Devon Ellington's Blog, page 40
April 12, 2024
Fri. April 12, 2024: Time With the Artist Cohort
image courtesy of Stefan Schweihofer via pixabay.comFriday, April 12, 2024
Waxing Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Rainy and raw
It’s Friday. Although for me, I have to catch up on a lot of work, so no early start to my weekend.
Today’s ANGEL HUNT EPISODE:
Episode 128: An Audience with the Fates
Lianna tries to figure out the meaning behind the words exchanged with the Fates – then realizes she is lost on the astral.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 97: Gig Details
Nina learns about the Gala, and meets two of Zack’s sisters, with whom she’ll be working.
Tomorrow’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 98: Zack’s Take
Zack’s lack of pressure on Nina about his sister’s job offer makes Nina wonder, and then wonder about the wondering.
Sunday’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 99: Caren’s Tough Love Speech
Caren tells Nina she needs to get serious about her career, or it won’t exist.
Monday’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 100: Conversation with a Comedian
Nina’s job entails handling several celebrities, including a razor-sharp political comedian.
Woo-hoo! Monday’s episode is the 100th episode of this serial! After that, only 28 more episodes in the season!
Managed to draft an episode of LEGERDEMAIN first thing, and snuck back in to FALL FOREVER, tightening the rewrite in the first Leah/Darrin scene, putting in some of the good between them and how it can turn on a dime.
We were out the door early on Friday and over at the doctor’s. The doctor is pleased with her progress. My mom also got the new pneumonia shot while she was there. Unless something goes wrong, we don’t have to go back until mid-August. I’m also getting set up with the online portal, which will make everything about everything easier.
When we came back from the doctor, I made the devilled eggs for last night’s cohort meeting. I also made a batch of black bean hummus, which tends to be a favorite. I have pita crackers and gluten free crackers to go with it. Packed up the appropriate serving dishes and bits and bobs, too.
Did the revision and polish on the LEGERDEMAIN episode, got it uploaded and scheduled.
All I wanted to do was to go to bed, but when I looked at my coverage queue, I found out that I had more projects than expected. I’ll be working through the weekend. Maybe, MAYBE I’ll take off Monday (which is a holiday in my state), but since it’s the last day of the pay period, maybe not.
Once I got LEGERDEMAIN uploaded and scheduled, I switched over to the coverage work, but it was just before lunch, so I didn’t get all that much done before I stopped for a meal. Because if I get grumpy and hungry, nothing is accomplished.
After lunch, I did the big coverage. I read and wrote up about half of the medium coverage. So, I was almost on track.
Packed everything up and headed over to MASSMoCA for our cohort meeting. Got my goodies set up, and others soon arrived. 7 of the 10 cohort members made it, along with three of the advisors. We in the cohort shared our work, and our advisors also shared their work, which was great. Everybody’s work is so interesting and so different. It was great to chat about each other’s work and just about the creative life in general. I always feel renewed when I spend time with the cohort.
Came home, had a glass of wine, and went to bed.
Slept deeply for once, which was nice. Up on time this morning, much to the cats’ joy.
On today’s agenda: LEGERDEMAIN, THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, possible some FALL FOREVER. Polish the pitch for my Llewellyn editor, although I’ll probably send it out on Monday. I need to finish the coverage I worked on yesterday, and complete 3 other medium-sized coverages. Grocery, post office, library run. Admin work. Next week’s episode videos (I didn’t do any for this week, and my reads took a hit). I have a feeling I will work well into the evening tonight. That’s the beauty of remote/freelance work. I have flexibility.
Tomorrow, there are household chores on the agenda, LEGERDEMAIN, WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, hopefully FALL FOREVER, two medium script coverages, and work on the contest entries. Sunday: LEGERDEMAIN, WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, FALL FOREVER, work on the contest entries.
Monday is technically a holiday here in the state (Patriots’ Day). I’ll see what kind of coverages are available. I might grab a couple, or I might take the day off from coverage to work on LEGERDEMAIN, WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, FALL FOREVER, and the contest entries, and then pick up with coverage again for the rest of the week. It all depends on the workflow. We were told mid-April and mid-July would be busy.
I also have a book for review to read. That client warned me it’s about to get light on that job through the summer.
I need to spend some time to sit and really think about what kind of freelance work I want to take on between now and August. I have a few things on the burner for September, and then the Boiler House Poets residency is in early/mid-October. Then, I’ll look for heavier remote work from November through March again. I also need to sit down and decide what kind of coaching sessions I want as part of the cohort.
I’m looking at the photos posted of Left Coast Crime out in Seattle. I’m glad everyone’s having fun, but the lack of basic health protocols is alarming, and there will be dozens of posts next week from attendees surprised they caught COVID. (eyeroll).
My foot is healing, although it’s still uncomfortable. I’m going to use arnica on it today.
Next week will be busy early on, but should even out later in the week. I might even get back to the Clark next week, and I still have to see the Just Magic exhibit at MoCA (that was going to be for my birthday, but the strike was on and wouldn’t cross the picket line).
Have a good one, and I’ll catch you on the other side!
April 11, 2024
Thurs. April 11, 2024: Focus is Necessary Today
image courtesy of makieni777 via pixabay.comThursday, April 11, 2024
Waxing Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Rainy and raw
You can read the latest garden update over on Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s LEGERDEMAIN episode:
Episode 180: Actions Have Consequences
Emlyn thought he outsmarted everyone – but the spirit of the Library has something specific in mind for him.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 96: Job Interview
Nina’s between shows, and Zack’s sister wants to hire her.
This DEADLY DRAMATICS episode starts the final arc in this season. It mixes theatre and a fundraising gala.
Yesterday somehow seems very far away. What the heck did I do?
Oh, yeah. Pretty much the only writing I managed was four more pages on THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. Pretty soon the scene that never ends will be finished. That scene will need a LOT of work in the next draft. But once something is on paper, it can be revised.
I finished up the slide deck for tonight and sent it off. I prepared my sample packets so people can read the work and printed them off. I made extra copies of the FALL FOREVER program, because my mom wanted to send them to her friends, and also started sending them to the organizations who supported various incarnations of the piece for their files/reports/grant proposals.
I had to run some errands: post office, ink, some incidentals for tonight, ingredients for tonight, library.
By the time I got back home, it was time to eat something and then get started on the coverage work. A big coverage came in (that I will deal with today), so it was vital I didn’t mess around, but got down to work. As it is, I’ll have to read over the weekend. But I need the money, so grab the work while it’s there.
Turned around two medium sized coverages, then headed out in the rain for tarot circle. It was great to be among them again, and the discussion was filled with nuance. Always gives me a lot to think about, for the right reasons!
Home, dinner, finished a coverage, then read for a bit.
Woke out of a horrible nightmare around 3:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep. I had to be up anyway, so I got up a little before 5, much to the cats’ delight. Got some work done. We are all up early this morning, because my mom has an early morning doctor’s appointment.
When we return, I’ll make the devilled eggs for tonight. I might make something else, too. People will be hungry. I HAVE to get an episode of Legerdemain written and out the door today, and a big coverage and a medium coverage. I’d like to work on BRIDGE, too, so I don’t lose momentum. I had a few ideas on FALL FOREVER, but I bet they will have to wait until the weekend. Although I always think of the writing I do before breakfast as “stolen time” even though I write very early every morning.
If I’m stealing time, it should be spent on LEGERDEMAIN. But my subconscious has moved on, and I have to convince it that there’s still work to do to finish this arc. My subconscious is still doing a lot of percolating in the world of the piece, and the other stories that have been on various burners, but it’s done with the serial, and ignoring the fact that there are still more episodes to give the serial a satisfactory finale.
Brains are weird.
I somehow managed to either break or badly bruise the little toe on my right foot, so there’s that, too. I think it’s only badly bruised, but it makes balance/walking a little challenging. The fourth toe is trying to figure out how to compensate.
Anyway, that’s the latest. I have a lot to get done today before I head to the cohort meeting. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again and learning about their work.
Until tomorrow!
April 10, 2024
Wed. April 10, 2024: I Took Some Time to Rest
image courtesy of tookapic via pixabay.comWednesday, April 10, 2024
Waxing Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Cloudy, rainy, raw
Today’s ANGEL HUNT episode:
Episode 127: The Entrance to the Lair of the Fates
Lianna cannot avoid the Fates any longer.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 95: Back into the Routine
The shows continue to run, replacing missing colleagues.
This DEADLY DRAMATICS episode concludes this short arc. You can binge the first three arcs now. There’s one more arc to go in the season!
It took a few hours, but I have most of what I need back on Happy 1 (the old computer). I think that will be the computer I haul around when I work offsite, and I’ll treat Happy 2 (the new computer) like a spoiled princess.
I wrote about four pages of THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. The scene I’m working on will need a huge rewrite, and I may need to break it up into multiple scenes across the piece. But for now, get it down on paper and then worry about it.
Then, I started the next draft of FALL FOREVER. I rewrote the first 18 pages. Some of it was tweaking language to get more specific. A lot of the early first act has been reworked often enough so it’s reasonably strong. I started layering in more of Darrin’s sarcastic, pointed humor into his first scene, to show where he often makes Leah laugh in spite of herself, and to set more of a foundation of what drew them together. I added in a memory scene (not the requested “dream sequence”) where Alan and Lily interact directly, and I put it with an Alan/Selena scene, keeping Selena on stage for it. I need to rebuild the beats of that somewhat, to turn it from a sweet domestic scene into the argument that’s often referred to in the play, but it’s a start.
By then, I was cooked. I didn’t feel like doing anything. I didn’t work on LEGERDEMAIN, which will come back to bite me in the butt today. I handled some admin and correspondence. I turned around additional questions on a coverage I did late last week. I should have done two more coverages, but I’m still fine with deadlines, and I needed the rest. I started the thank yous to the company in Cooperstown. I worked on the slide deck for the artist cohort.
It was lovely out, so I sat on the porch and finished K IS FOR KILLER. While reading it, I sometimes see-sawed between liking it and not being sure, but by the end, I liked it, and I liked the dilemma set up, and am curious as to how it affects future books (because I don’t remember). I then began reading Jasper Fforde’s SHADES OF GREY for something completely different. I enjoyed his Thursday Next series a lot.
I need to accept the fact that I need more recovery time than I used to, even from good things, and build that in to my schedule. Years ago, I read a book on effective time management, and the author stated that when you travel, even on a short trip, you block off the day before you leave and the day after you return from any obligations. I sort of did that before I left, but since I returned fairly early on Monday, I hoped that would be enough.
I got my act together and made it to yoga. Gentle yoga was great, as always. And I did pretty well in the fitness class, too. I managed to do all the circuits in all the rounds – and with the extended times. I actually like the 40 seconds on/20 seconds off better than the 30 seconds on, because I have a chance to really learn that part of the circuit and how it’s supposed to feel in my body when I do it right. Sense memory.
Again, never let anyone tell you theatre skills have no use in real life!
I picked up takeout on the way home, so dinner at 8 PM was easy.
Read for a bit before bedtime. I’m re-reading Mary Catherine Bateson’s COMPOSING A LIFE (which has been one of my favorite books since it came out). It talks about how, since we have longer life spans, our lives are more like a symphony with different movements, and that we should embrace it. My copy is in storage, so I have a library copy.
Slept well.
The hotel’s corporate office sent me a survey yesterday about my stay. I gave them very high marks and commented on the quality of the breakfast, the kindness of the staff, and how happy the view of the mountains made me. I did mention that the makeup mirror light was rather Gothic, but not a big issue. The manager of the hotel in Cooperstown, who was so kind to me, sent me an email this morning thanking me and letting me know he would share my words with the staff. Hey, they should know they’re appreciated, right? I’m sure they mostly hear only the negative. And that room made me very happy.
Especially after the nightmare room I had on my research trip to Elmsford last summer!
This morning, I have errands to run (that would have usually been done on Monday). I need to work on LEGERDEMAIN, BRIDGE, and maybe sneak some work in on FALL FOREVER. I need to turn around 2-3 coverages today, and then I will go to tarot circle.
I also want to do some prep for tomorrow night’s artist cohort event. The Word X Word poetry event at the end of the month at the Berkshire Museum has been cancelled due to a venue issue, so I don’t have to worry about getting that poem written and polished in time.
I better get going.
Tomorrow, my mom has a doctor’s appointment Very Early in the morning. I’m not sure if I’ll schedule something to post or be up early enough to post before we head out. It means I miss meditation group, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
Have a good one!
April 9, 2024
Tues. April 9, 2024: Theatre, Travel, Eclipse
image courtesy of Alexandr Ivanov via pixabay.comTuesday, April 9, 2024
Waxing Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Partly Sunny; starting cold, will get warm
Today’s LEGERDEMAIN episode:
Episode 179: Emlyn Gets His Trip to the Fathomless Library
The wily Emlyn gets his excursion before returning to prison in Cosmopolitan Harbor.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 94: Chased By A Killer
Interrupting a HAMLET tech rehearsal keeps Nina alive.
Back to Friday:
I got up the blog, I got my bio out to the theatre, I let my cohort manager know what I planned for next week, and got some emails out.
It was still snowing, albeit mostly flurries. Out the door I went, to do the big grocery shop and a library run. I might have gotten a little overzealous on the snacks for my trip.
Hauled everything up the stairs and put it away, packed the snack tote bag for the trip.
I was a little confused on Thursday; my old computer arrived for repair at 11 AM, and they told me it would take about 5 days. But by 4 PM it was on its way back to me? That baffled me.
Did a big library pick up; only had a few books to drop off.
On my home, we had an earthquake. I thought there was a big truck looming behind me (that’s what it sounded and felt like; I was still driving). My mom was home and thought a truck had driven into the building. Because they do that a lot here in Massachusetts, although less often here in the Berkshires than over on the Cape. About an hour later, we got an emergency alert about possible aftershocks.
The snow switched over to rain by then. It went back and forth from rain to snow.
I mean, the earthquake was in New Jersey (of course it was), but we felt it all the way up here!
Did my coverage work. Finished packing.
Saturday was about gathering energy for the trip. And about the final run-through, into which Charlotte and I ZOOMed. I was concerned about a couple of things by the end of it. But the good thing about the director, production manager, and I sitting around after rehearsal and talking after every rehearsal is that then we can work things out, and nothing festers. Not quite as effective as hashing it out in the bar, but it still works. And I wind up with fewer messy, inky cocktail napkins with notes I can no longer read.
