Wed. Jan. 11, 2023: Steady Progress

image courtesy of Piyapong Saydaung via pixabay.com

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Waning Moon

Uranus, Mars, Mercury Retrograde

Cloudy and cold

Over on The Process Muse today, I talk about “Getting Back on Track” with my writing.

With Mars stationary, preparing to go direct tomorrow, it’s like wading through molasses while furious. Not fun, and I constantly remind myself that reacting rather taking a breath and a step back is an unwise choice right now.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I did about 1K in longhand while at the laundromat. After breakfast/putting everything away, I drafted another episode of LEGERDEMAIN. A character who was supposed to be rather one-dimensional and start as a comic red herring is turning into someone more complicated. I guess that’s a good thing, fully developed characters are always a better choice, but I have to make sure this character still works, in the plot, the way I need him to.

I adapted another chapter of ANGEL HUNT into four episodes. I then “created” the story on Kindle Vella, uploaded the series logo and the blurb, and polished, uploaded, and scheduled the first 16 episodes, which gets me through St. Patrick’s Day in March. I updated the Episode Tracking Sheets as I went, to make sure I know what’s going out when. I wrote the episode log lines.

But the more I think about it, the stronger the instinct NOT to do episode-specific graphics. LEGERDEMAIN episodes drop on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with episode-specific graphics. ANGEL HUNT episodes will drop Wednesdays and Fridays. The series logo is striking. I’m worried that too many different graphics will get confusing to potential readers. The episodes are short, by intent. Few are over 1K words. The narrative drive of this piece is narrower, without the sprawl that makes all those LEGERDEMAIN graphics both necessary and fun.  Individual graphics don’t make sense, unless I was good enough to draw original art, or rich enough to commission an artist. The style of graphic that’s been working for LEGERDEMAIN won’t work for ANGEL HUNT, and, frankly, along with not having it in the budget to fairly pay an artist, I’ve left it too late to commission. I would like to get ahead on promotion, but Kindle Vella doesn’t give me the link until the story goes live on launch day. They really sabotage their authors, between not allowing gift cards used as tokens, or allowing authors to put tokens in giveaway packages, or allow authors to put the serials on their author pages. I don’t think BookBub allows the serials on their author pages either, which is annoying. I know it’s because Amazon wants authors to buy ads on the Amazon platform, but I mean, come on, give us some support over here.

At least for the first few months, I’m going to continue with episode-specific graphics for LEGERDEMAIN (along with increasing the general graphics, as I expand the website), but use a consistent graphic for ANGEL HUNT. It’ll give me a chance to compare promotional styles, although the two serials are a bit of apples and oranges.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted, with a blasting headache from it all.

I didn’t work on the script, although I was trying to figure out how to write myself out of this corner. Then, I realized, that I really don’t need to. This is a first draft, and I plan to cut the scene anyway in the next draft. I can make a note to that effect in the “Action” line and just move on. Duh.

I finished reading a book by a new-to-me author, recommended to me by an author colleague I like and respect. The book understands the genre and puts interesting twists on it, although I did manage to get ahead of the plot a few times, and had to wait for the characters to catch up. I like the writing. But then, a minor character used the term “witch” as a derogatory against other women, and I felt slapped in the face. This author, particularly, knows better. I was also a little thrown because the flap copy has incorrect character names. In other words, I’m on the fence about whether or not to read any other books by this particular author. I may try the first book of one of the other series, and see if I encounter the same type of issues.

No scripts in the queue, which has me worried, but I have books to review and will get on the stick about that. Plus contest entries, which I need to start. And I’m behind in reading the book for NYU’s virtual book club.

I did the social media rounds to promote the episode of LEGERDEMAIN that went live yesterday. I’m definitely seeing where I want to scale back on some of the platforms over the coming weeks.

An “offer” landed in my inbox to ghostwrite. $15 for 1500 words, minimum requirement 10 chapters per week (meaning 15,000 words). Yeah, no. Not worth it to work on someone else’s ideas for so little money. If I’m going to write 3K a day for someone else, it’s not going to be for a penny a word.

Slept reasonably well, woke up to coffee. Only got about 500 words done in longhand. I’d lost the thread of that particular story, getting wound up in the other stories on which I worked yesterday. By the time I got back into it, the time I had to work on it was up.

The morning plan is to take some Excedrin for my headache, draft another episode of Legerdemain, adapt another chapter of ANGEL HUNT to serial (it’s so weird, going from serial to chapter back to serial format), promote the new post on The Process Muse, work on my article, hopefully get some scripts in my queue, work on the next book for review, start contest entries. I’d like to work a little ahead on Process Muse and Ink-Dipped Advice, too, but that may get pushed off until the weekend.

Next week, I have to look at the short stories that do not have a home and the plays, and decide where to submit. I need everything out the door by early March (I will wait to start submissions until Mercury goes direct). I looked at my submission and pitch logs for 2022, and I was lax. Time to make up for it this year. If it’s not out there, it can’t find the right match.

What’s on your agenda today?

Fri. Jan. 6, 2023: Deep in That Mars Retrograde Energy

image courtesy of Gerd Altmann via pixabay.com

Friday, January 6, 2023

Full Moon

Uranus, Mars, Mercury Retrograde

Rainy with temperatures dropping

Yesterday was kind of all over the place.

