Devon Ellington's Blog, page 27

Wed. Oct. 9, 2024: Studio Flip and Reading Day!

photo by Devon Ellington

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, and Jupiter Retrograde

Cloudy, foggy, cool

The news about Hurricane Milton is absolutely terrifying. So worried about people in the path.

Jupiter joins the retrograde parade, until early February. Jupiter is the planet of expansion, so this retrograde means pulling in and reassessing. Don’t spread yourself too thin, and take your time with decisions.

So I’m sitting down to write once I posted yesterday – and decided to flip my studio setup. I moved the desk, and I moved the inspiration wall to the opposite side. It feels much, much better now.

I drafted a new poem, “Between You and Me.” The idea was born during Word X Word’s last event. The organizer joked about people creating new poems during the course of the event, and a comment one of the other poets made gave me the idea. I didn’t start drafting while I sat there, but it percolated. I’ve been wondering what to do with it. I had a bit more of an idea as I fell asleep on Monday night. Once I rearranged my space Tuesday morning, it flowed.

I printed the programs for the reading, and I printed out a large print copy of the poem I will read tonight, so that I could go back and rehearse during the day, deciding on breath marks, and getting comfortable with it.

I pulled some images I will use in adapting it to a play. I will start with a middle section, set vaguely in the 1950’s, so those are the images I pulled. You’ll see studio photographs throughout the week. Then, of course, I expanded, as I worked on the outline for the play.

I got a very, very, very rough outline done, mostly about time periods and the mothers/daughters and some rough scene notes. Once I wrote the outline, printed it, and pinned it to the wall of my studio, I wondered if I should try writing chronologically after all.

I hate dithering, but I don’t know where to start with this. However, I need to start SOMEWHERE, and once I start, it might make sense.

I pinned up the outline pages on the wall behind me, along with a draft of the original poem that inspired it. I’m taking a page out of my fellow poets’ books (pun intended) and pinning manuscript pages to the wall. Two of my fellow poets are figuring out the order of their next books this way.

I also managed to get out a play submission, and do a round of social media promos for tonight’s reading. I’ll do a final round of promos today.

I then made myself sit down and START. I wrote a scene from about the middle of the play, set in the 1950’s, the first scene for the party sequence between Milly and Ron, the central pair for that generation. I mention Amanda, the daughter who “watches and learns”, but she’s not in the scene. She might be, by tomorrow. This draft is too much text, not enough subtext, but at least I got something down on paper. I’ll rework the scene, hopefully today and tomorrow, and bring in a few pages to workshop on Thursday.

We had lunch at the Mexican place across the street, which was fun. Again, a nice chance to chat and talk about the work.

I dealt with some A4A business, and submitted a play for a potential reading. I pulled up the 1930 census page I found for Iris Woolcock (she is one of my Playland Painters, who, in 1948, also wrote a book about traveling through Alaska by herself with her dog). Iris was divorced at the time, renting a room in a house in Greenwich Village owned by an Italian immigrant, his wife, and their two children. Her fellow lodgers were a young actor, and two women who were writers and journalists. To me, that’s the makings of a sitcom.

I did a little bit of research on the building, which is 118 W. 11th St. If that address rings a bell, it’s because in 1970, there was an explosion in the building, when the Weather Underground was in the space, building bombs, and one of them went off.

History is fascinating, and it is one of those weird little synchronicities that Iris leads me to that building, and she lived in a building that continued to have a place in history.

Anyway, not sure what that piece will be about then. In the play LAUGHTER & TURPENTINE, about the Playland Painters, Iris makes a reference to attending the opening of her fellow lodger’s play. But the household itself was full of interesting characters, and there’s something there. It will take time to figure out what.

I made arrangements with museum security to let us into the space we had booked to workshop. It’s a lovely, lovely space. Nine of the ten of us came to workshop, and everyone brought something to read. Everything was so different and interesting and good! It was very exciting, and the specificity of the notes given is wonderful.

I brought in “Between You and Me.” Everyone enjoyed it, and got what I was going for, and had specific, excellent notes. The notes make me eager to go back and rewrite it at some point this week.

Let security know when we cleared out, packed up what I needed from the studio, and headed out. Picked up a rotisserie chicken and a loaf of bread at Big Y. Headed to the farm to pick up my CSA box and. . .no box. There was some sort of mix-up, or someone picked up my box by mistake. I contacted the farmers, and I will go back on Saturday morning to pick up a replacement box. Things happen, and I’m glad we got it sorted out.

Home, ate dinner, printed up the cards with the ingredients for the reading’s refreshments (in case anyone has allergies), made the dip, did a few other puttery, last minute things.

Tessa gave me a lecture about all the things that weren’t going to schedule. Charlotte was Velcro kitty from the minute I walked in the door. Willa ran around screaming. Bea did her sideways play skip and then dashed away. So everyone is behaving normally for them.

My mom is fine. She didn’t get up to feed the cats until nearly 7, and there was nearly a riot.

Had a nice, hot shower and went to bed early. I was tired, and today will be a busy day. Petted and praised my beloved, programmable, QUIET coffeemaker.

Weird dreams, but that’s par for the course lately. One of my fellow poets mentioned at lunch that she’s been having weird fragments of dreams lately, too.

Up at 4:30, had some coffee, fed the cats, ate breakfast, did the dishes, checked my backpack to make sure I had everything I need.

Bent over to tie my shoes and realized I was still in my pajamas.

Sigh.

Took off my shoes, got dressed in real people clothes, put my shoes back on, and headed out the door.

Got halfway to the studio and realized I left my coffee mug in the living room.

Sigh.

Turned around, ran up the stairs (past Tessa, who started giving me another lecture), grabbed the travel mug, headed back out.

This time I really managed to leave.

It was foggy and spooky in the best possible way, driving from my place to the museum.

Parked, headed up to the studio. I treasure and cherish these quiet early morning hours in the studio.

Got everything set up for the day, including getting into my studio slippers (I wear slippers in the studio, easier on the concrete floors), and here we go!

I’m looking forward to a good morning’s work. We will have lunch together at 1. Then a break. I will get them set up in the Swing Space at 3:30, but will then take my bags back to the residency apartment, except for the bag I need for the reading (with programs and mailing list, etc.), which I will leave in the car.

I will head home, take a rest and have a snack, put on some makeup, rehearse the poem a few times, pack up the refreshments into the car, and head over to the bookstore.

Our reading is at 7 PM. After the reading, we’ll have dinner next door. Then, we’ll get any leftover refreshments back to the apartment. I’ll put the car in the overnight lot, and walk back to the apartment to hang out with everyone and sleep there tonight. I’m sleeping there for the rest of the residency, actually.

