Thursday, December 6, 2007
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
St. Nicholas Day!
Sunny and cold
I managed to catch the 9:32 train to NYC on Tuesday morning, which, of course, was late. I got in to the city, trekked across town to Costume Imp’s place, gave him his birthday presents, his Christmas present, and played with the girls. We got down to Penn Station in time to meet our friend C. and get on the 11:30 Cheapy bus. There were snow flurries, and somehow, everything in the city is brighter and happier when it snows.
And then, the driver didn’t show up.
One guy was walking down the street, screaming and swearing at his invisible companion. C said, “I hope that’s not our driver!”, and I said, “If it is, I’m driving the bus.”
The driver finally showed up, and we took off. But we got to Philly nearly an hour late. And the bus had no shock absorbers.
There was a pub called Slainte right next to the spot we were let off, and that’s where we had lunch. The place is great – club chairs, plenty of space, good food. We split an order of Philly Cheesesteak Eggrolls, which sound weird, but were wonderful. I had the grilled salmon sandwich; Costume Imp had onion soup and a buffalo wing salad; C. had chili and an apple walnut salad. The pinot noir served with it was excellent.
I got an idea for a short story there.
After lunch, feeling renewed, we walked across Market and down 23rd St. to South Street, and along South Street to Harry’s Occult Shop. I hadn’t been there for at least ten or fifteen years. I think it’s less hard core now. Or maybe my perceptions are different. In any case, I got some oils I can’t get up here (I miss Magickal Childe so much)!
Then we wandered back towards Rittenhouse Square, past my friends’ building (they weren’t home) and to Miel, my favorite French pastry shop, where we had pastries and coffee. Then, across the street, we went to Kitchen Kapers, one of my favorite stores, and did some shopping.
Into a cab after that and to the World Café Live, over in the university district. What a fantastic space! Extremely well run, great staff, great food and drink. We had a table up front, right at the stage, had another bottle of pinot noir, and enjoyed ourselves. The crowd (at least those near us, with whom we interacted), were very nice and lots of fun.
There were two opening acts. The first one was an excellent keyboardist, but he’d been traveling a lot and his voice was tired. The second one – I didn’t like his energy; he wasn’t what he seemed, and it put me off. If I was a cat, I would have made a fat tail and started hissing, but I behaved.
And then the main show, Darren Hayes, came out. I was familiar with Savage Garden back in the 90s – I’d bought their first album in Australia when my show ran there. But I hadn’t kept track of them or of Hayes’s solo career. Costume Imp is a huge fan, and this road trip was part of his birthday celebration.
We all really enjoyed the performance. Hayes is an excellent performer. Although he thinks on his feet and rearranges the material, everything is meticulously planned out and controlled. I’m sure many of his fans believe he’s being spontaneous, but all three of us attending have spent our lives in the biz, and we know good choreography and careful planning when we see it! He knows how to play and play to his audience; he can adjust to the vibe of the room. His material is excellent, and it was just him singing and one guy on guitar. I prefer an intimate experience like that. My days of stadium concerts with thousands of drunk people I can’t stand are over. It was an excellent performance.
I got another idea for a short story while at the concert.
After, we grabbed a cab and went back to the Greyhound bus terminal, where we boarded the “normal” bus back to NYC at 11 PM. Unfortunately, we had a crack addict a few rows behind us who spent the entire trip on his cell phone trying to swindle everyone he could think of out of money, giving each a totally ridiculous story about being abandoned/losing his car (when he’d called someone else to check on it), etc., etc., as he tried to return in time to check in with his parole officer! We were well rid of him by the time we got to NYC, let me tell you! You want to feel compassionate, but when someone is so determined to be the victim, blame everyone else, not try to take action and personal responsibility, and so determined to lie and cheat his way to more drugs, for me, that’s the end of compassion. I know the whole song and dance about “oh, he can’t help it” – what he can help is whether or not he tries to get the right kind of help or keeps going down the road he’s going. And, right now, it’s obviously the latter. I hope the kid (he was only in his early 20s, but sounded like someone in his 60s) gets his life together, but it’s his choice whether he does or not.
Went back to Costume Imp’s, got a few hours of sleep, brought in breakfast. He had to go and do two shows. Our other friend had to be in for day work at 9 AM! Made me glad that’s no longer my deal.
I meandered back through Bryant Park, picked up a few things for St. Nicholas Day (it was the Eve last night), and got a late morning train home. Slept most of the afternoon, took care of some paperwork, came to an arrangement to extend a writing gig for a few more months, but warned them they’re not paying me enough for the last minute crap they keep trying to pull on me and I simply won’t do it. Tried to run some errands and finish the holiday shopping, but couldn’t find what I wanted in the stores. So I did it online instead, and hope that I’ve ordered early enough for it to get here by the holidays. They’re saying delivery by the 20th for something ordered yesterday, which seems excessive, since all the other places from which I ordered this weekend have already shipped. Stocked up at Staples on supplies, especially paper. I need to go back to buying it by the case. Otherwise, I’m running to Staples twice a week for a new ream.
Watched a little TV last night – the last episode of Life that’ll be on for awhile, and it was, as usual, excellent. Went to bed early.
Light morning’s work on Earth Bride. Have some errands to do, but also need to get some articles written, and get back to work on Hex Breaker, We All Have Secrets, and Tracking Medusa.
I love St. Nicholas Day! It’s one of my favorite European traditions. Put the shoe out on the night of the 5th – it’s filled with fruit, candy, and small toys on the morning of the 6th. I especially like it now, since I’m older and we put in the chocolate we appreciate, such as Lindt, Godiva, etc.
One of the bars I set for whether or not a relationship will work is how the guy feels about holidays. If he doesn’t enjoy them, or at least respect them, he’s gone pretty darned fast.
And all those people who whine about the holidays being too commercial? Guess what? They don’t have to be. I don’t shop in malls; I don’t buy the latest hot whatever. I take the time to be creative in my shopping or cooking or creation and come up with something unique for that particular individual. Anyone can go to the electronics store and buy the latest gadget. A true gauge of the season is how creative you are in putting together the gifts. Again, to those who whine “don’t have time” – what they really mean when they tell someone they “don’t have time” to shop or write a card is that the person is not a priority to them. And why should I make people a priority in my life if I’m not one in theirs? Took me many years to get to that realization, but now, since I remove deadwood from my life regularly, I’m much less stressed and much happier. People who use you as a toxic dump, especially during the holidays, have no place in your life. And you CAN choose how toxic an effect they have on you, even if they’re related.
Off to get my writing and my errands done.
Devon
Earth Bride 91,569 words out of est. 100,000
Devon’s Bookstore:
5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.
Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.
Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here: