Devon Ellington's Blog, page 43
February 28, 2024
Wed. Feb. 28, 2024: Baby Steps
image courtesy of Dimitris Vetsikas via pixabay.comWednesday, February 28, 2024
Waning Moon
Rainy and mild
We’re in the middle of the week. Time to take a deep breath and press on through.
There are two serial episodes dropping today.
The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 115: Gaston’s Domestic Side
Lianna and Gaston share domestic harmony before the ritual.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 65: A Disturbing Phone Call
No one’s heard from Winter lately. Will she show up at Dmitra’s opening night? Nina believes yes; Lesley worries.
Episode 65 of DEADLY DRAMATICS marks the start of the second arc of season one. This is a much shorter arc, and is more set around theatre and in Greenwich Village, rather than at Nina’s temp job. If you’re a binger, you can binge the first 64 episodes of the serial for the first big, completed arc.
My mom did pretty well in the morning. She could dress herself. She insisted on doing 15 minutes on the exercise bicycle (the doctor said there was no limit on her physical activity and she should be up and about). There was less noticeable droop on the corner of her mouth, and she could speak in complete sentences with the right words. There’s definitely some short-term memory loss. We sorted out the new pills and how to integrate them with the other pills and got the new medication routine sorted.
She was happy to have a good breakfast. She kept me company drinking her tea while I did the dishes and cleaned out the litter boxes under Tessa’s supervision. Charlotte thinks things are back to normal again, because she is back to being difficult, especially with Tessa. Willa is Velcro kitty.
I got to the oil change appointment on time, and they found an oil leak, which they can’t fix. So today, on the way home from the doctor’s appointment, I will stop at the other mechanic and see when they can fit me in. This mechanic said I can do what I need to do, but be careful, until I get in to the other mechanic, but the fix needs to happen before Cooperstown or trying to do another storage run.
Came home, I’d done the script coverage work when I got up at 4 AM, so I didn’t have to worry about that. I was, however, having trouble concentrating on anything much. I managed to finish the wide version of the serials video, and have been posting it wherever possible, and will probably run it as a paid ad. If you want to check it out, it’s now at the top of the Serials page. I also set the blogs so they can’t be scraped for AI, and I’m considering deleting Tumblr since they’re selling information for AI.
I sent a pitch to a company for whom I’d like to work. I checked the play submission calls. There’s a premise that I really love, with a deadline at the end of March for a 10-minute play. I might just work something up for them, if I can get my act together. I also saw a call for an anthology that is right in my wheelhouse; again, if I can concentrate and get it done WELL. We will see.
Each day as it comes.
The last box of books for the contest I’m paid to judge is on its way; I will get started on those this weekend, plus the two books for review.
I went to gentle yoga last night, which is exactly what I needed. I was hoping the woman who works for the Visiting Nurse Association would be there, but she wasn’t; next week, I’ll ask my studio mates for her name again. We don’t need her right now, but she’d said if I ever needed her, I should just give a shout over, and I might talk to her about possibilities, especially during times I have to travel.
Came home, heated up the leftovers. My mom ate well – she prefers even leftovers to anything hospital food!
As far as the cats are concerned, everything is back to normal, and they are back to their usual routines of annoying each other. Tessa and/or Willa, however, escort my mother anywhere she goes in the apartment. Don’t worry – they don’t get under her feet. They stay a few feet ahead of her, and check over their shoulders every few seconds to make sure she’s there.
My mom had called an old friend of hers, a retired doctor who is about 20 years younger than she is. On the SAME DAY, he had a similar stroke (and he was even released on the same day as she was). However, he was in the ER waiting to be seen for 10 HOURS. In the hospital where he’s affiliated!
We had much better care here.
We went to bed pretty early. I slept 8 hours, which is unusual, but I needed it.
Charlotte hauled me out of bed around 5, and I was at the laundromat by six, and home a little after seven. My mom had taken a bath on her own (I’d asked her to wait until I got back, but she wanted to prove she could do it on her own).
I’m going to try to get some writing done this morning. I have to fold the laundry and put it away, and do the basic chores. I’m taking my mom to her doctor’s appointment in the late morning. It’s close to the mechanic, so on the way back, I will stop and see when I can book an appointment to have the oil leak fixed and get an estimate. Not sure if I’ll make it to tarot tonight, but I’d really like to, since they’ve been such wonderful support. Plus, I need some chime candles!
On the one hand, I’m grateful not to have a full coverage slate this week; on the other, I’m worried about money. But I need to trust that it will all work out (and keep pitching and sending LOIs).
Tonight, the auditions for my play happen over in Cooperstown. They will send me audition videos tomorrow, so I can weigh in on the choices, and discuss it with my director. She’s worked with this company for several years, so I’m sure she knows who can bring it to the reading and who does their best in an audition. But I’m still going to give my two cents (because I’ve always loved the casting process).
Headed off to make breakfast and get the day going. Have a good one.
February 27, 2024
Tues. Feb. 27, 2024: That Moment When It Shatters
image courtesy of Marcela Bolívar via pixabay.comTuesday, February 27, 2024
Waning Moon
Partly cloudy and mild
If you missed yesterday’s post over on the GDR site about first steps, you can read it here.
I hope you had a great weekend! Mine started well, but quickly descended. If you follow me on social media, you’ll know why.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 167: The Murdered Man’s Room
What’s missing from the room is more interesting than what is left.
Friday was kind of all over the place. It felt very scattered, even though it was the good kind of busy.
I had an idea for a play that was inspired by the conversations I’ve had with various artists lately, that uses multiple levels of storytelling. I scribbled a couple of notes on it before I went out to run errands.
The snow was turning to rain by the time I left, so it wasn’t bad. I picked up my mom’s new prescription at the pharmacy, I did some grocery shopping, I did a pickup at the library (a lot of research books for the Playland Project). I prepped for my Zoom call with my Nightwood colleague.
I finished two sets of workshop proposals, and sent them off to the places I hope will hire me. Nothing ventured, and all that. That clears that off my plate, plus, now I have a solid proposal document I can use in a variety of ways.
