Fri. May 12, 2023: When The Idea Bulb Lights Up

image courtesy of Colin Behrens via pixabay.com

Friday, May 12, 2023

Waning Moon

Mercury and Pluto Retrograde

Early showers, then sunny and pleasant

Somehow, yesterday seems like a very long time ago.

Today’s serial episode is from Angel Hunt:

Episode 32: Beliefs & Hypocrisy

Drogo confronts Lianna regarding her beliefs in being a witch.

Angel Hunt Serial Link.

Meditation was great, and I felt much better and more focused after (which is kind of the point).

I worked on July’s poem, and made some preliminary scribblings for the one I need next weekend. A little ass-backward, but that’s the way it worked out.

Sent off an email to one of the actors in Monday’s reading who had a reading of his own play  yesterday, wishing him well.

Wrote a Process Muse post, which wound up being longer than I expected, revised, edited, polished, uploaded, scheduled. It’s for a few weeks down the road, so I can take another look at in in a couple of days, just in case I want to make cuts.

Went to the post office to mail the insurance materials via Certified mail, bought stamps, caught up with what’s going on around in town (since the Post Office is the happening place here).

Swung by a store to pick up some of the WordSeek puzzle books my mother likes.

Grocery shop. Bought more than I planned (gee, what a surprise). But actually doing some meal planning again.

Uploaded and scheduled next Tuesday’s Legerdemain post. I’ll do the rest of next week’s and the following week’s today.

Did client work in the afternoon. Completed one project; answered follow-up questions on another. Did the social media rounds for Legerdemain, and the blogs.

Started reading MURDER IN POSTSCRIPT by Mary Winters, which I’m really enjoying.

Sat on the porch, reading, and noodling on the May poem. I know what I want to say, but I’m bloviating too much, and need to distill it down into specific, clear imagery.

Because I hope to get to the Clark today, working on the big project there even though I’m still waiting for the grant money to show up, my mind turned toward the Clark, and the exhibit I saw around my birthday (which has since closed). I’m still fascinated by the sketch of a private rail car that was turned into a theatre. I started playing with some characters and an idea that blossomed into a somewhat comic-horror-mystery idea that I hope will be novella length (maybe around 200 pages). I wrote up some notes. I have to do some worldbuilding. It’s going to have more psychological terror in it than physical, although that will also play a part. It melds that sketch with the reading I did about Katharine Cornell’s touring company and mind games played by toxic bosses. Horror is not my natural wheelhouse, but that’s what best serves this piece, so I’ll take on the challenge.

We’ll see where that goes. And when I have time to work on it, although I made some more notes for it this morning.

Today’s plan is to write an episode of Legerdemain, then polish, upload, and schedule the rest of next week’s and the following week’s episodes. Then, I’ll head to the Clark for a couple of hours, then to Wild Oats to pick up a few things. I hope, this afternoon, to get in some work on both REP and ANGEL HUNT.

I dread tomorrow because we’re supposed to do another storage run to the Cape. The traffic chaos will be awful, but if we don’t do it this weekend, it would have to be next Saturday (since my reading is on Sunday), and that’s too much. Anything beyond that, and we’ll be stuck on the bridge with seasonal traffic for several hours in each direction, instead of just one hour and change, which is what tomorrow is bound to be.

Sunday is Mother’s Day; we plan to have a quiet, pleasant one, and enjoy our porch and balcony. Maybe I’ll finally finish touching up the paint on the wind chimes and get that back up. And maybe it will be warm enough to put out some plants. And plant more seeds.

I will get some writing done in there, although I’m not yet sure which projects.

Have a good weekend, my friends, and I’ll catch you on the other side.

Fri. Dec. 2, 2022: Writing in My Head & a Road Trip

image courtesy of Pexels via pixaabay.com

Friday, December 2, 2022

Waxing Moon

Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Mars Retrograde

Partly cloudy/Partly Sunny and cold

In spite of a rather chaotic week, with Jupiter direct I’m feeling distinctly more optimistic, and with Neptune turning direct tomorrow, even better.

