Wed. May 25, 2022: Roadtrip!

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Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Waning Moon

Pluto and Mercury Retrograde

Sunny and pleasant

Yesterday was road trip day. We travelled over to Lake George, a day trip to make sure the car was working, and to get a few things out that way we couldn’t source around here.

We drove Rt. 2 across to Troy (New York), which was pretty, but the curvy mountain roads required intense concentration, especially since I haven’t driven much since December, and I’m not used to the mountain roads yet. I mean, they’re not the Alps, but still have challenges (mostly yahoos in rusty pickups who want to speed).

Troy is an interesting, historic city, and we picked up Rt. 9 North from there. Once we got around Saratoga Springs, I was back in familiar territory, although I hadn’t been out that way since before we moved to the Cape a little over a decade ago. It’s gotten more built up, of course, but it was still good to see familiar places with happy memories.

Somehow, we got sidetracked onto Rt. 9N north, instead of N, and took the roundabout way to Lake George which was . . .kind of retro kitschy? Very built up with games and “fun” parks and stuff, and one can barely see the lake for the tourist stuff. We’d hoped to grab some takeout and picnic near the lake, but there wasn’t anything we wanted to eat, and a plethora of school field trips, so we decided not to.

We stopped at the Timberland outlet and I got new walking shoes – black with purply-pink trim. I had my last Timberland walking shoes for nearly 15 years before they fell apart during the move last year. These feel great, and will be terrific for running errands. I doubt they’ll last as long as the others, between concrete city streets and hiking trails, but I have every intention of enjoying them. We stopped at a couple of other stores, too, and bought a few things, but mostly didn’t, and didn’t stay in stores where people weren’t masking. We, of course, stayed masked.

We picked up I-87 and dropped down to Albany, then went across on the Pike, and came back up through Lee and Lenox. We stopped at the kitchen store in Lenox; I hadn’t had a chance to do my birthday shopping there in March. One of the (unmasked) cashiers was walking around on her cell phone, talking about how she was “recovering” from COVID and how much she loved the anti-viral drugs. I grabbed two pretty blue bowls, went to the other cashier, and we got the heck out of there ASAP, sanitizing like crazy. Bitch should have still been home, or, at the very least, masked in the store, instead of spewing germs everywhere.

We stopped at a food market that advertises all over the place and is always crowded (90% were masked, thank goodness)). I’d heard so much about it. I found them overpriced. Their prices are $2-$4 higher than the food co-op and $3-$5 higher than the other grocery stores in the area, for the same brands.

I bought some of their own brand to try it. The take-and-bake pizza had no taste. Not even a cardboardy taste. Completely bland, until I put some of the fresh basil from the garden on it. That brought out the cheese and tomato flavors, but the crust was still bland. The organic chocolates were flat, too. The texture was okay, but they lacked taste. This morning’s chocolate croissants were okay, but not brilliant. Let’s hope the rest of the stuff I bought there has more flavor, or I am going to be Annoyed.

Doubtful I’ll shop there again, unless the cheese I bought from the cheese monger is terrific.

But at least we know it’s hype without substance, and don’t have to shop there again.

We did full decontamination protocols on ourselves and everything we brought into the house, just in case.

Charlotte and Willa had missed us, and were glad we were home. Tessa had ensconced herself on the porch, and was like, “Eh, you’re home earlier than you said.”

Read in the evening, still reading DISORIENTED, which is such a strong book. Definitely has a lot of ha-ha-ow! to the satire.

Tried to re-order the cat food, but they are out of stock for the only food Tessa will eat. We still have a few weeks’ worth, which is why I usually order early. I can wait a few days before figuring out something else.

Was heartbroken and enraged by yet another school shooting in Texas. Every politician who blocks gun control and removing the filibuster is personally responsible for these daily killings, and should be charges as accessories to the homicides.

Up early this morning, confronted by a very angry Tessa. When we refilled her bowl before bedtime, we left it on the kitchen counter. She did not get her 2 AM snack, and she was enraged. For once, she didn’t even care that I was headed to the laundromat. Her attitude was, “Just go! You’ve done enough!”

