the Dems don’t have the cojones to do what needs to be done.
Part of me believes, too, that it’s deliberate, because it was useful as a fundraiser. Sorry, no one who allowed this to happen gets another penny from me unless and until they remove both Kavanaugh and Barrett from the Court.
The Republican ghouls drinking champagne as 225,000 Americans died from their neglect is unacceptable. This is not a time for the dead to rest in peace. This is a time for the dead to howl and haunt and drive every single one of those sycophants to an early grave. The Republicans don’t have souls – they sold them – but I want them to burn in the eternal hell they keep talking about for the rest of us.
Yesterday, I managed to get some client work done. Got home, did extra decontamination because the damn postal carrier kept coming in to the office to talk to me WITHOUT A MASK – why is this allowed? The state has a mask mandate. He “didn’t have it with him” and I kept telling him to step outside and keep an even greater distance, or, better yet, GO AWAY UNTIL HE HAD HIS MASK. Fucking dumbass.
I was masked, but still. Unacceptable.
Our virus numbers are back to where they were in May, and we’ve had three consecutive days back over 1000 new cases each day. This is not acceptable.
Tried to watch a documentary on Quebec last night, but the disc wouldn’t play properly. Oh, well, at least we got to see the segment on Montreal.
If I’m ever in a position to buy a second home/apartment, I want it to be in Montreal. Of course, I need to own my first home first!
The migraine is threatening to come forward again, and it’s already been an annoying day, and it’s not even 9 AM. I have to run an errand this morning, and then I have to buckle down and get things done, no matter how bad I feel.
Knowledge Unicorns tonight, which will be fun. But I’m already tired, and it’s early in the day. Of course, I was awake at least three times, from the same nightmare. I kept falling asleep, landing where I was when I’d woken up previously, and continuing on. It was about being trapped in a cult using electro-shock on its members until they either behaved, lost their cognitive ability, or died.
30 Tips for 30 Days — Help for Nano. Always free here.
Friday, October 23, 2020
Waxing Moon
Neptune, Uranus, Mars, Mercury Retrograde
Partly cloudy and pleasant
Battled with the migraine all day yesterday.
I was furious when a group of snide bullies on social media started on the whole “just post the recipe” thing again.
Context and culture and stories around food are an incredibly important part of the experience.
If all you want is the recipe, without context, there are dozens of sites that do that.
Don’t tell recipe bloggers and writers to change HOW THEY PRACTICE THEIR PASSION on THEIR OWN SITES.
It’s a form of bullying, and I will damn well call it out when I see it.
Too much stupid on social media. I wish I could just take a full break, personally and professionally, for a few months. Unfortunately, it’s one of the necessary tools for what I do. So I will cut back.
I have to limit screen time anyway, because the migraine just won’t go away. Valerian helped a little bit last night, but nowhere near the way it used to.
I did a segment of work on the computer, rested, did the same again. Slowed me down way too much.
Managed to get a solid 1500-ish words done on a project, though, which was nice. That project is trying to consume me and can’t, because I have other deadlines.
It was warm enough to sit outside on the deck in the afternoon. I took Charlotte and Willa out in their playpens and read for an hour or so.
Masks came from the Animal Rescue site. They’re pretty, but rather flimsy – only one layer, not two. Not sure I’m confident to wear them out grocery shopping, etc.
The other two CDs arrived – HADESTOWN and MISS SAIGON. In all the years I worked on SAIGON, I never got the CD — because I listened to it every night as I did my cues. But I haven’t listened to it since the show closed, and it was such a huge part of my life that I wanted to own it.
My IPSY order also arrived – new eyeshadow and lipstick and nail polish for fall. Yes, I still wear lipstick under the mask. I ALWAYS wear lipstick. I can be stark naked, but as long as I wear lipstick I feel dressed. (I promise I won’t be stark naked with only lipstick on Zoom. Because, you know, I’m a professional, unlike some well-known writers who’ve been Zoom idiots lately).
Mala Prayer is shutting down, which makes me sad. They had lovely quality and great customer service. I placed one final order and thanked them for everything.
The debate last night was awful. I did not think Welker was tough enough cutting off the mic. The Sociopath was even more of a monster than usual, gleeful about child separation, no plans for anything.
I’m frustrated that the Dems aren’t stopping the Barrett confirmation. There is ALWAYS a way.
I’m in a virtual climate change conference all day. Or at least, as much as I can do before the migraine wins. Up in full hair, makeup and comfortable but professional clothes before 8 AM.