I didn’t get many words on paper yesterday, and none of them were for THE TREES WHISPERED DEATH. But I’ve written in my head a weird little paranormal flash fiction that was inspired by the recent death of a musician I admire, and that will go on the page this weekend. The Christmas flash for Ko-fi is almost complete in my head, at least working out the beats of it, and that will get on paper this weekend, too. The flash for the newsletter is still percolating, and the original piece planned for the newsletter, that will be more of a novella wants attention, too.

So there are projects that are demanding head space and finger work, along with the needs of Legerdemain, TREES, and the rest.

And the decorating! I’m getting tired of living with stacks of boxes.

I got my reader notes out on my friend’s book yesterday, and answered a colleague’s questions. I didn’t get the interviews scheduled, and Friday is a bad day to ask, so I’ll wait and send out that request on Monday. Did the rouonds to promote Legerdemain. Hive is offline for a bit, due to security issues, so I don’t have to try and figure it out for at least the next little bit.

I still haven’t unpacked the new printer or done a test run on the coffeemaker.

Brother got back to me on my request about the big printer and was absolutely fucking useless. All they did was send me the troubleshooting link in the handbook. Really? You think I’m just that much of an idiot? They’re supposed to HELP me, not just send me a link. So much for their reputation for good customer service. I can’t even get to them via Twitter, because they’ve left Twitter (good for them, but, basically, the only way to get actual service from a company the last few years was to get them to notice on social media).

Turned around two scripts yesterday, a good start to the new pay period. Have two today and two for Monday. I want to read at least 10 scripts next week, if there’s enough coming in (at the right rate). Sometimes, they put in scripts where the work: money ratio isn’t worth it, and I don’t take them.

I kicked Charlotte out of the bedroom last night, because she was impossible and wouldn’t let me sleep. By 4 this morning, she managed to get Tessa to pry open the door, but then Tessa wanted to be fed. I wouldn’t get up. Tessa feels Charlotte filched on the deal. My mom got up to feed Tessa but DIDN’T WARM THE BOWL, and Tessa wishes to speak to the manager. This Will Not Do.

Okay, I laughed at all of them. Now none of the cats are speaking to me. Not even Willa, who is united (for once) with her sisters.

Today, I have to actually leave the house. I mean, I WANT to go and do what I’m doing, which is finally making the run down to Great Barrington and Lenox in search of some things I need and a final gift for a cousin in Maine. But actually girding my psyche to get out of the house isn’t fun. But we have masks, it’s a pretty day to drive, and I’ll fill the car on the way out of town. We won’t be gone that long. It’s getting out of the house that’s the hard part. Once we’re actually out and about, it’s all good.

Today won’t be much on the writing front, but at least I’ll get a lot of other stuff done, so I can dive into the weekend with writing, packing gifts, and decorating.

Have a good one, and I’ll see you on the other side of it!

Tues. March 30, 2021: Die For Your Employer Day 312 — Steep Climb

image courtesy of Peter H via pixabay.com

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Waning Moon

Cloudy and cooler

Weird few days, and I’m trying to keep a balance.

Did a focus group on Friday with the Arts Foundation (virtually). A lot of people had signed up, but only six women showed up. Six white women, and the lack of diversity did not pass me, at least, unnoticed. But it was a good conversation. There’s still a refusal to admit that if art is not seen as a viable profession, but simply a hobby, that artists cannot thrive. Not here, not anywhere. Only supporting rich artists who have second homes in this area isn’t going to help the artists that try to live and work here all year round. Until that is dealt with, it won’t get any better.

This being a beautiful place doesn’t make up for the lack of financial support and respect given to full time artists who LIVE HERE. There was a lot of talk about how art is an important economic engine for the Cape. THEN PAY ARTISTS A LIVING WAGE. Why should everyone BUT the artist be profiting?

I was both glad that I attended and frustrated.

Had a frustrating conversation with a potential new client with whom I’m pretty sure I don’t want to work. It was another of those inane interview questions from the HR HANDBOOK FOR THE STUPID. The question was “What achievement are you most proud of in the last year?”

