Devon Ellington's Blog, page 15

Tues. March 25, 2025: Sometimes You Gotta Roll the Boulder Uphill

image courtesy of  Mohamed Hassan via pixabay.com

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Rainy and raw

Good morning, and I hope you had a lovely weekend. Our weather was just all over the place. Warm Saturday midday and snow Saturday night.

If you missed it yesterday, the Community Tarot Reading for the Week is up here.

Friday wound up being a productive, albeit plodding day. I polished the bid package and sent it off. I did a bunch of admin work. I did a lot of errands (by car). Everyone was chatty, so it took longer than expected, but I’ve learned not to run errands when I’m in a rush; I can take the extra 10 minutes here and there and listen to people, rather than feel stressed because I need to be at the next thing. Building in that extra time means I can enjoy the errand process.

Everyone  with whom I interacted at the library is back to masking, using gloves, and wiping down the books. I mean, I’ve kept masking all the way through, so it’s no different for me, but some of the staff had stopped masking all the time. But Friday? Everyone was back to masking. I’m glad to see they’re taking what’s happening on the federal level to dismiss health care and contagious illnesses seriously.

Then it was off to the grocery store. The employee I helped get set up on Kanopy and Libby is thrilled. Got the groceries, stopped at another store to get dry erase markers, and they were sold out, so I’ll have to source them elsewhere. The whiteboard we use so my mom can keep track of the day, post-stroke, is very helpful. But those markers don’t last very long, since we use them every day. Stopped at the liquor store. Stopped at the bank to deposit the itty bitty class action check. It might be small, but what it stands for matters.

Hauled everything upstairs, unpacked, did some more admin. We had to check with the doctor’s office on something for my mom, and that was all set. Most of the afternoon was spent on paperwork I had to submit for something. The claim was it would take “about 20 minutes.” It’s taken 6 hours spread over a week, three of them yesterday. And what I need doesn’t fit in their boxes, so I did a side letter and sent it on Monday.

Heard back from the bid package. I’m hired! I had disagreed with a point he made in our interview and mentioned it in the cover letter with the bid package, and the evidence for my perspective on it. He said it took courage to take the risk, and, looking at the quality of my work, I totally backed up my position, and it won even more of his respect. Anyway, I’m hired, although we don’t yet have a start date on the first project. It’s a couple of weeks to a couple of months out. But I am one of the small team of writers with this company (although there will only be one writer per project). So that will be a few projects per year doing something I really love doing.

Oh, that’s right, I haven’t really talked about “it.”  The job is adapting novels into dramatized audiobooks. Which means, instead of a single narrator, or two narrators, it’s a full cast audiobook, but keeping the narrative paragraphs (which would be cut in a typical audio, stage, or filmed production). Choices where sound replaces narration and how to structure it around the dialogue mean each scene has to be technically and artistically re-envisioned, so that it works as audio drama while retaining the author’s narrative voice, which is part of why the reader/listener chose the audiobook in the first place. It’s about working with actors and sound designers/engineers and directors – all something I’m very familiar with and good at. But the adaptation itself is different from a straight up audio, stage, or screenplay. It’s not just reformatting – it’s making nuanced decisions in each scene. Since I work in prose, audio, and script, the job and I are a good fit for each other. The CEO figures they’ll do 6-10 per year at first; how many of those would come to me, I’m not sure, but one every two or three months would be terrific. We’ll see how things shake out.

In the meantime, however, the ghostwriting notes are back – notes from 5 people – and I have to write 20K between now and April 4. But it means I’ll get the full 20K fee for this project, not just the 6K fee I expected. I started working on it yesterday. Depending on the revisions, I hope to get that payment in mid-April.

The ultimate best work schedule for the rest of this year would be to alternate steadily between the ghostwriting and the dramatized audio scripting, with a little bit of script analysis work, reviewing, and other freelance one-offs here and there in the gaps, while working on my own plays and novels.

Ten of Wands energy much?

I doubt it will fall into place that smoothly, and I’m certainly not going to stop sending out LOIs, but I’d rather have both of these clients replace the problematic client since I can’t rely on the problematic client for enough work to pay the bills anymore. We’ll see how the actual numbers and timing work out, but it positions me with more potential stability over the next few months that will also allow me to seek additional work. And I like the work I do for both these new clients, which is always a plus. At least, for the weekend, I decided to stress less.

And both these new clients know I’m booked with the Boiler House Poets in early October!

Anyway, by the time all of that was sorted out, I needed to stop and take a break before cooking dinner, and had a quiet night, rather feeling like a truck rolled over top of me.

Slept through the night. We were supposed to be up and out of the house for an early appointment on Saturday, but that got cancelled on Friday night.

Which freed me up to go to a program I’d hoped to attend at the library, should the morning appointment not have run too long. Now, I didn’t have to worry about it. I could just go and enjoy the program, support a local author AND support the library.

I worked on class prep in the morning, and then trotted up the street to the library on a lovely, sunny morning. I met a printmaker from Eclipse Mill in the elevator, and we started talking, and when we got upstairs more people started talking, and everyone wanted my card, and now I have to print up more cards. But I think several people from this event will come see us at the Boiler House reading.

The author event was for Deborah Benoit, author of The Gardener’s Plot mystery. A North Adams local, she gave a delightful talk, a mix of readings and talking about how she began her novel during Nano, took years to edit, entered it in a contest, and won a traditional publication contract. I really liked what she read. It was cash-only for the few copies of the book she had with her, and I didn’t have enough cash on me, so I will order the book from Bear & Bee Bookstore in the next couple of weeks.

Ryan (who runs programming) and I talked about the BHPC reading. He’s going to start seriously promoting it in June. He and I will get together around that to iron out some more details, and then check in again in September. I might also do my own reading/workshop at some point in the coming months. Ryan knows the library audience and is exceptionally organized, so I know we will get a lot of promotional support.

Turned around 5 small script coverages in the afternoon. Much as I hope a lot of work ends in my queue between now and the end of the month, I also have to cough up 20K for the ghostwriting by April 4. So we’ll see.

Cooked dinner and read for pleasure in the evening.

Did not want to get up on Sunday, but got up and fed the cats. Puttered around doing house and home things. Finished reading the book for review. Worried about the state of just about everything. Read for pleasure. Tried to have a restful day. Did the Community Tarot Reading for the week and scheduled it to post.

It snowed a bit overnight into Monday. Not enough, just enough to keep it gray and dreary and be annoying. It quickly switched over to pretty intense freezing rain, and I was glad not to have to go out in it.

I polished and sent off a workshop proposal to coincide with the art gallery show in August, as I promised at our meeting last week. I started work on another proposal for a conference workshop about an hour and a half east of here that would happen in October.

The library cohort was great. As always, I learned a lot. We have a tertiary training session on Thursday night.

Wrote and polished two book reviews, sent them out, did some solid work on the ghostwriting project, had some questions, and submitted them. Got answers, which will help shape things moving forward. Re-read some of the materials they sent that have an influence on the shape of this piece and I have, shall we say, thoughts and opinions that have nothing to do with actually getting it done.

Found out that today’s literary committee meeting is only online, so I don’t have to drive down to Lenox and back. Saves me about an hour in each direction, which is nice.

Had to deal with some unpleasant admin in the late afternoon, and mail it first thing this morning. Which meant putting on Real People pants and trotting to and from the post office before 8 AM.

So 50,000 people have been slaughtered so far in Gaza in order for That Thing and his buddies to build a resort. That’s like wiping out the entire city of Prescott Valley, AZ or Everett, MA. I’m sure many more than this have died. At least that many or more will die in this country under this regime, not to mention deaths all over the world with aid ending. And it’s not like any of the dollars from that aid are going to be used to build up anything within this country’s boundaries. It’s all going into billionaire pockets. Disgusting. Especially with a drunk texting war plans on his phone.

I never EVER want to hear “but her emails” again. And every person who said that deserves to be punched in the throat.

Cooked dinner, read the next book for review, which I will write up this morning, submit, and then ask for my next assignment.

Slept through the night, which was a nice change of pace. The snow had turned to sleet and then turned to rain over night. We’re supposed to move between rain and snow the rest of the week. I will be perpetually in a storm headache, I fear.

This morning, I will do the review, some commenting on student work, give the slides another polish, and work on the ghostwriting assignment. The latter will be the primary focus of the day. While that happens, I’ll percolate the workshop for the conference; I have until May to submit, although I’d rather get it out the door sooner than later.

Just deleted a whole paragraph of rumination about another conference in November to whom I considered pitching, and realized I don’t want to go there – the dates don’t work, they don’t pay their presenters and expect them to pay all expenses and hotel rates to be at the conference, I don’t like the hotel (which charges for internet use in the room) or the food there, and they have no safety protocols.

The conference in mid-October pays an honorarium, feeds their presenters, and is close enough so I can travel there and back in a day, is smaller, and has safety protocols.

Really not a hard decision as to which one to pitch!

I’d love to go to bed and sleep until the retrogrades are over, but that’s not an option. Okay, I’d love to sleep until we get better people in positions of power, but sleeping won’t get them there so that’s not an option, either.

Off to do the rounds of elected officials, and then buckle down to work.

Have a good one!

Monday, March 24, 2025: Intent for the Week — Enjoy the Work

image courtesy of Philip Olson via pixabay.com

Monday, March 24, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Snowy and cold

I have a lot to do on one client project this week (it’s due next week), wrap up my class, and deal with a few other things. My intent this week is to enjoy the work.

We have two more weeks of Mercury Retrograde to survive, and two and a half weeks of Venus Retrograde. I’m trying to keep my head down and deal with what’s in front of me.

The Community Tarot Reading for the Week is up on the Cerridwen’s Cottage site. Four out of the five tarot cards are court cards, so this week will center on relationships. Dicey, with both Mercury and Venus Retrograde.

So I’m going to put my head down and do the work.

What’s your intent for the week?

Fri. March 21, 2025: Juggling the Fun and the Not So Fun

image courtesy of  Ulrike Mai via pixabay.com

Friday, March 21, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Snowy and mucky

And we’re at the end of another week! They just fly by.

Meditation was good yesterday morning, and I’m glad I showed up for the online group. After breakfast, I got the handouts finished and sent them off to my students. I did some more research/work on the bid package.

I am giving it a polish and sending it out this morning. I’ve found a rate with which I’m comfortable. Either it fits their needs, or it doesn’t. If it’s too high, we both move on. This is skilled work, it’s something I’m good at, and if they want cheap and lousy, they can go somewhere else.

Some small coverages came in, which I will turn around on Monday.

I didn’t get all the paperwork I needed to finish finished, and will have to do this today, along with some other paperwork I shouldn’t have to do, and more fighting with Berkshire Gas. They sent me a letter with intentional misinformation about our discussions. Fortunately, I have an email trail. I have lost so many billable hours on this crap.

I worked on my conference proposal, I hope to get that out today.

Was able to join the #FreelanceFriends meeting on Bluesky (it used to be called #FreelanceChat, but the originator took that tag with her to her own platforms). It was hosted by one of our colleagues, and was a lot of fun, although one Canadian guy kept pushing us to land government contracts, and we’re like, “everything is on hold right now, we don’t have a functioning government and all those agencies are being dismantled” and he was all “but do this, do that” and I’m like, “these agencies no longer EXIST in this country.” I mean, we have the court battles, etc., coming up on them, but they’re firing everyone. They’re not going to hire contractors who aren’t cis white men even when they have to hire back in.

Prepped for my meeting about the group art show. I’m expanding my piece somewhat from the original concept, but I think it will work. I better start building it in the next couple of weeks to make sure! About half of us involved were at the meeting, and it was great to hear what people are doing/planning. We’re all very different, but I think the pieces will work together, almost like an exquisite corpse poem. We’re also going to do events at the gallery throughout the month, workshops and performances. I will read the text portion that pairs with my piece at the opening First Friday, and then offer a writing workshop later in the month. One of my colleagues and I talked about me possibly creating a word piece inspired by each artist’s work installed, that will then live on a panel, with some of the words wood-burned into it (he will help with that), and have an interactive component. We are going to get into more detail about that in the coming weeks. Some of it would have to be done ahead of time, but a finished text piece/poem (not burned into the panel) can only be done in the day between installation and opening, which puts a lot of pressure on me in that I don’t know what my schedule will be like then.

But I basically expect to spend most weekends in August at the gallery, with a few scattered nights there, too, supporting other members of the cohort in their workshops and performances.

Part of me is like, why aren’t you just doing something fully in your wheelhouse that you know you can do in your sleep, since it’s for public consumption? And the rest of me is like, how often do I get the chance to take this kind of creative risk, and what will I learn from it?

So I’m jumping in and challenging myself.

If it’s terrible, I don’t put it in the show!

I will put together the information on the workshop and pick a date this weekend. I don’t really want to write the statement about the work quite yet, since I want to build some of it first.

Walked to and from the gallery, since it’s only four blocks and it was a lovely evening. Steeple City Social was hopping. I’m so glad it’s having a strong opening. I look forward to spending some quality time in there writing and socializing.

The City made a formal announcement about artist applications to paint crosswalks in downtown (something the Public Art Commission supported). I’m so happy! The electric boxes that were painted last summer still look good, and brighten up the city so much. I’m excited to see what the crosswalks will look like.

Speaking of formal announcements, I’m still waiting for the anthology announcement to come out, so I can talk about it!

Annoyed that two of my books were stolen as part of the Meta AI training program. “Lake Justice” (which is currently out of print), and Savasana at Sea were both stolen. Ellen Byron had a bunch of her books stolen, as did Lilith St. Crow, and Jenn McKinlay had all 64 of her books stolen. I mean, thousands of authors had their work stolen. I’m lucky only two of mine (so far) showed up on the database. There’s a class action suit forming for that.

Anyway, I have a lot to do today as far as paperwork, the bid proposal (which is the absolute priority), administrative bickering, and errands to the library, grocery store, and a couple of other stores. The rain changed to snow overnight, and it’s wet and mucky. I keep hoping it will warm up, so I won’t have to dig out the car before I go.

I have a busy weekend, some stressful, some fun, and we’ll catch up on Tuesday.

Have a good one!

Thurs. March 20, 2025: Blessed Equinox!

image courtesy of Leopictures via pxabay.com

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Spring Equinox

Partly Cloudy and cold

You can read about the latest on the garden over on Gratitude and Growth.

People are doing remembrance posts for the beginning of the Covid Pandemic and the stay-at-home orders. I was still living in my previous location. I’d had the first of my cancer surgeries a few days before the stay-at-home, and my second was cancelled (and then rescheduled, for, I think June). My landlord was forcing us to accept workmen on the premises, and my toxic boss (on a part-time gig I had in an actual office) was being toxic.

We did not have a lockdown or quarantine in the state, but starting March 25, non-essential businesses were closed, and we had a stay-at-home order. I started titling my posts “StaytheFHome” and the Day. Later posts, when we were forced back into the office pre-vaccine (and my toxic boss flouted safety regulations), I titled posts “Die for Your Employer” and the date. I dumped another freelance client who wouldn’t let me write their newsletter remotely, but then said they would “let” me do it, but not pay me, because they only paid people who came into the office. Buh-bye.

I’m still surprised we survived. We had the same Sociopath in charge then, gleeful at the suffering and death, and he’s more determined this time around to kill even more. And GOP Senators knew about the pandemic before the information was released to the public, and profited from stock buys and sells. Nothing has changed, has it? Just gotten even more corrupt.

Long lines for the stores, only a few people at a time allowed in. Incel unmasked boys walking up to women in line to blow on their necks and laughing (yes, I kneed one in the groin and dropped him to the ground. The  nearby cop laughed at him). Taking shoes off in the garage, stripping and scrubbing down as soon as I came into the house, cleaning anything that came into the house in the kitchen with the doors closed while my mom was sequestered in a different part of the house.

The refusal of so many to wear masks on that side of the state – even when mandated – and the respect people show to each other on this side of the state still masking, is a huge contrast.

I wish we would be done with That Thing and all the corruption and actually build a better society, like we started to do with the regime change after That Thing caused so much damage during COVID. Instead, we have more corruption and more sociopaths in power. Along with the feigned helplessness of those who are supposed to DO SOMETHING about it and stop the corruption.

Yesterday centered around paperwork (some of which still needs to be finished today), admin, research, polishing materials for the class, working on the bid package, working on a presentation proposal, making the rounds of elected officials. It feels like I don’t have a lot to show for the day, but I actually worked steadily and got a lot done. I even got some planning done for the textile/text project (which is a good thing, since we have a meeting tonight about it).

We got a teeny, tiny check as part of a class action suit against TD Bank, which was doing all kinds of shady stuff. I don’t mind that the amount is small. I’m glad TD Bank got their ass kicked in court. They’re shutting down branches, because they overgrew, and people caught on to just how hinky they were to deal with. The fact that so many articles are calling the bank branches “storefronts” is all one needs to know about how little regard the bank has for the people who trust them with their money.

I am often annoyed with our local credit union, but they are far better than commercial banks.

Class went well. I will send off the slides and handouts this morning. Next week is our last class.

Stayed up too late, didn’t sleep well, cats were impatient this morning. Since it’s been warm enough to sit out on the porch and to leave the door to Tessa’s room (which is just off the porch) open at night, Tessa insisted her food bowls get moved back in there this morning. She doesn’t want to eat out in the hallway. I’ll have to move it back tonight, though, because we are supposed to get snow early tomorrow morning, which means tomorrow’s errands will get pushed back somewhat.

On today’s agenda: meditation, admin/finishing paperwork, getting the slides and handouts to my students, a noon meeting, work on the bid package, work on the presentation proposals, a meeting at the art gallery for the group show, finishing the next book for review. I have a lot of ironing to do, but that might happen on the weekend instead.

A small coverage came in today, which I will turn around tomorrow. I’m still waiting to hear what’s going on with the ghostwriting. If they want me to continue, I need to renegotiate the end date. Even if the notes come back today, it’s unrealistic to think I can cough up 20K by the 24th. So we’ll see where we are. Hopefully, I can get out some more LOIs, and finalize the bid package for the potential new client, so it can go out first thing tomorrow morning.

I will be doing some celebrating today, even around the work and the meetings!

Have a good one, and Happy Equinox!

Wed. March 19, 2025: Tinkering With Schedules and Systems

image courtesy of Aldren Gamalo via pixabay.com

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Partly cloudy. Frost, but getting into the mid-60’s later today

I simply cannot believe tomorrow is the Spring Equinox. Time is racing by.

I haven’t talked about the death of playwright Athol Fugard on the blog. I was lucky enough to work with him at Manhattan Theatre Club during the same six months in which I was lucky enough to work with Arthur Miller. I adored both of them. Athol talked a lot about his experiences during apartheid – how gathering in groups was forbidden, even in private houses. How plays were part of that forbidden gathering, and performed in people’s living rooms. How plays were written so that props could be tossed in a suitcase in a moment and the performers and audience could scatter when word came the authorities were near.

Sound familiar? Because that’s where we’re headed.

Even though I was the wardrobe girl on his show, Athol loved the fact I was a writer, and invited me to sit in on some of his rehearsals. I learned so much from him. He was a quiet, thoughtful man, a brilliant thinker and artist, and showed how activism can be done through art, but without the kind of spectacle that’s so inherent in the current social media/influencer landscape.

I kept in touch with him on and off over the years, and miss him deeply.

Reading his obituaries, I was also intrigued by what was left out. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Yesterday was a good day. I got a bunch of work done in the morning, although not everything I hoped. I got the laundry folded and put away. I have some serious ironing to do tomorrow. The laundry bin was actually empty for about 15 minutes, until I started sorting out winter things that need to be laundered before they are packed away. I did a bunch of admin (but not enough). I turned around a small coverage. I did some more prep for my meeting with the potential new client. I did the rounds of my elected officials.

We had a fantastic meeting. I really liked talking with the CEO, and the work itself is something I would both love and be very good at. I’m putting together a bid package, which is due on Friday, and I’m trying to research rates. I’m completely flummoxed by what I should charge. There’s plenty of information on the going rates of other team members in this type of work, but not for what I’d be doing, which is a little different than the way it’s been done. I’m hoping to get some guidance from the WGA before the bid package is due.

I worked on the bid package most of the afternoon, with breaks sitting on the porch and reading one of the books for review. It was lovely out. The sun even peeked out for a bit in the afternoon.

I’m trying to hit the right balance of dealing with what’s in front of me, while also keeping an eye on the coming months. Because so much is in flux with my work schedule, and so much is in flux with the world burning down, I’m trying to hit the sweet spot of practicality and flexibility. Where can I put systems in place that support what I do without suffocating it, but can run even if I have to change my schedule for whatever reason? If I schedule too tightly, or too systematically, I resent it and just don’t do the work. I need large blocks of unrestricted time, and then I’m more productive. But if I say I’m going to work on a specific project from 10:15 to 10:40 – I won’t (unless it’s a scheduled meeting). I have learned this about myself. It’s a reaction, no doubt, to the many years in which  my very long days were overscheduled down to the minute. What’s a rational workload, not just overbooking out of fear and then being too exhausted? I’m older; I can’t do the 20-hour days anymore. Elder care also needs more time and attention and energy. And the political chaos has an enormous negative effect on my everyday life. That’s just reality.

Doing work that I enjoy helps. I had a blast working on the bid package yesterday, which allowed me to forget the world burning down for a few hours. I think this is a client with whom I would enjoy long-term work, and we talked about, should I be hired, at least a year’s worth of work.

On today’s agenda: finish off some paperwork that needs to go out today; get that book review written and out (I dropped the ball on that, but I’m still well within deadline); go over the slides for tonight’s class again and then teach the class; work on the bid package; get some work done on contest entries; get in some of my original writing. I need to get back to my first 1K of the day being my own work, not client work. That sets me up in a better frame of mind for the rest of the day. I’ve been pushing my original work back farther in the day, and that’s not a strong choice. I also have to finish prepping for the Equinox tomorrow. I can’t believe it’s already here.

Have a good one!

Tues. March 18, 2025: Like Pieces of a Puzzle

image courtesy of Džoko Stach via pixabay.com

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Partly cloudy and cold

I hope you had a great weekend. Here we are, in another week, with two retrogrades. Hang on.

It’s 27 degrees this morning, supposed to hit the mid-50’s today, and then be in the 60’s tomorrow. We are officially in both mud season and what is fondly called around here, “the Pothole Olympics.”

If you didn’t get a chance to read it yesterday, the Community Tarot Reading for the Week is available on the Cerridwen’s Cottage site.

Friday was a lovely, sunny day. I did the rounds of elected officials. I did a big library drop off/pick up. I went to the grocery store for a few things. I swung by the post office to mail bills and cards. I picked up a bottle of wine. I deposited a check in the bank.

While I’m delighted with last month’s royalties, the royalites were more than the script coverage work, which is always a little disconcerting. But yay, me, I guess, since it means sales are steadily growing — WITHOUT ads on FB or Amazon.

I turned around a small coverage in the afternoon, and read a bit on the porch. Cooked dinner, relaxed in the evening.

Saturday morning, I did some household chores, but I was up and out the door by 9 AM for the Representation & the Public Record all-day seminar at MASS MoCA. In true Mercury Retrograde fashion, I wasn’t on the printout of attendees, but I had printed out my ticket. So they just added me to the list, and it was all good.

The program was “Representation & the Public Record.” Lisa Dent, the Director of Public Programming at the museum, put it together, and it was a terrific day. Nate Young & Steve Locke talked about how their research fed into the work in the Like Magic and the fire next time exhibits. Steve’s lovely dog George was also a part of the day. Heather Hart talked about the Black Lunch Table, and how it’s evolved since its inception.

I grabbed some fries at Big Daddy’s Philly Steak house on campus. Sadly, my arrival there coincided with that of a group of noisy 8-year-olds and the adult chaperones who dumped them outside the Steak House, but went to Bright Ideas for liquor. I mean, I’m sure they needed it, but I was looking for quiet, and there was really no place else to be, since the picnic tables aren’t yet out for the season. But I survived.

After lunch, Mariam Ghani and Chitra Ganesh talked about their Index of the Disappeared Archive, and about how what was once hidden because it was not normal is now celebrated by the current regime. Jeffrey Gibson and Jami Powell talked about indigenous creatives, ceremony, and self-definition. I keep returning to Jeffrey’s current installation at MASS MoCA because I get something different from it each time I return. Bilal Ansari and Harryson Ferreira then did a presentation on how the black community of White Oaks in Williamstown was erased, and the KKK presence – centered in the white Congregational church. And the work they are doing to have those spaces memorialized/commemorated.

All of these conversations talked about how they researched, and the breadcrumbs in each trail. They also talked about what was missing, and what has to be theorized from the evidence of record (usually controlled/adjusted/kept/destroyed by those in power/white). There was a lot that was relevant to my research into the history of forgotten women, since so much of women’s history is also erased or not preserved, because the domestic realm is not considered important by many of history’s keepers.

We moved down to the R & D store for a talk by Jami Powell and Michael Hartman about the new book built around the exhibit at the Hood Museum, RE-ENVISIONING HISTORIES OF AMERICAN ART: TRANSFORMING MUSEUM PRACTICE. Definitely makes me want to take a field trip there (and I think my Clark membership card gives me entrance).

It was a fascinating day, and gave me things to think about for months, possibly years.

I was definitely tired by the end of the day, too tired to stay for the artist reception after. I needed to think about the information of the day. I’d walked down in the morning, and definitely regretted it by the time I had to plod back home in the evening! But it seemed silly to drive 5 blocks just to have the car sit there all day. Leave the lot for people who are coming from far away. I can trot up and down five blocks.

I collapsed on the couch for a bit, then pulled myself together to cook dinner. After dinner, I just read. On Friday, I finished reading the second book in a series I’m somewhat on the fence about, and the third had so many logistical lapses in the first half, it made my head spin. And it can’t seem to decide if it’s a comic mystery with romance elements, or if it wants to take itself seriously. My brain is getting whiplash, because it changes genre from paragraph to paragraph. By the second half, it settled down somewhat, and was dealing with some serious issues, but it barely scratched the surface. It’s also a good reminder about how misogynistic women were encouraged to be toward each other in the late 1980’s (when this is set, and was published). I read the fourth book in the series on Sunday, which was somewhat better and more together, and it was good to watch the series grow.

Went to bed ridiculously early. Woke up a few times during the night, mostly from weird dreams, and overslept on Sunday. Tessa Was Not Amused.

Did the Community Tarot Reading for the Week. It was cloudy and dim out, so I had to use the light in my office to photograph the reading, and those bulbs added a yellow tinge to the photo. I suppose I should play with editing tools to get it out, but I didn’t this week.

I was basically a lump on the couch with cats sitting on me for most of the day. I needed to rest and to think about the various ideas, positions, theories, and evidence from the day before.

It started raining Sunday night, and rained quite hard overnight, which was good, because we’ve been in drought conditions and elevated fire awareness, in spite of the snow. The rain eased off and steadied by morning, but still came down, on and off, all day.

I dealt with a bunch of admin in the morning. Didn’t get enough of the admin done, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Admin is a never-ending loop. A job listing came up that sounded interesting, so I sent off the materials, and two hours later heard from the CEO. We have a meeting set up at noon today, so, fingers crossed. It sounds like fun work. The ghostwriting will supposedly have notes for me in a few days, which is also surprising, since I didn’t think we’d be moving forward (and, until I get the notes and an adjusted turnaround date, I won’t believe it).

The library cohort meeting was excellent. We had Mia Henry as a guest speaker, talking about her work with Freedom Unlimited. It dovetailed well with the day’s information on Saturday, at MASS MoCA. It amazes me how horrible people are to each other just to feel better about themselves, and how we’re trained in oppression to suit others’ agendas and profits.

Kept getting interrupted in the afternoon for admin stuff, trying to work things out with a few companies. This is not the time for negotiation, but sadly, it’s necessary. I was invited to two online seminars over the coming weeks that are interesting; since I can participate on my own schedule, I will do them. If it’s appropriate to talk about publicly, I will. Did the rounds of my elected officials on multiple topics.

Spent far too much time looking for a file on which I’d forgotten the name. Since the deadline is fast approaching this weekend, I wanted to look at it once and for all to see if I wanted to move forward or not. Re-reading it left me cold. Technically, I could make the piece work, but there’s no spark. This is not the voice in which I want to be working for the next year (on my own work), and it’s not worth it to chase this commission. Someone who’s excited about this genre should go for it and land it. Much as I hate to give up a shot at the money, it’s not the right focus for me right now.

Read one of the books for review, and will get that written up today. Cooked dinner, read for pleasure, got the laundry put together. Chop wood, carry water, and all that. Did some research on the company with which I’m interviewing (it has a good reputation), read the materials on their website, and put together some questions for the meeting. Read a bit. Sent a thank you to the person who put together Saturday’s event, who appreciated it.

Did not sleep well. Kept waking up from weird dreams. We’re getting back into the season where the echoes of the Move from Hell still wander (I should be over it by now) layered with all the new things we need to worry about on a daily basis.

But I hauled myself out of bed just a little later than usual, and was at the laundromat by 6:20, home just after 7:30, with two large loads done. I was on my own, which is always my preference.

I was also happy that my renewed license showed up. I’m all set with both license and passport until 2030. And my license already was Real ID (I’d switched it over in 2020), so it’s all set. My annoyance at all this extra-control-pretended-to-be-security is a separate conversation.

On today’s agenda: more admin work (I have to get some paperwork to various venues today), turn around a small coverage, write and submit a book review, finish putting together some handouts for tomorrow and go over the slides again, get out some correspondence, fold the laundry (I have a feeling I won’t get the ironing done until Thursday), have the meeting with the company CEO, and then whatever else I can fit into the day. I need to get to work on a seminar pitch to send to a conference at which I’d like to present later this year.

I contacted Dramatists Guild yesterday. It doesn’t look like End of Play is going to happen this year (nothing is up on the website about this year), so I figured I’d ask. If not, I have to decide if I can put aside the time to write 3-4 pages of a play (and then, which play?) in April, or if April is too booked with client work to take on something else. And I won’t know about the possible schedule for the client work until late next week, probably.

Patience, right? That’s part of the whole retrograde season.