The weekend is supposed to be lovely and warm. I hope to get more yard work done, and a bunch of writing. I need to keep reminding people about 30 Tips for 30 Days, with Nano fast approaching. I need to start pushing the Trinity of Teasers promotional package.
Our numbers in MA are higher than they were in May towards the end of the shutdown. It’s disgusting.
All I want to do is lie down until the migraine goes away. Or until we get an actual president that gives a damn.
Have a great weekend, friends. I’ll see you on the other side.
I also have a post up on Ink-Dipped Advice about how NOT to treat those on your email list.
Yesterday was a day of challenges.
In yesterday’s post, I forgot to talk about the Knowledge Unicorns session on Tuesday, which was good. As I said, everyone’s tired. Yet another parent is switching from online learning in the school system to homeschooling because the school district demands that kids be here in person and wants to discontinue the virtual learning.
With virus cases going up.
No.
Also, now, at the end of each session, the parents are getting onto Zoom and it gives them a chance to interact and talk about what’s going on from their perspective.
We have another session tonight. Rather than watching the debate after, though, everyone’s going to listen to HAMILTON again. Chances are, we’ll all learn more.
I woke up around 4 AM yesterday with a blinding migraine, which just increased throughout the day. I managed to get to my client’s and got a few things done, but the nausea increased with the migraine so badly that I had to leave.
I came back and rested for a bit before we had to navigate the fog to Yarmouth, to the RMV (every other place I know calls it the DMV, but whatever). I had to stay in the car, since they only let the actual person with the appointment in. And if you can’t navigate the tests on your own, you don’t get your license renewed. They are careful not to overbook, enforce masking, and keep everyone distant.
My mom passed the tests. She can now legally drive until she’s 101.
The fog was even denser on the drive back, and it took nearly an hour.
We both decontaminated. I rested in the afternoon. The migraine was too severe. I couldn’t work; it got to the point where I couldn’t read. It was one of the worst migraines I’ve ever had.
It’s usually dwarves tap-dancing in cleats. This time, it was giants, working away at the inside of my skull with pickaxes.
I’m using the above example in the mythological sense, not to demean any type of person or medical condition or physical type.
I hope it’s not an indication that they’re all going to be this bad.
Yoga didn’t help. Excedrin Migraine didn’t help. A hot shower didn’t help. There isn’t a prescription medication that works. Caffeine didn’t help. The acupressure mat didn’t help for long. It was wracking pain and nausea for hours and hours and hours on end.
It finally let up a bit around 9 o’clock, enough so I could fall asleep, and I slept through the night.
It’s trying to regain traction this morning. I was up early, got my mom to her medical appointment, we came back, decontaminated, and I attended the Zoom meditation.
I have writing to do; my head is bursting with scenes that need to get on the page. And I have an article to finish, client work, and LOIs to get out.
The migraine is nibbling around the edges, but I hope I can fend it off. I might take Valerian root tonight to really knock myself out and get all the knots out. After the Knowledge Unicorns session.
The chainsaws and leaf blowers were out in force by 8 AM this morning. I’m so tired of all the destruction. They’re not pruning or shaping to make something beautiful. It’s all about destroying the natural landscape. Everything that makes this place beautiful and special is being destroyed.
I was not as productive as I would have liked yesterday. That seems to be the over-reaching theme lately, doesn’t it?
I’m still working on the Ink-Dipped Advice post. I hope to have it up later today.
I managed to salvage something from the restaurant screw-up. The food to which I’m allergic I gave to a neighbor. I’d never opened it and I’d stored it properly, so there was no contamination. Another bit I ate yesterday – it was poorly prepared and I felt nauseated after. The third item, something I never would have ordered and which was a complete screw up – well, I deconstructed it. I managed to use parts of it in a decent salad. The rest, I turned into stock. So it’s not a total loss. It’s not what I’d hoped or craved or paid for, but it’s different and still useful.
Crystal Bar Soaps actually shipped my order. Hopefully, it will arrive by next Thursday. We will see. I still don’t think it’s a good idea to do any of my holiday shopping there, because I can’t trust I will get things in time, even if I order early. So I’m re-thinking a few things and re-sourcing. I still don’t believe it should have taken four weeks and three emails to get an order shipped. I might still order from them occasionally, but only when I don’t have a deadline or a need. Although, if I don’t have a deadline or a need, there’s no reason to shop. Every dollar has a job, according to YNAB.