Meditation was canceled. I mailed some bills, did a big grocery shop, picked up books at the library, got more ink for the inkjet printer.

Came home, unpacked everything, wrote my reviews, submitted the reviews and the invoice, and was paid within ten minutes (love that). I even got a holiday bonus! Was assigned my next two books for review.

Makes me feel better about the lack of script coverages in my queue lately.

Did the social media rounds to promote Episode 48 of Legerdemain.

Was annoyed by an email with the subject line saying: “Set New Year’s Resolutions If You Want to Fail.”

My response to that is “fuck you.”

Resolutions work for me. If they don’t work for others, fine. But don’t tell people that it makes failure the only option.

This is from an organization (not local) from whom I took a few online courses when I first moved here, but they have a very cliquish system, where unless you pay to be part of their group and agree to work within their system, you’re excluded.

No, thanks. I believe I will unsubscribe to their mailings and constant invites to buy in. I got a few good things out the work with them that set me off some interesting paths, but this “do it OUR way, it’s the RIGHT way” is pretty fucked up.

Buh-bye.

I unsubscribed from a boatload of nonprofit mailing lists at the end of the year, and continue to do so as I wade through the ridiculous amount of email that comes in every day. When the day before New Year’s, I opened my email to find almost all of it demands for money, I just hit unsubscribe, over and over again. I have told every nonprofit to whom I give money that they get ONE ask per year. Segment your fucking mailing lists (it’s not hard, I did it for clients for years) or lose any future support.

Done.

I rarely unsubscribe from author newsletters unless the work no longer works for me (such as the author starting to use “witch” as a derogatory term toward women, or the work moving toward right-wing values). Even if I don’t get to read the newsletter for a few weeks, the metrics and numbers matter, so I try to open it, even if I have to read it later. In fact, I tend to increase sign-ups to author newsletters, because it’s a way to support them.

Read something online that made me angry. Someone made a series of dumbass decisions that ended in a tragedy, and then came online wanting to be told she did the right thing (when she did not). Of course, people told her she did. And yes, she knew better. Anyone with an ounce of common sense knew better. The choices were made out of selfishness (which is different than self-care or self-preservation) and now she pretends to be surprised and heartbroken at the outcome, and wants reassurance that she did “the best she could” (when she did not). The universe offered her a beautiful gift; she spit in its face and destroyed it. And now feigns surprise that her actions had fatal consequences. I have zero sympathy for her. Mostly disgust. Trying to find compassion, but so far haven’t succeeded.

I was definitely deep in the Mars retrograde energy yesterday.

I set up ornament hospital in the afternoon and fixed a bunch of stuff, since it has to start getting boxed up for the year again.

Willa helped.

Hot glue and a helpful cat. You can imagine.

She’s smart enough and I’m careful enough that there was no hot glue on the cat. But it meant everything took longer than it might have otherwise.

The 365 Women a Year Playwriting Project is no more, which is both frustrating and saddening, after writing ten plays with them, and then being in limbo last year. I need to remember the good work that project launched, instead of being frustrated with the now of it.

I gave myself the afternoon off yesterday. I worked out, in my head, the next couple of sections of the screenplay (I’ve come almost to the end of my notes).

I had the sudden urge to visit a particular thrift store in the afternoon. The storm hadn’t started yet, so I nipped out and over. I found a small leather trunk with a curved top, lined inside with burgundy fabric.  It’s delightful. I’m so happy I found it. No idea what I will put in it yet, or where I’ll put it, but I’m glad I found it. One of the few bright spots in an otherwise frustrating day.

I finished reading a Kindle book where the premise was good, but the execution/structure/worldbuilding were weak and inconsistent. I think I need to make a list of the digital books that don’t work for me, so I can delete them from the Kindle, but not risk buying them again. I don’t return digital books; that’s a lousy thing to do to an author. I bought it; if I don’t like it, it’s on me.

We enjoyed the last night of the Yuletide decorations. Today, we start taking them down (although it will probably take the whole weekend).

Didn’t sleep well last night, and it wasn’t Charlotte’s fault (for once). I woke up around 1:30 and just couldn’t get back to sleep. To say I am at less than my best today is an understatement.

I started trying to figure out how to channel my anger about consequences for the needless suffering the dumbass caused, transformed into fiction. I came up with the premise and the catalyst, but everything I came up with as a way for the protagonist to make it right is either trite or too easy. This morning, I came up with an idea to up the protagonist’s stakes and pain. It will take a few weeks to figure it out so I can write it, and it may not ever be something that can go out into the world, but it will channel the anger, and maybe turn it into something that has some sort of meaning, at least for me. Better than letting it fester.

Looking at the situation around the Speaker of the House votes is both frustrating and somewhat ironically funny. The wanna-be had lost the 11^th vote by the time I went to bed. First of all, he and a good portion of the other GOP members sitting there are insurrectionists and belong in prison, not Congress. Second, I would love it if the Dems held firm throughout, and I’m pleased that they have so far, but I’m not hopeful.

This has been rather a downer of a post, hasn’t it? Not the best way to end the holiday season and the week.