I’m actually looking forward to the way today will unfold. Work to do, yes, but it’s interesting, as are the conversations I’m likely to have around it. I also have to figure out when, in April, I’m going to host the cohort here (so I have a timeline to finish the deep spring clean), and block of serious time for THE VICIOUS CRITIC.

The pieces will all come together; I’m just not sure how yet.

Have a good one!

Monday, March 17, 2025: Intent for the Week — Gentle Navigation

image courtesy of  Irek Marcinkowski via pixabay.com

Monday, March 17, 2025

Waning Moon

Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Rainy and cool

St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to those who celebrate. I generally avoid going out as much as possible on the day, to avoid those who excessively consume alcohol and use that as a reason to be obnoxious.

This week is likely to see conflicts on several fronts, with a couple of different companies. I am going to try to navigate it with as much quiet strength as possible. These two retrogrades tend to muddle communication and relationships, so it’s another reminder to think things through before reacting.

I have a lot of work to do, as well, across several different fronts, and I should find out if the ghostwriting client wants to move forward or if we part ways. I’m okay with either possibility, at this point, and I’m still sending out LOIs no matter what, along with getting out some grant proposals.

I had a wonderful day at MASS MoCA’s all day “Representation & the Public Record” program on Saturday, on which I will fill you in tomorrow.

The Community Tarot Reading for the Week is up on the Cerridwen’s Cottage site.

Have a great start to your week!

Fri. March 14, 2025: Figuring Out on What to Work

image courtesy of Michal Jarmoluk via pixabay.com

Friday, March 14, 2025

Full Moon

Venus Retrograde

Lunar Eclipse at 3 AM

Cloudy and chilly

Here we are, at the end of another week! The lunar eclipse was at about 3 AM. I was not up for it. I woke up near the time, but it was cloudy, and I just rolled over and went back to sleep.

Yesterday, I finished putting together the additional handouts for the students, and sent those off, along with the slides. They can keep all this information and then reference it as they work. And, no matter what handouts I prepare, our conversations lead to additional information. Which is a good thing, because it means they are actively engaged.

The migraine persisted most of the day, unfortunately, and it’s lingering a bit this morning. But I pushed through. I turned around three small coverages. I went through a bunch of research books for a project, few of which were actually helpful, so they can go back to the library today.

In the evening, I walked up to the library for the Trustees meeting. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. The meeting was well-run, and got a lot accomplished. Once again, I am struck by the commitment of the members. They are there to serve the interests of the library, not for their own self-aggrandizement. Very different than in other towns/cities in which I’ve lived. I’m sure not all the city committees are that fortunate, but the two with which I am most interested/aligned are, and I am deeply grateful.

Home, dinner, reading.

To say I am furious with Chuck Schumer for voting for the dirty GOP CR bill is an understatement. And, of course, like Jeffries, immediately after the vote, he’s going on a “book tour.” None of these dipsy doodles should be out on a book tour, and I hope their books are remaindered within a week, and that every event is turned into an impromptu Town Hall. I’ve worked with Schumer for years on legislative issues, and his spinelessness here is unacceptable. House Dems held the line, except for one. Senate Dems need to do the same.

Schumer has also put the April 1 elections, which had the potential to flip the House blue, in jeopardy. Why should anyone vote Dem, if they are just going to keep caving?

His time has passed, and he needs to be replaced with someone who will lead the fight. And Kirsten Gillibrand makes me wish I’d never voted for her when I lived in NY.

On top of that, milquetoast Ken Martin does nothing. And, he’s muzzled David Hogg, an effective activist since he survived the Parkland shooting, who was named Vice Chair, only to be silenced, rather than utilized.

We need a genuinely effective multi-party system (looking at the UK), not the two parties with a few foil hat fringes.

On today’s agenda: some writing, going over some client materials, working on books for review and contest entries, getting in touch with federal and state elected officials on several issues, paying bills, library, grocery store, post office.

Not sure what the weekend holds. There’s an all-day event at MASS MoCA I might attend tomorrow; I’ll make a decision later today. It sounds fascinating, and it will boil down to the inner friction of what I feel I SHOULD do versus what I WANT to do.

I’m playing with ideas for End of Play, which starts April 1, via Dramatists Guild. I’m wondering if it’s even going to happen this year, since only last year’s page is up. When I thought I was going to be on two large projects for the bulk of this year into next, I had decided not to do it. But now, I think it might be a good idea.

The question is, then, do I work on the draft of I WILL BE DIFFERENT? Do I work on the play about the Playland Painters, LAUGHTER & TURPENTINE (which I have to outline, at this point)? Or do I start the play about the 1908 Balloon race which happened here in North Adams?

The purpose of the event is, like Nano used to be, to start and finish a project within a month. Last year, I used the time to finish an already-begun project, THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, and began LAUGHTER & TURPENTINE. I recently applied for a grant for I WILL BE DIFFERENT (which would be for next year), but that doesn’t mean I can’t finish the first draft before I hear about the grant.

I will ponder it between now and the beginning of April.