Me: Survival.

Client: (nervous laugh): Well, you know, I mean, workwise.

Me: Survival.

Client: I mean, did you work, did you get anything done?

Me: Of course I did. I worked flat out since the start of the pandemic. Almost all remotely. But the most important thing was that we survived. I kept a roof over my head and food on the table and my family stayed ALIVE. There’s a pandemic going on. Everything else is secondary.

Client: Well, that doesn’t show much dedication to your work.

Me: I think we’re done here.

I mean, really, what an ass. It was a big red flag that the positive “work culture” this company supposedly touts is non-existent.

Another weird thing that happened: An envelope arrived from an unknown address in Mashpee. For those of you who don’t know the Cape, it’s about two towns closer to the canal/bridges than I am. When I opened it, a prayer card fell out and a typed letter.

The letter invited me to come and “celebrate the death of Jesus” at their evangelical church.

Um, what? Celebrate the death?

Now, it’s been a good many years since I was an Episcopalian, and even more years since I was an acolyte and did Holy Week services. But I remember MOURNING the death on Good Friday and CELEBRATING the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Even if I still was a Christian, which I am most certainly NOT, celebrating the man’s execution is not what Holy Week is about, at least not in any of the denominations I investigated before I became Episcopalian. As someone whose path has taken me in a far different direction than all of this bruhaha for Holy Week, the thought of celebrating a crucifixion makes me ill.

On top of that, why is a church direct mailing a bunch of random people? How did they get my name and address? It’s creepy.

Even further, there’s a pandemic. I’m not going to a large gathering, ESPECIALLY amongst creepy people like this who, I bet you dollars to doughnuts, don’t’ wear masks.

It’s very creepy and rather sickening.

I burned it all, just for good measure. In my cauldron, not in the fireplace, with rosemary, sage, and nettles.

Then I took a shower, because . . eeeeewwwwww.

I sent out a lot of LOIs on Friday – found an excellent market list of companies which interest me, researched them, and sent LOIs where appropriate.

A regular work-for-hire gig landed on my desk. But crunching the numbers – they want 15,000 words/week, but are only paying $400. That breaks down to 2c per word. 3000 words/day. In addition to that pay rate being appalling for the amount of work involved, at this point, until we are moved, I cannot imagine creating 3K/day. And I’m someone who regularly does 1-2.5K. Especially not for such low pay.

So that’s a pass.

The stimulus payments arrived; mine by check, my mom’s direct deposited – first time hers was a direct deposit. So that’s a relief.

Spent way too many hours in depressing rental listings. At least 45% of the ones showing up were scams, which was just so disheartening.

Finished one of the categories for the contest. Really, some delightful material.

Slept through the night Friday into Saturday for the first time in weeks.

Up early Saturday. Lots and lots of laundry. Took off the fleece sheets, washed them, packed them away until next winter. We’re back to flannel sheets, at least for this month. It’s still rather chilly most of the day.

Finished up the paperwork and the review of the winning entry in the category, and zipped the file.

Got out some LOIs. Hunted through more depressing rental listings.

Worked on packing. Worked on contest entries.

Didn’t sleep well Saturday into Sunday. Was awake by 2:30, worrying. My mom was sick Saturday night, which didn’t help.

Stumbled around Sunday, alternating between packing and working on contest entries. Some good stuff there.

Baked biscuits in the morning. Made chicken chow Mein from scratch for dinner.

Got depressed hunting through rental listings. Sent out more LOIs. Polished the paperwork for the category I finished judging.

It started raining in the late afternoon and was very windy. But we need the rain.

Celebrated the full moon.

Looking back at some of my favorite short stories that didn’t really work as a set of linked short stories, I think they might work better as novellas. Set in the same place, with some characters crisscrossing, but as stand-alone novellas. I don’t know when I can actually sit down and write them, but I’ll play with some ideas.

I’m not writing enough, other than marketing writing work, and it’s throwing the rest of me out of balance. But I feel like all my energy has to be focused on the move right now.