Let’s look at some good stuff, shall we, and end the week and the post on a better note?

Packing up the decorations will take time and care. The place will look bare, but I’m kind of looking forward to it as a rest period before spring starts things up again. I need to start ordering seeds soon, and I put in a Chewy order yesterday, because those little furballs need to be fed properly.

I’m going to take breaks in the packing up with writing over the weekend, working on Legerdemain, ANGEL HUNT, and the screenplay. I want/need to start uploading and scheduling the ANGEL HUNT episodes next week, and get that promotional campaign going.

Tonight, I will make bouillabaisse in the Dutch oven. Tomorrow, I’m making the Moosewood Mac & Cheese again, and on Sunday, I will make turkey meatloaf. We are still up to our eyeballs in rum cake and stollen.

I will also carve out some extra time to sit in meditation and shake off the anger and frustration that have built up lately. I will get back to the stillness and start over, in order to create a better week next week.

So much for the intent of easing into the year with grace, huh? I managed at the beginning of the week, but then things deteriorated. I will work to do better next week.

Have a good weekend, my friends.

Thurs. Nov. 3, 2022: Weary

(Image courtesy of S.Hermann/F. Richter via pixabay.com)

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Waxing Moon

Neptune, Chiron, Jupiter, Uranus, Mars Retrograde

Partly cloudy and warm

The latest on the garden is up over on Gratitude and Growth.

The Mars retrograde is kicking my ass, and it just started. I don’t even want to imagine what it will be like when it pairs with the Mercury Retrograde over New Year’s.

After I finished the Nano quota yesterday, and then made the social media rounds, I switched out the curtains and took down the Samhain ornaments.

Packing them took a while, since I also had script coverage, and all that climbing and untangling and all the rest took time.

Something about Nano that makes me tired is all those who only write once a year doing Nano thinking they know everything about writing and giving condescending pats on the head to those of us who MAKE OUR LIVING AT THIS ALL YEAR. Learn something about the person you’re talking to before you give “advice.”

If you missed Ink-Dipped Advice yesterday, I talk about the toxicity of “Team Player”, so hop over and read it.

Turned around 3 scripts in the afternoon. Packed up the decorations in the evening, and I have to hoist the boxes back onto the shelves today.

I’d accepted it was unlikely I’d work on Legerdemain yesterday, so at least I didn’t beat myself up about it.

A strange, murky-colored stain started to expand on the ceiling of my mother’s bedroom. Either something is leaking up in the attic, or something is bleeding up there. Either way, it needs to be dealt with. Since we don’t have access to the attic, I reported it to maintenance, who promised to check it out today.

As my friend Dewi Hargreaves said, it’s an intro to a story. Let’s hope it’s not a horror story!

The rituals for the dead continue. They take more of a toll this year than usual. I’m not sure if it’s because there are more dead due to COVID, or I’m older, or a combination. But this year, it’s difficult to sustain the rituals all week.

Weird dreams last night, and up early this morning.

Up early, and at the desk. Wrote Chapter 3 of THE TREES WHISPERED DEATH, 2624 words. The book wants to pace at around 1K/day, but that doesn’t work for Nano, so I’m pushing it into an unnatural pace, which will mean more time in revisions. I also need to create boards with visuals of the clothes and other details to have in front of me while I write (not on yet another screen – a real BOARD). The hat etiquette is slowing me down. It’s interesting, it’s fun, but it’s slowing me down.

Meditation this morning. After breakfast, I hope to get a little work done, and then I have a morning filled with errands. Not sure if I’ll get to work on Legerdemain, or how much work, because there are two more scripts that need attention this afternoon.

At least the weather should be gorgeous through the weekend.

The next episode of Legerdemain drops today. I hope you enjoy it!

Tues. Nov. 1, 2022: Pens Up for National Novel Writing Month

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Waxing Moon

Neptune, Chiron, Jupiter, Uranus, Mars Retrograde

Day of the Dead

Cloudy and cool

Happy First Day of National Novel Writing Month! Whether you’re doing Traditional Nano (starting a new project today with the goal of 50K) or working on an ongoing project, I wish you joy in the process. You’ll learn a lot.

If you need help or support, give a shout over on the Nano site, and I’ll send you an invite to The Enchanted Wordsmiths group. Or download the free 30 TIPS FOR 30 DAYS booklet to help you navigate it.

The weekend was good. I did my errands on Friday, turned around two scripts, and was relieved to be done for the weekend.

I tried to order some fleece to create a curtain for the back door. Since the outer door is stuck open (and, even if it closed, the neighbors would keep leaving it open), we need something more than the draft block at the bottom. So I’m making a curtain out of fleece. The fleece we liked was from Joann’s, but when I tried to order it, it kept refusing to put the order in, telling me I was a bot (because I entered the site through Rakuten, to get the cash back). That’s Joann’s way of playing both sides against the middle – pretend they’re partnering with Rakuten, not allow the sale to go through, the customer goes through it without Rakuten and doesn’t get the cash back.

Nope.