But, with any luck (and with all these retrogrades, that’s a long shot), it might actually get here in time for my mother’s birthday.
I scanned the utility bills, blocked out my personal information, and sent them to the landlord. I still am uncomfortable about it. My financial information with the utility company has nothing to do with the LANDLORD’s loan application. It’s not my loan; it’s his.
Woke up with an absolutely awful migraine this morning. It’s making it difficult to get anything done, but I have to push through.
I have to be out the door early today; I’m onsite at a client’s for a few hours (hopefully on my own) and then I have to take my mom in for her appointment to renew her driver’s license. She’s nervous.
Hopefully, I can make it back for remote chat, and then do some article work in the afternoon.
Tomorrow, I have to be up extra early to take my mom in for her bloodwork appointment. And then, I’m hoping to have some big swaths of time to write.
The dystopian writers warned us for at least a decade we were headed down this path. It’s also time, I believe, for art that not only bears witness to the atrocity and corruption, but shows the rebuilding into something more positive, even if we’re not yet sure how that looks like. We need to write, paint, dance, sing, create our way to a better reality.
I keep feeling like I’m not getting anything done, but when I look back, I actually did a bunch of stuff. The emotional reality and reality don’t always coincide.
Friday was pretty much a lost day. I made raw apple muffins early in the morning, and puttered around some, but I couldn’t get focused on anything. There was nothing in the creative tank. It was as though I spent all my creative energy on the baking, when usually baking fuels creative energy for other work.
I read, I tried to write. I had a couple of stories percolating. One, I think, will be novel-length, or at least novella-length. The other will be a short story. Both are ways of exploring rage I feel at two different situations.
Friday night, I listened to the HAMILTON Broadway cast recording all the way through. There’s a lot of cleverness in it. I’d forgotten that Jonathan Groff, with whom I worked on SPRING AWAKENING, originated King George. He’s a delight, on and off stage. Terrific actor and even more terrific human being.
Awake way too early on Saturday. Wrote the first 1500 words on one of the new pieces, even though there’s other stuff I should be working on. I don’t have a title for it, but the protagonist is Nell Dunbar, so for now, I’m calling it “the Nell Dunbar piece.” It’s part literary fiction, with elements of suspense and romance in it. It was originally going to be straight-up romantic suspense, but it doesn’t want to be stuck in that genre box.
Not sure if it will go under the Devon Ellington byline or the Christy Garnet Miller byline or something completely different.
Once that was done, I felt like I could actually cope with the day. I changed the beds, did six loads of laundry, changed out some of the yoga blankets and batiks for fleece on chairs and sofas. Now I actually have some yoga blankets I can use for yoga over the winter. Vacuumed, mopped, tidied up, did some rearranging in the basement.
Vacuuming always causes Kitty Trauma, but at least there were enough catnip bananas to go around, and everyone calmed down pretty fast.
Spent too much time doomscrolling (and it WAS doomscrolling, not hopescrolling). I need to break myself of that habit.
Read a bit in Hal Prince’s memoir, and also started the book I have to read for review, which has way too much backstory/info dump that’s obscuring the spine of the piece.
A friend and I exchanged the short stories we each wrote and submitted to a contest that a third friend is blind judging (so we’ve been careful not to publicly talk about details, because that’s unfair to the friend who’s a judge). Anyway, each of us fell in love with the other’s story and prefer it to our own! I love the possibilities in hers, and how she turned tropes inside out for something fresh and clever that has legs. I love the simplicity, yet she doesn’t overexplain. She loves all the tiny descriptive details I researched and integrated. So we can cheer for each other to win even more loudly than for ourselves!
Received a check for the two articles I submitted last Monday, which was a lovely surprise. The editor had told me it would be “a few weeks” and I expected at least 30 days. To get it in 5 days was lovely.
Listened to the original Broadway company recording of COMPANY in the evening. I was never as enamored of the piece as many friends and colleagues, but it’s such a part of my theatre history (even though I’ve never worked on a production of it) that I wanted to refresh my ears on it.
Was exhausted and went to bed way too early, which meant, yup, on Sunday, I was up again way too early. Had all kinds of weird disturbing dreams that kept waking me up. Puttered around, letting stories percolate. The longer I do this writing life, the more use I find to sit and percolate before I write. I used to just spit out first drafts – and I can still write the first draft pretty quickly, once I have it set in my head. But I find myself percolating and writing in my head in much more detail now than when I used to. It makes the work more precise earlier when I finally write it down.