Was awake by 2:30 AM again Monday morning. Sent out some LOIs, looked at rental listings, sent out a few inquiries.

Had to send a couple of gentle nudges to interview sources for the article.  Looking for some additional sources, just in case.

I’m alarmed at the rise in local COVID cases, but not surprised at all. People are idiots. While it looks like we may have to move to a more populated area for at least the next year, I then want to go somewhere more unpopulated, so I can work remotely and avoid people.

Had to work onsite at a client’s yesterday. I was supposed to be on my own, but the other two showed up, and, once again, it was a battle to get them to follow basic COVID protocols. I’m getting sick of it. I’m tired of playing Russian Roulette with them.

It was busy and stressful, but I got a lot done, and I have a lot to get done remotely today before I have to go back in the office with them again tomorrow.

Came home and decontaminated. Was tempted to have a martini with lunch, but I had more work to do in the afternoon, so I didn’t.

Sent out more LOIs. Worked on contest entries. Worked on the article.

Had a depressing time looking at listings. I had a lovely exchange with a manager of an apartment complex in Hudson that’s lovely, but what she has is too small (and expensive for us). Still, I want to keep in touch. A house in Nashua that looked legit turned out to be yet another scam. There were about a dozen even more obvious scams I didn’t bother with, and way too much far out of our price range.

Leftovers for dinner, because I was too tired to cook. Watched some more DOC MARTIN.

At least I slept through the night, until Charlotte woke me around 4 AM. I have a big stack of client work today, along with a couple of errands, LOIs, article work, contest entries, looking for a home, and packing.

I’m trying to keep our spirits up, but it’s hard.

I didn’t get to send the information on the completed category yesterday, so that will go out tomorrow.

One step at a time, right?

Wed. Dec. 19, 2018: Regain the Balance By Writing

Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde

Hop over to Ink-Dipped Advice for the final business post of the year.

Yesterday was challenging. And that’s all I’m going to say about it. Today will be as well. I will just have to make like a hockey player and dig deeper.

By the end of the work day, I was very discouraged and disheartened. Change will happen, not as fast as I want it to, but it will. I have to be patient and smart. But it was one of those situations where I wanted to just sit down and cry, only there was no guarantee I’d stop any time in the foreseeable future.

Behind on where I want to be with deliveries and finishing the cards. I’m close to the end of the cards, but I’ve been so wiped out when I get home that I’m practically babbling.

Working on THE LINGERIE TRAIL and THE BALTHAZAAR TREASURE and starting to get back to fixing the problems in DAVY JONES DHARMA.

I’m brainstorming an idea that’s been rolling around in my head for years, which is demanding attention. It’s most likely to be a play, with two infamous female writers at the center of it. That’s all I’m going to say for now. Doing some brainstorming in the Women Write Change forum.

I’m not going to work on the anti-gun violence play until after the holidays. There’s too much going on for me to go deep enough, and then be able to come back and deal with life stuff that needs handling. I’ll need to block off some quiet, depth time. But I am working on the proposal for the play I want to write about Canaletto’s sisters.

Also toying with the idea of a novella (? Not sure there’s enough for a novel) about a charming guy who entices women he meets online to support his expensive lifestyle, and how he gets his comeuppance. If it remains as light and comic as the initial notes, I’ll keep it as an Ava Dunne piece; if it goes darker, it’ll go out under the Devon Ellington byline. I probably won’t get to it until about spring anyway.

Yeah, I can hear you guys from here, telling me of course it will go dark. Because, hey, who’s got a trilogy coming out next year called “Justice by Harpy”?

I might just surprise you all!

Or not.

I’ll trust the characters to lead me to the best format.

I have a lot to do over the next few days, but I’m also looking forward to Winter Solstice on Friday, full moon Saturday, and celebrating a (hopefully) quiet Eve and Day early next week.

I love those moments at the beginning of the Winter Solstice ritual, where the house goes to full dark. Then we light the fire in the fireplace, and then light all the candles, and then put on all the twinkle lights. It really does make me feel like things will turn for the better.

I need rest, which is different than sleep.