I informed both Rakuten and Joann’s of the issue. And realized I had perfectly usable fleece I could measure, cut, and use. Rakuten and Joann responded politely, but not actually DOING any damn thing about it, and I informed them that I had sourced what I needed elsewhere. But Rakuten is going to have to deal with it, even if Joann thinks they’ve mastered a screw-the-customer workaround.

Bit the bullet and signed up for Tribel. Don’t like it so far. Too much about numbers and algorithms. I’m going to see if it boosts the numbers for any of my sales over the next few weeks; if not, I may delete the account. I signed up as a beta for BlueSky. We’ll see how that works. As much as I’d hate to lose the community I’ve built on Twitter, Yegads Muskrat is scum, and is going to do everything he can to destroy it, out of his own ego. I don’t want to be on a site filled with rightwing bots and trolls. I don’t know if I’ll delete the account, but I need to spend less time there (which is a good thing, anyway). I do have ads dropping through December, and I don’t want to lose those, so we’ll see. Multiple exit strategies are always a good idea.

Signed up for Ravelry, too, finally. I need to find some patterns for knitting and crocheting. I’m over there as MythKnots, with a different logo and everything. I’m trying to keep a little bit of separation there.

The neighborhood kids were being loud and rambunctious, so I went downstairs and made up, on the spot, a local horror story that scared the stuffing out of them. I forgot how annoying packs of boys heading into their teens can be.

Friday night, I read Deanna Raybourn’s newest, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, in one sitting. The book resonated with me on multiple levels.

Saturday was my mother’s 98^th birthday. We had a quiet day, full of cheesecake and playing with the cats. I mean, I did the usual practical things, too, changing over the beds, housework, etc. Cleaned everything on my altar, too, and spiffed it up in preparation for the week’s rituals. If you’re curious about my rituals for Tending the Dead, which started last night, and run through most of the week, you can read about them here.

Tried catching up on NEW YORKER issues (I’ve got quite a stack now), and read CAST IN COURTLIGHT by Michelle Sagara. I like this series. We should all have someone in our lives who loves us as much as Severn loves Kaylin.

Noodled with ideas for LEGERDEMAIN and for THE TREES WHISPERED DEATH.

Did a 20-minute meditation Saturday night before bedtime, and slept through the night.

Up early on Sunday. I wrote three episodes of LEGERDEMAIN, a little over 3K. And updated the Style Sheet and Series bible.

Yup, arc  two will NOT be done by Episode 60.

Mars went retrograde. It is already kicking my ass. It will be a long stretch until it goes direct in January.

In the afternoon, I read part of my friend’s book and made some notes on it, and will continue reading/commenting on it this week.

I also read Sarah Addison Allen’s newest, OTHER BIRDS, which was beautiful and sad. I’m a big fan of her work.

The meditation app on my phone is wonky. I thought, on Saturday night, that the 20 minutes seemed longer than usual. When I set it again, on Sunday, I was again getting achy and creaky. I can usually sit for 20 minutes without a problem. At first I thought it was because I hadn’t been sitting regularly that long. But as I started the meditation, the clock in the college clocktower chimed the hour. When I got creaky, I broke down and looked at the phone. It said I had 11 more minutes to go – but it was already 22 minutes past the hour. So I WASN’T just being decrepit, it was past 20 minutes. Urgh.

Slept well until 3:30, although I had a weird dream about Nic Cage at a party in Southport, CT with an injured back, and then Keith Olberman and I went into NYC to do something or other. Yeah, none of it made sense to me, either.

Monday was Samhain, a big holiday on my personal calendar, so I took most of it off. I did slog through emails (over 1000 had accumulated, and I got it down to under 300, which I will have to whack away at this week). I checked in with the Enchanted Wordsmiths group for tomorrow, and with Women Write Change, and invited the women from the marketing challenge over to WWC. The local Nano ML posted on the Nano site, thank goodness, about upcoming in-person sessions. Most of them are at Barnes & Noble in Pittsfield, but since I’m not doing anything indoors in-person right now, I won’t attend. But at least it’s posted on the Nano site, and not sending me to other sites.

I started a new book for my personal journal, too – the fifth journal book this year. I can’t believe I filled four other books already.

Wrote two episodes of LEGERDEMAIN and adapted two chapters of ANGEL HUNT into serial episodes (8 episodes). Wrote up and submitted a book review.

My mother got called for jury duty in Pittsfield. At 98, that’s ridiculous. So I will have to deal with that today. I signed up for my yoga studio’s 30 Days of Gratitude program and got a 5-class card. That is the one in-person thing I want to risk this winter; going to yoga semi-regularly. I also renewed AAA membership, even though their customer service sucks.

We had more kids trick or treating this year than we had last year, but still only about 20. One woman, whose toddler was in a dinosaur costume, wished me “Happy Easter” so that’s how her night was going. It was pretty funny.

Did my ritual work. Instead of doing one Very Long Ritual late at night, I broke it up into several smaller ones during the day and then at night. That way, I had energy for all the work. This whole week is filled with intense rituals. If you’re interested, as I said earlier, you can read about Tending the Dead over on the Cerridwen Iris Shea site.

Charlotte was impossible all night, and kept waking me up every few hours.

I got up just before six, and hit the computer as soon as the coffee was made and the cats fed, instead of what’s become my usual morning routine of writing by hand first.