But that’s the beauty of process – it evolves as you gain experience and work on craft.
In writing classes, I always find the unpublished writers the ones least open to trying new techniques, claiming it interferes with “their process.” I believe you need to shake up your process regularly, and part of the beauty of taking a class is to learn new ways of doing things. That way, when your process fails and you get stuck (which WILL happen), you have other tools and techniques to pull on to get going again.
Businesses are Determined to Sabotage Themselves, Aren’t They?
Contacted Crystal Bar Soaps for an update on the order I placed on September 26, and got a vague non-answer about how busy they are and how happy they are to have my order. Well, honey, then SHIP IT. I responded that I hope I receive the order by Oct. 29, for my mother’s 96th birthday, which is why I placed the order in the first place and ordered it on SEPTEMBER 26. For items that are supposedly in stock. I’m a big fan of their products, and I believe in supporting small business/independent artists. But the shipping delays have gotten out of control with this company. Using the pandemic as an excuse doesn’t work anymore, especially when you announce on social media that you’re hired more employees (which is great).
I’m re-thinking my plan to do holiday shopping with them, because even if I order the day the merchandise goes live, there’s no way to be sure I’ll get in time for the holidays. That’s additional stress on top of the whole trying-not-to-die and keep-a-roof-over-our-heads stress.
I’m glad they’re doing well, and that their business had grown and not tanked during the pandemic. At the same time, I need to feel confident that my order will be processed in a reasonable amount of time. Because once it ships, then there’s the shipping time involved, which is about a week, except when it’s longer. They use USPS, which is far more reliable than either UPS or FedEx, but it’s voting season, and everything takes longer to get where it’s going. We’re into the fourth week now since the order and it hasn’t yet shipped. I don’t find that reasonable for items that are in stock. If things were made-to-order, it would be understandable, but then give us a realistic time frame. This is either the third or fourth time I’ve had to chase down shipments, because I ordered – and paid – for something and then heard nothing until I contacted them to find out where it was. I’m tired of it. At least, previously, I got an actual answer on the status of the order, rather than this fluffy “happy” I ordered and maybe they’ll ship it “someday.”
I contacted them AGAIN this morning, asking for specific information on my order instead of platitudes and vagueness, and, once again, reminded them I ordered it back in September, and I need it by next week.
Yesterday, I risked ordering from a local restaurant. The only other time I did this, early in the stay-at-home – the entire household came down with food poisoning and the restaurant shrugged it off. So, I crossed them off my list.
So, yesterday, I ordered from a restaurant of whom I’ve been a regular customer for years, even before we moved to the Cape, and at least once a month, often more, pre-pandemic. I decided to go ahead and spend the money and order several meals’ worth of food. Cut down on my cooking this week, support a local business. All good, right?
I called in the order, REPEATED THE ORDER, had them REPEAT THE ORDER BACK, and set up a time for curbside pickup.
I get there, about five minutes after the agreed-upon time. They hadn’t even started preparing it yet. And it’s not because they were busy. There were three people in the restaurant, and the phone wasn’t ringing. But they greeted me by name as they always did, and said it would just be a few more minutes
Thirty-five minutes later, they bring out a big bag, thank me, tell me it’s good to see me, etc. They KNOW me there. I added a 50% tip on top of the order, because, you know, it’s a pandemic.
I had to stop at CVS to pick up a prescription for my mother and a couple of other necessities. There were register issues, but we went back and re-entered and did what we had to in order to process the order and the payment. It took five tries, and I felt so bad for the poor woman at the register. She was so apologetic, and I kept telling her it wasn’t a problem, and we’d just keep trying until it worked. And we did. Patience and persistence. I felt bad for the other people in line behind me, but CVS should have also put a second person on a register when the line got long.
Dropped off books at the library, picked up what was waiting.
Got home, unpacked things, decontaminated.
Find out the order from the restaurant is wrong. Not only is it WRONG, most of it is stuff I can’t eat, because I’m allergic. They KNOW I’m allergic to these things. I’ve been eating there for 15 years. I ordered one appetizer and two meals. That’s what I paid for, along with a 50% tip. I got three appetizers. One of which I can’t eat, because I’m allergic (and yes, I remind them of the allergy every time I place an order).
