Thurs. May 11, 2023: Keeping On Keeping On

image courtesy of Engin Akyurt via pixabay.com

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Waning Moon

Mercury and Pluto Retrograde

You can read the latest garden shenanigans here, on Gratitude and Growth.

As of today, this country declares the COVID pandemic over, which is ridiculous, untrue, and will cost more lives. The only reason is to force workers back into unsafe situations and allow insurance companies to charge more. The CDC and Rochelle Walensky failed us. And now, she’s tiptoeing away and not taking responsibility for selling out the general population to corporations. I was so excited when she was named, and she was a huge (and dangerous) disappointment. May she reap what she has sown.

Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:

Episode 84: Jae’s Theory

Jae’s belief that Brone is a pawn could have repercussions beyond Legerdemain.

Legerdemain Serial Link

Legerdemain Website

I belong to a virtual book club hosted by my university. More men than women participate in the club (which surprised me). It means that, whenever a book choice is voted on, books by men tend to get priority. I was deeply discouraged in the current choice list for autumn’s read: two books by women, one by a man, and he’s leading the votes. He is the most well-known author, but still. . .I’m going to read the two books by the women on my own. It’s not that I won’t read his book because of his gender; I will, because I’m interested in it. I just notice how the votes skew, month after month.

I did the social media rounds for The Process Muse, and then, later in the day, for ANGEL HUNT.

I’m still having problems with the Pages On Stages website. It doesn’t come up when I put it in the search bar. I can sign in and work on it: I just can’t see it. My webhost sees it just fine. It’s something in my Chrome settings. When I followed directions to clear the caches, WordPress wouldn’t let me sign into anything, claiming I blocked all cookies. I had to go back and change that. I can get in and work on my other sites now, but still not see Pages on Stages. I’m frustrated.

I got a bit of work done on the Legerdemain site. Not enough, but at least something. I have a LOT of work to do on that site, and I’m hoping that I can do some of it next week. I thought I had the history of Legerdemain written and ready to go, but then a throwaway comment in the episode I drafted yesterday needs to be integrated into it, and I need to write up the Enrique Macallen pirate story.

As I mentioned, I drafted an episode of Legerdemain.

Client work in the afternoon; finished earlier than expected (although I got a request for some additional information from one that I will do today).

Finished reading Cherie Priest’s FLIGHT RISK, which was a lot of fun. Need to start the Elizabeth Siddal biography, which has to go back to the library soon. I was percolating an idea for something built around her, but there’s a slew of projects in various pipelines about her right now, so I will sit back and enjoy them instead. (In case you’ve never heard of Elizabeth Siddal, she was a primary muse for the Pre-Raphaelites).

Put up the new string lights on the front porch. They’re very pretty, and it’s nice to sit there as twilight moves into darkness.

Slept through the night, until the cats rousted me out of bed this morning. Most of the poem for July’s event has formed in my brain, and I woke up knowing how it would flow. I scribbled it down in my “Poetry Adventures” notebook. When I get my starting word, I can write a couple of transition lines, and I’ll still be within the time limit, I think. Before I send it off, I’ll read it a few times with a stopwatch, and make any necessary trims. I mean, I’ll work it and rhythm it and hone it more between now and then, but at least I’m not starting from scratch when I get my opening word, and I can weave it in. Writing the poem in 24 hours is a challenge I met last year; this year, I want to prepare better, now that I understand the overall event.

Figures July’s poem would come at me, when I need to work on the poem I’ll read in a week and a half!

I want to draft another episode of Legerdemain today, and I have to get next week’s episodes uploaded and scheduled. I might go back and add something into yesterday’s episode (the one I wrote, not one already scheduled/dropped). I was going to put that exchange into today’s, but maybe it will work better in yesterday’s? Once I work on today’s episode, I’ll know.

Client work this afternoon, but I hope to be done early, and then that’s it for me for the week. I’ll regret it on Monday, but I don’t care for today and tomorrow!

Have to do a grocery run, a liquor store run, mail something to my insurance company by  Certified mail (because they never admit to receiving ANY paperwork unless it’s certified and when they claim they never got it, I send them a copy of the proof of delivery). Meditation this morning. All I want to do is sleep. I’m trying to pace myself a little better to deal with the fatigue. It’s waning moon, so I’ll also take iron supplements again for a few days. If I take them every day, I get sick; if I take them 3^rd/4^th quarter moon, about every other day, I’m usually okay. As the spring vegetables come out, I’ll round out my diet with more spinach and kale, and will start feeling better again. I haven’t watched what I eat as carefully as usual in the transition to spring, and my diet has been less healthy.