But before then, I need to get things done.

Hopefully, yoga is on tomorrow. I need to be back in class.

I need some good writing time this week – which I will get in, around the Solstice and Christmas prep and some friends coming in with whom I’ll brainstorm the new plays.

 

Fri. Nov. 7, 2014: Re-energized

Friday, November 07, 2014
Waning Moon
Cloudy and cold

Busy couple of days, and my apologies for not blogging. Busy at work. Busy at home. A lot going on that has to be juggled.

We had a good Writers’ Center Board meeting on Wednesday night. The new board members bring fresh enthusiasm and Ideas – I hope we can implement some of them.

I’m not where I want to be on RED WIDOW, but the arcs for the entire series are becoming clearer, and I’m understanding what needs to be set up in this novella in order for them to make sense. I need to do a final pass over two novel manuscripts of other projects this weekend in order to submit them early next week.

Yesterday was another busy day at work. After, the magnificent Trisha Leaver taught a workshop on the craft of the short story. It was a small, but enthusiastic group, and we all got a lot out of it. It clarified a few points in some of my current work where I’m having trouble, and reminded me what to look for moving forward.

I’m doing the prep work for next Wednesday’s book club (Kate Carlisle’s HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVER). I’m doing research on Colette (for INITIATE – which sounds weird, but there’s a method to this madness) and doing my wreck diving homework.

Last night, I finally gave up and took valerian root before bed. I don’t take it often, but I finally slept through the night for the first time in weeks and woke up without being in excruciating pain – this week has been very difficult. There’s still some echo pain, but, overall, I feel better. I was able to have a good yoga session this morning, and I hope to do some intense practice over the weekend, in and around the writing.

Tomorrow is my Saturday “on” here at the library, and Sunday morning, I’m going to catch the end of a conference located an hour or so upstate, connected to an organization I re-joined this month. Monday and Tuesday, I plan to be offline in the writing cave, writing and working on students’ manuscripts.

My calendars for next year are supposed to arrive soon – the dates are stacking up. I’ll be a guest blogger on C.L. Lawrence’s blog in late January – I’m already playing with ideas. I have to sit down with the manuscripts and contracts and make sure everything’s entered properly, and they’ve been reshuffled to fit the commitments. I also need to finish putting the garden to bed.

Have a wonderful weekend, all, and I’ll check back in next week!

It’s so nice to be almost pain-free. Even if it’s only for a few days, it makes a big difference.

Devon

Thurs. Jan. 30, 2014: A Typical Writer’s Day

Thursday, January 30, 2014
Dark Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cold

I worked hard yesterday, but don’t feel like I got much done. Those days are frustrating.

I reworked a novella, prepping it for submission, and wrote the synopsis. I have another novella to rework and write a synopsis, and then I’m submitting both. Hopefully, I can get that squared away.

Working on the play, but it hasn’t quite gelled yet. Doubt it will be ready by tomorrow, which is when I wanted it ready.

Working on another screenplay, and did a revision on a teleplay — which means, yes, boys and girls, gotta write yet ANOTHER synopsis. I am caught in the Synopsis Forest.

Caught up with students, pitched jobs, caught up on email. Got two very nice responses from arts organizations with whom I’m interested in working, and hopefully, we can build solid working relationships over the next few months.

Heard back from the place where I did the test article (for pay — sign of a genuinely professional group). It will run on Feb. 2 — yes, I’ll remind everyone!

Read a well-written crime novel, CITY OF WOE by Christopher Ryan. Very well done AND unusual.

Need to catch up on schoolwork today, along with getting A LOT of writing done. I also want to finish the rough of the media kit I’m working on for the Marine Life Center.

Onward!

Mon. Jan. 20, 2014: Opportunities — Some Grabbed, Some Not

Monday, January 20, 2014
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cold
Martin Luther King Day

Busy weekend. Friday, I dug in and did a lot of work for my new editing client, prepped for my new article gig (we’re trying each other out on a paid assignment), finished the revisions on the second teleplay, worked with students, and roughed out a couple of press releases. I also did some work on the novella, falling in love with it again.