There’s a washer and dryer in the facility; I’m tempted to do laundry on Saturday night!

Anyway, here’s to hopes of a creative day, and that the reading goes well tonight.

Tues. Oct. 8: Start With An Empty Studio

Photo by Devon Ellington

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Still dark out!

Good morning. I was in my studio by six a.m. for my first day.

My new band name is 12 Bags and a Chair, because that’s how much I lugged over to the residency.

Yesterday morning had more going on than I would have liked, but that’s just the way it does. Pro tip: When you get an “out of office message” from someone who has told you FOR MONTHS they would be out of office this week, sending additional messages saying, “Can’t you just?” – no. I met every deadline before this week started. I am out of office, and, as that message clearly states, “Do not expect to hear back from me until Oct. 15.”

I did two of the goodies for the reading, which need to chill in the fridge. One of them is a Patrica Wells recipe for honey-almond-fig-chocolate bites; the other is for a coconut lime treat. I used the petit four cases for them. Both turned out well, and are in containers that will travel well. When I get home tonight, I just have to make the dip, and do the little cards that say what things are. Everything else for the reading – plates, cups, napkins, soda, etc. is packed.

Packed the car and headed over to the museum. It was so good to see everyone again, and meet the new people! We had an orientation, and then headed over to the apartments. I’m in the same apartment and same bedroom I was assigned last year – only this year I’m actually sleeping in it.

Dumped that set of bags, then went back to the residency building to unload all that stuff and start setting up my studio. Yoga/acupressure corner set up, meditation cushion out (not sure where it will wind up), reading corner set up, my work corner set up. I’ve started pinning images on the wall. I might do manuscript pages on my other wall. We will see. It’s a work in progress, but I at least got enough set up so I can make a start.

Took the final set of bags for the apartment over (and up all the stairs) and took a breath before we headed out for dinner.

Dinner was a Nara Sushi, which is only about two blocks from where I normally live. It was lovely, and it was nice to talk and catch up with people, and talk with some of the newer members of the collective.

Put my car in the overnight lot (a few blocks away from the apartment) and headed back there. My flatmate and I hung out in the living room for a bit.

Meanwhile, the director from the show in LA, who has known since August that this is the ONE week I am not available on that project for anything, is scheduling the first rehearsal for this Wednesday, during the time our collective has our public reading. On top of that, rehearsals are likely to start at 8 PM LA time, which means 11 PM my time. I’ll be ZOOMing into rehearsals in my PJs. But not THIS week.

The late night is not a problem; I’ll take a nap early in the evening, and attend rehearsal until 3 AM or so my time (wearing headphones, so as not to disturb the neighbors), turn around whatever revisions are necessary, and sleep in on the following day. And I’m not surprised that the first rehearsal is scheduled for this week, but I am..disappointed? More like rolling my eyes. We had talked about doing the first rehearsal/read through before the 7th. But it didn’t happen, so we deal with what we have.

It’s only until mid-November.

It took me a bit to get to sleep last night. The bed is amazingly comfortable. Had weird dreams; not bad ones, just weird.

The alarm got me up at 5 this morning (no cats to use me as a trampoline). I started the coffee maker (I’d set it up last night). Oh. My. Gosh. Loudest coffeemaker ever. I’m sure they could hear it in Topeka. I was so worried I’d wake my flatmate, but she was already awake, and working on her first poem.

Had a quick breakfast, washed my dishes, filled my travel mug, hoisted my bags, and headed over to the studio. The museum is closed today, so our first day will be relatively quiet.

I was so happy to unlock the door and be in my studio!

I love my office at home, but having a studio is also great.

Managed to get my computer to make friends with the cranky studio printer. Printed up the programs for tomorrow’s reading. Printed out some other material.

I decided not to bring in the poem I plan to read tomorrow to today’s workshop. While I can turn around scripts quickly, poetry takes me more space and time. So I’m going to work on a poem that started percolating as I listened to others read a couple of weeks ago. I was thinking about it, off and on, for a couple of days, and then again last night as I was falling asleep.

I will start drafting this morning. I hope to also get some work done on VICIOUS, and maybe start a scene from the adaptation of I WILL BE DIFFERENT. Which, of course, I’m starting in the middle.

Have a good one!

Mon. Oct. 7, 2024: Start of a New Adventure

Photo by Devon Ellington

Monday, October 7, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Rainy and cool

I hope you had a great weekend.

You can check out the Community Tarot Reading for the Week over on the Cerridwen Iris Shea site here.

I’m doing a regular post instead of the usual Monday intent post because, later today, I go in-studio. Last year, I posted regularly while I was in-studio. I hope to do so this week, but who knows? I’m giving myself room to let it unfold organically this year.

And don’t worry, I’m not putting my home at risk by announcing I’m not there – it’s occupied. Can’t leave the cats without a human, now, can I? Plus, I’ll be headed back there at least twice over the course of the week to check on things and get things I’ll need for the reading, which make more sense to keep in my place (one flight up) than the residency apartment (two very steep flights up).

87 projects are vying for attention for the residency week, but I want to do a deep dive into adapting “I Will Be Different” so everything else just has to shut up and wait their turn.

I will be doing some work on VICIOUS CRITIC throughout, to get the rhythm back, and possibly an essay, but that’s the plan. There are some poem ideas I want to play with as well, since, you know, this is a session for and with poets. If I need a palate-cleanser here and there, after I’ve written myself out on the play for the day, we’ll see. But I don’t want to get too scattered.

Friday, I managed just over 1200 words of VICIOUS CRITIC. I’m struggling to get back into the voice of the book, and worrying I might not have enough story for a novel, but the original idea was for this to be a novella, so I’m not going to worry about it for this draft. The voice of this series is very important, so I need to get that back.

Did a large library pick-up return, mailed some bills, bought some stamps. Came home and “just took a look” at one of the books. Suddenly it was 5 PM and I’d read the whole thing. It was the published journal of a writer whose work I sometimes like, but often feel is nasty rather than funny. Reading the journal made me actively dislike him. But it was still interesting to watch his voice evolve, even in the journal, and get more detail and story oriented.

Used as much of the CSA goods as possible for dinner.

After dinner, I turned around two small coverages. And then read some more, including a really fun book by Sylvia Boorstein about meditation retreats. One wouldn’t normally pair “fun” and “meditation retreat” but her style makes the book fun.

Mentally, I already left for the residency, so it was a struggle to focus on the chop wood/carry water I still needed to do.

Bea is having a lot of fun during the day. She’s especially adventurous right after breakfast and right after dinner. And it’s good for Charlotte to have someone to hang out with. Charlotte is definitely happier. Tessa likes Bea, too, although Tessa is determined to keep us all on schedule. Willa will get there. She’s hanging out more, and then having a tantrum and running away.

I re-read the “Ink” posts from last year’s residency experience, and also the handwritten journal I kept, to remind myself of the details, and to see where I can build this years’ experience on what I learned last year. What worked? What do I want to try differently?

Had weird and very intense dreams into Saturday.

Had a gentle morning. Got out a manuscript submission and then realized I’d made a huge mistake in the file, so that’s an opportunity blown. My own damn fault. Fixed it for the rest of the submissions – which will wait until AFTER the residency.

Did a large grocery shop to cover what I need for the residency, what my mom needs while I’m gone, and what I need to prepare the food for the reading. Had to go to several stores to find figs. Figs have gotten difficult to find around here, and currants nearly impossible. I will head down to Pittsfield post-residency and see if I can stock up on currants from one of the stores down there. I prefer currants to raisins in quite a few holiday recipes, and I tend to use them with golden raisins in Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine.

Picked up a couple of bottles of wine to get us started this evening!

When I got home, I sorted as I unpacked, as to which items had to go where. Then I unpacked and repacked my book bags. I took out about a dozen books, and I still have more books than I need, but I might want them, so they’re coming.

Made pizza for lunch. We hadn’t had pizza in ages.

All I wanted to do was enjoy the sunshine and read a book, but since I hadn’t finished the coverage work on Friday (because I sat in the sun and read a book), I had to get back to work on Saturday. Finished a medium coverage, did another medium coverage, did a small coverage.

Then, I got to read for pleasure. Unfortunately, the book had so many plot holes I could drive truck conveys through. Won’t be reading more from that author.

Woke up at 2:30 on Sunday and couldn’t get back to sleep. Moved to the couch around 4, and dozed off with Charlotte sitting on me until about 6, when Tessa insisted I get up to feed them.

Woke up with a strong opening line for a new piece that puzzles me. I will have to let it percolate. No idea what this piece will be. All I have is the opening line.

A rush coverage showed up and I was in no position to turn it down. I spent most of the morning on that, and got it out the door. Packed and repacked a few things, including my clothes. I’m definitely taking too much, but I have the car, and I’ll probably bring some things back midweek, so I have that flexibility.

I took the COVID test. It was negative, which was no surprise, since I feel fine. But I still always worry. Sent the photo of the test to the residency manager. I am so grateful they are strict about this.

There was plenty I “should have” done, but did not. I’ve set up systems so everything house-wise can keep running while I’m gone. I’m doing some last-minute tidying this morning, and I have some correspondence to get out. I have to do one more library trip – something came in on Friday afternoon that I have to pick up. I have a few things to do for the reading this morning, and also want to do a round of publicity for the reading, which is on Wednesday. I’m glad we’re doing it early in the process, because then I can sink into the rest of the residency without worrying about it.

Slept pretty well (which surprised me). Up around 5:30, got everyone fed, had a good meditation session. Bea learned about reflections. I had a lamp on in the living room. She came out to explore, then turned and saw the reflection of me on the sofa in the glass. So it looked like I was on both sides of her. She was a little perplexed until she figured it out – a paw to the glass, then walking back into her room to check, the looking at the sofa, and coming out to look at the reflection in the glass again. Once she’d done all that, she understood, and it didn’t bother her. She’s a smart little cat!

Tessa is very unhappy with all the packed bags and project bags. She knows what this means, and Does Not Approve. She does not like changes to the schedule. It’s hard enough keeping us all in line.

I’m looking forward to this week, being in the company of creative, supportive artists in a great space. 

Have a good one!

Fri. Oct. 4, 2024: Time to Pack!

image courtesy of Di Lewis via pixabay.com

Friday, October 4, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Foggy and cool

And it’s FRIDAY. Again. How did that happen?

Meditation group was good yesterday. It was good to be with everyone again. Charlotte was thrilled to be on Zoom again with them. Although Tessa blocked her, and I had to step over Tessa, pick up Charlotte, and step over Tessa again to get Charlotte to the computer.

Bea, who’s been shy about exploring since her little kerfuffle with Willa on Sunday, was finally out and about exploring yesterday. The apartment across the driveway has a cat who often sits in the window opposite hers, so she has company that way, too.

I got the blogs up, did my morning blog rounds, answered emails. I got “Effie” into a binder. That’s not a Mitt Romney joke. I put the script into a binder, along with the cast list and notes.

So there’s a run on toilet paper because of the dock workers’ strike? Do I need to state that I bought toilet paper on Wednesday because we needed toilet paper, and I won’t be home next week? People. Urgh.

Just pay the dock workers. They’re worth it. (Update: by the end of the day, there was a temporary stay on the strike, with them going back to work, at least until January 15, while negotiations resume).

Instead of layoffs, we need to start with cutting CEO salaries as soon as a company claims it’s “struggling.”

I’ve been working the poem “I Will Be Different” which is what I will read at next Wednesday’s reading. I think I will bring it into our first workshop session for tweaks; I’m hoping it won’t make me lose confidence just before the reading. It got a very positive response when I read an earlier draft in the Poets in Conversation Series a few months ago. I hope it’s even stronger now, although it still needs work, and I have some questions about structure that I think my fellow poets can help me with. This is the poem I am adapting into a stage play, and which will be the central focus of my time in the residency.

I also think I’m going to write this play from the middle out to both ends. It’s a technique I learned from the National Theatre in the UK, when I took a workshop with them one year when I had a show in Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I usually write from start to finish and then rearrange as needed. But this play, the central stanzas are the ones I’m “seeing” best adapted to stage, so I think I will start with them and see what happens. The play will be chronological down the generations, but I will write it out of order. Shake up the process a bit.

One of the things I will need to decide (which probably won’t happen until I have a completed first draft) is whether I want the same actress to play all the generations of mothers/daughters or if I want different actresses to play those roles and then a handful of actors to play all the supporting roles. Each choice brings something different to the piece. In terms of story, I won’t know what it needs until I have a draft. In terms of it being produce-able, I have to keep an eye on cast size.

It was time to get back to drafting THE VICIOUS CRITIC, and it was hard to get back into that headspace. This is why I like to write first drafts working every day, without interruption. Because it’s hard to get back into it with a break.

I finished Chapter 15 and started Chapter 16, about 1300 words all together, which wasn’t bad. I’ll get there, and get back into it.