The pollen just wafts past the window in clouds. I’m making eyewashes with chamomile, and setting aside time every afternoon to lie down on the acupressure mat with a chamomile compress over my eyes. I’ll probably start using the air purifier again, too.

At some point this weekend, I’ll climb up onto whatever lets me reach it, and clean the tops of the ceiling fans. We’ll be using those soon, and I want to make sure they aren’t just stirring up more pollen and dust. Hopefully, by Sunday, it’ll be warm enough to take out some plants and set down the rugs out back.

The FALL FOREVER edits are percolating in my brain. The Heist Romance script wants attention, and CAST IRON MURDER reminds me that there are still revisions to do there. Plus the upcoming poem and the flash fiction. By next week, I have to get back on track with the next Twinkle Tavern short, “Labor Intensive.” I had a pithy name for the third one, built around President’s Day, but I didn’t write it in the file. I think it’s in my journal, so I’ll have to go back through that book and find it. And there are some other short pieces that I worked on back in February that are almost ready to go out into the world.

Plenty to keep me busy.

Have a good one!

Thurs. May 4, 2023: Work, Work, Work

image courtesy of Erika Varga via pixabay.com

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Day Before Full Moon

Mercury and Pluto Retrograde

Rainy and raw

The latest, very short post on the garden is over on Gratitude and Growth.

Today’s serial episode is Legerdemain:

Episode 82: Multi-Tasking

Shelley lets the thief and the murderer take each other’s measure while she questions another suspect.

Legerdemain Serial Link

Legerdemain Website

I had to prioritize yesterday, once I came back from the laundromat. The priority was FALL FOREVER. I did another pass on it. Not a deep edit, but a clean-up and tweak. I tightened a few things, and made internal cuts that added up to making it shorter by two pages (a good thing). I feel okay about this being the “reading draft.” I have to print out a copy for myself (which means I’ll need to get more ink by tomorrow – I really need the grant money so I can get my laser printer fixed).But this is the draft I can send to the cast on Friday, and feel okay about. Not great about, because I know there’s a lot more work to do; but okay about.

By the time I was done with that, I had to type up a letter to my mom’s doctor. Her new insurance has refused to pay for the medication she’s been on for 10 years. American Healthcare has nothing to do with health. The pharmacist had done a workaround so that I could afford this month’s refill, but we have to do something moving forward. Either the doctor has to send in a request (demand) that the insurance cover it, or she has to prescribe something that’s on their “list.” This is ridiculous.

My neighbor’s dog slipped his leash. He’s not particularly friendly or well-socialized, and the neighbors were terrified he’d either get hit by a car (we’re in a city) or bite someone. They were running after him yelling, and he just ran more. I grabbed a packet of corned beef (leftovers from the weekend’s company) out of the fridge and dashed down the street waving slices of it, calling him. He ran right over to me. I had him sit before I tossed him the meat. He did. He walked perfectly nicely back with me to his people, who got the collar and leash back on him. It was pretty funny. So, I guess, in his eyes now, I’m the “meat lady.” I better start keeping snacks for the dogs in my purse!

I did a library run to drop off/pick up books. Did what I could to support my WGA colleagues in the strike (encouragement, donations to supply coffee and food to picket lines, etc.). I love the pictures posted from the picket lines. I love all the dogs, babies, and kids who are part of it. The writers are fighting for everyone’s creative futures AND for fair wages, no matter what the industry.

The producers intend to wait it out, having stockpiled. They’ll run out eventually.

I have to say, blocking anti-WGA jerkoffs on various timelines has made my life better, overall. Because their anti-WGA stance is just a manifestation of much deeper incompatibility. I have to deal with a certain amount of people who don’t believe a deserve to earn a living in my profession (because it’s not “real” work, you know, although they consume it every day voraciously) in real life. I can CHOOSE not to deal with them online. And I do. There’s no “agree to disagree.” Either you respect me as a human being in a creative profession, or you do not. We can’t disagree on this basic tenet of who I am and then be friends because maybe we both like chocolate ice cream or something.

It also makes me realize how we’re trained to allow toxic people to treat us badly, and how often it’s misnamed “tolerance” or “compassion” or “professionalism.”

Turned around two coverages. Finished the book for review. I will write and submit the review this morning, and then get my next assignment. Finished the second category of contest entries. I need to make my final decision – I know the winner, but I have to look at the score sheets and pick the 5 finalists, although I’m pretty sure I know who those will be. And then I have to write the review for the winner. And enter the scores for ALL the books in the category, because I have not kept up with that.