My brain is already moving on to the two big, risky proposals that I want to work on. They’re both a stretch, and yet they feel right, so I will dig in and work on the proposal and see.
Of course, the Target order arrived just as I was about to sit down for the call. Hauled the box in the door, and left it until after.
My colleague and I had the best time talking! During the Nightwood program, we’d been in two separate pods (the group was split so that we could buckle down and do intensive work). The two of us weren’t in the same pod, so we only got to chat a few times over the course of the program. But we are both on the list of those wanting to stay in touch. This was our first chance to really chat, the two of us, and we want to make it a regular thing. She’s got her act together (in a very literal sense) as far as venue, she’s got a great promotor, a place to stay. We talked marketing, and marketing opportunities, and that she shouldn’t expect to sleep for the entirety of her time there!
Then, of course, I had to settle down and do some of the work I’m paid to do.
But, before then, I signed up for a Creative Capital session on their newest grant, and for their core curriculum to strengthen grant writing. Yes, I’ve gotten a few grants in the last few years; but I can always improve.
I did the coverages. I finished the reading for the Scholastic contest and entered the scores. As far as I know, I’m done with that. There were a lot of technical issues with the contest, but I’m glad I did it.
Made baked salmon in a honey-soy sauce with green beans and sweet potatoes spiced with cinnamon and cumin. So good! I can make the sauce to use with other dishes, and those sweet potatoes, cut up, coated with the spices and baked in the oven, are so yummy, they just might become a staple not just as a side dish, but a snack. The recipe is from THE WORKWEEK LUNCH BOOK, but we made it for dinner, and maybe we’ll use the leftover portions for lunch, or maybe another dinner.
I really like this cookbook. The copy I’m using is from the library, but I think I might just have to buy my own.
Spent a good bit of time Friday night thinking about various things: project possibilities, letting go of some people in my life in that they were an important part of my past, but I don’t really need to bring them back into my life for the present or the future. If we cross paths, great. If we don’t, I have some good memories (or, in some cases, some not so good memories, so there’s no reason to have them in my life anymore). There are certain people where it’s okay to lose touch. There are others with whom I enjoy keeping in touch.
There’s a lot of discussion and dismay in the various serial author groups. I read through some of it, but I rarely participate in the discussions, because my experience is so vastly different from that of most of the other authors. Overall, I would say that my experience is more positive, which is a good thing, as I don’t want to get caught up in the drama. I have enough to do to keep up with my business/creative plan for the serials, and the adjustments I have to make as Amazon finds ways to pay us less. Which will, in the long run, mean leaving the platform unless the authors self-purging causes a course correction (which I seriously doubt it will). I’m just going to keep on doing my thing in my way, adjust as necessary, and leave when it’s time. Those horizons keep growing shorter, and that’s okay.
Slept well Friday into Saturday (always appreciated). Did some puttering in the morning, and some work on household chores.
Let the idea for a play that was born out of the Open Studios conversations, and the idea that came out of a breakout room discussion in Wednesday’s workshop (which would be a Very Dark Comedy, bound to make plenty of the audience uncomfortable) percolate as I did the basic chop wood/carry water necessary to keep a household running.
Did a final pass on “Inspired By” and got the formatting sorted, and submitted it to a festival.
Thinking about some of the conversations in the serial author groups, where they talk about readers who don’t understand/want serials (which means they’re not finding the right audience), got me thinking. I worked on a video, which I think I might launch as an overall ad on why readers might enjoy serials, and how my serials are a little different. I finished the TikTok version and put it up on TikTok on Saturday afternoon.
I was about halfway through the wide version of the video (that I will use on the website and for the FB ad campaign) when I realized it was time to get the turkey meatloaf in the oven. I stopped what I was doing, made the meatloaf, and put it in the pan. My mom likes to do the potatoes, so I asked her if she wanted to.
That’s when it happened.
She was a little wobbly coming into the kitchen. Suddenly, she lost both her speech and motor skills.
I put her in a chair. I grabbed her medications and put them in a bag, put on her boots and her coat, and got her purse. I considered driving her to the hospital, but I didn’t think I could get her to the car, so I called 911. The ambulance was here fast. They started treating her right away while I turned off the oven, covered the meatloaf pan and stuck it in the fridge, made sure all the burners were turned off.
They put her in the ambulance, started treatment, and drove up the street to the city’s hospital, and I followed in my car. They brought her in through the ambulance entrance. I went around to the public entrance, security took my driver’s license to make an ID badge, and the very nice administrator did the paperwork. She was already in the computer, so we didn’t have to worry about the insurance cards and all the rest. They had me join her in the bay within about 10 minutes.
They had her on an IV and kept giving her a special medication to get her BP down. It would go down, then go right back up again. She was already answering questions and had most of her motor skills back, although she was still a little confused and didn’t feel right.
I handed the doctor her prescriptions and told him we’d been to her regular doctor on Wednesday because of increased BP (and that we went to PREVENT something like this), and all she did was double the dose of the BP medication (even though I’d asked her to change it). The doctor wasn’t happy about that, or about the way the BP interacts with one of the other medications, which puts unnecessary pressure on her kidneys.
They did a CT scan without dye (because dye puts extra pressure on the kidneys, something I did not know), and it looked good.
But he wanted her admitted and monitored.
The local hospital only has the ER open. It’s closed to inpatients for another three weeks. They had to call around to see which hospital would accept her, and then find an ambulance to take her.
Berkshire Medical Center down in Pittsfield accepted her, but then they had to find a bed for her in the right unit (she had to go into the cardiac/neuro unit). Once that was settled, they gave me the information, but we had to wait for an ambulance.
Once again, the EMS people were great. They got her heated blankets for the trip. They told me not to go down tonight, because that unit is strict about visitors and there would be at least two hours of intake anyway. If something changed for the worse, they would call me.
Everyone was masked through all this, which made me feel more secure.
And the sign on the door of the ER is a big one that states, “You are safe” which is the first time I’ve seen anything like that on a medical facility.
She went off in the ambulance in one direction, and I went home.
I made myself some scrambled eggs (I hadn’t had lunch, much less dinner). The cats were upset, especially Willa, who had a complete meltdown, because my mother is Willa’s Human. She sat on the stairs for awhile, when I came back in by myself, and then started crying. She ran around the house screaming. She wouldn’t eat. She then stayed on my mom’s bed.
Tessa went to try and take care of Willa. Charlotte stuck close to me and was on her best behavior.
I called the nurses’ station a couple of times, but my mom was still in the intake process, so they couldn’t tell me much.
I finally went to bed, after giving Willa and Charlotte their bedtime snacks. I tried to keep the routine as similar as possible, even though the timing was different.
I didn’t sleep much or well, although Tessa and Charlotte took shifts with me.
I was up around my usual time on Sunday morning. I fed the cats. Willa wouldn’t eat. She was very depressed and on my mom’s bed.
I checked with the nurses’ station. They said she had a good night, and I should come down when visiting hours began at 10 AM.
I did the usual morning routine of yoga, meditation, breakfast, chores. I packed up some stuff I thought my mom would enjoy: a stuffed dog, some toiletries, her puzzle books, a book to read, her phone charger.
I answered emails and social media posts; everyone has been so kind and supportive, and it’s so much appreciated. It feels good to be within a supportive community, both virtually and physically. Neighbors and locals from the various parts of my life are letting me know that I shouldn’t be shy about asking for whatever I need. Far-flung friends are also offering support. It makes such a big difference.
Around 9:30, I headed to Pittsfield. I found the hospital easily enough, although I went into the wrong building first. But I found my way to the right one, got another visitor badge, and got directions to the unit.
The nurses and health aides are all very nice. My mom was in a room with another woman, who was transferred to a rehab facility while I was in there. Again, very nice EMS workers transferred her, although the woman was nasty to them.
All my mom’s nurses introduced themselves to me. She had a good night, and her BP was down, They found some fluid in her lungs and gave her Lasix to deal with that. I joked that they were treating her like a racehorse; the resident doctors didn’t know that Lasix is used in horseracing, so we talked about that for a bit.
She has full motor control and speech back, which surprised all of them. The Physical Therapist and the Occupational Therapist both stopped by to work with her and assess her, in case we needed more help at home than I could give, or if she needed to go into rehab in order to regain any skills. But she was perfectly coherent, and when the PT said, “can you walk on your own?” my mom practically sprinted down the corridor and the PT had to rush to keep up. She had my mom demonstrate she could go up and down the stairs by herself. The OT had to demonstrate she could dress herself and take care of bathing, going to the toilet, etc. They were all very impressed that she’s still so independent.
The nurse said one of the reasons she’s able to make such good progress is because I called the ambulance right away and they could start treating her. Both heart and stroke have very short treatment windows before there’s irretrievable loss. I’m glad I didn’t second guess myself on that.
I was there for about three hours. They had no idea when the MRI or other tests would happen, and there wasn’t anything else I could do, so I came home.
I went a different route home, so I could stop by Wild Oats on the way home. They’d seen the posts on social media and wished me well. Amongst other things, I bought a bag of chocolate covered pretzels and stress ate the entire bag when I got home.
I put the meatloaf in the oven, made the mashed potatoes, and steamed some vegetables. I talked to my mom after her lunch finally showed up: she was not impressed. The tomato was unripe and they don’t know how to use fresh herbs, and she misses my cooking.
I did the dishes and put away the leftovers. I played with Willa for a bit. She was still very depressed.
I fell asleep on the couch for a couple of hours, with Charlotte on top of me, and woke up with sore muscles, and still tired. I had a cup of tea, checked on the cats, and talked to my mom again. Her dinner was better, especially the piece of lemon cake with whipped cream. She had her MRI just before 8 PM, although they wouldn’t know the results until Monday.
I went to bed right after I talked to her, once I gave Willa and Charlotte their bedtime snacks. I figured if I woke up in the middle of the night, I ‘d get some work done. But I slept through until 6AM and still woke up feeling like roadkill with a massive headache.
I kept to the regular morning routine. Willa wasn’t eating much, but she seems a little less depressed. I got her to play with her favorite mouse for a few minutes. Tessa is trying to keep us all on schedule: supervising breakfast and dishes and litter box cleaning. Charlotte is being as good and quiet as possible.
I caught up on emails, and sent off some emails explaining I’d have to make adjustments to commitments this week. I turned around some coverage score sheets. I booked the hotel in Cooperstown for my play reading – a chain hotel, but it’s simple and near the theatre, and all I need for an overnight.
I started working on LEGERDEMAIN when my mom called. They told her she can go home on Monday, although they want to do a couple more tests. And they don’t think it was a stroke, after all. I checked with the nurses’ station; they don’t have an order that she could go home, so we agreed I’d go to the hospital around 1 PM and we’d see where we are.
That meant saving the LEGERDEMAIN episode I started and switching back to coverage work, so I can get that cleared off my desk before I go. I had trouble concentrating, but I got a few things done.
I left the house around noon; did a drop-off/pickup at the library, put gas in the car, and headed to the hospital. My mom was eating her lunch, a not-very-good grilled cheese, when I arrived. They talked about maybe doing some more tests, then decided not to. I had a chat with the doctor, and she was discharged.
We drove home through Pittsfield, and I stopped at CVS for the new medications. Getting her up the stairs exhausted her, but we did it, and she rested for a bit. She’s definitely not 100% — when she gets tired, there’s a little bit of droop to the left side of her mouth, she gets some words mixed up, and doesn’t always understand what is said to her. I don’t care what they’re calling it – she had a stroke, and feel as though they rushed her out. Because of money, no doubt. I mean, they were very nice to her, but discharge felt like we were being dismissed.
Willa was like a different cat within five minutes. She was waiting at the top of the stairs when we came in. As soon as we had my mom settled, and my mom petted her, Willa went and ate the food out of everybody’s dishes (after barely eating for the last two days). She even started playing a bit. And stuck close to my mom. Tessa and Charlotte both came to say hello to my mom.
I heated up the meatloaf and mashed potatoes, which made her happy. She was so delighted to have some real food again. She felt bad about not doing dishes, but I told her she was off any sort of chore duty for at least the week. We’ll see how she does next week, and then maybe add in something simple here and there. I know she needs activity, but I don’t want it to be too much too soon.
She sat in her chair in the livingroom for a bit, but went to bed early. I kept checking on her to make sure she was breathing, because there was definitely some regression since we left the hospital. I went to bed fairly early myself, but popped up every few hours to check on her. Willa stayed curled on the bed with her. Tessa and Charlotte were both with me.
By 4 AM, I figured I might as well get up (after a weird dream about a friend’s film screening).
I turned around three short coverages to very specific scoring criteria, and a handful of scoring sheets.
I did not feed the cats at 4 AM, although I fed them a little after 5, and pushed the coffee a bit.
My mom seemed okay when she woke up around 6:30, although she opted to go back to bed for a bit (she likes to stay in bed until 7 or a little later). Willa sticks by her to be a good nurse. She’s pretty coherent this morning and talking in complete sentences, at least so far. We’ll see how she does with the medications and she’ll take it easy today.
I have to go get an oil change for the car this morning (and it desperately needs it). This afternoon, I will probably just do gentle yoga. I’m not comfortable leaving her on her own for very long.
I’m worried that because she did well in the hospital tests, we won’t get the support we need now that we’re home, and, at tomorrow’s doctor’s appointment, I want to discuss that with the doctor.
I have no idea what the next few days will bring. Taking it one day at a time. While I’ve lightened my commitments outside the house, I need to bring in some higher-paid freelance work on a flexible schedule. The script coverage isn’t cutting it, although that’s the type of work that’s best suited to this situation.
Onward. Would appreciate it if you kept a good thought.
February 26, 2024
Mon. Feb. 26, 2024: Intent for the Week — Navigating What’s Next
image courtesy of Ivaylo Ivanov via pixabay.comIf you follow me on social media, you know that my mother had what they think is a mini-stroke on Saturday and is in the hospital. She’s doing well; she’s regained her speech and motor skills. They are still trying to figure out WHY it happened so it doesn’t happen again.
There will be more details in tomorrow’s post.
I hope to bring her home today or tomorrow; from there, we will have to navigate each day of the week as it comes.
What’s your intent for the week?
February 23, 2024
Fri. Feb. 23, 2024: More Art That Makes My Heart Sing
image courtesy of Bodo Bertuleit via pixabay.comFriday, February 23, 2024
Day Before Full Moon
Snowing
It was supposed to get up to nearly 50 degrees today, but I woke up to snow. I guess I’ll be out and about running errands later than I expected!
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 114: Gaston’s Dangerous Former Love
Gaston shares a tragic but fascinating tale from his past with Lianna.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 64: Good Drugs
Nina wakes up in the hospital. The murderer’s in custody, but Jake’s still missing.
Episode 64 of DEADLY DRAMATICS marks the halfway point of the first season, and the end of the first large arc of the season. If you’ve been waiting to do some binge reading, you can binge on the entire first 64 episodes and have the equivalent of a full novel. Of course, I hope you keep reading with the arc that starts with Episode 65! There are three shorter arcs remaining in this season.
One of the things I haven’t mentioned on the blog, but must, is the murder of Nex Benedict, in Oklahoma, beaten to death by girls in their school bathroom. Well, they died the day after the beating, and the school is trying to pretend there’s a different cause. This is unacceptable, and so is the way the school shrugged it off. No one should be treated this way, and the fact that they were murdered by fellow students, who were taught to hate by their parents and community, is unacceptable. The consequences need to be harsh on both the murderers and those who taught them Nex’s life didn’t matter.
Meditation was good. Charlotte was thrilled to have another Zoom so soon.
I revised, edited, polished, uploaded, and scheduled the next four episodes of LEGERDEMAIN, getting me through the end of March. I’m worried about one of the plotlines. There’s not the necessary chemistry between the characters. I may have found the motivation anyway to pull it off, but I’m not sure. It’s frustrating. There should be fireworks between these two, and there hasn’t been. Yet. I’m hoping I can build on what’s happened in this section in upcoming episodes so that I can get it where I want it.
I did another revision on the short play “The Voices” hoping to get it out the door, but it’s still not quite where it needs to be. I did get another of the full-lengths out the door, submitted to a festival.
I turned around three small coverages. I booked my March yoga classes.
I signed up to bring my infamous devilled eggs to the potluck, and I’ll see if they need/want something else, too, closer to the day.
I got my act together and made it down to Open Studios as MASSMoCA. It was so wonderful! The artists were doing such exciting work, and were so joyful. The conversations were terrific. One woman was experimenting with turning one’s inner goblin into something playful; another man was a scientist trying to connect with people about climate change through visuals and poetry; another artist made her own paper. She was in the studio next to the one I was in last autumn, and we laughed about how we both liked to nest. She’d brought a rug, and studio slippers and decorations and All The Things. Another guy was a novelist, and he’d taped up his latest chapter and challenged visitors to find typos. Another guy created these vivid paintings on the walls of the studio (artists can do that, as long as they paint it back to white when they leave). One of the studio visitors turned out to have been the woman who used that studio as her office when a series of kids’ programs were run out of that building, and her husband (who was also there) was an artist who had originally painted the walls for her (and some of the texture was still visible under the other layers of painting that happened over the years. That couple originally lived in Chicago, visited 28 years ago, and never left. Another woman did stop motion animation, the likes I hadn’t seen since I was a student back at NYU (a long time ago). She was also a crocheter, and we wound up talking about yarn as much as we did about animation! I didn’t get to see what was going on in the studio I inhabited last October, because that artist chose not to participate in Open Studios.
It was a very exciting, joyful evening, and I felt so grateful and delighted that those artists were willing to share their work, their inspirations, their passions, and have conversations with those of us visiting the studios. It made my heart sing.
There’s so much talent out there, and if it’s nurtured, it can really uplift the world and change it for the better.
Came home, was even able to park in my spot, cooked dinner, finished reading Rebecca Thorne’s CAN’T HAVE TREASON WITHOUT TEA, which is just delightful. The print book I have to review arrived, along with a medium sized box from Target containing only the box of pens I ordered. Sigh.
I had planned to run my errands earlier in the day than usual, but if it’s still snowing, I will push it back a bit. I have an early afternoon Zoom call with a Nightwood colleague about the Edinburgh Fringe. I’d like to get some writing done, and I have a couple of script coverages and score sheets to turn around. I also have to finish the reading/scoring for the Scholastic contest, and then that is done.
The weekend is about a lot of hearth-and-home stuff, and I also want to make serious progress on the CAST IRON MURDER edits. I need to get that out on submission in the coming weeks. I’ve kept pushing aside for too long. I also want to finish the two teaching proposals, and get to work on the larger project proposals. The workshop Wednesday night made me see more possibilities in those glimmers of ideas. Next week will be very busy (but, I hope, the good kind of busy), so I want to get a jump on things if I can. I’ve also blocked off a chunk of time for poetry on Sunday.
Amazon has warned us they are changing the royalty/bonus metrics yet again, and I need to look over the long-term plan for the serials and adjust yet again. I also need to run a couple of ads in the coming weeks, and see if that helps the metrics. The Vella group games really only keep the money circulating within Amazon. I’d rather put my time toward something that actually grows audience, rather than keeping things circulating within a small, insulated group.
I have a feeling that’s why I had such resistance to writing REP this week (in addition to needing to do some more research on the science end of this, since I’m writing a SCIENCE fiction theatre comedy). Vella is becoming more and more unviable, and I need to think about where else and how else REP would be best served. Anything on Amazon is always a risk, and gets stacked, over time, more and more against the author, so it’s not surprising; it’s just disappointing that it happened so fast.
Have a great weekend, and I’ll catch you on the other side!
February 22, 2024
Thurs. Feb. 22, 2024: The First Workshop
image courtesy of 8926 via pixabay.comThursday, February 22, 2024
Waxing Moon
Cloudy and warmer
You can read the latest on the garden here on Gratitude and Growth.
I put up yesterday’s Ink-Dipped Advice post on communication tools after this blog post, and you can read it here.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 166: Enchanted Blades & Poisons
Shelley’s theory about how the blades are enchanted means there’s a skilled sorcerer involved. That sounds familiar.
Yesterday went a little cattywampus because I had to take my mom to the doctor. I did a script coverage in the morning, and then did my library run. Dropped off a lot of books, picked up a decent amount, too.
Home, got a few little things done, had some lunch. Re-read a call for proposals I’d thought I couldn’t do, and an idea began forming, from the prep work I’d done for the night’s workshop. I might see if I can put together a viable proposal. So that’s two detailed, intricate proposals for two different projects that I need to write in March.
Took my mom to the doctor, and met her doctor and my mom’s favorite (male) nurse. The doctor was concerned that her blood pressure was so high and adjusted the medication. I take her back next week. She felt better just for going to the doctor.
Finished reading THE MAGIC OF LEMON DROP PIE by Rachel Linden. (Sort-of, but not really spoiler alert): I really liked most of it, up until a few sentences near the end: “. . .you don’t need magic to change your life. You just need to follow your bliss as best you can.” But that’s what magic IS. Understanding and defining your bliss, aligning yourself with that, and then taking action toward it. The character’s dismissal of magic soured the book for me (no pun intended).
I started reading YOU CAN’T SPELL TREASON WITHOUOT TEA by Rebecca Thorne, which is really funny so far.
After a late dinner Tuesday night, we had to have an early dinner last night because of the workshop (plus I had to miss tarot circle).
It was my first workshop as a member of the Assets 4 Artists Northern Berkshire Artist Capacity Building Grant Program. It was wonderful. It was run by Shey Rivera Ríos, who is based in Providence, and the topic was “Cultural Organizing for Artists.” I learned so much, and the entire group had so many good ideas. We had a breakout session, with just three artists in each, so that we got to get into some deep discussions. I learned a lot that I can apply toward both new ways of storytelling that are more layered, and toward the two projects on which I am writing applications. There was some talk about continuing the conversations started over a period of weeks. I’m definitely interested; we will see if that comes to pass.
Charlotte, of course, was delighted to meet a whole new contingent of people over Zoom who think she is pretty, and she participated in about the first 20 minutes of the workshop.
In the Land of Things Work Out, a disappointment I had in not getting a particular residency in April worked out in my best interest, because of this capacity building program and the play reading.
It was a very intense two hours, and I was both exhilarated and exhausted by the end of it. It ties in a lot with the community based work that Wild Soul River does, and that the farm in which I’m now a CSA member does. The way things are aligning, and the connecting dots are really cool.
I slept pretty well, although I woke up around 3:30 (mostly because I’d gone to bed early). But instead of fretting and worrying about going back to sleep, I decided to be grateful for the quiet time and mull over things I’d learned in the workshop and how to apply them in life.
I naturally fell back asleep, and Charlotte roused me as soon as the coffee started.
On today’s agenda: I already wished a good friend happy birthday (and I hope she has a brilliant day); meditation; writing; working on proposals; LOIs; script coverage; finishing up the reading for the Scholastic contest; Open Studios as MASSMoCA this evening.
My mom’s feeling a little better today, so we’ll see how the medication adjustment works.
I hope it doesn’t rain this afternoon/evening, so that I can walk to and from MASSMoCA. If I drive, while I’m out, Dipsy Doodle will appropriate my parking spot again.
Anyway, have a good one!
February 21, 2024
Wed. Feb. 21, 2024: Parking Woes Continue
image courtesy of Igor Saveliev via pixabay.comWednesday, February 21, 2024
Waxing Moon
Sunny and col
So happy the sun is out, even though it’s cold.
There are two serial episodes going live today.
The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 113: Gaston’s History with Randolph Neville
Gaston reveals why he distrusts the revered man so deeply.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 63: Countermove
The murderer is not letting Nina escape that easily.
Yesterday was busy. I wrote what would be a decent-sized chapter of THE VICIOUS CRITIC and then figured out how to break it down into two viable serial episodes. Nina and Zack are having a frank discussion and I had to be careful about the rhythm and flow, and where to break it so it served both episodes and later could be adapted back to a viable chapter.
After breakfast, I headed out for errands. CVS fixed my mom’s blood pressure monitor (which was a surprise). I headed out to Wild Oats where I bought more than I planned, but what else is new and different? I dropped off our Presidential primary ballots at City Hall. I made another stop at a store I visit every now and again to see what they have, and found some practical things and some pretty things (but no devilled egg platter).
Home, unloaded, wrapped some gifts for a friend, packed them up, and headed back to the post office to send it off to her. It might actually arrive on her birthday after all.
After a Mediterranean-style lunch, I had to deal with script coverages. But first, it was playtime with Willa. She has decided that my after-lunch break before I go back to work is her playtime. Can’t disappoint the cat! Turned around two small ones and a batch of scoring sheets. Did some Scholastic contest reading. Booked the oil change appointment for next week.
Headed off to yoga. One hour of gentle yoga, then the hour of fitness. One of the partners in the farm whose CSA I joined was in class – this place does have the best of the small town vibe! The fitness class kicked my ass, but I know it’s good for me.
Came home and Dipsy Doodle parked half in his space and half in mine. I’m so sick of this. There was a vacant spot in the lot that he’d been using for his truck over the weekend, so I took that one, and left yet another note. I am sick and tired of having to scramble to park almost every time I leave the building lately, when it’s part of my lease agreement – almost always due to this dude. It’s not hard to NOT be a dickhead, but here we are.
I started cooking dinner after I got back from yoga, which meant we didn’t eat until nearly 8:30, which is late for us. We don’t make like Europeans with dinner all that often (except on Tuesdays, when I get home from yoga just before 8).
The plan was to do a crockpot recipe (which would have started earlier in the day), but reading the recipe, I realized we’d tried it and didn’t like it much, so I used the same ingredients, but did it on the stove and added some other ingredients, and it was good.
Up early this morning and out the door to do laundry. I was the only one there, which was great. I got caught up in the book I was reading and barely noticed when it was done.
My mom’s not feeling great today, so there’s a call in to the doctor, and we’ll see where that leads. I have to get some writing done this morning, then do a library drop off/pick up, then do script coverage and Scholastic contest reading. This evening is my first workshop with the capacity building program (via Zoom). I’m looking forward to it.
It’s sunny today, which is nice, even though it’s cold.
Have a good one!
February 20, 2024
Tues. Feb. 20, 2024: Tick Tock, On the Clock
image courtesy of Alexa via pixabay.comTuesday, Feb. 20, 2024
Waxing Moon
Partly cloudy and cold
I hope you had a great weekend.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain.
Episode 165: The Corpse Talker and the Fake Singer
Corpse Talker Ren Foster pushes his limits to get Shelley answers. And then there’s that mechanical eyeball flying around.
I was saddened and angered to hear about Navalny’s death in Russia. I hoped he would prevail. The Republicans are, no doubt, celebrating. Someone said Republicans should be scared, because it could happen to them, but until it starts happening to them, they won’t believe it. They won’t even believe it as they take their dying breaths. Because they think they are superior, when in reality, they are convenient to those even worse above them.
Wrote one episode and a bit of a second episode of VICIOUS CRITIC.
Then it was time to go to the grocery store, where I adjusted what I expected to buy with what was there and looked good. Re-doing next week’s meal plan on the fly. Did a drop off/pick up at the library. 17 books waiting for me, a bunch of them cookbooks, a bunch more about Susan Glaspell via Commonwealth Catalogue. I laughed because one was from MCLA. Had I known they had it, I would have walked across the street and checked it out with my community card, rather than having it go through the system to the public library.
Mailed a few things at the post office. Stopped by the skeezy liquor store that’s not too far away. It wasn’t that bad, and they were perfectly nice, but I am less than pleased with the selection.
Hauled everything up the stairs and put it away. Sorted the library books. Did some admin. Did some Scholastic Contest reading. Wrote and submitted a book review and asked to grab some more before the long weekend. Got paid by the coverage agency. Did some laptop/printer research. Got my next two review assignments. Finished the partially written episode of VICIOUS CRITIC I’d started earlier in the day.
It snowed on and off all day Saturday. My brain needed a break, so I gave it one. I let a couple of proposals simmer in my brain. The grant check arrived, so I walked down to the bank to deposit it. That was faster than digging out the car. Did stuff around the house, but mostly, I was cat furniture and read. Read a couple of mysteries that were cute, but oversimplified. Read another that was more complex, but the author was so excited about some of the research that there was too much explanation posing as dialogue on subjects that were tangential to the main story.
While all this was going on, I made vegetable stock (my odds and ends bag was bursting), roasted a chicken for dinner, and then made chicken stock. So, we are stocked for stock for the next couple of weeks! I use it up pretty fast, between soups and using it instead of water to cook whatever it is I’m cooking.
Had disturbing dreams from Saturday into Sunday, but felt reasonably well rested on Sunday morning. Sorted seeds for planting. I’ll pick up some more potting soil this week. I hope, by the end of the week, to order the Black-eyed Susan vine plants.
Had a lot of trouble with the computer on Sunday. Usually, I’m offline on Sundays, but since I hadn’t written at all on Saturday, I needed to get some work done on Sunday, and getting things running properly was not fun.
The sooner I can get the new laptop and get this one into repair, the better off I’ll be.
I drafted two episodes of LEGERDEMAIN, which were fun. My reward for that was working on THE VICIOUS CRITIC. I only meant to do one episode, but it flowed so well, I wrote two.