I sat down and wrote the first chapter of THE TREES WHISPERED DEATH, which came in at 2552 words, which is where I usually like to be, early in the process. I wish I was happier with the actual words. But they exist, which means they can be fixed. I was slower than usual, because I had to keep stopping to look up details that couldn’t have placeholders, because I needed them to move forward. Writing a period piece for Nano was not my best choice. But here we are.

The region had a virtual write-in via Zoom from 6-8 AM, but no Zoom link, and I didn’t feel like digging around for it. The notice wasn’t sent out until last night. They’re doing a lot on Discord, too, but I don’t like Discord. It crashes my computer. Oh well, that’s that for the region, then.

This book is going to need A LOT of revision. But then, anything I write during Nano does.

Tomorrow morning’s session will be cattywampus because I have to go do laundry, and I can’t take my computer and write in the car. Not doing Nano longhand. I’ll either get up very early and do some before I go, or start everything late, and the whole day gets pushed back.

But that’s what’s good about a flexible schedule.

I do love my characters, though.

Today, I have to take care of a bunch of admin, work on LEGERDEMAIN, and then, this afternoon, script coverage. I may take a walk down to the post office late morning to give myself a break and mail the rent and some cards.

I have to get out of my world of 1957 and back into the world of LEGERDEMAIN.  Episode 29 releases today, and I hope you enjoy it.

The problem with getting up extra early to do the Nano quota is there’s a part of my psyche who feels I’m done for the day, when in reality, I just have to double my output of words for November to stay afloat.

Have a good one!

Tues. Aug. 28, 2018: Design, Create, Purge

Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Waning Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Mars Direct (as of yesterday)
Uranus Retrograde

Sorry I didn’t post on Friday. The day got away from me.

But I bought 18 notebooks in the back-to-school sales, so I’m set for notebooks. For the moment!

Thursday was not a good writing day at all, but at least I got some other stuff done, including early morning grocery shopping.

I tried reading a book from a series by an author who’d come recommended. I wound up skimming through the second half of the book I was reading because the protagonist was such an idiot I wanted her to be the next murder victim, there were copy editing errors as in the wrong character name in a scene that made no sense, and some major revelations happened off the page and were told to the reader in a toss-off sentence.

No. Just no.

I tried a book from a different series by the same author; put it down after the third chapter. I’m tired of dumbed-down, silly protagonists being marketed as “cute” and “whacky” and “spontaneous” and “eccentric.” Sorry, they’re dumb and annoying. I know plenty of cute, whacky, spontaneous, and eccentric individuals who aren’t morons.

An author I’ve crossed off my list. Fortunately, I’m not in contact with her on social media or at conferences. And no, I won’t name her publicly. I don’t bash other authors.

I want the protagonists in the books I read to be smarter, more resourceful, and more inventive than the average person. Yes, I like to see characters grow and change during the course of a book and series, but the change has to start soon after the catalyst, not six books down the road. A protag doesn’t learn from mistakes and keeps making the same one over and over? First of all, I want that protag to be the next murder victim (Donna Andrews calls it the “Too Stupid to Live Syndrome” and I agree). Second, it’s not a person I’d spend time with in real life, so I sure as heck won’t waste my reading time with that individual.

I like living books through characters vastly different than I am, but I demand intelligence and resourcefulness from them. Or I just don’t care enough to take a book-length journey with them.

Dumbing down characters so the reader can feel superior (a reality-tv trend) is not something I buy into. Or buy books of authors who do that.

I managed to get some yard work done Wednesday afternoon, which meant I could sit out on the deck with a lime martini and my writing and some books and not feel guilty. I need to mow and tidy up the front again.

By the time I get the yard where I want it, it will be snowing!

Read Yasmine Galenorn’s SOULJACKER and really liked it. Totally understand why she can’t continue the series. But still really enjoy this book (and it does stand alone).

Got out a couple of article pitches. Working on a radio play pitch and a workshop pitch, and a detailed LOI for a company that really interests me. Doubt they’ll go out before the end of this week.

Friday, I got a bit of writing done, and then I had a stack of errands, including getting a new phone. I went to one store — I told the guy my budget, and he immediately tried to get me beyond by double for a phone that he could only sell me that day. Um, no. That’s more than I can afford for a phone I don’t want. So I shopped around, and finally got something at a different store within my budget, and they were nice about it. So I have a phone I like that works.

I’ve been trying to get onto Vero, a social media network that’s only on one’s phone, that’s supposedly far superior to Instagram, Facebook, etc. Only when I download the app and try to sign up, they tell me the email address I use a dozen times a day is invalid. I complained to support, and they respond quickly, but keep asking the same questions and not solving the problem. So, unless it’s solved by today, I’m done and moving on.

One of the reasons I try new social media networks/apps is because, in addition to my own needs, I run social media platforms for other businesses and creatives. I experiment with them, see how they work, and then, depending on the need of the client, I can suggest one or more network.

If there are glitches and problems and a lot of hoops to jump through, I’m not going to recommend it.

I’m still getting a handle on Tumblr. I really like Ello, but that’s for creating, not really promotion. Which is fine, because it fills the hunger I have for connecting with other creatives about creation, not promotion.