Did not sleep particularly well Saturday into Sunday. I did, however, plot an over-the-top comedic short play. Was up early, took a COVID test (negative, yay) and out the door by 7:30 in the morning. I joked it was “road trip for the ancestors” pertaining to some of the specific work I’d done lately. That, of course, sparked an idea for another play, which I plotted in my head while driving. Traffic was smooth, even if most of the roads needed serious work on them to make them drivable, and Murder Maps took me through way too many isolated rural “county roads.”
But I was at my hotel a little before 10 AM. I told them at the desk I was there, knowing I was way too early, and settled into a corner with my books and my writing and whatever.
They put me in my room by 10:30. I feel a little silly waxing rhapsodic about a Best Western motel room, but I loved it. It was big, it was bright, the beds were comfy (and so high I had to hop onto them), I had a view of the mountains.
I got settled in, had some snacks because I was too nervous about the reading to eat a proper lunch.
I topped off my gas tank. Even though it only took ¼ of a tank to get there (proving that the car repair worked, since I’m getting much better mileage again), with all the eclipse worries, I figured I’d top it up and have a full tank.
I drove over to the Fenimore Art Museum, which is a beautiful museum on lovely grounds, overlooking water. I was early, so I spent some time walking the grounds, enjoying the sunshine, and then peeked into their current quilt exhibit.
I went into the auditorium and met the production manager. As the cast came in, I met them and got to have individual chats with each, which was great. They enjoyed working on the piece, which is always good to hear. From what I could gather, it’s a little different than the pieces this company usually does. Two of my fellow Boiler House Poets drove up for the reading, which was terrific. And I got to know some of the relationships between the performers offstage, which I hadn’t known going into it, which is always interesting and informs dynamics.
And then it was time for the reading.
It went well. The actors really stepped up and delivered. They had worked on the piece between the run-through and the reading, and it showed. They didn’t gallop through it at top speed. There were a few beat pivots that I would have asked the director to work with them on if we had had a longer rehearsal period, but overall, they hit many of the beats I hoped they would. I wasn’t about to sit in the third row and jot notes in front of them, but I made some mental notes for rewrites. Some of those I’d already come up with during the rehearsal process, but a few more ideas started to percolate as the reading unfolded.
After the reading was a talk back. There were some interesting questions. One woman was enthused about the play but wanted me to rewrite to include some of the overused tropes I very specifically had decided to move away from in the play. Another guy loved some of the lines so much that he scribbled them on his program to share with his friends. There were some interesting questions about motivations and layering which I’d already decided I wanted in the next draft, so it was helpful to hear that from audience members.
We said our mutual thanks and farewells. The video of the reading will go up on their website soon. I will post the link here. The production manager will direct TWELFTH NIGHT in the outdoor amphitheater this summer. My director and one of my actors are cast in it. He will also direct THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE for another theatre in the coming months. I have a sense he’s a good director. If I can make matiness of either, I may drive in, see the show, and drive home.
It was early enough that I probably could have driven home before dark, but I knew the adrenalin that had carried me through this far would soon crash.
I nearly stopped at a vineyard on my way back to the hotel for a tasting, but didn’t, and of course, now I wish I had.
I stopped off for Chinese food on the way back to the hotel, and ate in my room, enjoying the view and the sunshine. By the time I got back, the adrenalin crash had started, so I was glad I hadn’t tried to drive home. Instead, I enjoyed a glass of wine as the sun set.
The room had cable. I got rid of cable ages ago way back on Cape and never got it here. Out of curiosity, I put it on. Not missing anything. The news was just reading other people’s headlines off a computer screen. The network shows were all bad reality television. The cable movies were more schmacting than acting. (If you’ve never heard the term “schmacting” it’s what we in the profession used to call overdoing it and scenery chewing. You don’t ever want your director to tell you to stop schmacting so much and start acting). It’s a little scary when the commercials are better produced and show off more talent than the shows. The Food Network and HGTV are now parodies of their worst selves.
I took my shower and repacked everything to get out the door early the next day. I gave up on television after a couple of hours and went back to reading my book. A far better use of my time.
At one point, I turned out all the lights and pulled back the curtains. The starlight out the back was gorgeous! I could see all the constellations. And even name a few.
There were so many electronic devices in the room it took me a bit to fall asleep – TV, clock radio, microwave. I don’t have any electronics in my bedroom at home (by choice), so it was an adjustment. I’d forgotten to do what I advise friends who travel to do – get those little adhesive dots and put them over the tv light, etc. Just remember to remove them before you leave!
I slept pretty well, with a variety of working dreams.
I woke up at my normal early time the next day, even without the cats to roust me. Rechecked the packing, and packed the last few things.
Went down to breakfast and was again delighted. Hot and cold options, a genuine buffet. I had scrambled eggs with peppers and onions, bacon, a giant fluffy Southern-style biscuit, and a cherry Danish. And really good coffee. The cook was puzzled by my exuberance.
I mean, how often does “breakfast included” mean a bunch of stuff from the day-old section of the grocery store’s bakery? This was a real breakfast!
Packed the car and had to scrape off the car windows (it was only 24 F). I met a woman scraping off her car who is from Pittsburgh, but wants to move to the Adirondacks or Berkshires. She’s a stage manager, and was thrilled to hear about the Fenimore/Glimmer Globe’s reading series. She said she would have come in earlier the previous day and come to the reading, to check out what the theatre is like around here. I told her the video would be up soon, and she said she’d check the website.
How random is that? The woman I meet in the hotel parking lot is a fellow theatre professional?
Headed out and got into a dispute with Murder Maps, who refused to send me back the way I came, and I couldn’t find those county roads on my own. I finally had to give in and let Murder Maps take me the way they wanted to. Which, actually, was fine. It was smaller roads, over to Route 20, which was completely clear, except for the coyote who dashed across at one point, and the moron in one town who hung a Confederate flag from his house.
It got a little mucky around Albany, which I expected. The Thruway closed the restrooms at the rest areas, which is a real dick move with the volume of traffic coming through on eclipse day. Maybe it was just at the single rest area I passed, but no matter what, it’s a major dick move.
I managed to take a wrong exit ramp, although I swear I did exactly as Murder Maps told me. I decided to regroup at Hannaford’s, in a major shopping plaza right off the road. I ducked into the restroom while I was at it. The store lost power, and they started herding everyone out, but at least I managed to use the facilities!
Murder Maps guided me through the shopping center’s various streets, which makes me wonder if that was the plan all along, and maybe I didn’t make a mistake.
Anyway, we were soon on 7 going through Troy, which was busy, but then, I hit it just around 9 AM, so that makes sense. Once I was clear of Troy and Brunswick, it was smooth again. There was some traffic, but it wasn’t bad.
Murder Maps guided me up along 22 into Vermont and then across Pownal and over to 7 South, where I actually knew where I was. It kept trying to send me through more backroads in Williamstown, but I ignored them.
The traffic going north on 7, higher into Vermont, was getting heavy, but I was going in the other direction.
I stopped at Wild Oats for a few things, and I was home by 10:30. Unloaded and hauled everything up the stairs.
It was good for my mom to be on her own for a night; it helped her reassert a sense of competence and independence that’s been lacking since her hospital stay.
Charlotte, however, was desolate. She sat in the window since I left, waiting for me, and wouldn’t eat or go anywhere else. She was Velcro kitty all yesterday.
Tessa and Willa were fine. Tessa kept everyone on schedule, and Willa had her human, so it was all good on that front.
I unpacked, caught up on mail. We had lunch, then settled in for the eclipse. We were not in the path of totality, and did not have eclipse glasses. I shut the front curtains, so no human or cat would inadvertently stare at the sun (since the sun is direct through those windows at that time. We did, however, watch the patterns and darkening through the side windows.
It was such an interesting darkening, since it was still light and the sky was blue, but the yellowish/gold light was dimmed. It wasn’t as though someone threw a cover over the sun; everything just greyed down a bunch.
In those 4 minutes or so where there was totality (in the areas that had it; we were, I think, at 94%), it was eerily quiet. The birds stopped singing. Everything had a strange silence. Then, after 4 minutes or so, it began to steadily brighten (and, much faster than it darkened).
It was like the world took a pause for a few minutes, and then started up again. Which is kind of wonderful.
We need more moments to stop and enjoy, both as individuals, and as a community.
My old computer showed up on the doorstep just before the eclipse began. So after, I pulled it out and checked it. Basically, they wiped it. I don’t know if they reloaded new hardware on it or what.
Everything has to be reloaded.
Of course, Spectrum didn’t work properly. I finally managed to push it through and connect, because I can’t set up the computer unless I’m connected to the internet. Getting it set up was rocky. After 3 hours, I gave up and decided to work on it today. This morning, I have the old computer updating/uploading next to me, while I’m working on the new one. Last time they fixed the old one, it booted right up and everything was there, but this time, whatever fix they did involved a full wipe.
Which of course, means I lost all the videos I hadn’t backed up. Which is okay. I’ve retrieved everything except what I have on FlexClip. When I restore those, I’ll do a backup on the external hard drive. I should check – I may have done one a few months ago anyway.
Cooked dinner (scallops in brown butter, sweet potatoes baked with cumin and cinnamon, spinach).
Read a little at night, with Charlotte sitting on me.
Dropped into bed like a felled log pretty early and slept for 9 hours.
Up early, much to the cats’ delight. Morning routine is back. I’m sitting now, with the two computers, trying to get the old one set up again while I work on the new one.
There’s that sense of, “Wait? You mean there’s a world outside of my show and now I have to rejoin it?”
On today’s agenda: thank you notes to those connected with the reading; write an episode of LEGERDEMAIN; do this week’s videos; write my 4 pages of THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. Make notes for the FALL FOREVER revisions. Write down the outlines of the two comic plays I came up with during the trip. Answer some additional questions on a coverage. Turn around 2 coverages. Send a pitch to my Llewellyn editor for the 2026 annuals (which would be written this summer). Finish my deck for Thursday and send it to the cohort manager. Two hours of yoga tonight, which I desperately need.
Hope you had a great weekend!
April 5, 2024
Fri. April 5, 2024: It’s All About the Show At This Point
image courtesy of 12019 via pixabay.comFriday, April 5, 2024
Waning Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Snowy and cold
And. . .it’s still snowing.
Heading into eclipse weekend, and into the staged reading of my play.
Today’s ANGEL HUNT episode:
Episode 126: True Love and Soulmates
Lianna and Gaston work to heal Lachlan’s poisoned wounds and debate the possibility of soulmates.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 90: Last Shows of the Week
Roq knows Nina’s secret and promises to keep it.
Tomorrow’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 91: The Late Night Visitor
The words are pretty, but it’s still a late night booty call.
Sunday’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 92: Nina Researches Connections
Nina figures out connections that go far beyond this theatre, and might tie into Lily’s murder.
Monday’s DEADLY DRAMAATICS episode:
Episode 93: Nina Figures Out the Murder Weapon
An impulsive investigation brings Nina face-to-face with Lily’s murderer.
I am absolutely gutted by Christopher Durang’s death. I loved his work and learned so much from him. One of my first theatre experiences in NYC was working as an usher on the W. 43st theatre where the original production of SISTER MARY IGNATIOUS EXPLAINS IT ALL ran. Yes, that was a long time ago.
Meditation was good. Charlotte was delighted. She loves meditation on ZOOM.
Edited, revised, polished, uploaded, and scheduled next week’s LEGERDEMAIN episodes. They are a lot of fun.
Wrote the book review, sent it off, invoiced, and was paid.
Managed to push through four pages of THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. They will need substantial revision, but they’re on paper. I considered dramatizing the scene as a flashback. If this was a film script, I’d do it. As a stage play, it would create production complications and expand the cast beyond what makes sense. So I’m trying to build the scene in beats between the two characters, as one tries to crack the other’s calm.
Printed out various sets of directions for the weekend’s trip.
Turned around two script coverages. I have enough coverages to do two per day today and next Tuesday through Friday. I’m hesitant to take on any more for next week (although, from a financial angle, I know I should) until I’m back from my trip. What I’ve got on my roster right now, I can handle; I don’t want to overdo it.
I Zoomed in on the rehearsal for the reading. The focus was on Act II, which had most of the new pages I’d sent over on Wednesday morning. The new pages work (although I’ll make a few tweaks in the next draft). The memorial scene is still not where it should be – and that is entirely on me, but we have to live with it for this draft. In a full production’s rehearsal situation, we’d get to sit and work that scene for an entire rehearsal, beat-to-beat, which would be the ideal way for me to fix it. But we’re doing a reading with only three short rehearsals, and I can’t throw new pages at them for the run through on Saturday. I hope, if I pay attention properly in the reading itself, that I’ll have some ideas of how to fix it in the next draft. Also, in the next draft, I want to layer in some more sarcastic humor on Darrin’s part. We hear about it from other characters, but the audience doesn’t get the direct experience, and that needs to be fixed. There has to be something clear to the audience why Leah fell in love with Darrin, beyond they thought their visions for a future were aligned. Otherwise, it reads as though she should have stayed with Basil, instead of it being clear that while they were in love when they were young and can build a friendship now, they are not suited as life partners.
The choice was made to run it without intermission, which concerns me somewhat. It’s written as a full-length (just under 2 hours) with intermission. We’ve pared down the stage directions (which make sense, keep it simple) and the new pages shave off about 5 minutes or so. But it’s not structured as a one act, even though there are plenty of sections where a bright pace serves it better than sinking into “dramatic moments.” But they know their audience, and I trust in those instincts.
A sound cue was substituted for a suggested cue (which would work in production, but not in the reading), and I think I’m going to keep it and add it in as a leitmotif within the script (for a different purpose than used here). The flowers in vases/on the porch show changing seasons – we’re keeping that in the read staged directions, because we all agree it’s important. But layering on this sound cue will add something for Lily (and probably seriously annoy future sound designers, but that will be the director’s problem).
We’re prepping for the Q & A, and I’m sending a bio in for the program today.
Charlotte joined part of the rehearsal, and was delighted. Because, you know, Zoom. New people. She’s shy around new people in person, but she sure loves Zoom.
I had trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, and then overslept. Tessa was annoyed because her breakfast was 45 minutes late.
On today’s agenda: get the theatre the promised program materials; work on THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE; grocery run; library run; videos for next week’s serial episodes (and upload the ones for DEADLY DRAMATICS). Hopefully do a little work on LEGERDEMAIN. Turn around two coverages. Work on contest reads. Finish packing. Let the cohort manager know what I’m doing for the workshare next week (flying by the seat of my pants, most likely).
I’ve been invited to some really cool stuff tonight and tomorrow, but I’m in show head, and I won’t be able to concentrate on anything else. So I’ll skip everything.
Tomorrow is about doing stuff around the house and making sure my mom has everything she needs while I’m gone. Uploading the rest of the week’s videos. Working on WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE and LEGERDEMAIN. Packing last minute things (like snacks). I’m not sure if I’ll Zoom in on the run through or not. I’ll see if they want me there, or if some breathing room would serve them better. They thought I’d be there as of Saturday. If the theatre paid for two nights in a hotel, I’d be there; but on my own, I can only afford one. I’ll leave early on Sunday morning, to give myself plenty of time to get there. After the reading, I’m spending the night in Cooperstown, and I hope to be on the road early on Monday and not get caught in too much eclipse traffic. I’m giving myself seven hours for a 2 ½ hour trip, so, fingers crossed. I want to be home before it starts.
Good thoughts for a smooth journey appreciated.
If I get home on Monday, we’ll catch up on Tuesday. If I’m stuck somewhere, we’ll catch up when we catch up.
Have a good one!
April 4, 2024
Thurs. April 4, 2024: April Snows
image courtesy of Karl Egger via pixabay.comThursday, April 4, 2024
Waning Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Snowing
You can see the latest on the garden over at Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s LEGERDEMAIN episode:
Episode 178: A Wedding Unique to the Cells
Jed and Sebastian marry in the Order’s Detention block.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode:
Episode 89: Tony. Earle. Andy.
Nina deals with the aftermath of an unwise decision.
I forgot to mention that on Monday? Or maybe it was Tuesday. I can’t remember. Anyway, I got a notice that I was not accepted to an arts fellowship/cohort to which I’d applied. In fact, I’d forgotten I’d applied (It was last autumn) and I was on the fence about it when I applied. Seems like it’s good I didn’t get it. The rejection they sent me was a puzzling word salad. From what I can parse out, they don’t feel that having plays and radio plays produced nationally and internationally proves that my art is “out in the world” since I am not on camera for it. Which, um, huh? I write for others to perform. It’s been done for centuries. The best I can make out from the various nonsensical non sequiturs is that because I’m not a TikTok star or Insta influencer, they rejected me for the arts program (something that was not part of the requirements in the guidelines) – but they’re willing to take me on as a paying client to promote me. Which is not something that was part of the application or I wouldn’t have sent anything in. Sounds like a bait and switch scam to me.
I’m too busy to spend more time wondering about it. It doesn’t sound like it’s what I want/need anyway.
I was up early yesterday and at the desk, doing rewrites. I tightened four major scenes in the play, which meant rewriting around 30 pages. Just from those internal cuts, about 5 pages are gone, and the piece is stronger.
Once I’ve sat through the performance (and made notes), I will do another major rewrite, so it can go out on a wider production submission this summer.
By the time I was done with that, my brain was frazzled. I tried to concentrate on THE WOMEN WITH THE BRIDGE, and could not. My outline for it is much looser than on some of my other work, and that’s coming to bite me in the butt.
There are a trio of us doing End of Play who have formed an email circle to encourage each other.
I got some work done on the slide deck for the cohort. It’s talking about past and current projects. If there’s time, I will read something; if not, it’s just the deck.
Maintenance came and replaced the dead smoke/carbon monoxide detector and one that would probably give up its ghost fairly soon. These two don’t have batteries; they have chips and will run for 10 years. Hopefully not every time I cook.
I managed to do three small coverages while the internet was still working properly.
The rain pounded down, the wind howled, the rain changed over to marble-sized hail. I was afraid the gutter on the front porch would tear off and come through the living room window, but it held.
The Internet was off and on; power flickered. I shut down devices and unplugged them, because I didn’t want to lose the brand new computer to a power surge (yes, I have a surge protector, but still). It meant not being able to ZOOM into the rehearsal in Cooperstown; hopefully the new pages worked. The weather was expected to be bad there, too. They decided to keep last night’s rehearsal, and possibly cancel tonight’s, if the museum has to close for the day due to weather.
I’m not going to stress (except to hope they all stay safe and off the roads when needed). But I’m not going to stress about canceled or rescheduled rehearsals. I have to trust that the actors will work on the material on their own time as well as in rehearsal. It’s a reading. They have the scripts in front of them. It will be fine.
The one device I kept on was the Kindle, reading the next book for review. I will write the review this morning, submit, and invoice the latest batch. I’ll read the next one for review when I get back from the show (it’s not due until the end of the month).
We finally gave up and went to bed early, bundling in extra blankets and with the cats. I slept pretty well. Not sure what went on in the night, but the coffee maker had righted itself by morning and there was hot coffee. For now, power and internet are on.
The hail changed over to snow at some point in the night. It’s heavy, wet snow. I’ll probably go out several times over the course of the day to dig out the car, or it will be too heavy for me.
I’m recharging all devices while I can. I’m running the computer on battery as much as possible, again, to protect from power surges. Not sure if we’ll have virtual meditation this morning. If not, I’ll meditate by sitting on the sofa watching the snow come down! It’s really pretty, and there’s that lovely quiet that comes with snow. Schools are closed, the plows aren’t yet out. It’s delightful.
On today’s agenda: attempt a few pages, at least, of THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. Get up next week’s episodes of LEGERDEMAIN. Write at least one more episode. Turn around two medium coverages.
I don’t have to go out today, thank goodness.
There are conflicting reports about it snowing until Saturday morning. I hope they are wrong. I need to do a grocery run and a library run tomorrow. I could push them back to Saturday, if I had to, but I’d rather get it all done tomorrow.
We’ll see. We are at the mercy of the weather.
Have a good one.
April 3, 2024
Wed. April 3, 2024: Computer Issues, Rehearsals, and More Snow
image courtesy of StartupStockPhotos via pixabay.comWednesday, April 3, 2024
Waning Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Rainy/snowy and getting colder
We have 10 inches of snow expected today into tomorrow.
How was your holiday weekend? We have a lot of catching up to do!
Yesterday’s episode of LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 177: Defined Roles and Back Channels
Shelley does not tolerate Vidor’s sexism, even though he’s fun in other ways.
Today’s episode of ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 125: Fighting Zeke
Lachlan and Lianna fight Zeke and his minions, with some surprising help.
Today’s episode of DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 88: Locked In
A colleague provides security for Nina – but could he be a suspect?
With all of Friday’s chaos, I forgot to mention that I read, on Thursday, G IS FOR GUMSHOE. This is a book I remembered well, and re-reading it, I remembered how much I liked it. This apartment of hers is the one I remembered, plus the supporting character who’s central to the story is one of my favorite characters in the series.
Friday got even more chaotic. I dried out the printer, and it worked. I sat down to work on LEGERDEMAIN, looking forward to the upcoming next couple of episodes, which are about the forger Emlyn in the Fathomless Library.
The laptop fluttered, and the black screen of death appeared. It would not turn on again. It was well and truly dead.
I got in the car, drove down to Staples in Pittsfield, and got a laptop on sale (and bought another four-year warranty). It’s a little bigger than the old one, but other than that, pretty similar, although the keyboard Is a little different, and I have to get used to it.
The sales guy was giving me a song and dance trying to get me to buy more – he said it came with “nothing” but I have software, et al, so I ignored him.
I drove back to North Adams, did a big pickup at the library, got in some groceries for the weekend. The Friday before Easter – it was a zoo. People are panicking because the store will be closed on Sunday (and I say, good for them).
Hauled everything home, put the food away, and set up the new laptop. The worst part was getting it hooked up to the Internet – the tech had to push it from his end. Here I am, paying double the monthly fee that I was when I moved here, and getting less service. Which is why I filed a complaint.
Once the internet was connected properly and recognized the computer, I let it basically set itself up, signed into my Microsoft account, tapped my subscription (which is good across 5 devices) and it was good. There was more on my One Drive than I expected, and I’m deeply grateful I didn’t lose all the photo work I did recently, which I hadn’t yet had a chance to back up onto the external hard drive. I downloaded Chrome and got my emails all connected again, downloaded Adobe and DramaQueen. I didn’t bother with Scrivener. I never use it anyway, and I don’t want to pay for their latest upgrade.
Once that was all set up, I put in a claim ticket with the warranty place. My old computer still has a month left on the warranty. They accepted it, sent me the paperwork, and I printed it out so I can send the old laptop back for repair.
I uploaded the receipt for this one, and they were perplexed. I hope my warranty isn’t with some other company. I like Asurion. Anyway, I already started a folder for all the paperwork for the new computer, so I’ll have it handy when I need it over the next four years.
And then, I got to work.
I’d lost my writing time; so much for LEGERDEMAIN. But I turned around three script coverages. Although it’s not what I need to be making for the pay period, at least it’s better than the last few cycles.
I am deeply grateful that I still had funds from the grant and COULD replace the computer, or I would have been in trouble over a long holiday weekend with deadlines.
I made the salmon with honey-soy sauce, green beans, and the sweet potatoes roasted with cinnamon and cumin again, which has become one of our favorite meals.
I re-read H IS FOR HOMICIDE in the evening. Another fun one, although I felt there were a couple of loose ends at the end. They might be picked up later in the series. I don’t remember. I do enjoy how Grafton builds the ensemble from book to book, and I’m learning from it.
Slept better than expected.
Saturday, I had a slow start. Did some ancestor work. It’s truly fascinating, if sometimes it’s a little intimidating. Whatever psychological shifts it causes are helpful.
Wrote a fun episode of LEGERDEMAIN.
Worked on the second big grant, which turned out to be a nightmare. If they have a list of needed materials, then those are what should be what’s needed for the grant – not nearly a half a dozen other things they never mention in the guidelines or FAQs. While I understand limiting proposals by wordcount, which makes sense, limiting it by number of characters is just being an asshole.
Not fun.
Discovered that, while all my photos transferred to this computer from the other one (thank goodness, and yes, I’ll back them up to the external drive yet again, especially the new material from the Playland Project), the videos did not.
Downloaded what I could from Canva. I still have the episode templates, so I did next week’s videos, and uploaded all of the DEADLY DRAMATICS ones.
Went through bunch of research books that had to go back to the library earlier in the week. Looked through some other books that I thought might be useful for a project, but were not.
Had a disturbing dream Saturday into Sunday that was a very clear warning. Which I will heed.
Finished the second big grant proposal, which was a total nightmare. If you’re going to force people to do an online form, then the form has to actually work. Not just dump whatever you put in it after you’ve saved it (multiple times) and tried to move on to the next page. And for crying out loud, let people read through the entire form BEFORE filling it out.
I’ve done a lot of grant writing over the years, and this was one of the biggest nightmare proposals I’ve ever had to fill out. Needlessly so.
I did, however, submit a realistic budget (not one of their crappy sample budgets). The fact that I submitted something realistic might get me knocked out right there. Oh, well. At least I tried.
Uploaded the LEGERDEMAIN and ANGEL HUNT episode videos for the week. It made me realize how much I rely on the tracking sheets.
Wrote another episode of LEGERDEMAIN, which was also fun. I feel like I’m getting back into the voice and the headspace of the piece.
Did some more research/work on the Playland Painters project. That research will feed more than one project. I still want to do a more overtly fictionalized version inspired by these women that will be historical mysteries; but I also want to write a play inspired by the actual women. The opening even started percolating, although the last thing I need is to start a new play; I have to finish THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE first. But maybe the play about the Playland Painters can be my reward for doing the other pages?
So, of course, I sat down and wrote the opening two pages. Which turned out better than I hoped.
In the afternoon, I finished reading a book for review, worked on contest entries, and did some reading. The package arrived, with my friend’s new release, THE WITLESS PROTECTION PROGRAM, the last book in my favorite series of hers. With that came a deck of blank tarot cards and the DRUID CRAFT TAROT.
I’ve had the DRUID ANIMAL ORACLE since it came out a few decades ago, and I got the DRUID PLANT ORACLE either last year or the year before. Now, I have the whole set. Since April’s ancestor work is themed around the land, it seems like a good choice to use those.
The blank cards I need for some adjacent work I’m doing, not for creating my own deck.
A friend sent me some information about a Mechtilde of Magdeburg. Since my family is from there, along the maternal line, I found her interesting. Of course, when I asked my mom about it (she grew up there), she’d never heard of her, because she hated school and didn’t pay attention. But I found a book about her I could order from the library. And that ties into later ancestor work this year, talking about “ancestors of place.”
The whole ancestral “you have at least a million ancestors” because every generation you go back doubles is a little overwhelming. As someone who hates crowds, a million relations are a little too much to wrap my head around (and that’s not counting various removed cousins).
I have to book time at the library on Ancestry.com to research my Playland Painters a little more; I might do some of my own family work in there, too. I’ve done a bunch of it, but whenever I lose the thread, it’s hard to get it back. While several weeks of all-day research makes sense as far as throughlines, my brain overloads on information after three or four hours.
Tired and went to bed pretty early. Even when I go to my room early, I still have the evening meditation, et al before I actually go to bed.
Weird dreams Sunday into Monday, but these were definitely symbolic and not prophetic, so at least there’s that.
Monday, Mercury went retrograde (like mine hadn’t already been retrograde since the last damn retrograde).
I was up at the usual time. Started the new month’s ancestor work, with the Druid trio of tarot and oracle decks. It was so clear and connected. As I’ve said before, we can debate the “reality “of it forever (although when I go hunting for evidentiary aspects to back it up, it’s amazing what turns up), but the positive psychological aspects of the work are very useful.
Not to mention the possibility of story ideas, because some of these characters want to be written about. Whatever’s being shaken loose in the psyche, it’s a good thing.
Finished packing up the old computer (Happy 1) so I could drop it off at the UPS drop-off at CVS.
Monday was the start of this year’s End of Play. I remember how excited I was last year, to start FALL FOREVER! I did about 3 pages on THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, which flowed pretty well, considering how long it’s been since I worked on it.
I dropped a bunch of books in the library’s book drop, and the old computer at the UPS drop point. The Fenimore and I discussed the poster for FALL FOREVER. I answered some correspondence. I got a letter from the MA Tax Department that makes no sense, so I’ll write back to them, asking for bullet points of explanation. Did a lot of admin work, which needed attention, which meant I didn’t work on LEGERDEMAIN. But I got a play submission out the door, and the book review written and submitted. I got my next two books for review. One downloaded well; the other took some doing, but I got it onto my Kindle.
I planted sweetpeas, valerian, and borage. Which is funny, because both valerian and borage came up in the Plant Oracle cards today, and they were next up in the queue of sorted seeds.
I started some script coverage, but by then, it was too late in the day to really focus on it and give it the attention it needs. I hopped on and off social media a few times, when I forgot about it being April Fool’s Day. The sleaze online quickly reminded me. Nope. Not participating.
Cooked dinner a little early, since we had the End of Play Kickoff at 6. And wasn’t that a lot of trouble got get onto the ZOOM call? I hadn’t been sent the ZOOM link. A friend shared hers. I hadn’t downloaded ZOOM onto the new computer. Then they made me jump through about 16 hoops to set a new password I’ll never remember (even though it’s now written in the Magic Book of Passwords). My comments kept showing up under my friend’s name, so I had to log off, log on with her link, and then sign in again.
The prompts weren’t useful for what I’m doing, since this isn’t my first playwrighting rodeo. In general, if I’ve started a project, prompts are distracting, rather than helpful. If I don’t yet know what I want to write, they help. It’s about entering a prompt space early enough in the process. I liked the ideas for some of the prompts, but they weren’t aligned with what I’m doing on THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. But the conversations between the playwrights and how they tackled different types of problems were great.
After dinner, I got some reading done.
Woke up feeling great, ready to start my day – and it was just after 1 AM. So I made myself go back to sleep. Woke up at 5, got the cats fed, got clothes on, and made it to the laundromat when it opened at 6. Got the laundry done. Hauled it all home and put it away.
Since they’re predicting 10 inches of snow here today and tomorrow, and possibly canceling many a thing, I hustled out and did the week’s necessary errands yesterday morning: bank, post office, library, out to Williamstown to Wild Oats, filled the car with gas ahead of this weekend’s trip.
I’d started reading Sara Paretsky’s OVERBOARD at the laundromat, and could not put it down. Again, she weaves so much of the social fabric into engaging plot, story, and characters, and did not back away from how it felt during that part of the pandemic when we were vaccinated, but still wary. In other words, she deals with the issues around masking, instead of just pretending the pandemic didn’t exist, the way so many “contemporary” authors are doing.
A friend of mine helped me figure out the likely best route to and from Cooperstown. She knows this area and that area, and her route cuts off about thirty minutes (in regular traffic) and will probably allow me to miss most of the eclipse traffic. I am very grateful.
It’s very hard this week to concentrate on anything that’s not directly involved with my show. I’m back in show headspace, which means nothing else really exists.
I have to prep for our cohort artist share, which should be a lot of fun next week, too! I can’t wait to see everyone else’s work.
I managed to turn around 6 short coverages. It’s for parameters I really like working within, even though the pay is less than stellar.
I virtually attended the first rehearsal of FALL FOREVER, the table read with full cast. It went well, and I was glad to be a part of it. I like what the director is doing with it. I see a few places I can make stronger (at least, in time for the reading; I’m sure I’ll do a bigger rewrite after the show is over). I am going to turn around those rewrites this morning, and get them over to the theatre by noon, so they have them for tonight’s rehearsal. Which I will also attend. Virtually.
It was difficult to come down after rehearsal and get to sleep.
I dreamed I was working a show, so I woke up feeling like I’d put in a full day’s (night’s) work. In my dream, I also found something I lost in real life, but now I can’t remember where I found it in the dream.
I will finish packing today, except for the last few items, because if I’m not packed days ahead of time, I can’t concentrate on anything except the need to pack. Since I have clean laundry, it’s more a case of deciding what to wear for the drive home, a mix of practical and comfort for a potentially long and frustrating drive. I’ll wear what I’m wearing to the show to drive there and just freshen up once I get to Cooperstown.
Word Count Totals for March:
New Material (which includes grant writing on my own projects): 42,550
Edits (including a couple of plays, a book, and LEGERDEMAIN): 81,850
Client work: 24,311
Videos: approximately 7 hours
What do I learn from this?
The new material category is too low, but between elder care, grant writing, and the computer crash, not surprising. A 42K output in a month for a pro writer is not sustainable – it needs to be closer to 50-60K. With the client work output, it hits that, but still, it’s below where it needs to be for a viable writing career.
The edits are about where I expected, with the rest of CAST IRON MURDER, and a couple of script edits I didn’t expect, plus editing the grant materials. High for a typical month, but where they should be for the work actually done.
Client work was low, but even so, it shows me how vastly underpaid I am for what I do. While Mercury Retrograde is a lousy time to sign new contracts, I can at least look for and pitch to new clients with an eye to signing by early May. I think I’d like to do some short-term/temp style assignments, too, at a higher rate than I’m getting on some of the other work. I have some ideas for article pitches to some magazines for whom I’d like to write, so I can shape those in the coming weeks.
I spent more time on videos, because of DEADLY DRAMATICS dropping daily (see what I did there?) and additional videos for the serials and for “Plot Bunnies.”
I’ve been working on a new plan for client work, to shift focus over the next few months, so now it’s time to take the steps on it. With the coverage work paying less for more work (they set the fees, I don’t have a say in it), the Vella payments going way down with the restructuring, and a regular client letting me know that the next few months would be lean, it’s opening up space for some new ventures.
I’m working on some magazine pitches. I love writing articles, and I haven’t done much of that the past few years. There’s a lag time between writing the article and payment that’s part of the reason (often paid 4-6 months after turning it in). I’ll see if I can get some remote temp agency copywriting assignments, too.
I’m considering cutting loose a domain name; I haven’t been able to devote the time and manpower to that particular project, and it seems silly to keep paying for it. It is highly unlikely that I will be able to do so anytime in the next few years. I will consider it some more, and maybe discuss it with my cohort next week, but I will probably just let it go.
I started working on my cohort share piece for next week. It seems the best way to talk about past/present work is a series of slides, although PowerPoint seems counterintuitive to the artistic process. Not sure if I will read anything. I have to let the cohort leader know what I’m doing by Friday.
On today’s agenda: the first priority is the rewrites for FALL FOREVER. After that, if I still have writing time left, work on THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE and LEGERDEMAIN (since I have to get next week’s episodes up tomorrow. They’re written, but I’d hoped to get beyond next week). In the afternoon, I have script coverages. In the evening, I have rehearsal (I’ll miss tarot circle).
It’s very windy, so I hope we don’t lose power.
And I hope we don’t actually get 10 inches of snow.
Have a good one!
April 2, 2024
Tues. April 2, 2024: Ink in My Coffee’s 20th Anniversary
image courtesy of ApplesPC via pixabay.comTuesday, April 2, 2024
Waning Moon
Mercury Retrograde
I’m scheduling this to post, and have no idea what Tuesday’s weather will be like.
Today is the 20th Anniversary of this blog, Ink in My Coffee.
Twenty years ago, I started the blog over on Blogspot, which was just starting to get popular. I specifically did not want to start the blog on April Fool’s Day.
I was in a state of major life transition at the time. The aftereffects of 9/11 were still raw. I knew I was aging out of backstage work, and wanted to leave while I still loved it. I felt torn by trying to maintain two full time careers – backstage work on Broadway and writing.
At the time, I described it as having a Volkswagen strapped to each foot, going down the highway, and they decided to take different exits.
I knew I wanted to write full time.
Working in theatre, even when you’re on a W-2, is still freelancing, because a show can close at any moment. Or, if you are at a theatre that works in seasons, you know when your show will close and the next one starts. Being a freelancer was nothing new; but freelance writing is different than production work.
