Tues. Dec. 22, 2020: Die For Your Employer Day 216 — Trying to Get it All Done

Cookie tins, packed & ready for delivery

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Waxing Moon

Uranus Retrograde

Cloudy and cold

Busy weekend, although I wasn’t really feeling up to it.

Friday had more snow; not much, just a dusting. I had to pick up a prescription for my mom, and I did a curbside drop-off/pick-up at the library.

Decontaminated, read a bit.

Finished the revisions on both the Susanna Centlivre play and the Isabella Goodwin play and got them out. Nearly two weeks ahead of deadline, too. I’m pretty pleased with myself.

Heard back from the Body Be Gone publisher. I didn’t win the big prize, but I am in the anthology and will get a little bit of cash and a copy of it, which will be fun. It was a lot of fun to participate in it, and I’m pleased to be part of such a lively, creative group. I wonder which story won?

In any case, by not winning, I retain my rights to these characters, and they can have a life beyond that one story. Which could be a lot of fun.

Woke up early on Saturday, with ideas for a story for one of the anthologies that would be due on Dec. 31. It might be too complex for a short story, but I’m going to give it a shot and see what I can do with it.

Wrote 1600 words on it, and it’s a bit all over the place, but I like the bones of it. Once I finish the draft, I can strip it down and rebuild.

I poked two companies about orders I placed weeks ago – giving them plenty of time because it’s both busy season and the pandemic. They finally shipped. One of the orders was placed before Thanksgiving. This is inexcusable. I help one of my clients with shipping. It doesn’t take five weeks to ship something that is in stock.

Saturday’s big project was making stollen. I used the traditional Dresden recipe. It takes all day, between the rises and waiting while things soak. But we wind up with three enormous loaves of stollen that are delicious. Much better than the overpriced, stale loaves on buys in the stores or orders online. If I bought this from a company, it would cost several hundred dollars. And not taste half as good.

I also decorated most of my office – got the tree up, anyway. Switched the bedding over to fleece. Got 6 loads of laundry done.

And was wiped out.

A client contacted me, frantically needing me to get something out right that second. I got it done, and that will be on next week’s bill. You don’t interrupt my weekend and expect it to be free. This is information I asked her for nearly a month ago, and she couldn’t get her act together until Saturday for something that needed to go out before Sunday.

Sunday, I finished decorating my office, put a lot of empty boxes away. I baked a chocolate Grand Marnier cake. The Bundt pan I have is awful, and even though it was greased in every crevice, it didn’t come out properly. But it still tastes good. Also made bourbon balls, which turned out tasty, but look a little off-putting.

I was just wiped out. I felt weak and emotional all weekend. All I want to do is sleep. I can’t seem to get my feet back under me after this surgery. It’s been more than a week, and it was good news, so I don’t get why I’m still completely wiped out.

The “relief” package Congress passed is a joke. Sure, $600 is better than nothing, but we should have been getting $2000/month EVERY month since March. All of them failed us, including the Democrats. All these people saying, “Oh, take a government class, it’s all on McConnell, it’s not on Pelosi and Schumer” – grow up. I’ve been a negotiator. When you don’t have the votes, you GET THE VOTES. McConnell does it all the time, but Pelosi and Schumer aren’t willing to play hardball.

They’ll have another excuse for no continued, REAL relief in January. I’m sick of excuses. I want action. Tough, strong action against the corrupt. Not continuous capitulation and acting like $600 is good. It’s HALF of what we got in May, and just over ¼ of what we should have been getting EVERY MONTH of the pandemic. While the grifters continue to grift, without consequence. This has to change. If this is the “best they can’ do” then we need stronger leadership who can do better.

In this state alone, there are nearly 30,000 new virus cases a week. We need a full lockdown. With continued, direct cash relief.

And prosecution for those who profited from the pandemic at the expense of our lives all the way through it.

Monday, up early, still feeling like crap. But I went into the office – alone, like it should be. I got some shipping done – see, people? The orders came in over the weekend and went out MONDAY – that is how one takes care of customers. The postman hadn’t arrived by the time I left, so I took the boxes with me and dropped them off at the post office myself. Went to the library for a curbside drop-off/pickup.

Home, decontaminated, masked up again, and packed cookie tins. They look really cute. The cookies are packed in individual sleeves, which work well, but take up a lot of room.

One of the companies I poked came through and I got the delivery that was most important to get today. The company from whom I ordered before Thanksgiving – shipped so late it’s still stuck in California, and the third company is making noises about delays. But what I really wanted for today came, so that’s that.

I got an unexpected bonus from two clients. One goes into the bank, as prep for moving; the other I used on a piece of jewelry by an artisan on which I’ve had my eye for a few months. I put in a note with the order not to stress about trying to get it out for this week. It gets here when it gets here. I ordered it late – when I had the money to order it. I’m happy whenever it arrives.

I was finished just as the sun set, and we did the family Solstice ritual: let the sun set all the way, sitting in the dark. Start by lighting the fire in the fireplace, with greens from last year’s Solstice season; then light all the candles and put on the trees and other decorative lights, inside and outside the house. And take a few minutes of gratitude to enjoy it, release what no longer works, and make room to invite something new and wonderful.