A potential new client who’d been at me about a big “emergency” project that I HAD to start immediately has been dragging his feet about a deposit and a contract. I stood firm in refusing to do the work until both were in place, in spite of the continuous whine of “but it’s an emergency!” If it’s so important, put the deposit in my Paypal account, sign the contract, scan it, email it back, and I’ll get started. But I am NOT doing the work for someone I know nothing about and have no reason to trust without all that in place. Back and forth all day. Finally, I told them to talk to someone else; I have too much on my plate right now to play this game. I told you repeatedly what needed to happen for the work to get done within the time frame you claim to need it; if you’re not willing to do that, I am not the person for the assignment.

I have no doubt they were hoping to get me to do the work, and then find a reason not to pay me. I didn’t just fall of the turnip truck. Professionals work with deposits and contracts, and professional clients understand and respect that. Buh-bye.

Disorganization on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. Especially when you haven’t shown any inclination to pay me to fix the emergency.

There’s a new post up on Gratitude and Growth about the too-early planting I’m doing, which I hope won’t come back around and bite me in the butt.

I read two very well-written books over the weekend, DELIA’S SHADOW by Jaime Lee Moyer, and THE BONES OF PARIS by Laurie R. King.

Saturday, I was out of words. I was tired and unable to really focus. I did some work in the morning, but then gave myself the rest of the day off. I did things like grocery shop. I managed to do some research for the Eliot-Stowe-Bronte project.

Sunday was better. Got the changes into the teleplay, worked on the novella a bit, did some more work for the editing client. A company I’d pitched to about a month ago contacted me in a frenzy, wanting 10 press releases by this morning. TEN. Of course they balked at the rate, the deposit, and the rush fee. Sweetie, if you need TEN press releases by Monday, why are you waiting to contact someone on Sunday and then expect the releases to cost no more that $15 each? Without deposit or rush fee? Oh, right, you must be used to working with content-mill-level writers. Sorry, not me. You want my time and level of experience, you pay my rates.

Roasted a chicken for dinner, then cooked down the bones to make soup. Yum! Labor-intensive, but yum!

I’ve got the article to prep, work to do for my editing client, work with students, press releases (for a regular client and on some of my own upcoming events) to draft. I signed some exciting contracts this morning and am sending them back — will be able to make an official announcement soon!

Had to turn down a theatre opportunity because it conflicts with the new play, the NECRWA conference, and the two projects whose contracts I signed this morning. Maybe some other year I’ll be under consideration again and can go for it.

Two screenplay ideas are swirling in my head (loglines already done; they’re for the packet going out March 4), and I’ve got a LOT to get done today, along with picking up a few things before tomorrow’s snowstorm hits — we’re supposed to get eight inches.

To the page!

Devon

Fri. Jan. 17, 2014: Mead and Muse

Friday, January 17, 2014
Last Day of the Full Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and foggy

According to the book 365 GODDESSES, today is Gunnleod’s day, the day of mead and muse. I kind of like that.

It’s also Ben Franklin’s birthday (I’m reading his biography).

Yesterday’s meeting wound up taking all morning, between meeting and presentations and peeking into the hospital to see how the turtles are doing. It was a good meeting, though. I did a bunch of pacing and muttering pertaining to the new play. The characters are forming, and I have the germ of the situation, but it’s still formulating.

Worked with students in the afternoon, got things set up for the new editing client and started on that project, and landed a try-out gig (paid) with another potential client — if we like each other, it will be a long-standing, regular gig. The negotiation process was a pleasure, so hopefully, that’s a good omen. Heard from another potential client that they can’t use me right now, but want to in the future, insisting they weren’t just blowing me off. So, we’ll see.

To bed early last night, very tired. Violet’s howling in the night and Iris having episodes wears me out.

Working on the novella this morning, before I get going on the book edit, the article, and a few press releases that need drafting. I also have a script synopsis to write, and the third television pilot comes up in the editing queue today.

Never a dull moment!