I call them. Just a “hey, I picked up my order, got it home, and instead of X & Y, you gave me C & D, some of which I’m allergic to, and the prices on these items are less than half of what I paid.” I didn’t mention the tip, because that’s tacky.
They think it’s funny.
No interest in making it right. They deliver, so they could have sent out a corrected order. No interest in refunding even a portion of the order.
The only option was to go back and BUY IT AGAIN.
I can’t go back. It means going out AGAIN (in a pandemic, assholes), after I’ve already decontaminated and put everything into the wash. And why would I go back, since they aren’t interested in giving me a corrected order unless I BUY it again? So I’m now supposed to pay double because THEY screwed up? When I already gave them a tip of 50% of the price of what I already paid for that I can’t even eat or use? I’m supposed to blow next week’s food budget, too – and I GUARANTEE you they would put in the wrong order AGAIN.
That’s what I get for supporting a local business and giving a big tip.
Screwed.
There’s the food budget for the week gone. It’s actually more than I would have spent for the week, because it was supposed to be 3 days’ worth of dinners, at a much higher cost than if I bought groceries and cooked the same thing. I’m a freelancer. A fellow small business. It’s not like I have so much extra cash lying around IN A PANDEMIC. I won’t starve – I’ll live off the stockpile I’ve been putting aside for the next shutdown. But I blew my food budget for the week to support a local business who couldn’t be bothered to fill my order or fix their mistake.
I’m upset. I’m frustrated. I feel betrayed, that this company with whom I’ve done good business with for 15 years thinks it’s funny and okay to screw me.
I don’t want to hear ONE WORD more from the restaurant industry about how they’re struggling when this is how they treat their customers. I talked about this on social media and was surprised how many DMs I got about people telling me stories about how the restaurants can’t be bothered with the customers trying to support them.
As a consumer, I’m frustrated. Businesses are crying that they’re suffering, but they treat their customers like crap and then want them to spend even more? No.
Give us what we paid for in a timely fashion OR communicate that you can’t clearly and why and set a new timeline. OR, when there’s a screwup, work WITH us for a mutually beneficial solution.
Because I am NOT going to continue to give money to businesses – be they large corporations or solopreneurs – who treat me like shit.
Don’t tell me to “support local business” when they won’t fulfill their part of the transaction.
As a consumer, I’m frustrated.
As a marketing person, I am appalled that these businesses think they can keep getting away with screwing their customers.
Maybe, just maybe, some of the businesses that are going under are doing so because they’ve betrayed their customers often enough that the customers have walked away.
It goes with what I talked about for months pre-pandemic. This area has a non-reciprocal economy. I’m a small business, and a skilled worker. But I’m supposed to take a job that’s not in my profession for a fraction of my rate because “we don’t pay for that” meaning my profession. But when I go further afield to clients who appreciate my skills and pay me for the value I bring to my work, I am told I’m not “supporting the local economy.”
Even though my very presence puts money into the local economy by paying taxes, shopping for necessities, shopping for gifts and whatever non-essentials I can afford at any given time, etc. I put money into the economy regularly, but I am not supposed to receive money for my skills. The only reason I CAN put money into the local economy is because I have clients who live FAR AWAY who pay me for my skills. If I was only earning minimum wage in one of the local shit jobs that aren’t in my profession, I’d have even less to spend locally.
And why shouldn’t it be a two-way street? It’s not like my skills aren’t needed. But they don’t want to pay for them. Yet I’m supposed to pay and pay and pay but not BE PAID.
That’s not a sustainable model.
It’s one of the reasons the local economy was a mess even before the pandemic.
Cats and Stuff
Yesterday, Willa stole Charlotte’s catnip banana, so then Charlotte ran upstairs and stole Tessa’s catnip banana, and then Tessa ran into the other room and stole Willa’s banana. Everyone still had a catnip banana, but it was the WRONG catnip banana, so there was hissing and yowling involved until we got them all switched back.
So much for peace by catnip banana.
Tessa has decided she really likes my grandmother’s rocking chair (which is by the window and the heater in my bedroom). She has decided she will now reign from there.
The landlord came to look at the newly installed furnace. Now he’s telling me the bank from whom he got the loan wants copies of my utility bills. I think that’s inappropriate. I’m not the one who applied for the loan. On top of that, I had months where I had to give up work to have various “estimates” come in from different companies, and we were supposed to get new insulation, a new fridge, and a new washer as part of this furnace upgrade deal — NONE OF WHICH IS HAPPENING. I’m not giving my financial information to a bank with whom I don’t do business. They’ll get copies of the bill — with my name and information and account number blanked out. They can see the final amount, but not personal details.