I need and want to be around other working creatives who are creating. Not who are whining about “not having time” or only talking about the business side. The whining and the only-market-driven talk is like a disease among creatives, and it interferes instead of enhances creativity.

The last days of the Mars retrograde were tough. I had to take a breath and step back or I would have burned some bridges that really don’t need it right now.

The weekend was frustrating. Saturday was not a good writing day, and I didn’t get enough done around the house, either. I feel like I have no energy, like I’m in limbo. I can’t wait for other people’s decisions, even though they affect mine. I have to do what I need to do and just adjust. But it all seems overwhelming right now.

Sunday was better, especially creatively, although I’m still not where I need to be.

In addition to necessities like laundry, I also spent some serious time working on unpacking/purging stuff from the basement. Stuff that’s sat down there for far too long that I haven’t dealt with.

Time to deal.

It took me two hours to go through four boxes. I’m trying to deal with each item only once. There are a few things which I’m not yet sure about. Everything else was either toss or integrate. Not merely keep. Integrate.

I have a box for stuff to give away, but nothing from these boxes was appropriate.

If I can do a little every day, and more on weekends, eventually I will have gotten through it. But it’s slow going and it means making decisions that I’ve been putting off, sometimes for years. But it must be done.

It was also much more emotional than I expected. I had to confront my past self, and, again, decide what to integrate and of what to let go.

Difficult, but necessary.

Design work on site with a client yesterday and today. It’s fun, but needs a lot of focus.

 

Wed. June 22, 2016: The Writing Fugue

Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Sunny and pleasant

I will be so glad when this Mars retrograde is done. It has kicked my ass.

Saturday’s house & garden tour went well – people seemed to enjoy it. Things were busy. I stayed after the library closed and got some work done, and then went over to the play. It was cute, although I wasn’t really sure while all these Cape Codders were speaking in a southern accent.

Home, writing. Wrote all day Sunday, all day Monday, all day Tuesday. 100 pages in longhand, finishing a major section of INITIATE. Worked on the radio plays – trying to figure out as much in advance so that I can get what I need to in the ten minute limit. Developed a logline and quick pitch for the potential new series that the actor pal wants to send to his producer pal. These projects can take years to develop – so I stepped up, did my part, delivered what and when I said I would, and we’ll see what happens from there.

Was asked to return to an organization I left about a year ago; not going to do so. It would simply be yet another drain on my time, and people expecting me to put their demands before my own writing, which I am not willing to do. I tried working with them, and they were detrimental to my writing, not supportive of it; therefore, no.

This will be another long week, with long days at the library, and then, on Friday night, our Casino night fundraiser. On Saturday, I’m headed out to the flower show.

I hit up the wholesale nursery on Sunday and got some great plants, and then hit Country Gardens to get potting soil and a few other things. I mowed a lot, and put down more fertilizer, but there’s still a lot to do.

I’m behind where I want to be on CHARISMA KILLINGS, so that is where the bulk of my focus needs to be for the next few weeks. Somehow, everything will get done!

Devon

Thurs. Jan. 26, 2012: The Teaching Juggling Act

Tessa checks out the buffet table, the morning after the party

Thursday, January 26, 2012
Waxing Moon
Mars Retrograde
Still dark out

I’ve got a piece on “Fuel for a Weary Soul” over on Writers Vineyard (as Annabel). Go check it out!

Busy day yesterday. Read as much student work as I could before my eyes gave out. Got irritated because a student who wastes a lot of time expects ME to organize threads to HER convenience and keep HER organized, instead of taking responsibility for herself, and wants me to “add extra slots” in classes. First of all, I am not her personal assistant; second, every extra student adds at least 40 minutes to an hour to my work day; more if they have questions (which they’re encouraged to ask — you learn by asking questions and DOING). There are only twenty four hours in a day. I put limits on classes FOR A REASON. I’m not going to work 24/7 — not for these prices anyway — and too many students in a class means I can’t give the individual attention to each piece that it needs. I allowed two extra students in the current class, and I’m stretched beyond my limit, even though the class is lively and active and working their butts off and it’s all positive. The lack of respect some people have is just appalling. I’m sure all teachers go through it. Goes with the gig. People who don’t teach don’t understand the time OUTSIDE of direct interaction it takes to do the job effectively.

The wall is painted and looks lovely. Got a bunch of work done on Confidential Job #1,and will start the second part of the two-part project today, getting the write up of the first part out. Yoga this morning, then I have to take my mom to the eye doctor to get measured for her eye operation. That’s supposed to take three hours, so I will take a notebook and the materials for Confidential Job #1 with me.

I’m happy with the progress on HEART BINDER. I just have to get a few other of my own projects back on track, and I won’t feel so pressured and resentful. I need to remember to focus on and be grateful for all that is wonderful in the class situation and let the irritations slide off more. Everyone’s working hard AND doing good work. The year-longs are required to have their drafts finished by the 31st or they’re out of the class — 50% of them are done. Not too shabby. Most of the 5 in 10s are staying on schedule, and the work is terrific. Really impressive, and the range of topics and how they’re handled is wonderful. I ENJOY going to the page and reading the material each day — I’ve just got only X amount of time to get it all done! Being interested in the world helps make them better writers.