I turned around some coverage score sheets. I should have worked on the videos for this week, but didn’t feel like it, so I did not. Which, of course, came to bite me in the butt on Monday (because, seriously, I should have taken care of it on Friday).
I worked on the writing calendar for March and April. I need to get ahead on Legerdemain, which I can do the last week of February, on the Legerdemain-centric week, provided I cough up all the episodes I need to do that week. I need to get much farther ahead than I have been; I’m writing too close to deadline, and that means it’s not as tight as I’d like. In March, I think I’m going to skip working on REP, but do two weeks, back-to-back, on LIGHTHOUSE LADY so I can either finish it, or be very close to finishing it. I need to be able to start editing it in April, and start uploading and scheduling episodes by the end of April. It’s going to be more than the original, projected 30 episodes. I’m figuring between 50-60, but I’d be happy if it came in at less. I don’t need VICIOUS CRITIC done until August, but if it keeps flowing well, it might be done earlier than that, and then it can rest. I’m almost halfway through the outline, and a little over a third of the way through the story. I’m figuring it will run close to what the first big arc in DEADLY DRAMATICS ran, which was 64 episodes. I’m figuring between 64-70 episodes. I don’t want it to go beyond that.
Finished two books for review. Wrote the review for the cookbook, and planned to write the other two reviews on Monday.
Read a critical study of Susan Glaspell and Sophie Treadwell’s work. The Treadwell material was new to me and interesting. The Glaspell was the same information as the biography I just read (and by the same author), re-shaped for this format. I started another biography, by a different author, and that seems more promising.
I’m getting a little tired of reading that Jig Cook, Susan’s husband, was a “genius.” I’m especially tired of reading it from Glaspell’s female biographers. From what I’ve read, across multiple types of material over the years, Cook was an alcoholic manic-depressive egotist with ADHD. He was a driving force at the start of the small theatre movement, but he was not the only reason it happened. If he actually was supportive of Glaspell’s work and believed in it, as claimed, then he wouldn’t have constantly interrupted her to demand she drop her work and join him on whatever half-assed new venture he attempted. It wasn’t just that he was of his time and that’s what was expected. He claimed to want to build a more just and equitable society, but in practice, that was only if it didn’t inconvenience him. His ego was greater than his talent.
Oh, to have the confidence of a mediocre white man.
Slept well Sunday into Monday, although there were odd dreams. Some more snow fell overnight, just a bit, and it was very windy.
Had lots of computer issues at the start of Monday.
I found out that the latest Windows 11 update included and automatically turned on the Copilot AI bot. Someone on Bluesky gave directions to turn it off, and reminded me to restart the computer and then check. Low-tech me managed to get it turned off and it stayed turned off. On top of that, the computer is running better. The person who posted the information suggested checked after every Windows update, but I’ll probably check it more frequently than that, to make sure it stays turned off.
Monday morning was a fight between what I “should” be doing and what I “wanted” to do.
“Wanted” won and I wrote an episode of THE VICIOUS CRITIC, then headed out to get more ink for the printer. Because the Canon inkjet is always running out of ink.
I also grabbed an inexpensive egg-shaped platter for devilled eggs, because I broke my good one a few weeks ago, and haven’t been able to find a good replacement. I have one, maybe two more in storage, but they’re in storage, and I need them here. So I’ll keep my eyes open at thrift shops and Home Goods and the like for something that’s pretty and within the budget. Preferably ceramic or glass, rather than plastic, like this temporary replacement.
Came home, wrote another episode of THE VICIOUS CRITIC. The story flows well, and I don’t want to lose it. I should have been working on REP, but VC was the one demanding attention.
I took care of some admin and email. I wrote up two more reviews, submitted three reviews, invoiced, was paid, and received my next two review assignments. I did one long coverage and one short coverage, and a few more popped up in my queue, for today and tomorrow.
We filled out our mail-in ballots for the primary.
My mom’s blood pressure machine isn’t working properly, so I have to take it to CVS. Bet I have to buy a new one today, because they don’t have the class or customer service to fix/replace it.
Had a weird dream that woke me up at 2 AM, and then had trouble getting back to sleep. Of course, once I did, I overslept. The cats were not amused.
Today, I have a LOT of errands to run: post office, ballot box. CVS. I need to pick up a few things in Williamstown that are supposedly back in stock, then come back, wrap them, and go back to the post office to get them on their way. I need to get some writing done in and around all of that, plus at least two and preferably more script coverages. Plus, some reading for the Scholastic contest – we are in the final days of that.
I also have two hours of yoga tonight, so I’m going to set up the slow cooker and have a meal ready when I get home.
Have a good one!
February 19, 2024
Mon. Feb. 19, 2024: Intent for the Week — Don’t Get Blown Off Course
image courtesy of Manolo Franco via pixabay.comIt’s President’s Day here in the US, a sort-of holiday. Lots of things closed, lots of stores open.
My plan is to keep on keeping on with work today, since there’s a lot of work that needs to be done over the course of the week, along with some fun.
It’s windy out there this morning, with a trace more snow overnight. There are several shiny things dangling about to distract me, but I need to keep focused and balanced. I can enjoy some of them, but some need to wait their turn.
What’s your intent for the week?
February 16, 2024
Fri. Feb. 16, 2024: More Snow
image courtesy of Jill Wellington via pixabay.comFriday, February 16, 2024
Waxing Moon
Snowy and cold
It’s Friday! Happy dance time.
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 112: Gaston’s Plan
Gaston and Lianna admit their attraction, but the magical chaos demands their immediate attention.
Tomorrow’s episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 62: Nina Makes Her Move
Nina knows she has to save herself.
Meditation was good.
Wrote two episodes of THE VICIOUS CRITIC and could have kept going; it’s flowing well. So I wrote two more, for a total of four for the day. Decided I really needed to let the most recently drafted episodes of LEGERDEMAIN sit for a little longer; I plan to write some more this weekend, and then next week, I can edit them as a group, and then post 4 episodes next week.
I’d forgotten to do the social media rounds to promote ANGEL HUNT and DEADLY DRAMATICS on Wednesday, so I had to make up for that and do the rounds for LEGERDEMAIN.
The porch was warm enough in the sun for Tessa to enjoy it, for at least a couple of hours.
I mixed up dates and missed a ZOOM call with a Nightwood colleague. I apologized, and we rescheduled for next week. I feel terrible about it. It was completely my fault.
Turned around two small coverages. I am way below what I wanted/needed to be for this pay period. Which is why proposals and LOIs are going out.
Read the second book for review, and have to go back and finish the first book this morning (the latter was good, the first is more problematic). I want to get both those reviews out today and get my next assignment.
Did not read for the contest yesterday, so I’ll do more today. I’m almost completely finished with the assignments. I need to clarify a few things with the administrator before I turn in the final scores.
It snowed overnight. Not too much, just about 4 inches or so. But it will still mean I’m out later than expected to run my errands. Not much for the errands – grocery shopping and the library. A lot of books have come in. I have to pull some information from a book before it goes back.
I’m reading Mavis Gallant’s PARIS NOTEBOOKS, which are fascinating.
On the weekend agenda: household chores, 4 LEGERDEMAIN episodes, working on CAST IRON MURDER edits. Hopefully finishing up a couple of proposals to go out the door.
If I write the episodes of VICIOUS CRITIC I intend to write today, I’ll have written 12 episodes this week, which is excellent. However, it has a longer lead time than some other projects (because, of course, the project with the least pressure has the best flow). Next week, the focus is on REP, although I figure I’ll only write 4 or 5 episodes. I have a feeling REP will be bumped in March, and I’ll do two weeks of THE LIGHTHOUSE LADY back-to-back to finish the draft. Since it needs to be ready to go into revisions by April and all.
Looking at laptops and printers. This computer’s just about had it, and I’m tired of constantly running out of ink on the little printer. I can use part of the incoming grant for tech. I’m so tired of everything being built to fail.
Next week will be a very busy week, on multiple fronts, with various stresses pressing down. Timing will be everything, with no margin for error. But, face each day as it comes, and deal with it, right?
Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you on the other side.
February 15, 2024
Thurs. Feb. 15, 2024: It’s Still Winter
image courtesy of Larisa Koshkina via pixabay.comThursday, February 15, 2024
Waxing Moon
Sunny and cold
You can read the latest on the garden over on Gratitude and Growth.
I can finally share some good news: My full-length play, FALL FOREVER, is going to be part of Glimmer Globe Theatre’s NEXT reading series at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, NY in April. I will post more information as I receive it.
This play was born in a workshop hosted by the Williamstown Theatre Festival in June of 2022. I found out about it through Word X Word, and it was hosted by one of the WXW poets and theatre educators. I came out of that workshop with the seeds for seven different plays.
FALL FOREVER was the one that pulled hardest, and I wrote the first draft last April during the Dramatist Guild’s END OF PLAY program. It was given a virtual reading as part of that program in early May. With what I learned from that, and from some notes by friends, it went through several more drafts, and I started submitting it for readings last autumn. I also used pages from it as part of my application to join Nightwood’s Creatryx unit last year.
And now it’s going to get another reading. What I learn from this, in April, will allow me to do another set (or sets) of revisions, and then, hopefully, it will be in shape for further development/production.
I’m looking forward to it. I’m still not satisfied with the ending, and I’m worried that the final moment is saccharine instead of satisfying. I may rewrite during rehearsals; in any case, seeing/hearing it will give me a lot of necessary information for the next steps.
I knew about this in late January, but they asked us not to go public with it until they put out their official announcement and the audition information. Since I loathe vague posts – whenever someone says, “I have good news and can’t share it yet” I just want to bitch slap them – I walked my talk and shut the hell up publicly until I could actually talk about it.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 164: The Man in the Room
Another dead body. Another portal.
I’ve been having a lot of trouble with the laptop. When my grant funds come through, one of the first things I’m going to do is get a backup laptop and send this one back in for repair. Fingers crossed it holds out that long. I really RESENT having to shell out the cash for a backup computer, but they’re built to fail.
On top of that, Word updated and has a new default font which I HATE. The directions to set something else as default don’t work. So I guess I’ll just do it manually, every time I have a new document. Blech.
Wrote two episodes of THE VICIOUS CRITIC, which flowed well. Wrote an episode of Legerdemain, which flowed okay. Worked on a workshop proposal, which is going to take more work than I expected, but I’ll keep plugging away at it in bits until it’s done.
Adjusted the writing/business plan for the serials. It’s a little different for each serial, because the serials are different, but because Amazon basically picks a random number for the serial pot every month and then makes up new parameters to divide it up amongst the authors, it’s getting less and less viable. So I adjust.
Had more paperwork for the CSA, but I think this is the last of it. First pickup is June 4th. I’ll detail my CSA adventures over on Gratitude and Growth rather than here.
Did some reading for the Scholastic contest. I have some questions that I will gather together for the administrator and send off today.
I had a few exchanges with the owner of the liquor store that closed, suggesting resources that could help him re-open in a new location. Don’t know if he’ll actually follow through, but at least I shared the information.
Tarot circle was great. I had turned up in another member’s dream last night, and portions of our dream had intersected, which is kind of weird, but not surprising, considering the group. We had a great time. On the way there, I’d stopped at Wild Oats for coffee and one of my favorite wines.
A couple of small coverages came in for today. I’m under what I’d hoped for this pay period, which is frustrating.
I’m putting together an LOI for a potential new client. The pay’s a little under what I’d like, but it offers the flexibility I need at the moment, so I figured it’s worth a pitch.
On today’s agenda: meditation, two more episodes of THE VICIOUS CRITIC, getting two episodes of LEGERDEMAIN up. I’ll see how much time I have in the writing portion of my day after that, and then decide on which project to focus the attention. In the afternoon, I have some coverages and Scholastic reading to do. Then, again, I’ll see where I am, timewise, and what needs doing. I hope to finish a book for review, so I can get those two reviews out tomorrow and get in another assignment, so that I can invoice next week.
Hope you have a great day!