Turned around three small coverages. Read the fourth piece (for a medium coverage) and wrote most of it, but there are a couple of points I wanted to mull over, to make sure the suggestions I’m making are as helpful as possible. I will get that out today, and then I have three small and one medium again for today.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about issues of core integrity and self-worth lately. I lost a lot of self-esteem in my previous location during the six years, across two separate jobs, where I had toxic, manipulative bosses who were determined to “break” me in order to reshape me into what they wanted. And, at one job, there was a colleague who, every time the boss was out of the office, told me how she didn’t want me there and I should never have been hired. One of the bosses even blatantly stated that her intent was to break me and reshape me, on more than one occasion, and that it was “for my own good.”  Which, of course, was a load of crap. They did not break me. They did damage me, and I’ve been fighting my way back ever since, making a little progress here and there, backsliding. What I’m trying to do is heal in a way that doesn’t pay forward the negatives of those experiences.

And I had to stay at those jobs because I needed the money, even as I was looking for something better and less toxic, but daily losing confidence that I could or would.

The capacity building program helped me find the bits I’d hidden away, that were still there, but which I’d protected during the attempts to break me. It was a pulling out, as well as offering new possibilities. Hopefully, I can integrate all of that in the coming months.

That’s what the upcoming Jupiter retrograde is about this go-round. Looking within and cleaning all that up to move forward. Paired with the Chiron retrograde (the Wounded Healer), there are bound to be uncomfortable times through that, but it’s a good alignment to really look at those aspects and get it done.

Speaking of Jupiter retrograde (which happens on Oct. 9), I’m getting a little tired of so many so-called astrology articles generated through AI, but pretending to be written by actual astrologers. I am blocking a lot of sites coming up, unasked for, on my feeds, which are obviously not written by humans with any knowledge.  I came across one this morning that talked about Mars going retrograde next week, and how it does so 3-4 times a year. No, boo. JUPITER is going retrograde next week. It does so once a year. It’s the planet of expansion, not the planet of aggression. Mars goes retrograde about every two plus years (and it is not pretty). This year will be tough, because it turns retrograde in December and will be retrograde into February, just in time to throw a spanner into everyone’s holidays, AND coinciding with our next Mercury retrograde. Mercury is the planet that goes retrograde multiple times per year, and encourages technology, travel, communication, etc. to go cattywampus. But it’s great for thrift store finds! Hey, we take our bright spots where we can.

I will attempt to have a quiet, home-and-hearth holiday season and keep my mouth shut!

A longtime friend from the time I lived in New York checked in with me, to make sure I wasn’t having flood flashbacks. I lost the car before this one in a flood in suburban New York in 2007, water was all the way up through the first floor of our apartment building (we were on the thrid floor and dry) and we were without power for days, maybe a week? It wasn’t the first time it flooded badly there, but it was one of the worst. We ended up fostering a cat found floating on a mattress in a basement apartment (they got the cat out before the water hit the ceiling) until the owner could be located and reunited. Neighbors shared food and cooked so things wouldn’t spoil, and took turns going to the location where Con Ed gave out dry ice. So yeah, I relate to the flooding, and am grateful that we didn’t have serious building damage, and weren’t on a lower floor. Some people had to be evacuated via fire truck ladders horizontal over the floodwaters. I was working as a swing on WICKED at the time, and, on my days commuting in (after the first days of the flood), arrived early so I could take a hot shower.

I’m reading an excellent biography of Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell by Janice P. Nimura, THE DOCTORS BLACKWELL. I first learned about Elizabeth Blackwell as I read my way through the Childhood of Famous Americans series, where I spent second and third grade reading all the books about women in the school library. Emily, Elizabeth’s younger sister, came to my attention a few months ago, and intrigued me. I also hadn’t realized that the Blackwells were friends with the Beechers (Harriet Beecher Stowe’s family) in Cincinnati, but it makes sense.

This is one of the best biographies I’ve read in a long time. The biographer makes the people, places, and context come vividly alive. It’s really good.

On today’s agenda: Get some writing done, turn around the scripts, go to the library, mail some bills at the post office and buy stamps. Maybe pack my clothes for next week.

For the weekend: tomorrow, I’m going a big grocery shop, to cover my mom next week while I’m in residence, to cover what I need to take with me, to get the ingredients for the things I’m making for Wednesday’s reading. I will finish packing, and hopefully have some coverages to read. Sunday will be coverages (I hope) and anything last minute. I want to get some writing in all weekend, too. I plan to get some work done on Monday morning, and then head over to the residency. I’m so excited to see everyone! I also have a friend’s script to read.

Sunday is also the Fall Foliage parade. It usually comes past the building on its way to de-stage after the end of the parade, so Charlotte believes the town throws her a parade every autumn. She sits on the porch, being a princess, and people on the floats and walking wave to her and smile and take her picture. She loves it.

That’s what’s going on over here. Have a great weekend.

Thurs. Oct. 3, 2024: We’re in the Season of Pumpkins and Gourds

image courtesy of Jens via pixabay.com

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Cloudy and cool

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

Yesterday was definitely a test to see if I could go with the flow.

I got my mom all settled in the sun with water and Tylenol and Tessa. Maintenance was spot on time. The big leak wasn’t in our apartment thank goodness. It was next door, and had been going on for a month; they’d never called it in. But he checked our running toilet, went to get a part, it didn’t fit, he had to meet an inspector at another building and then go get the right part. And it’s still not resolved, so there will be more kerfuffle. You get the idea.

I didn’t dare do too much in and around the visits, because I knew I’d be interrupted. But I managed to get a few things done: sent off the requested script, finished the author interview and turned it in. Got some marketing done. Answered some email.

Once the toilet was fixed-for-now, I dashed out to pick up some more liquid Tylenol for my mom (although the one dose seemed to be holding, and she was okay), and got in more wet food for Bea, cat litter, toilet paper, basics that need to be stockpiled while I’m not here next week.

Even though this shot was Moderna, other than her arm hurting, she’s doing okay. She slept better than usual last night, but there’s less overall fatigue. She’s actually mentally sharper than she’s been in awhile. That would be a bizarre side effect from the vaccine – mental clarity. But we’ll take it!

By mid-morning, she was feeling fine. She didn’t even need anymore Tylenol for the rest of the day. She had a good night and feels fine this morning. So, she really only had 6 or 7 hours of discomfort. I wish she didn’t have any, but 6 or 7 hours is a pretty good deal. Of course, other than last year’s shot (her first Moderna), all the other Pfizers were just fatigue and a little discomfort at the injection site. She’s done very well with all the shots.

I got some work done on the coverage I had to turn around, then prepped for my production meeting. It was via Zoom. We all connected well right away. We found our working language quickly, and a good sense of trust. The meeting was also short and efficient –we got everything done and didn’t need to talk in circles. Love that! The composer knows the cast and says they’re awesome. The director’s heard from the cast how much they enjoy the script and are working on their characters. I will ZOOM into at least the first rehearsal, and we’ll see what’s needed from there. I will also be on ZOOM for the entire recording session on Nov. 12th, so the director and I can make adjustments as needed. All good. I think we’ll have a lot of fun.

We were done early enough so I could head out to tarot, where we had a good and layered conversation. I also gave out flyers for next week’s reading – I’ll miss tarot, but some of the group are interested in heading over after tarot next week.

Picked up takeout on the way home, and then finished the script coverage.

Hung out in the evening, just relaxing (I know, an almost foreign concept). The next few days, I can focus on prepping for the residency, a big grocery shop to get everything to set up my mom while I am gone, and what I need, and turning around as many script coverages as possible. There should be a lot more coming in than I’ve seen, with a deadline last Tuesday. But I’ve got 4 for today, 4 for tomorrow, and we’ll see what comes in over the weekend. I will also try to turn around one of the two books I was assigned for review.

Okay, let’s be real – the bulk of my “prepping for residency” packing this weekend is changing my mind about which books to take, and packing and unpacking that bag. I have my bag of “stuff” to nest in the studio packed. Packing clothing is not a problem. I have my project folders packed, and packing my computer takes less than 5 minutes. It’s deciding which books I need for my project, and which books I need just to have around me. Yoga mat (the old one), meditation cushion, and the acupressure mat are also coming.

I’m reading the collection BUDDHA’S DAUGHTERS, about women in the tradition. One of the essays reminded me of tonglen meditation, and I think I might incorporate that into a small way to do something for hurricane relief. I’m oversimplifying the following description of the meditation: it’s about breathing IN the pain and suffering and breathing OUT relief and compassion. Of course, it’s more complex and nuanced than that. And it’s difficult, because most of the time, we are told to breathe out what we don’t need and breathe in all the good stuff. I studied this with a Tibetan teacher a few years back during an online meditation conference. It is not easy. But maybe it’s something I can do, while I try to do whatever else I can.

I was out the door early this morning to the laundromat and back by 7 AM, even with two large loads. I’m about to go into the group online meditation.

Later today is about folding and putting away laundry, getting some writing done, marketing, and 4 script coverages.

Have a good one!

Wed. Oct. 2, 2024: Herding Cats is Easier than Herding Eclipse Emotions

image courtesy of A Owen via pixabay.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

New Moon

Solar Eclipse

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Partly Cloudy and pleasant

We are already at midweek. How did that happen?

Yesterday was stressful. Management needs to come in today to check some water something, so we had to set that up. And of course, I have a production meeting this afternoon, and the two cannot happen simultaneously.

I took my mom to the popup COVID clinic to get her vaccine. We HAVE to now download the information from the state’s website instead of them filling out the vaccine cards, which is bullshit.

It was the Moderna, so it’s a good thing I already decided I wasn’t going to have mine done, or I would down until the end of next week.

Ran errands on the way home, and got my mom settled in with a lot of water. She said she barely felt the shot at all this time. They were very, very nice at the clinic.

Felt off the charts stressed in ratio to the daily whatevers and realized, hey, there’s an eclipse coming up – of course I’m feeling things out of proportion. Deep breath. I mean, my stress response to absolutely everything was out of proportion to the actual situation.

Got the book review out the door before we left, and got my next assignment.

Spent some time marketing.

One of the things I’m reminded by the stories of people in the flood zones is how important it is to have some cash on hand. In some of the A4A workshops these preceding months, I was joking about having an escape fund in a shoebox (which we were told isn’t making the money work for us), but really, especially with the power grid more and more fragile, cash on hand matters. It’s something to think about as I work on my financial plan for next year (with thanks to what I learned in these workshops). While we tried to handle physical cash as little as possible during COVID, we also need to think in terms of having something on hand for disasters.

Along with the emergency fund we’re supposed to build and investments we’re supposed to have, and the way most of us are underpaid, it’s a lot. But it’s something to keep in mind.

Got us fed for lunch and my mom settled in the afternoon to rest. Started work on a coverage, but didn’t get very far. Since I pushed so hard on Monday, my brain just had trouble yesterday. It needed a rest.

The script development program where I tried to withdraw since I applied (and the website had no contact information) rejected me, which saved me from having to tell them I couldn’t accept a slot. A one-act was rejected from a festival in Georgia, but with a very nice letter.

I applied for a script development program over in Northampton that would happen next year. And I heard back from a company where I’d submitted the first 10 pages of a script to an open submission call that they liked those pages and would like to see the rest of the script, so I will get that off today.

I also have to settle on a quote from TAPESTRY and get that author interview out the door today.

Corporate media is, of course, spinning the VP debate for clicks instead of reporting on the actual event. Blech. So tired of them. I’m starting to think Vance is some sort of poorly programmed android. AI at its worst? Only half-joking here. Walz is someone who is trustworthy and stalwart, with compassion, a brain, a heart.

I did something fun – my name is travelling in a time capsule to Antarctica! Matty Jordan, a New Zealander who works down there, and who I follow on Instagram (because I know nothing about what it’s like to work on a base in Antarctica and it’s fascinating) posted about the chance to be part of this time capsule. I figured why not try? And I’m all signed up. The vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, will send virtual “postcards” along the way. It leaves on October 13 from Harwich, UK and goes to the Rothera research station – 8200 nautical miles. It’s exciting!

My mom woke up this morning feeling absolutely awful. I dosed her with some more liquid Tylenol and lots of water. I will take care of both of our morning chores this morning, and give the bathroom a quick scrub down before maintenance gets here. I mean, we keep it clean anyway, but you know. It can always be cleaner.

Maintenance in the morning, taking care of my mom, getting more Tylenol and cat food in, and then the big production meeting this afternoon. If it gets out in time for me to go to tarot (and my mom is well enough for me to leave), I will go. Otherwise, I’ll stay home. In and around all of that, I need to get some marketing and some writing and some coverage work done.

I’m so tired of all these sites talking about “major energy shifts” every damn time something trucks along in its orbit. Can we please just have a few months of steady peace and quiet? We’re all exhausted.

Have a good one!

Tues. Oct. 1, 2024: Start of a New Month, Stats for the Last Month

image courtesy of Gerd Altmann via pixabay.com

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Dark Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Partly cloudy and pleasant

I hope you had a good weekend. If you didn’t have a chance to read the Community Tarot Reading for the week, you can do so here.

Friday actually brightened up and turned out to be sunny and lovely.

I was sad to hear that Dame Maggie Smith died. I admired her work tremendously.

On Friday morning, I reworked the poem, and kept reworking it most of the day. Cut lines, rearranged things, worked on sonics, worked on imagery.

I put the proofreading changes into the reading program, and followed up on some publicity. I worked on the author interview questions. I need to pull a vivid quote from the book itself and, of course, I am blanking out. I’m trying to skim the galleys to see if I can come up with the right quote.

Did a library run, dropped our ballots for the special election in the ballot box at City Hall, mailed a few things at the post office. Turned around a medium coverage.

Sat in the sun reading for a little bit, enjoying that it turned into a beautiful day.

The show is cast and goes into rehearsals shortly. This week, we are supposed to have a production meeting with the director, the producer, the sound designer, the composer, and me. Hopefully, I can get any necessary rewrites done before going in-studio. Otherwise, the rewrites have to wait until after. The meeting’s been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon (my time), so at least I have a little bit of time to prep.

Bea is trying to get Charlotte to play with her, and Charlotte is perplexed. It’s kind of hilarious.

Saturday morning started foggy, but wound up pretty. Weird dreams, between these two eclipses, and with Neptune retrograde.

Changed the beds, switched out the lace curtains for the spiderweb curtains, put up the small Halloween tree, put up a good portion of the decorations. I wasn’t sure I wanted a Halloween tree, so I picked up a few very inexpensive items over the past month or so, and we’ll see. I’m embellishing the area around it with some of our other pieces. I mean, nothing in our autumn décor repertoire is highly expensive, just things we enjoy.

The spiderweb curtains make a huge difference in the quality of light, even though they let in a good bit of it. It’s the first time I have them up in my office, and it makes a big difference.

I felt guilty enjoying the sunshine when so much of the southeast is suffering from Hurricane Helene. The devastation is terrifying. There’s so little I can do, but I will find something to do and then do it. I don’t like to yap about it on social media and the like, because then it feels performative, rather than doing what needs to be done because it needs to be done. I am sharing resources whenever I can, hoping it will help, and trying to contact people I know in the area.

Worked and reworked the poem. Rehearsed it, until I felt good about it. Grabbed a few small coverages for Monday, which is still part of the pay period.

Sunday morning, Bea went exploring farther and something scared her, because she came flying back into her room and didn’t emerge for the rest of the day. It may have been that she made it all the way to the kitchen and Willa was, once again, a brat.

I read in the morning, rehearsed the poem a few times, packed up my stuff, and headed for The Mount. It was lovely day to drive, and I got there in plenty of time. Living up to being perpetually early for everything.

We had to bring our own chairs and blankets – we were out in the dell behind the stables, which is nice, except for the bugs. I drenched myself in Deep Woods Off.  Had some good chats with familiar faces, and there were some new people to the group, welcomed, as always, with friendliness. One of the poets turned out to be a musician I know from tarot group! I gave out information for the grant and for the reading, as appropriate.

The poems were all interesting and the commitment of the poets and the listeners is always a joy. It’s as much of a pleasure to listen as it is to read. Well, for me, it’s ALWAYS more of a pleasure to listen than to read, but working with Word X Word is helping me get more grounded when I have to read my own work.

On the way home, I stopped at Chocolate Springs in Lenox and treated myself to a small hot chocolate. I sat outside on a bench and just enjoyed myself.

Home, unloaded everything, cooked dinner.

I did quite a bit of reading this weekend. I read a couple of books on journal writing. One was just awful. It wasn’t about journal writing but about list making, and not particularly useful techniques for lists. The other was better, but still too results-oriented rather than process-oriented.

I read MONADNOCK JOURNAL, published in 1975 by Richard F. Merrifield, who used to write a column in the Keene, NH papers. It was a thoughtful read. Two of his quotes especially resonated:

“There is magic in the commonest object.” (p. 4).

“To read only for speed is like going through the Louvre on a motorcycle.” (p. 26).

I read several Martha Grimes books. THE JERSALUM INN is the book where, I think, it takes the turn from parody/satire to something more serious, at least as far as character development. I liked this book better than others, although the pool/billiards/snooker details didn’t quite track (and then I remembered my friend Diane’s remark that one of the books got those details wrong and it put her off the series). I started THE DEER LEAP and had to put it down because of the animal murders. Even though they weren’t graphic, it was too much. I read HELP THE POOR STRUGGLER, which, again, plot-wise, was interesting. Something that I’m noticing now that I don’t remember from the earlier reads is that I get a sense she doesn’t like the female characters very much in her books. They are broadly drawn, with little nuance.  And the “good” ones are too often punished with grisly deaths.

At some point last week, I read THE WAY OF ALL FISH, not part of this series, that’s definitely satire/parody, of the publishing industry. It was fun, but it also sometimes read like an extended skit that was written with the primary intent to sell film rights. I don’t know if that ever happened (and I’m too lazy to look it up). Perhaps it’s the cynicism of my script analyst work that makes me see it through that lens.

It’s all very interesting from a craft perspective, and she’s been selling well since the first book, so there’s something that’s engaging the audience. My mom is reading the series for the first time, and enjoys the first book, at least so far. She likes the mix of old-fashioned style murder mystery setting (she’s a fan of the MIDSOMER MURDER series) with modern issues (although the series starts in the 1980’s, way past “modern” but feels like a few months ago to us in some ways). I’m learning what I can, and dissecting what is working and what I question and why.

Slept pretty well into Monday, although still with wild dreams. It’s still dark at 6, which makes the next few months of going to the laundromat less fun. I mean, the laundromat doesn’t usually equate fun, but you know what I mean.

I had an idea starting to form, mostly characters making suggestions, and I’m not sure what it will be. Well, it’s trying to create the what, it’s more the “when.” It needs to take a number. That doesn’t stop me from making notes, though. And I made a bunch of notes, which took longer than expected, because I had to Look Things Up. I have the central characters and the shape of what I want to explore, thematically (usually themes develop later). I now have to let those percolate for however long they need in order to form the plot.

I got an email out about the reading to the poets, so everyone knows what’s expected. One of them is driving east from Colorado, and I wanted to make sure I got the information to her before she got on the road.