Then, I’ll move on to finish the final category over the next few days. I’m doing coverage today, but not tomorrow or the rest of the weekend, so I can finish the category and get everything in on time. I’m in decent shape with the category, but usually I have everything finished by May 1, and I didn’t this year.

I could not face leftovers last night, so I ordered Chinese food. Willa snuck onto the porch while I waited for delivery, and got scolded.

I also have to make the rounds to promote Legerdemain and yesterday’s Angel Hunt (which I did not promote). I think I will post the Serial Questionnaire around the different places and start the data gathering.

I need to get next week’s episodes of Legerdemain uploaded and scheduled, then do the graphics and loglines. They’re ready (that editing time at the laundromat is very useful). It’s just a case of getting them up and scheduled.

I started work on the poem for the Poets in Conversation piece, at least in my head. It’s taking shape. I will probably do some noodling on it in the next couple of days.

Off to meditation – have a good one!

Wed. May 3, 2023: Arranging and Rearranging Words

image courtesy of Valerio Errani via pixabay.com

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Waxing Moon

Mercury and Pluto Retrograde

Rainy, chilly, and raw

Today’s Process Muse Post is about dealing with jealousy, envy, and uncomfortable emotions. You can read it here.

It was hard to get it together yesterday. Twitter is not allowing WP to connect anymore. I was getting a lot of trollish DMs, and I finally managed to lock my account, but I can no longer participate in community conversations. I’d leave completely, but a lot of the WGA conversations are happening there.

Today’s serial episode is from Angel Hunt:

Episode 29: Actor or Character?

Lianna unravels the layers of actor energy in the rehearsal room from something much darker.

Angel Hunt Serial Link.

I wrote a future Process Muse, got it polished, uploaded, and schedule. Finished Episode 5 of REP. Could not get it together for Legerdemain.

I thought I’d started a Series Bible and Style Sheet for Rep, but can’t find them. So I had to redo them.

Did the social media rounds for Legerdemain.

Turned around two script coverages. it’s not scabbing, my coverage agency fully supports and is in compliance with the strike (I checked with the guild). Writers can lock their profiles so that their scripts can’t be downloaded by producers, et al, during the strike. How much work we’ll actually have as things go on, who knows? I feel like I should push this week, because there’s a lot that came in before the May 1 deadline, but I have this other big client project that must be finished, so I’ll have to risk the coverage work drying up.

Finished one of the categories in the contest. Wrote up the winning reviews (it was a tie, two very different and equally wonderful books), put in the other scores, named the finalists, and sent it all off.

Good news on the poetry front!

First of all, I’m getting to know my fellow poets for the fall residency via email, so we all know a bit about each other before we start. They are an amazing, talented group, and I’m so honored to be part of it.

Second, I’m creating a new piece for Word X Word’s event at the Mount (Edith Wharton house) on May 21, as part of their Poets in Conversation series. I started turning over ideas in my head as soon as I got the invite. I’ve got an idea developing that I think will work; I’ll take what I learn from that performance, and it will be one of the pieces I bring into the residency, because it fits with the theme of the other pieces I want to work on then. That wasn’t intentional, it’s just how it percolated.

Third, I am one of the poets in this year’s Word X Word’s “World’s Largest Poem”, again at the Mount, in July. I will have 24 hours to write my section of the poem (same as last year), once I’m given the last word of the previous poet’s section. We’re being encouraged to be multi-lingual; I hope to compose my short section in English, French, and German. The word I receive to launch it could be anything, in any language. I may try writing part of it ahead of time, and then weave the word into it and adjust as needed. My final word will launch the next poet’s word, and so forth and so on.

Yoga was good. I admit, I rather dragged myself there, not feeling like leaving the house, but I was glad I went.

Worked on contest entries. I’m nearly finished with the second category; I hope I can get those off today, or, latest, by tomorrow. I’ll be down to the wire finishing off the final category.

Out of the house early this morning to go to the laundromat. I edited five episodes of Legerdemain, and a couple of REP.

On today’s agenda: draft an episode of Legerdemain, enter contest scores, make the rounds to promote Angel Hunt and the Process Muse. There’s an Ink-Dipped Advice post to finish and get up. I have two scripts to turn around, and I want to finish the second category in the contest, and get that winner/finalist list out. I also have to finish reading a book for review, because it’s due tomorrow.

I’d like to do another pass on FALL FOREVER today, too, if I can. Not an edit; more of some gentle tweaks. I’ll get my cast list on Friday, and need to send them the script so they can look it over this weekend, before the table read. I’ll also get the assignments of the other plays this week, since part of getting my play read is helping some of the other playwrights out with their readings. My play is in the first slot on Monday, the first slot of the whole table reads program.