Laundromat was fine. Lots of laundry, but got it done in a reasonable amount of time. I drove, because there was so much, and refilled the gas on the way back. I’d only had to fill the car once before since January, so I feel like I have no right to gripe about gas prices. Besides, it’s still cheaper here than, say, in the UK, where they pay for a litre what we pay for a gallon.

I haven’t had any scripts in my queue since Saturday, and am trying not to panic. I am way under my nut for this pay period. I’m still okay, but I’m trying to get ahead, not just stay afloat. I have some other paid work to do, fortunately, this week, but it irritates me that they gave us this big song-and-dance about wanting us to take on more work and put more of our focus on them, but then they can’t give us enough to meet our needs.

Time to add a few more clients into the mix. Another editor wants to know if I want to work with her again (it would be for a project coming out in 2024, although it would be due this August and paid next October, which is the way it works for the almanac). I’m going to say yes. I have a book to read for review, and radio scripts to do for producers. Plus, the Big Project, the monthology story, revising “Personal Revolution” and the Topic Workbooks, and the next edit on CAST IRON MURDER.

Speaking of CAST IRON MURDER, I started the multi-colored draft at the laundromat, and wow, is there a lot of sloppy language in it. It’s part of one character’s cadence, but I’m going to clean up the rest of it. Yikes.

If you’re not familiar with my multi-colored draft, my article on the layered editing process is here.

Back to the page. I have a headache from the driving yesterday, but there’s too much to do today to take another day off.

Have a good one.

Wed. March 3, 2021: Die For Your Employer Day 285/MA Vaccine Distribution Fail Day 35 — Steady On, Now.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Waning Moon

Windy and Cold

Yesterday was busy, but a steady, good busy. I got some writing done in the morning, and got my article off to my editor.

Had to venture out into the world for a basic grocery shopping, put gas in the car, and a curbside pickup at the library. It was too windy to go to the dump; I’ll do that run at the end of the week.

Home, full decontamination protocols.

Lost the daily cage fight to get my mom’s second vaccine appointment. The message came up that “all appointments next week are full.” So what the hell am I supposed to do? She needs to get her second dose next week.

None of this chaos is necessary. I’m so tired of incompetents running the show.

I had to do some online research, got out some more LOIs. The “additional information” the prospective client wanted was, basically, an unpaid proposal of how to revamp their site. In detail.  No, honey, if I’m revamping your site, you’re paying me.

Next.

Got another request for more information from another LOI that was actually a request for more information, so we could have a good conversation. That went out this morning.

I re-read some of the blog posts of where I was at this time last year, when we were just starting to get the information on how deadly the pandemic was, and everyone was scrambling to figure out what to do, and I was just past the first surgery. The level of stress was pretty high, and it actually made me feel better about the level of stress I’m experiencing right now, in a weird way.

Got my review out. Turns out I’d gotten the deadlines for the two books mixed up. The book I reviewed had a deadline near the end of the month; the other one is due at the end of this week. So I started THAT one, and will get in the review on time. Did a bunch of client work; trying to work ahead on a few projects.

Got a quote back from a source after I’d turned in my article. It’s good, so I asked my editor if I could add it in and tweak the article (I wanted to reach her before she started work on it). She’s cool with it, so I’ll get that turned around to her today.

Started working on an article pitch for a magazine that’s a profile of someone about whom I want to write.

Since I surpassed my box purging quota on Monday, I didn’t have to feel guilty about not purging yesterday, and working instead.

Knowledge Unicorns was fun. Everyone is tired, and there’s huge pressure to go back onsite, but we are all holding steady. Not this year. The kids are doing very well, and, more importantly, it’s safer.

I actually slept through the night last night. This morning, I’m up early, writing and trying to turn around my article.

We have to be out of the house just after 7 AM; I have to take my mom in for bloodwork, then drop her off and head for the client’s office for a few hours.