Not loving the Mars retrograde, I have to say. Struggling with the personal crap it brings up, and trying to handle it with a modicum of grace! It will be good to be in yoga class this morning, for some kick-booty Om! 😉 That’s part of the retrograde — gaining skills to help you deal with it positively. Saying “I am positively OVER this retrograde” probably isn’t what “they” had in mind! 😉

I was assigned my new editor for the reboot of HEX BREAKER, so let’s hope that’s going to be a good partnership. I need to start pulling together my press kit for that. Once I get my edits, they’re going to have to turn around pretty fast, I’d think — two weeks or so. So the more I can get cleared off my plate ahead of time, the less pressure.

To yoga, to medical appointments (scribbling in the waiting room), and then back to the page.

I’m reading the seed catalogs and dreaming of this year’s garden. Let’s hope I’ve learned something from both what did and did not work last year!

Devon

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Elsa naps between the Christmas stocking pillow and the soft doll angel

Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Waxing Moon
Mars Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

I am extremely grateful that I don’t have to travel over these holidays, especially with the weather problems and the fact that airlines aren’t actually interested in providing service for customers, just taking as much money away from them as they can. At this point, most of the major airlines deserve to tank. They’ve been in business for enough years so that when they’re hit with bad weather, they should be able to reshuffle their schedules and planes in order to get people WHO PAID THEM where they’re going in a timely, safe, and pleasant manner. That includes providing food and hotel vouchers in bad weather, or setting up food and shelter areas in the terminals — not expecting people to sleep on the floor and continue to pay outrageous terminal prices to eat during the ordeal. The new legislation limiting time on the tarmac is an improvement, but not enough.

I didn’t have that many errands to do yesterday, but I forgot to to mail my letters at the post office. I walked right BY the post office, but I was so excited about the Buche de Noel I bought that I forgot!

And you gotta watch those clerks at CVS. The one up the street from me is dreadful; the ones a few miles out are fine. But everything I needed to do was in walking distance, so I went to the dreadful one. I bought what I needed, she rings it up, and tells me the total. I hand her a bill and say, “Give me a minute and I’ll get you the change,” and I start counting the change out.

She looks at the bill, sneers at me, and says, “That’s not enough.”

“I SAID I was getting the change.”

She rolls her eyes at me.

No, I did not haul off and bitch slap her, although she deserved it. I kept digging for my change, then looked at the total and said, “That’s not right. You overcharged me.”

She rolls her eyes again. I pull out the item and show her the price on the sticker, which was several dollars less than what she rang up. She rolled her eyes AGAIN. I put my hand in my pocket this time to keep from slugging her and said, “So, you see, now YOU need to give ME my change.”

She voided the price, re-entered it, handed me the change with this “uh!” noise, and I said, “Cut the attitude, chickie, this is your job.” The manager wandered by and asked if there was a problem. I said, “If you won’t hire the competent, at least hire the polite” and walked out.

We all have bad days, but when you are dealing with customers, it is your job not to take it out on them. I’ll always start with politeness, but if you push me, I WILL push back, and if you start something with me — especially when you’re wrong — you WILL be sorry.

Remember when I said I couldn’t remember if a Mars retrograde made me stand firmer or stand down? Obviously, it makes me stand firmer. In other words, do NOT get in my face for the next two months, until it goes direct again! 😉

On the flip side, the staff at the French bakery were absolutely delightful. I walked in, and it was like entering a Wonderland. Turns out all the ex-pat French, French Canadian, and Brits in the area hang out there, so I’ll probably start spending more time on site! Anyway, I get in and see that they’re offering the Buche de Noel by the slice — and they’re lovely. The woman behind the counter asked if she could help me and I asked if I could buy a whole Buche. She said, “But of course!” and proceeded the delicate task of rearranging everything in the glass cabinet so she could get at it, packing it beautifully, and making sure the box was in a convenient bag. I admitted I was buying one because I was too much of a coward to make one, and she said, “And that’s why we’re here.” Totally lovely people. If they had eclairs, I’d be there every day.

I will still frequent the Salzburg Patisserie (which is only two blocks away as opposed to five), because it is wonderful, I’ve gone there for years, and I love their quality. But I will ALSO go to this French bakery.

And yes, I’ve scoped out bakeries in the areas in which I plan to relocate! A good bakery in the area is as vital to me as a good bookstore!

I have to do an errand for my mom and then pick up the turkey for Christmas Day dinner. I marinated the pork roast this morning, so by the time I put it in the oven tomorrow, it will have marinated for 30 hours. Just perfect.

Excellent writing day yesterday. Really pleased with the progress. The piece I’m working on has hit just the right tone — it’s funny and a little scary and a little sweet. Wish that had happened, like, three weeks ago!

We received the final packages we expected, and got confirmations on all the stuff that’s shipped. One more big box will be delivered to the family in Maine on Christmas Eve. Wolferman’s has been my go-to place for food gifts this year. Their quality is terrific, prices reasonable, and they are completely reliable. Great quality and great customer service means I’ll keep coming back. And no, they didn’t give me anything to say that! 😉 Actually, I’m about to shoot an email to them thanking them for their lovely service.