Next week, I also want to draft the short piece for the artist call over in Northampton, and get back to work on the next Twinkle Tavern piece, “Labor Intensive.” Along with working on the poem that will be read at the Mount on May 21. I also want to play with FlexClip a little more. I have some ideas on creating short pieces on it to promote the serials.

But first, I have to clear off this week’s deadlines.

Have a good one!

Fri. Jan. 21, 2022: Creative Stretching

image courtesy of Caoha via pixabay.com

Friday, January 21, 2022

Waning Moon

Venus and Mercury Retrograde

Sunny and very cold

Meditation was fine yesterday, with Charlotte sitting on my lap for most of it, participating. She then went back to the rocking chair in my reading corner to go to sleep. I rarely get to use my reading corner anymore, because Charlotte is usually in it.

I signed up for a Zoom reading next week, with a group with whom I’m interested in getting involved. I’m on the wait list to actually read, and I drafted two short poems to read. One needs more work. I need to replace a couple of words with those that sharpen the image while fitting the rhythm. The second poem came out, in word and rhythm, better than I hoped. I might still polish, but it does what I want it to do.

I was surprised that I managed to write either, since I don’t consider myself a poet. I love poetry, but I never felt I could ride that tiger properly as a writer. I wanted to stretch, and I am. You learn how to write in different formats by writing in those formats. Should I even attempt to read them? Who knows? Chances are I’m too far down on the list and won’t get to read them anyway. I’ll learn from the other poets reading. I’ll learn from my own reading, even if it doesn’t go well.

I’d have a three minute slot, allowed one poem, and either poem takes up less than two minutes, even read in what I call “Dramatic Reading Voice.” (Which is different from Pretentious Sonorous Voice).

I can still always decide to only read none, or take myself off the list. But pushing myself, taking the risk, will be valuable.

I’ll work on and rehearse the poems for the next week, and be ready, whichever way the chips land.

I drafted a series of activist letters to the appropriate organizations and individuals. My weapons are words, and rather than social media-ing everything to death, I’d rather write specific, actionable proposals that will get results.

The way I did before social media.

I finished the first draft of the short story for the anthology. It was disquieting to write, so hopefully it will create strong emotions in the reader. It’s just under 1200 words, which gives me room to do some cutting and also layer in more sensory detail. I’m going to let it sit a few days before I approach it again. It has to go out next week, so I have a little bit of breathing room.

I picked up Cynthia Kuhn’s HOW TO BOOK A MURDER (a book recommended by Ellen Byron) “just to take a look.” Yeah, right. I read the whole thing straight through in the afternoon, instead of doing other things. It was a lot of fun. Now, I want to read her other series. My local library had one book, but I had to get three more through Commonwealth Catalog. Ironically, two of those three will come in from Sandwich. I can’t find the last one.

The Mystic Mondays Tarot arrived, and I am in love with it. I love the weight of the cards, their size, the way the sides are iridescent. I love the artwork on the deck – very different from any of my other decks, and in colors that really speak to me. I’m excited to start working with it. I think I will use it mostly in relation to creative work: spurring myself on creatively, finding ways around blocks and obstacles, etc.

Knowledge Unicorns went well. The kids are working hard, they’re thriving in a virtual learning environment, and they’re doing well. One of the things we started when we first launched this homework group was to keep a journal. Of course, when we started, we thought the group would only be for the spring 2020 semester. Now, we’re starting into 2022. But the kids have kept up their journals. Not all of them write every day, and some of them are sketch journals rather than word journals (which is perfectly valid), But, after keeping it as a practice now for two years, they find it a useful tool. Even the ones who have no intention of becoming writers! As someone who has kept a journal for going on 50 years now, I’m glad it helps others; I know it has often been a lifeline for me.

In the evening, I attended a virtual author event for an acquaintance and fellow Sister in Crime. It was a lot of fun. She currently writes three series, plus short stories, which is the kind of schedule I really need to keep. The questions in the Q & A were the typical ones that are asked. The thing we all remind ourselves of is that, even though we’ve answered these questions dozens of times, it’s still new information to this person asking (unless it’s someone who attends events always asking the same question, There were a couple of those on Cape. They’d even ask the same question to the same person at event after event). Of course there was That One Person, who didn’t have a question, but a “comment” and made it all about herself. There’s always one self-involved audience member, who tries to turn every event into a personal platform. We learn how to be polite and gracious and move on. Good moderators shut that individual down; too many just look uncomfortable and expect the guest artist to deal with it, which is unfair.