Remote Chat this afternoon, and then more article work, LOI work, and finishing the book for review.

Hopefully, it will be another “good busy” day.

Tues. Dec. 8, 2020: Die For Your Employer Day 202/Isolation Day 3 — Preparing

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Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Waning Moon

Uranus Retrograde

Busy weekend.

Friday was errand day, trying to get things done before I had to go into isolation in preparation for surgery. The errands were run successfully, with minimal contact with others, although I continue to be appalled at the stupidity of those around me, especially with the rising cases. The refusal to practice basic human decency by simply wearing a mask is disgusting.

Two of the errands weren’t strictly essential, but had to happen today or not happen at all. I was as careful as possible, other than not doing them, and hope I don’t have to pay the price of getting sick. I have sanitized so much in the car lately that it reeks of sanitizer. Or it smells like I’ve been quaffing thermoses full of vodka martinis in the car. You pick.

Home, decontaminated or quarantined everything picked up, decontaminated myself. Was exhausted. Got some admin and an LOI out.

With all the talk of a big storm coming in, after lunch, we brought in almost all the deck furniture (the big bench has to stay out for another week or two), the garden decorations, and the rest of the plants – except for the hanging plants. One pot of pansies is STILL blooming! Imagine that.

We had to clean things before putting them away. I am angry by how dirty everything got outside this year. Everything was scrubbed down after the pine pollen stopped falling – and that happened late this year. But everything was filthy, which it wasn’t in previous years. It’s all the damn heavy machinery, daily overuse of leaf blowers, and general uptick in pollution and cutting down of trees that contribute.

Some numbnut a couple of blocks over ran leaf blowers from just before 9 AM to after 6:30. There is not a single property in this neighborhood big enough to qualify for that. It’s disgusting.

It took all afternoon, and then I had to cook dinner. After dinner, I finished, finally finished the rest of the holiday cards. I say “finally” because I started them so early. I don’t think I’ve ever been done by December 4! I kind of like it, and might do it again next year, depending where we are and the work situation.

Town managers are moaning about all the “stress” of the rising virus numbers. What the eff did they think would happen, when there is ZERO enforcement of the state mask mandate, nothing is shut down, and their own personnel aren’t modeling proper protocols? Barnstable is the only red zone on the entire Cape because people are such selfish idiots, and that goes all the way up to town personnel.

Up early on Saturday. The storm wasn’t as bad as predicted – yet. I used a quick calm in it to dash out to Shaw’s and Trader Joe’s for the last few things before isolation. I went next door to Christmas Tree Shops to pick up another piece of outdoor décor, and then stopped at CVS to pick up my prescription. They gave me the high-end stuff this time, without a fuss, so I hope it doesn’t make me as sick as the last stuff did.

The storm was getting bad by the time I got out of CVS. I made it home, driving slowly, decontaminated everything including myself, and officially went into isolation.

None of the stores had the old English fruit and peel I need for the fruitcake cookies. When I tried to order online, every outlet I felt comfortable spending money in was sold out. So I guess I’m not doing fruitcake cookies this year. I will try chocolate crackle instead.

The storm kept getting worse; I didn’t want to be on the computer or do laundry, in case the power went out. But we did some more decorating, and spent a cozy afternoon reading. The Santas are up on the Behemoth, I put the snowmen on a small table all their own, more ornaments went on the tree,

The storm abated enough by Saturday night to watch the first half of season 9 of DEATH IN PARADISE. I love the location. The show really shouldn’t work – yet somehow, it does.

Sunday was the day to catch up on laundry, and decorate the back room. Cleared out a bunch of stuff that somehow accumulated in there. There’s still more work to do, but the room and the dining table look festive for the holidays.

There’s still a LOT of work to do in my office, including the Elegant Tree, but that will have to wait until after surgery.

Up early yesterday. Did some work on LIFE, REVISED, the piece that was inspired by an argument a few weeks ago. Somehow ended up with a haunted covered bridge in it, because of course I did. But the piece feels right. However, I need to make it the carrot, and only allow myself to work on it when I’ve completed the other things I need to do that day.