Today, I have client work and article work and LOIs to focus on. Let’s hope it’s a productive and creative day. I’m just exhausted physically and emotionally and sick of everyone. I got my check from Llewellyn for the 2021 annual, which was a nice lift to my day.
Normally, in a Mercury Retrograde, these purchases would be easy-peasey. But with the Mars retrograde layered over it, everything is a conflict and a problem. Add the Neptune retrograde (creativity slowed down, especially for Pisces) and Uranus retrograde (the need for economic and political change), and this period of time sucks.
I’d rather just make like a Victorian and take to my bed today, but that is not an option.
I ended last Friday’s post with something I want to carry over into this week:
Create with joy.
So many of us have struggled these past months to create. We’re exhasuted and stressed and frightened. We don’t know if what we had to say and have to say and want to say is relevant.
At least for this week, I need to try to drop all those layers of worry and take joy in the creative process. Even if I don’t get a lot done, I want to savor each moment.
But it’s amazing how much calmer the household is, now that each cat has her own catnip banana.
Meditation group was great. It’s such a wonderful way to start the day.
Headed off to Trader Joe’s. Bought more than I planned, but that’s pandemic life. Because I don’t go that often, I buy more when I go. Dashed next door to Target to stock up on a few things I can’t get anywhere else.
Home, full decontamination procedures. There was most of the morning gone, and I was exhausted.
Freelance Chat was fine, and I did some Yoga Nidra work.
Got out some LOIs, worked on some pitches. Got TRINITY OF TEASERS, the promotional package that contains the first three chapters of PLAYING THE ANGLES, SAVASANA AT SEA, and TRACKING MEDUSA done. It’s taken months to get done because of formatting issues, but I finally got it. Everything took six steps instead of three, but it worked.
I have to check the different formats (PDF, epub, mobi) and then put it up in the media room on the website for free download. Hopefully, that will generate some book sales.
Knowledge Unicorns was fun. Everyone’s tired. They’re feeling the stress. But all their parents filled out the Census, which is a good thing. As early voting starts, their parents are voting.
I listened to the CD of the original Broadway cast of HADESTOWN, which I’d ordered from the library. It is amazing. Transcendent. I just loved it. I sat and listened and was transported.
I liked it so much, I ordered my own copy!
The music Is outstanding and the voices spectacular.
One of my pet peeves around here is that they keep producing musicals, but hire too many performers who can’t sing. They’re sharp or flat, they sing around the note, but rarely hit the actual note.
It was nice to hear a glorious score sung truly.
Today I’m finishing the article that requires me to pull examples from different drafts of a stage play and its radio adaptation. I also hope to finish the pitches for the other new-to-me editor. I have some blog posts to write and schedule for posting.
I managed to sleep through the night until 5 AM, and then baked raw apple muffins. I used currants instead of raisins (I love currants), and added allspice, nutmeg, and clove instead of just using cinnamon. It’s based on the Marion Cunningham recipe, and is basically chunks of apple held together with a bit of batter, but I love it.
I’d like to get TRINITY OF TEASERS up and start that promotion.
I also want to work on the novel, and to get started on the Susanna Centlivre play.
Tomorrow, we have to start bringing plants in to overwinter; over the next couple of weeks, we will be taking everything off the deck and putting it away for the winter.
Have a lovely weekend, my friends. Create with joy.
Chewy got the package here by yesterday (I wasn’t expecting it until today). I unpacked it, and put the box itself in quarantine, and now every cat has her own banana. They drag them around, grab and kick, roll on them. And don’t fuss at each other.
Yesterday was fine. Got some writing done, headed off to work onsite at a client’s. I was there on my own for the first few hours and got a lot done. The other colleagues filtered in and we only overlapped for about an hour, with everyone following protocols, so it was fine. People were in good spirits,
I was still glad to get out of there, and do the curbside drop-off/pickup at the library and get home. Found the box from Chewy, did the full decontamination process, slid into Remote Chat a few minutes late.
The chat was fun, as always.
I took my afternoon time with Tessa – I spend some time upstairs to play with her and to rest on the acupressure mat every afternoon. Since I’m up between 4 & 5 AM every day, by early-midafternoon, I need a real break.
I’m trying to add in some Yoga Nidra to my practice. One hour of Yoga Nidra is supposedly as restorative as four hours of sleep. With my sleep patterns so disrupted, I want to try it.