Anyway, I was glad I was there, and could support my acquaintance. I also realized I’m behind reading one of her series!

After the event, I had to stay up and get out a script coverage that was due this morning. I’m behind in the script coverages (but still ahead of deadline) and will spend most of today working on those. It will need to be a long day, if I expect to have a weekend.

But I have no regrets about sitting and reading Cynthia’s book all afternoon!

I had a perfectly productive day, and yet, by the end of it, I still beat myself up for not doing enough. I need to stop that.

A couple more ideas are percolating for short stories; hopefully I can rough them out this weekend.

I had trouble getting to sleep last night; it was after midnight. Then the cats woke me up at three. I am not a happy camper today. I am a grumpy pants.

It’s been a frustrating, up and down week. Let’s hope next week is better.

Catch you on the other side.

Fri. Sept. 11, 2020: Die For Tourist Dollars Day 114 — Anniversary of 9/11

image courtesy of pixabay.com

Friday, September 11, 2020

Waning Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, Mars Retrograde

Cloudy and Humid

Today is the 19^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I have an essay about it over on Grief to Art.

This morning, I plan to watch the performance of Table of Silence, streaming from Lincoln Center.

Remember how, last week, I was worried that those anti-mask Covidiots at the mechanic’s might sabotage my car because I was masked and following protocols? Guess what . . .leaking fluids and dropping wing nuts. Not sure if I should go back and force them to fix it (risking my life yet again) or go somewhere else – only I don’t know where else to go. My regular, trusted mechanic is too far.

Trader Joe’s run was fine, although I bought more than I planned. But I’m stockpiling for winter.

Got some client work done, did some LOIs.

It was Freelance Chat’s 2^nd anniversary, which was fun.

A middle-aged white woman (wearing her fanny pack but unmasked) was roaming the neighborhood, banging on doors. In a pandemic. When I saw her coming, I shut the front windows, because, you know, AIRBORNE virus. I refused to answer when she pounded on the door, and told her I definitely wouldn’t unless she wore a mask.

“I don’t need a mask!” She insisted. “I have Jesus.”

Needless to say, I did not open the door. She knocked until she tired of it, and wandered off to the next house. Then I disinfected the door.

Finished reading Barbara Ross’s new book, JANE DARROWFIELD AND THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR. It’s fantastic. Absolutely wonderful. Funny, scary, heartfelt all at once. She is a writer who takes the genre and makes it better.

My friend’s sister released a book of poetry. I ordered the book and signed up for her Zoom reading next week. Next Wednesday is stacked to the rafters: onsite with a client for a few hours, Remote chat, a session with NYU LA alumni, and the Zoom reading.

Took time to read both VANITY FAIR and start the latest NEW YORKER issue. I really like what Radhika Jones, the current editor is doing with it. I’d stopped reading it under Graydon Carter because it wasn’t relevant to me – a bunch of rich white people amusing each other and reassuring each other they were fabulous. But the September issue, with a focus on racial injustice and Breonna Taylor’s murder in particular, is excellent, and I’m glad I’ve re-subscribed.

Knowledge Unicorns

We had our second session yesterday. It went well. One of the schools where one of the kids was pressured to return to has already shut down again due to the virus. Some of the other kids (siblings) were pulled out of regular school at the end of the 2018-19 schoolyear and have been homeschooled starting last fall, so they are old hat at learning at home, and they are offering suggestions to the kids new to it to make it easier. Even though the homeschooling program is quite different from the current online learning platform, there are still tools and inner coping resources that are helpful in both.

We talked about 9/11. It was a bit of a shock to realize that NONE of them had been born when the attacks happened. Again, it made me feel old. But hey, I’m not 20 anymore.

There’s a fantastic interview in the September issue of VANITY FAIR, Ava DuVernay interviewing Angela Davis. Angela Davis has had a huge impact on my frame of reference ever since I can remember. I read the interview to the group, and we talked about it, Davis’s belief and commitment that it is the ordinary people who create change.

We worked on their assignments and caught up on the details of what’s going on with them. We took our regular breaks to stand up and stretch, and had our dance break. We did a quick foray over to the National Aquarium’s site to learn about the giant Pacific Octopus.

It was a great session, but I was tired by the end of it. I can’t imagine how exhausted their parents are.

___

We had some much-needed rain yesterday, and it looks like we’ll have more today. I hope it cools off; still too hot for my comfort.

I have to make a curbside pickup at the library. Unless I take the car in. . .somewhere, that’s my only outing today. I have a lot of writing to get done this weekend, and some client work to handle today.

Have a great weekend.