I risked going into the office, since no one was supposed to be there. Technically, I was alone and isolated, and I had no contact with anyone outside my household. I got some orders shipped out – because it’s the holidays, and I didn’t want them to sit unfilled until someone came in on Wednesday. I answered email questions, got out an email blast I’d worked on last week, the inspirational quote of the week, scheduled some social media stuff, did the social media rounds.

As soon as the postman picked up the packages I left outside for him, I locked up and left. I did a curbside pickup at the library – no one was around – and got back home. Here I stay, until Thursday’s COVID test, which removes a lot of stress from my life.

Decontaminated – even though I hadn’t had any contact, even at a distance with anyone. The office was supposedly the same temperature as the house, but for some reason, it felt really cold and I was chilled. I took a good, hot shower and scrubbed down, and felt better.

Read and got admin work done in the afternoon and evening. Read the fifth book in a series – I’d though the first book was mediocre, didn’t like the second book, and skipped the 3^rd and 4^th. Ordered this one, not realizing it was part of the same series. But this one is good. It feels like the series is growing into itself.

Today, I have client work I’m doing remotely, including a marketing campaign suggestion packet for 2021, LOIs, and my main focus is the Susanna Centlivre play. I’m so close to getting it where I want!

As usual, the computer has been acting up. I have problems with the PC every week. I had about three problems with the Macbook in 10 years.

Trying to get mentally prepared for the surgery. I hope this is the last one for a while. I’m weary. The whole year has made me weary, and thoroughly disillusioned with far too many of my fellow citizens. But I need to put aside the Big Picture worries this week and focus on what I’m facing on the home front. I can worry about Big Picture again in a few weeks.

I need to find my writing rhythm again. It’s been fits and starts in the past few weeks – heck, in the past few months – and I need to find a steady rhythm again.

Have a great day, and a great week.

Fri. Oct. 15, 2020: Die For Your Employer Day 149 — Baking and Song

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Friday, October 16, 2020

New Moon

Neptune, Uranus, Mars, Mercury Retrograde

Cloudy and pleasant

Yesterday seems far away, for some reason.

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.

Thurs. July 16, 2020: Die For Tourist Dollars Day 57 — Blue as Nikko Hydrangeas

Thursday, July 16, 2020
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Sunny and cool

There’s a post over on Gratitude and Growth about what’s going on with the garden.

If you haven’t read the post over on Ink-Dipped Advice on Reinventing Work, you can hop on over.

Went onsite for a client for a few hours. Got some ad approvals, got some more photos for the next bit we need to do together. Too many people in the office at the same time, and getting lackadaisical about protocols. I’m not happy about it.

I was glad to get home and do a full decontamination protocol.

Remote Chat was fun. As always. What a great group of people.

Titcomb’s let me know another book was in for me, so we got into the car and had a little drive for a curbside pickup. They’re so great.

Got out some LOIs. Got a book assigned to review – I will read it over the weekend.

Still waiting for a big check from a job back in February – which should have paid by the end of June. So I guess I’m contacting the editor to ask her to check on it.

Read anotherEllen Byron book in her Cajun series. Delightful.

Feeling a little blue today, kind of like my hydrangeas, but I hope keeping busy will help. I have some writing to do (as always), including an article idea I’ve been playing with for LinkedIn, and starting my Llewellyn article. Need to work on BARD. Want to work on GAMBIT. And there’s always purging that needs to be done in the basement.

I have to do an early morning run to Star Market, because we’re out of a few things, and I don’t want to stand in line later at Trader Joe’s for them. Plus, some of what I need isn’t at TJ’s, although I’m most comfortable shopping there. I’m hoping, if I go early enough to SM, I can avoid Sliding Mask Skanks.

Then home, disinfectant protocols, and to work. I’m hoping focus on the work will get me out of feeling so low.

Hope your Thursday is lovely.