I also came up with titles 3 & 4 for the Nautical Namaste Mysteries, which will be useful once Book 2 is rewritten properly and off.
Watched Keith Olbermann’s daily commentary, as always. He’s right on point.
Attended a Zoom session from the O’Neill Center, part of their Plays to Progress series. Tonight’s focused on HOW WE GOT ON, by Idris Goodwin. Paige Hernandez, Malik Work, and Brian Quijada were also on the panel, and actors (Deona Bouye, Holden Harris, Jamal Covin, and Miranda Holliday) read a scene from the play.
Something Goodwin said really resonated – that he will never write anything with that purity again (it was his first play). Yes, he’s learned a lot about the craft and structure and all that, but that first play had a purity about it. Patrese McClain, the moderator, pointed out that one can learn the rules and then how to break them to make the work sing and create new forms (something I deeply believe). But he’s also right – that passion and place in the soul where the first play comes from can never be replicated.
The conversation about inclusion and support for artists was very important, collaboration, and lifting up each other’s work, especially in these times. Breaking down structures that don’t work and rebuilding something better.
As someone who has been screaming that we were headed down a dark path since Reagan, told I was being ridiculous, and now, here we are, it was affirming that there are people and artists who are willing to work for change through art.
Goodwin talked about the plays he’s written since March, how they’re different, how they’re using what we’re going through to make art that not only gets us through it, but helps make the world a better place beyond it.
What a contrast to the (mostly white) novelists, especially in cozy mystery and contemporary romance, who are ignoring it. The whole “I don’t do politics” thing. The deep-rooted privilege of it bothers me.
Anyway, it was a terrific evening and gave me hope.
Up early this morning – I actually slept through the night, imagine that. Hope allows room for rest.
Getting some writing done. Then I have the online meditation session with Concord Library (it’s such a great group). After that, a quick run to Trader Joe’s and maybe Target to replenish supplies.
Once I decontaminate from that, I have to pull up the different drafts of the play and radio play I’m using in my article and tackle the rest of the piece, working through the confusion between different drafts. I need to get this article finished, polished, and out the door.
Then, I need to work on the pitches for the other editor. I’d like to get them out later today or early tomorrow. One of my original ideas is morphing, so I have to decide if I want to pitch it as two articles, or drop the first idea and form the second better.
I need to check a few details on the Susanna Centlivre notes. I’ll be ready to start writing the play this weekend.
On other levels, the dumbfuckery never stops, does it?
Landed in my inbox: an “opportunity” to write 3-5 articles A DAY for $1000/month. Um, no. That breaks down to fractions of a penny per word or per hour.
Another thing that landed in my inbox: someone is looking for a person to write/send the emails to the client list. Great, no problem. Only, the description adds “must be willing to work outside in extreme weather.” Now why would I have to work outside in “extreme weather” to WRITE EMAILS? If you’re hiring a WRITER for EMAILS, that is not being done outside in bad weather.
Having both hardware and software problems with the nearly-new laptop, because Mercury is retrograde and PCs suck.
On a happier note, I got information about some editors in search of additional freelancers. I pitched myself to two; one responded within 15 minutes asking for specific article pitches; I’m working on a pair to send her. They will be fun, if I get to do either of them.
Switching between script drafts on the screen to look at examples isn’t working for the other article. I’m going to have to print them out.
So that won’t be done until Thursday.
I got a fun ad done for a client for next week’s campaign.
Got my mom’s RMV appointment scheduled for next week, and also her bloodwork before her next medical appointment. At least that means we get it all out of the way next week.
The cooking demonstration with Jeremy Rock Smith from Kripalu was spectacular. He is such a wonderful teacher, and his sense of humor, his skills, his ability to teach, and his joy give me hope. I look forward to studying with him more intensively in the future.
Knowledge Unicorns was great. Everyone’s hunkering down, doing the work, trying to stay alive until election day. Even though none of them can vote yet, they’re keeping up on things and making sure their parents do. I always rode herd on my godkids to vote, because some of their parents couldn’t be bothered. It’s kind of fun to see their own children doing the same thing.
But I was definitely worn out by the end of the evening.
The package with stuffed orange raccoon toys arrived today, and the catnip bananas are set to arrive on Thursday, so some of the Kitty Drama is alleviated.