In the meantime, I need to get back to THE VICIOUS CRITIC and ANGEL HUNT. The Nina Bell books are selling decently (bet they’d sell even better if I upped the marketing), so I need to get the next one finished. I think I’ve cracked how to restructure this last section, so once I sit down to write, I should be able to gallop to the end. I still haven’t fixed the logic issue, which I hope to do this weekend.

It’s supposed to get up into the mid-60’s this weekend, and then back into the 30’s on Monday. If it’s nice on Sunday, maybe I’ll write up at the lake.

Mercury goes retrograde tomorrow, until April 7. Back up your work, and think three or four times before you speak!

Have a good one!

Thurs. March 13, 2025: All Kinds of Energy

image courtesy of Nicolae Baltatescu via pixabay.com

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Day Before Full Moon

Venus Retrograde

Partly Sunny and cold

You can read the latest on the garden over at Gratitude and Growth.

I was delighted to hear that two current cohort members and one advisor when I was a cohort member have received MA Cultural Council grants. Woo-hoo! I’m delighted for them. It means so much to get that kind of support.

And yes, when I am once again eligible next year to apply for one of these grants, I will. Since I got a grant in 2023, I’m not eligible until the 2026 cycle. Hopefully, there will be some money next year, with all these funding cuts.

Tried to catch up on email, prioritizing what needed the most immediate attention. There’s still a lot to get through, but I should be able to make more progress today.

I dropped the ball on the Smashwords sale last week. I did some promotion, but nothing like I should have. We won’t have the numbers for another month or so, but if I don’t like them, I only have myself to blame. I’ve been invited to participate in a Kobo promotion for the last week of the month. I will look into that. My numbers on Kobo tend to be pretty solid.

I got some work done in the morning, over a variety of projects. I’m still waiting for my renewed driver’s license to arrive, so in the interim I have the letter stating I successfully renewed the license in my purse. It’s good for 30 days, so, fingers crossed.

In the afternoon, I wrote and submitted the book review. Chose to let the NEA deadline pass without applying. It’s a shame; this year I had the support materials, and I’d hoped to give it a shot. But with the funding cuts and the white male supremacist layers going into government grants, there wasn’t much point in even trying to give it a shot. I may be white, but much of my work focuses on misogyny, inequity, and women forgotten by history. I wouldn’t make it into the first round in the current climate.

We had an early dinner. In the evening, I taught the screenwriting class. It’s a lot of information, and there are also reality check. Film is a brutal business, with emphasis on business. It takes a lot of work, and building a very specific skillset, understanding how films are made. At the same time, nothing in the rest of the system has a reason to happen without a good script.

Read background material for a project in the evening. Once I got to sleep, I slept reasonably well, albeit with strange dreams. Because of the temperature and barometric fluctuations, I woke up with a migraine, which I hope will ease up as the day progresses.

Morning yoga and meditation was good, in spite of the cats running around and playing around the yoga mat. Online meditation group was also good. I was going to skip it, but figured I needed it, and I did. Our teacher shared a beautiful suggestion: breathe in and know that “whatever I need, I have in my heart.” Charlotte was delighted, with her love of ZOOM.

I have work across a variety of projects today, including two small script coverages with different parameters than I’ve worked in before, so I will have to review the guidelines within which they want the information. This evening, I have a library board meeting.

All over social media are the screeching gloom and doom warnings for the full moon, the lunar eclipse, and Mercury turning retrograde on the 15th with Venus still in retrograde. Yes, that’s a lot of chaotic energy (and I’m backing up my files today). But what if we just let as much chaos as possible roll right over us, without sweeping us up in it? That is what I will try to do in the coming weeks. I don’t know if I’ll succeed, but I’d rather approach it from more of a place of flow than a place of fear.

Have a good one!

Wed. March 12, 2025: Back to Reality

image courtesy of  Alinka via pixabay.com

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Waxing Moon

Venus Retrograde

Sunny and pleasant

Hello, hello! I’m back, and facing a mountain of email to get through.

Yesterday started well, with good sleep and good early morning yoga/meditation. We had smoked salmon Benedict for breakfast.

The day was quiet, and I just did whatever I wanted. Read a bit, wrote a bit, puttered around the house. It was too windy to spend much time at the lake, but it was nice to be out. I considered going to one of the museums, but instead, enjoyed reading on the porch. It was restful, not rushed. I received lots of birthday greetings and messages from those near and far, and that was much appreciated.

It’s been delightful to watch the neighborhood emerge from cabin fever on these few sunny, warm days. Everyone is letting their inner child out and just running around having fun.

Picked up dinner, enjoyed my cake, had a quiet evening. Nothing flashy for the day, just quiet and restorative.

Today, it’s back to reality. I have lots of email to do, some paperwork that came in for this and that, some writing, a book review to write and submit, some client material to go over, some LOIs to send out, preparing for tomorrow night’s meeting, and teaching tonight. It’s a good, steady workday. I’m still a little fuzzy from the time change, so I’m not pushing myself too hard, and prioritizing and re-prioritizing throughout the day.

There’s nothing exciting to share, but I enjoyed my day, and that’s what is important. I didn’t fall into the usual birthday blues I hit (feeling like I hadn’t made use of the previous year, and time’s running out). I didn’t rush around, trying to make the day worthwhile. I just enjoyed my day.