As the years progressed, I laughed, more and more, at people who, for years, told me that theatre skills have no use in real life. They absolutely do: I can organize, budget, run a project, communicate with a wide range of people, meet deadlines, be on time for things (because curtain goes up no matter what), think on my feet, sew, build, paint, hunt down unusual items, negotiate prices and pay, understand a contract, pack a storage unit or vehicle, navigate travel logistics.
All of those skills come directly from my theatre work.
Over those twenty years, I wrote a lot of articles, plays, novels, short stories, serials. I stopped working backstage. I moved from New York to Cape Cod, and then from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. I survived two kinds of cancer. I survived the pandemic. I loved and lost cats, and adopted new cats. I started playing with other types of art. I learned how to apply my film degree to things like short videos and learning how to layer graphics. I started playing with words and other forms of art, such as clay and fiber. I played with dirt and grew plants and discovered I absolutely hate mowing a lawn. I traveled to Iceland and Prague and to various places around the US (pre-pandemic). I took what I thought would be a dream job, which turned out to be a nightmare. I worked for an iconic summer theatre. I tolerated a couple of toxic bosses until I could remove myself from those situations. I taught classes, took classes, took chances.
And, throughout it, I wrote here, on this blog.
When I began, I wrote seven days a week. A few years into the blog, I switched over to the present WordPress site. I started blogging only 5 days a week, and leaving special posts up for holidays. A few years back (I think it was just before the pandemic), a colleague started a group where we posted something positive on Mondays to start the week. Most people fell away (and it got frustrating, to hear all the excuses). I decided, however, that setting an intent to start the week was something I wanted to do, even though it made Tuesday’s posts longer catch-up sessions.
Since today’s post is a blog birthday post, tomorrow’s post will be the long catch-up!
I look at this blog as morning coffee with friends. We can help figure things out together. If my experiences help someone else, terrific. If my mistakes help someone avoid the same mistakes and pain, also terrific. When I started blogging, the pressure was to put on a façade of perfection. That’s a lot of pressure. Plus, I’m not perfect; I’m me. I’m human, flawed, trying to be optimistic, often struggling. Why not admit it?
The blog has helped me with a lot of life stuff and writing stuff. I’ve made friends around the world with it. We’ve grown and changed, and people have moved in and out of our lives, and as the world has changed, at an ever-accelerating rate.
I am deeply grateful for those who stop by and spend time here. I hope we can continue our journey together.
Thank you. Happy days to all of us.
Yes, there is cake!
April 1, 2024
Mon. April 1, 2024: Intent for the Week as April Fool’s Day Kicks off Mercury Retrograde — Survive
image courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors via pixabay.comIntent for the Week – Entering the Month With Fools and Mercury Retrograde
Those of you who know me know how much I dislike April Fool’s Day.
I like the Fool card in the tarot. I like the Shakespearean-style fool who speaks truth to power.
But April Fool’s Day has evolved into a day where cruelty tries to pass itself off as humor.
Not for me.
It’s also the first day of Mercury Retrograde. This year, I need Mercury to sit down and shut up. I do not have the time or patience for it. Yes, I am aware the Universe is laughing at that statement.
I plan to keep my head down and be quiet as much as possible for the next three weeks, in spite of the retrograde being mostly in Aries (a fire sign).
My show goes into rehearsal this week, and my intent is to be a resource to the company, not an obstacle.
What’s your intent for the week?
March 29, 2024
Fri. March 29, 2024: Crying Over Spilled Coffee (on the Printer)
image courtesy of RDNE Stock Project via pexels.comFriday, March 29, 2024
Waning Moon
Rainy and raw
Don’t forget about the short mystery from my backlist which is set around Easter, “Plot Bunnies.” You can get more information about it on the Delectable Digital Delights page, including a fun video and buy links. Although I can put videos on my domained WP websites, I can’t do so on the blog.
I’m stacking a lot of episode information here at the top of the post.
Today’s episode of ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 124: The Trap
Didieron leads them back to Brooklyn – and one of Zeke’s traps.
Today’s episode of DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 83: With Zack at the Cedar Tavern on Christmas Eve
A Christmas drink with a new friend gets Nina swept up in Zack’s large, exuberant family.
This episode ends the second arc of the series. You can binge read the first two arcs now, and continue on for the third arc.
Saturday’s episode of DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 84: Dead in the Dryer
Nina retrieves show laundry from the theatre dryer and discovers the body of a colleague.
This begins the 3rd arc of the season, and takes place almost entirely backstage.
Sunday’s episode of DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 85: Nina Explains How the Shows Run
The complexities of multi-show theatre spaces add suspects.
Monday’s episode of DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 86: Green Room Talk
The company discusses the murder and the consequences.
Tuesday’s episode of Deadly Dramatics
Episode 87: The Shows Go On
Nina works her two shows and covers the murder victim’s job.
That should keep you busy reading over the next few days!
Got up the blogs. Did some more planning for the trip to my show and back. All I can do is the best I can do, and not get frustrated. Mercury will be retrograde. Things are going to go wrong with travel. I am NOT looking forward to traveling the day before the eclipse and the day of the eclipse.
After meditation, I did a new video for the serials. You can check it out here, in case you didn’t see it making the social media rounds. I did all three versions – the TikTok, the wide that I can use on most sites, and the Instagram sized. I still want to make as much money as possible from them while they’re up, and since I’m finishing each season, readers will get a complete experience. Since they’re running until August or so, I’m going to keep trying to draw in as many readers as possible between now and then. As each serial completes, I will also do a video encouraging binge-reading.
Yes, this was a procrastination technique because I was putting off the work on Legerdemain!
But I managed to write another episode of LEGERDEMAIN, then edit both episodes, proof them, upload them, and schedule them for next week. Now, over the next few days, I need to write at least one episode per day, and wrap up all the other threads. The sequence around the protest with the big reveal around the coup will take several episodes, and then I’ll hint at some of where the threads that would have been in the third arc, but will now be in a separate novella, will head, and then do a resolution episode to end on a positive note. I doubt I can get all of that done this weekend, so some of it will spill over into next week, around the daily END OF PLAY pages.
The artist cohort is back on track; I had some material to submit to them, and we have our cohort work share on April 11. I have to decide what it is I will share.
I turned around two full coverages and finished one that needed about a hundred extra words on it. I have two more to do today, and one tomorrow, and that’s the pay period. Not what I hoped, but better than I feared. May April be a more lucrative month.
I send best wishes to everyone who celebrates the holiday this weekend.
Monday and Tuesday’s posts are scheduled – Monday with the week’s intent, and Tuesday is a special post about the 20th anniversary of this blog, Ink in My Coffee. So our usual Tuesday catch-up will be on Wednesday instead.
Don’t forget, Mercury turns retrograde on Monday. Back up your computers and gird whatever needs girding! This will be a bumpy one.
My bumps have already started. This morning, a cup of coffee fell over onto the printer and all the papers on the printer table. I hope I’ve wiped/dried out the printer well enough so that it will still work. I’m letting it dry a little longer before I test it. It’s not like the warranty (if it’s even still good) would cover this. I don’t have the luxury of careless accidents. It’s not cute; it’s not funny. It’s not an option. I mean, it’s one reason I keep the coffee two tables away from the computer, but I never had an issue with the spot from which it fell. Until this morning.
I did the best I could with the papers and they are out to dry on the front porch. I can reprint them – provided I still have a working printer.
Not a good way to start the day.
Have a good weekend, my friends!