Devon

Thurs. Dec. 12, 2013: Writing and Timing

Thursday, December 12, 2013
Waxing Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

Good writing day yesterday on the novella, one of the screenplays, TRUE HEART, and the television pilot. Also got some correspondence done. Still struggling with the climactic sequence of the other screenplay, but I think I’ve got it now.

I HATE working in Courier font, but for screenplays and teleplays, that’s the standard, so that’s what I’m working in. The same way one should draft the novel or short story in Standard Manuscript Format, because it’s easier to change OUT of it than INTO it per submission guidelines, it’s easier to work from the first draft in Courier for scripts.

The morning look-for-internet-because-Comcast-continues-to-behave-like-a-douche was at Sturgis Library, which was a zoo. Kids running around unsupervised, screaming. Excuse me, this is a library, you have a children’s room. KEEP them there. But I managed to work with students, send out a short story and a requested manuscript, get out some interview questions, pitch for jobs, and catch up on email.

The editor with whom I thought I’d straightened things out is back to random payment dates again, and I am not amused. I only have one more set of articles due at the beginning of January, and then I’m done.

Got some more writing and research done at home in the afternoon, then headed over to Wheldon Library for a quiet hour on the internet. A few things to catch up on, but mostly, under control.

Having to go elsewhere for a connection certainly makes me realize how much time I WASTE jumping on and off the internet all day. The mileage and drive time are annoying, and I have to keep running lists going in both directions of what needs to be done before I go in the other direction, but I am being productive, for the most part.

Iris has decided that it’s too cold to sleep outside the covers, so now she’s sleeping curled against my lower back. I have to be careful when I roll over in the night not to squish her.

Watched the BBC remake of THE 39 STEPS last night. Wow, was the continuity a mess. He’s got a briefcase in one shot; it’s gone in the next. He’s running down a lane without anything in one shot; he has a lantern in the next. He’s in his pajamas in one shot; he’s wearing a fisherman’s sweater (miles away from civilization or anyone who could have lent it to him) in the next. Drove me nuts. The leads were pretty good, the locations and camera work were great, but the continuity and the overly-melodramatic music took away from the piece.

Reading Danny Danziger’s book on behind the scenes at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Fantastic book, and makes me miss the museum terribly. During this season, I always visited the Angel Tree in the Medieval Hall. I have the calendar and the book about the tree, which is a comfort, but it’s not the same as making the yearly pilgrimage to SEE it.

The only thing I miss about New York are ethnic food delivery at odd hours and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Devon

Monday, Oct. 21, 2013: Writing, Editing, Eager for the Week

Monday, October 21, 2013
Waning Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Sunny and cold

Yes, Mercury goes retrograde today, until the 10th of November. However, since it never felt that Mercury went direct for me last time, other than a temporary ease of psychological pressure, I’m going to use this retrograde to untangle what’s still tangled, instead of cowering in a corner.

I will also try to remember to be quiet and not just be reactive.

Weekend was good. I booked three editing jobs for the week that really excite me, have a Writer’s Center Annual Meeting (in costume), and my own work. Plus, of course, hustling work for the coming weeks and months.

The screenplay is 2/3 done. Love my central characters, but am worried it’s neither fish nor fowl. There’s not enough sense of urgency in the piece; I have to ratchet up the tension. I know it’s going to run long and need cuts, especially with the elements I’ve had to go back and plant so there’s a more dramatic payoff, but it’s still not where it needs to be. Which is fine, it’s a first draft, but it’s frustrating to know there’s a problem and not feel I can fix it until I have a full draft.

Did some work on the novella, which I had hoped would be done by now, but oh, well. Will get back to that again, this week.

Did some yard work, but not enough. We have to bring in the rest of the plants this week.

Went to a party on Saturday, at my friends’ place in Sandwich. That was fun. It was nice to get out of the house and have conversations with real people, rather than fictional characters in my head.

Off to work, and I’m looking forward to it!

Devon

Thurs. Oct. 17, 2013: Stress and Migraines

Thursday, October 17, 2013
Day before full moon
Cloudy and cold

Yesterday was a difficult day, very stressful. I managed to get some work done on the novella, and a nice bit of work done on the screenplay (I love writing the screenplay), but not enough.