Dinner was pancetta and peas in Alfredo sauce, with the chocolate Grand Marnier cake for dessert. Delicious.

Then, a quiet evening re-reading Terry Pratchett’s HOGFATHER (one of my favorite books), enjoying the tree, listening to Chantal Chamberland sing carols.

Later, I did my own private Solstice ritual, to remove the detritus of this year, and make way for something new.

I’m off today to Plymouth, to get the car inspected, and I’m terrified. I’m terrified that the Trump-supporting maskless mechanics who did the oil change sabotaged the car a few months back, and there will be a major repair. Think good thoughts for me. At least I’ll be at the mechanic I know is honest.

If I’m not there all day with car repairs, I hope to come home the cookie deliveries (and yes, one of those tins is for the mechanics in Plymouth).

Have a lovely day, friends, and a lovely week.

Mon. Dec. 23, 2013: Solstice and Writing and . . .

Monday, December 23, 2013
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Still dark out

Busy weekend. I don’t even remember Friday, although I suspect I worked flat out. I haven’t been getting enough of my own writing done, which is frustrating. I have a big deadline coming up in early February for a large package of projects, and that’s my main focus, around the freelance jobs that are paying the bills.

I’m disengaging from several clients who have proven to be unreliable and difficult in the wrong way. I don’t mind precise with high standards — that’s a good thing, and something I appreciate and respect. I mind legends in their own minds, without the goods to back it up. It amazes me that the lowest and most unreliable payers are often the biggest pains in the ass, and the ones most worried about other people “stealing” their material are the ones who have the weakest and most derivative stuff that no one would want to poach anyway.

The ones with the best material are the most prompt, pay fairly and on time, and the easiest to work with.

Saturday was the Solstice, a lovely holiday for me. I finished decorating (about time), although the outdoor trees don’t have lights this year, because I pulled the outdoor cords for something and didn’t put them back — I have no idea where they are. Got some of the holiday cards out (late) and will do New Year’s and Valentine’s cards for the rest. Tried ecards for some people, too — not quite as satisfying as paper cards, but better than nothing.

Sunday, I spent the morning writing a half hour teleplay. It turned out better (and different) than I expected, and is printed out and in the editing queue. A character walked in for the cliffhanger who I wasn’t expecting, and I think will be a good fulcrum/cause of conflict in the series. I set it at a friend’s Brooklyn brownstone (a place that’s often used for location shooting anyway, so . . .). Pitched for some jobs.

Some neighbors stopped by with cookies! So thoughtful. I haven’t gotten my usual holiday baking done, so it was nice to have treats.

Re-read HOGFATHER, one of my favorite Terry Pratchett novels, and relevant to the season. As usual, I laughed out loud at portions. Wrote, polished, and scheduled my Boxing Day post for Writers Vineyard, and updated my 2014 calendar on a few things.

I have to get back to work on a couple of scripts today, work on the novella, maybe work on the holiday piece that was supposed to be a short story but has turned into a novella that I would like to finish and submit by February. I also have to get the car inspected and run some errands to a few libraries. I may have a quick turnaround proofreading job, if the guy coughs up the deposit, as has been emphasized now in a half a dozen emails. I do not do a job without a deposit. When the deposit shows up, I will do the job. It’s very clear in the LOA.

I can’t believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! I am unprepared!

Back to the page.

Devon

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Sunday, December 14, 2008
Waning Moon
Sunny and cold

Hop on over to A Biblio Paradise today and read all about Toni Sweeney’s wonderful work – her LAST ADVENTURES OF SINBAD SINGH makes my TBR pile!

Tired. Still don’t feel really well.

Did five loads of laundry yesterday. Unfortunately, my friend’s dryer conked out after two loads, so I brought three wet loads of sheets, towels, etc. home and have draped them all over the place. Not the prettiest of decorating, if I say so myself.

I worked diligently on the Christmas cards, and still only got about half-way through the M’s, so I have a great deal more work to do today. I want to finish the cards and get them out tomorrow, along with the packages.

Got home to intercept the mail carrier and receive a lovely box filled with things like stollen, mints, etc. – perfect holiday treats. Needless to say, I’m not waiting the week and change to dive into it!

Actually found something worth watching last night, on the Ion Channel – HOGFATHER, based on the Terry Pratchett novel. The novel is one of my all-time favorites. I think it’s one of the funniest and also piercing novels I’ve ever read. I have mixed feelings about the TV movie. The production design was gorgeous. Many of the actors were well cast, especially Michelle Dockery, who played Susan, and Marc Warren, who played Teatime. Their performances were beautifully detailed and nuanced. However, Pratchett’s dialogue is witty and sparkling – and this film was four hours long. The pace was dreadful. The images, the framing, the production design, the casting – all were wonderful. And although the jump cuts were jarring between scenes, the pace of the actual scenes was often dreadful. The scenes were directed as though intoning Shakespeare for those who weren’t bright enough to understand it, instead of the bright, sharp, staccato wit that Pratchett has in the book.

Having a hard time getting started this morning. I have more laundry to deal with – the stuff that’s dry gets to be put away, and the next set of wet stuff set out. Cards to write, the assignment for Confidential Job #2 to complete, and gifts to make.

What I’d like to do is to go back to bed. Unfortunately, that’s not an option.

Devon