Guess what? The bookstore in town that was supposed to close in January has been saved. There was such an outcry, it’s staying open. It’s tiny, it’s not very efficient, and it rarely has what I need — but it’s there, and I do use it, so I’m grateful. Christmas miracle, anyone?

Violet says that we have to have play time RIGHT NOW, so I’ll play with her for a bit before going back to the page.

Happy day, all!

Devon

Friday, December 11, 2009

Friday, December 11, 2009
Waning Moon
Sunny and COLD!

A day without retrogrades, can you believe it? But Mars goes into retrograde soon, so . . .sigh. I can never remember if that means I get crankier and more prone to fights, or have trouble standing up for myself. Guess I’ll find out!

I keep thinking today is supposed to have some deep personal significance, but damned if I can remember what it is!

Having some nice discussions with UK producers about my plays. My work tends to do well over there. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday was just flat out frustrating. I got some errands done. I can’t find my hot glue gun, so I sprang for the $10 to get a new and better one. Actually, I had a 40% off coupon, so it was much less than $10.

By the afternoon, I was finally able to start pulling Christmas decorations out. It was total chaos, so, of course, one of my least favorite neighbors shows up at the door in the middle of it in a panic about a situation that has nothing to do with me, and there is nothing I can do to help her. I explained that this was a really bad time to interrupt me, and that there was only one small thing I could do to help. I was willing to do that one thing, but that was ALL I could do. She’s always trying to get me to do things for her — I don’t mind helping out when I can, and I set firm boundaries, but when I say, “This is what I can do for you, no more” and the response is, “ But I need this, this, and this in addition”, my response is “If what I’m able to do doesn’t work for you, then I can’t do anything.” I will NOT be guilted, manipulated, or bullied into doing things I don’t/wont’ do. She’s also a nasty old gossip, and always trying to get into the apartment to see what’s on the desk or on the altar and then gossip about it.

She finally agreed to what I said I could do. I told her I had everything scattered all over the floor, and she could borrow my cell phone, but we had to do it in the hallway; she could NOT come in. So what does she do? Tries to push her way into the apartment. I realize it’s rude to manhandle senior citizens, but when I say NO it means NO, no matter who you are. She would have broken her neck if she’d tried to pick her way through wires and half-opened boxes of decorations. Plus, I don’t want her in there and talking about how the apartment looks when I’m in the middling of decorating.

I took care of her business, told her that was all I could do, I wouldn’t be around most of the weekend (which is true), and I was in the middle of something and this was it. So what happens? Not only does she knock on my door a half a dozen times more throughout the afternoon with this request and that request — none of which I could fulfill because I was up to my armpits in fabric and glue and tree branches and ribbon and stitching and a lot of other stuff — but she goes to another neighbor and GIVES OUT MY CELL PHONE NUMBER as her contact.

I basically melted down. Not at her — won’t give her the satisfaction — but the lack of respect just galls me. The complete and utter disrespect for my time and my boundaries is completely unacceptable. Whenever someone called, I said that I had allowed her to use my phone as a courtesy and that was the extent of my involvement. I could not take or deliver messages, nor could I serve as coordinator or point person on this situation.

I realize she and another nasty old gossip (they talk about each other behind each other’s backs all the time, yet spend all their spare time together) are in a competition to see who they can get to do more for them, but I am NOT playing. I have my hands full taking care of my own mom, handling her medical appointments and cooking and laundry and all of that. I don’t mind helping out my neighbors, but when I tell them what I can realistically do, I expect those boundaries to be honored.

If I’d been on a deadline and writing, I would have gone ballistic, and there would be bits of the building missing.

Needless to say, I got very little done. I have the tree table set up and the tree on it and fluffed, though not decorated. I have the Advent table set up, although not decorated yet. Part of the faux mantel is decorated, and I wrapped some things in the hutch and built and stitched the bows, shown in the photo above, because I thought it was cute and a little different. And that’s as far as I got.

Today, before I leave for my friend’s place, I’m going to wrestle the lights on the tree, and then, bit by bit, over the weekend, I’ll finish the decorating. And not answer the door OR the phone.

In spite of all the chaos, I had some very good writing sessions yesterday. I have to back up my computer — Time Machine reminded me that I hadn’t backed up in 30 days, and really, given my history of technical difficulties, didn’t I think that was damned stupid? And here I thought I was backing up faithfully once a week! So I’ll do that. I’ve got the holiday cards and lists packed in my writing bag, and I’ll take my other writing. The laundry’s ready to go. I’m going to a friend’s this afternoon to do laundry, write cards, and then cook dinner as a thank you for letting me do umpteen loads of laundry. (LIke I said, they never replaced the machines in the laundry room after the floods a few years ago, just hosed them down, and I’m sorry, but no cholera panties for me).

I baked mini scones for breakfast. Pretty good, but again, even the dough isn’t holding together properly. I think they’re processing flour differently. I will ask Pillsbury. I’m having trouble with anything I make using Pillsbury flour. I think I’ll just switch back to using King Arthur — I can completely trust their quality and consistency.

Backing up, back to the page, and then heading out!

Devon