I’m tired of unreliable clients. Therefore, I decided to raise my rates as of January 1. I’d rather have fewer clients, but ones that don’t nickel-and-dime, and try to play me for a fool whenever I try to cut them a break. It should also, once and for all, sweep the wanna-bes, who pretend they want a writing mentor, when they really don’t want to put in any work.

I have no doubt the next few days will also be difficult and stressful. The migraine isn’t helping, although it’s better today. I desperately need a few days off, but I can’t afford it right now.

At least Congress finally did their job. That delusional fuckhead Ted Cruz is still nattering on, and Speaker of the House Bonehead needs to be removed, but at least the government is up and working again, albeit temporarily.

Devon

Tues. Oct. 15, 2013: Stressed, but Writing

Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Waxing Moon
Sunny and cold

Yesterday was a very stressful day. I may have two new client; hopefully, they will make a decision soon. However, I’m not waiting. I’m pursuing other opportunities. If they wait too long, the slots will be full. I have bills to pay. Either you want to hire me, or you don’t. It’s not brain surgery. If you do, put down the deposit and we’ll get to work; if you don’t, don’t string me along with “someday-maybes”, because I have no time for you.

I got only a little bit of work done on the novella, and I’m not happy with it. Because I didn’t seed in the subplot — in fact, I didn’t think I needed one — it’s come back and bitten me in the butt. But I will push through the draft as though I seeded it in and finish it, and then, in the revision, smooth it all out.

Had a breakthrough on one of the two screenplay ideas that’s been eating away at me. Figured out what the heroine’s throughline was, and suddenly it all opened up. Managed 19 pages last night.

So it wasn’t a totally wasted day.

Today will also be very stressful, but that’s the way it goes.

I am desperate for a vacation, and there’s no chance of taking any time off any time soon. I don’t need to go anywhere — I just need time off.

Devon

Mon. Oct. 14, 2013: Hard working Weekend and THE TOWN

Monday, October 14, 2013
Waxing Moon
Sunny and cold

Weekend of hard work. Lots of pitches. Lots of supposed clients who want work for nothing, which isn’t going to happen, because I have bills to pay, and I’m not a twenty two year old just starting out. Lots of scams out there asking for project specific samples, then telling people they didn’t get the job, but using the samples so they wind up with piecemeal work on the entire job and not paying anything. May those scammers have their karma rebound quickly on them.

Watched THE TOWN again — I’d seen it when it first came out, but wanted to see it again. I’d forgotten just how good it is, especially Jeremy Renner’s performance as Jem. The unconditional loyalty he has, especially for Dougie, is one of the things I connected most strongly to in the piece, although all of his work, and much of everybody’s work is beautifully detailed. That moment where Dougie asks for his help with no questions asked, and Jem just looks at him & says, “Whose car we takin’?” That moment, those inflections, what was going on his eyes, just defined their whole relationship. So simple, and so much there. Perfection. So many other actors would have made it unnecessarily complicated and diluted the power of the moment, but not Renner.

Read a couple of books, but nothing stood out. Wrote and polished a review, sent it to my editor. Worked on my neuro-ethics homework (love that class) and the human genome homework (bit of a slog).

Wrote a few chapters on the novella. Finished the section set at the Santa Anita Park racetrack, and now I’ve got them in the San Gabriel mountains. Realized I have to seed in a subplot.

Outlined a screenplay, and realized the scenes that are more interesting to me – -the ones that were the inspiration for the piece — need to be moved into the final act — I’ve got them, in the outline, at the top of the second act, and it doesn’t really work. I have to work out an important “why” for my female protagonist. My male protagonist seems like a pretty straightforward guy (although he’s got more going on than initially apparent), but my female protag is hiding something from me, that, as the writer, I need to know in order for the piece to work, and it’s not something that I can discover within in the writing. So I’ll be pondering that.

Did some yard work — lots to do to rake and put the yard to bed for the winter.

Onward.

Devon