We got great news from Cape Cod! The Governor has nixed the machine gun range near Bourne. Woo-hoo! It’s completely unnecessary, would have clear cut 170 acres of forest, AND the EPA’s assessment was that it would do irreparable damage to the already fragile water supply. Even though I don’t live on that side of the state anymore, I wrote a lot of letters to a lot of elected officials everywhere asking them not to allow this. The army kept changing parameters trying to get away with a smaller vision and then grow into the bigger one, but the whole thing is gone. Until the next time they try to push for it.

Phew!

Turned around 7 small coverages in the afternoon and evening, getting me close to my desired earnings for the pay period, and better than I thought I would do. In the midst of that, the company sent out an email that they are, as of today, no longer giving “volume bonuses.” In previous months, if a reader covered a particular number of scripts in a month (not that I ever had any idea of that elusive number), the reader received a bonus for taking on that amount of work. However, since they’ve cut pay, all of us are now forced to take on more work than is comfortable to survive and make even close to what we used to make – so they are cutting the volume bonus. I only do this part time (too much time, in my opinion, but needs must), so it was rare I got a volume bonus, although it happened a few times in the past months, since we had to take on more volume to make less than what we used to make. Very disheartening to get that kind of an email when I’m working my tail off to hit a certain earnings mark.

Yet another indication that looking for a client or clients to replace this one is the right choice. Let’s hope I can land it/them in the next couple of months.

Good thing I got everything in early in the evening, because we had a Spectrum outage for internet, phone, and tv for several hours overnight. I have internet only with Spectrum, and I’m sure it’s tied to the Verizon outage, since they’re on the same network. But it would have made it impossible to get in my work on time.

I managed to grab a handful of scripts for the next few days. There should have been many more in the queue with yesterday’s contest deadline. There’s another deadline today, so we’ll see what comes in today and tomorrow.

I had a heck of a time getting to sleep, but once I did, I slept reasonably well.

Let’s do our numbers for September, shall we?

New Material:               31,372

Edits:                                 34,414

Adaptation:                    11,144

Client Work:                  22,354

Marketing:                      7 hours

Library Tour                    4 hours

Misc.                                 12 hours

Let’s analyze the meanings.

New material: Pretty straightforward. Stuff that hadn’t been written before, and the number is fairly low. I didn’t do much knew writing this month. I wrote a new poem, and some chapters on VICIOUS CRITIC, and 36 pages of a new screenplay, along with blogging and the like. The new material number should be stronger in October, especially with the residency week tucked in there.

Editing was an okay number, pretty evenly balanced with the new work, even though much of the editing was on work begun last month or earlier. I edited the poem (multiple times), I edited my friend’s project, I edited a full-length play, and a one-act. And started work on STRANGERS IN THE SNOW.  And the newsletter, which certainly needed it.

The Adaptation number made sense, because I finished adapting the VICIOUS CRITIC episodes, and have moved into drafting fresh material. The number will go back up later in the year when I adapt ANGEL HUNT, but for now, it’s fine.

Client work was low, even though it was spread across several clients. And the ratio of work to payment is too low for my needs. Again, this is a pattern over the months I’ve been tracking my stats. I’m underpaid, mostly because I can’t control the rate from my largest freelance client. Ergo, I need to replace that client, and have not yet been able to do so. Part of that is needing to pitch more, for which I have to block out time, which is difficult when I’m working additional hours for decreasing pay just to survive. It’s a self-defeating loop I need to break. It may mean just putting in a bunch of extra pitching hours, whether I’m tired or not. I’ve been tired before; I can be tired again for a few months if it means leading to something better.

Marketing was seven hours. A little low, and I’m wondering if maybe I forgot to list some of the hours, because it feels like I did more. Or maybe I’m getting more efficient with it. Most of that was for the reading next week, with a little bit for the Topic Workbooks and Nina Bell.

The Library Tour to distribute the A4A grant information was about 4 hours. It was fun just to be fun, served the purpose, and opened some doors and new ideas for me. That time and driving will have a long-term benefit over a period of months and years, I think.

The Miscellaneous category had to do with meetings, readings, performance, and other projects that don’t really fit into any other category but also had time devoted to them. It’s a reasonable amount of time for a month.

The non-writing facets, still connected to work but not the physical writing, took up about 23 hours, or nearly one entire day over the full month. That’s reasonable. In a few months, I’ll have some more data to see how the marketing pays off, and where placement gets the most return. I have to create a budget next year for paid advertising. Even if it’s a small one, it’s a necessary expense.

I’m taking my mom to get her COVID shot this morning, at a clinic set up nearby for that purpose. I am waiting until mid-November to schedule mine – I can actually block off a few days for the shot to take me down. I also have to run some errands on the way back. I hope to get some writing done (although that’s doubtful). I have to get my book review out the door before WE go out the door. I have some scripts to turn around this afternoon, and can hopefully grab more for the week. I need to prep for tomorrow’s production meeting.

I might even be able to make yoga tonight.

Have a good one!

Mon. Sept. 30, 2024: Intent for the Week — Stay Organized

image courtesy of Gerd Altmann via pixabay.com

This week is about being organized.

Clearing off the work that needs to be done before the residency starts next week, a production meeting for the show, putting together the work and materials I need for the residency, making sure my mom has everything she needs — I’m only a few blocks away, but still.

I’m sure there will be some spanners in the works, but as long as I keep a balance between controlling the organizational details and flowing with what comes up, I should be okay. If I control too much or flow too much, it will get out of whack.

Today’s Community Tarot Reading for the Week is up on the Cerridwen’s Cottage site. It’s a good one! Enjoy.

Fri. Sept. 27, 2024: Another Friday!

image courtesy of Lumpi via pixabay.com

Friday, September 27, 2024

Waning Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Gray and cool

Another week gone. It’s going too quickly!

I wasn’t feeling great yesterday, between ragweed and stomach issues, but I hauled myself out the door to the last of the small libraries on my “tour.” One of the wonderful things about visiting these libraries is that they are so happy that someone took the time to come and deliver the material in person.

I also stopped at the Williamstown Library on my way back, since I hadn’t gotten there on Wednesday. Dropped off the materials I needed to drop off, and scored some lovely cookbooks off the free cart. Like I need more cookbooks, but now I have . . .more cookbooks.

Did a light grocery shop, swung by the library to drop off/pick up books.

Tessa would not give up the chair at my desk, so I took the laptop to the living room and worked on the couch in the afternoon – with Charlotte supervising. Got one of the coverages turned around, and some other work done.

Didn’t get enough work done on the poem, so that will have to happen today. The newsletter went out, and I started the document for December’s newsletter.