On today’s agenda: I have to go onsite for a client, have to do a curbside pickup/drop-off at the library, and there’s Remote Chat. Will also try to get some more LOIs out, and work on the article with which I’m struggling. I’d like to get it out the door tomorrow.
The weather is supposed to be nice the next few days, so maybe I’ll get some yard work in.
GWEN FINNEGAN MYSTERIES
Archaeologist Dr. Gwen Finnegan is on the hunt for her lover’s killer. Shy historical researcher Justin Yates jumps at the chance to join her on a real adventure through Europe as they try to unspool fact from fiction in a multi-generational obsession with a statue of the goddess Medusa.
Buy links here.
When plans for their next expedition fall through, Gwen and Justin accept teaching jobs at different local universities. Adjusting to their day-to-day relationship, they are embroiled in two different, disturbing, paranormal situations that have more than one unusual crossing point. Can they work together to find the answers? Or are new temptations too much to resist? For whom are they willing to put their lives on the line? Available on multiple digital channels here.NAUTICAL NAMASTE MYSTERIESSAVASANA AT SEA
Yoga instructor Sophie Batchelder jumps at the chance to teach on a cruise ship when she loses her job and her boyfriend dumps her. But when her boss is murdered, Sophie must figure out who the real killer is -- before he turns her into a corpse, too. A Not-Quite-Cozy Mystery.
Buy Links here.COVENTINA CIRCLE ROMANTIC SUSPENSEPLAYING THE ANGLES
Witchcraft, politics, and theatre collide as Morag D’Anneville and Secret Service agent Simon Keane fight to protect the Vice President of the United States -- or is it Morag who needs Simon’s protection more than the VP?
Buy links here.THE SPIRIT REPOSITORY
Bonnie Chencko knows books change lives. She’s attracted to Rufus Van Dijk, the mysterious man who owns the bookshop in his ancestors’ building. A building filled with family ghosts, who are mysteriously disappearing. It’s up to Bonnie and her burgeoning Craft powers to rescue the spirits before their souls are lost forever. Buy Links here. RELICS & REQUIEM
Amanda Breck’s complicated life gets more convoluted when she finds the body of Lena Morgan in Central Park, identical to Amanda’s dream. Detective Phineas Regan is one case away from retirement; the last thing he needs is a murder case tinged by the occult. The seeds of their attraction were planted months ago. But can they work together to stop a wily, vicious killer, or will the murderer destroy them both?
Buy link here.
Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois is included in this wonderful collection of short stories and poetry. You can download it free here.
Archaeologist Dr. Gwen Finnegan is on the hunt for her lover’s killer. Shy historical researcher Justin Yates jumps at the chance to join her on a real adventure through Europe as they try to unspool fact from fiction in a multi-generational obsession with a statue of the goddess Medusa.
Buy links 
When plans for their next expedition fall through, Gwen and Justin accept teaching jobs at different local universities. Adjusting to their day-to-day relationship, they are embroiled in two different, disturbing, paranormal situations that have more than one unusual crossing point. Can they work together to find the answers? Or are new temptations too much to resist? For whom are they willing to put their lives on the line? Available on multiple digital channels 
SAVASANA AT SEA
Yoga instructor Sophie Batchelder jumps at the chance to teach on a cruise ship when she loses her job and her boyfriend dumps her. But when her boss is murdered, Sophie must figure out who the real killer is -- before he turns her into a corpse, too. A Not-Quite-Cozy Mystery.
Buy Links 
PLAYING THE ANGLES
Witchcraft, politics, and theatre collide as Morag D’Anneville and Secret Service agent Simon Keane fight to protect the Vice President of the United States -- or is it Morag who needs Simon’s protection more than the VP?
Buy links 
THE SPIRIT REPOSITORY
Bonnie Chencko knows books change lives. She’s attracted to Rufus Van Dijk, the mysterious man who owns the bookshop in his ancestors’ building. A building filled with family ghosts, who are mysteriously disappearing. It’s up to Bonnie and her burgeoning Craft powers to rescue the spirits before their souls are lost forever. Buy Links 
RELICS & REQUIEM
Amanda Breck’s complicated life gets more convoluted when she finds the body of Lena Morgan in Central Park, identical to Amanda’s dream. Detective Phineas Regan is one case away from retirement; the last thing he needs is a murder case tinged by the occult. The seeds of their attraction were planted months ago. But can they work together to stop a wily, vicious killer, or will the murderer destroy them both?
Buy link 
Ink In My Coffee 