Made a roasted, stuffed squash with ground turkey, onion, spinach, and corn that turned out really well. I will miss the CSA when it’s finished.

The Boiler House reading is already in the local Chamber listings – yay! They’ll keep us in every week until the reading.

I’m looking forward to staying in the residency apartments with everyone AND not being woken up at odd hours by the cats. Although I’m sure I’ll miss the cats when I’m without them. 

On today’s agenda: writing (especially the poem). Some marketing. Some admin. Turn around another coverage. Drop off our ballots at City Hall (there’s a special election on Tuesday). Do another drop off/pick up at the library. The library is closed Monday and Tuesday next week, so I need to make additional trips this week. I need to finish the author interview questions I was sent and return them.

I decided not to attend the all-day symposium. I’m not comfortable being in an auditorium of people all day without COVID protocols in place, even if I am masked. Too much risk, especially so close to the residency, and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it because I’d be worried all day.

Over the weekend, we will start using the flannel sheets. It’s been too warm up until now – it will probably be too warm this weekend, going back up into the 70’s, but oh, well. The early mornings are cool enough. Tomorrow, I switch out the lace panels for the spiderweb curtains and start setting up the October decorations. It makes more sense to do it on the weekend than the middle of the week (when October 1 hits) and I don’t want to leave it for next weekend.

It’s all I can do not to pack the clothes for the residency already, but I will hold off until next weekend, when I get a better sense of the weather. I am, however, packing my books and research.

Sunday is the reading at the Mount. It’s in the early afternoon, which is great timing. Unless it rains; they will cancel then, although originally they were going to put us in the event tent. There must be a paid event booked in there.

Next week is about fitting in as much freelance work as I can land and doing the last prep I need before the residency. I’m waiting to hear if we’re going to do a read-through of “Effie” before I go into residency, or if I will miss it, or if it will happen after. I mean, I hope I can be a part of the first table read; it will help me with necessary rewrites. But it depends when it can be scheduled. I am one element of the production, not the fulcrum.

Bea is getting more and more adventurous. Charlotte and Tessa do really well with her. Only Willa is still being difficult. She will get there. Bea is smart, and she knows how to handle everyone. She’s letting us get closer, and she makes the choice to come closer to us, so she will ask for affection when she’s ready. Seeing Charlotte, Tessa, and Willa enjoy attention from the humans is good for her.

Worried about my colleagues in the path of Hurricane Helene. That’s a monster of a storm, and so many safety nets in that area of the country have been dismantled.

Lots to get done this week and next week, so I better get going!

Thurs. Sept. 27, 2024: A Somewhat Fractured Day

image courtesy of Pixabay.com

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Waning Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Rainy and cool

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

Yesterday was another somewhat fractured day. It was a lot of fiddly stuff in the morning, and it felt like I wasn’t getting anything done. I did about an hour and a half of marketing work, including putting the BHPC reading listings in various places. I thought of one more, overnight, which I will get out today – the local public access television and radio station. They can use it as a bumper between programs.

I finally got a draft of the program for the reading done and out for proofing. My colleague caught a few things, thank goodness, so I can do the fixes. I’ll print them the first day we’re in residency, and then we can fold.

I went over the newsletter a few more times and STILL caught errors. I hope I’ve fixed them all. The newsletter goes out this morning, and I will be annoyed with myself if I missed anything.

My mother’s monitoring numbers were too high yesterday morning. We put in a call to the doctor, and it was, of course, absolutely useless. I’m so tired of this. We are seeking preventative care so we DON’T wind up in the ER again. Come on, people. I’d like to think it’s a separate issue from the conflict I’m having with the billing department, but who knows?

We figured it out our damn selves, and she was better in the afternoon. I skipped tarot, though, because I wasn’t comfortable leaving her on her own.

I’m in the midst of answering interview questions for the upcoming Nina Bell release. The questions are a lot of fun and make me think! A friend who will be out of town with a project for the next few months sent a box filled with birthday goodies for my mom’s 100th birthday and with Christmas goodies. So much fun (and yes, we’re waiting to open them until the appropriate times).

I was so happy to see that my Bluesky pals are sharing the information about the BHPC reading! It’s getting shared on FB, too, but Bluesky, so far, shows the most traction.

Worked the poem in the afternoon. Got what I thought was a reasonably solid draft, and then had some ideas in the evening, which I scribbled down. I will integrate them today, and see what needs to be cut and what can stay. Even if I keep a good deal of the new material, I’m under the 3-minute limit.

Started reading the book for review, but wasn’t in the mood for it. My focus is already moving toward the work I want to do in studio in a couple of weeks.

Some scripts came in for today, which is a relief. One medium, one large-ish. I will try to get both done this afternoon, if possible, or maybe spill a little into the evening. If nothing comes in for tomorrow, I could also work on one of them tomorrow or Saturday, but I’m hoping more comes in over the weekend.

As I was winding down my day, I heard from my director. He had to deal with some issues on his previous show. He’s got a composer booked on, and the piece is cast. He’s excited about it, and thinks the sound designer and I will be, too (the email was to both of us). We’re working on scheduling next week. Heard from the sound designer by this morning; we seem to all be on the same page, and we’ll have a Zoom meeting soon, and then the rehearsal schedule sorted.

I have a feeling I may be putting in some late nights between now and the recording session in November, mostly due to the time difference between here and LA. It’ll be what it is, and that’s the way it goes. I have to get headphones sorted for the laptop, so that I don’t keep up the neighbors if rehearsals run past midnight my time. I have to figure out if there’s a setting I need to change in the laptop for the headphones; I don’t think the ones I have automatically mute the speakers in the laptop itself. Or maybe I have to get different headphones. I’ll sort it out this weekend.

This morning, I have to skip meditation group (Charlotte will be sad) and get out the door to the library that’s only open for a couple of hours on Thursdays to drop off material. I’ll hit the Williamstown library on my way back, since I didn’t get to it yesterday, and get some groceries in.

Other than the poem, I doubt I’ll get much writing done today, because of script coverage. I’m hoping to get ahead of the game enough to swing by Open Studios at MASS MoCA tonight – it’s the last one of the year, and I’d like to support the artists.

I’ve been invited to an all-day symposium at the Clark tomorrow. I’d really like to go (unless rush coverage comes in), but I’m worried about the lack of COVID protocols. I’ll be masking, but I’m not sure it’s enough. I’ll have to take a look at what numbers I can find and weigh the risks, with the residency coming up AND going into rehearsal or “Effie.”

I’d better get going, hadn’t I? Have a good one!