Devon Ellington's Blog, page 52
October 25, 2023
Wed. Oct. 25, 2023: Feeling Guilty for Needing Rest
image courtesy of Ralf Designs via pixabay.comWednesday, October 25, 2023
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cool
There are all kinds of stuff for you to read today.
Over on the Process Muse, I talk about the serials, how they evolved, where I think they’re going from here. You can read it here.
We have two episodes releasing today. The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 79: Gaston is Determined to Join the Hunt
Gaston isn’t going to be left out of this adventure.
The second is DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 29: Observations
Nina learns that Barbara and Jeanne were roommates at Smith – and that Barbara may have more than a passing interest in Roger’s brother.
Yesterday was rocky. I had a decent start – dealing with some admin stuff, looking for the Coventina Circle series notes. Which I did not find. They’re not in the project drawer of the file cabinet, or in the project bags. Which means I have to start looking through boxes. I’m sure it’s up here, and not in storage.
I did the social media rounds for yesterday’s episode of Legerdemain and to promote PLAYING THE ANGLES. I ordered Christmas cards (from Peter Pauper Press). They are the prettiest I’ve seen so far this year, and are reasonably priced. I got an email this morning saying that the cards and the journal books (which I ordered on Monday) will be delivered today. If that’s true, that’s amazing!
I drafted a new episode of Legerdemain. I noodled on the poem for November 6. I know the story I want to tell. But, instead of using the full 3 minutes, I want to see if I can tell it in about 2 minutes in a way that’s both satisfying and leaves the audience wanting more. I played with some notes for an idea where a couple of scenes dropped into my head, and I need to figure out what they are a part of. I’m trying to figure out the punchline on the 5-minute play, so I can finish this draft, and then work on it.
By 11 AM, I felt really awful. Weak and sick. Definitely backslid. I moved some of the ZOOM calls and slowed down a bit.
I polished/uploaded/scheduled the next four ANGEL HUNT episodes. So close to the end of this season, and yet so far (24 or so more episodes – I keep having 8 more days’ worth of episodes to upload, no matter how many episodes I work on). I wanted to upload more, but didn’t have it in me. Turned around a coverage scoring sheet.
I cancelled out of the Wild Oats Annual Meeting. There was no way I could drive, much less be a coherent human amongst others.
Got my next book for review.
I’m having weird food cravings. If I eat what I’m craving, I feel fine. If I don’t, I feel awful. Last night it was mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Slept reasonably well, up at the normal time. Managed to do my morning yoga practice for the first time since the jab, and that felt better. I’m hoping to slowly integrate the evening practice back in, too, ending with some legs up the wall pose before bed.
I had a cancellation on two ZOOM calls for today, which is a relief. All this rescheduling brings on more pressure for the next couple of weeks, but I’ll be in better shape for them when they happen.
On today’s agenda: social media rounds for the serials, The Process Muse, and THE SPIRIT REPOSITORY. Draft another episode of Legerdemain. Upload 4 more episodes of ANGEL HUNT. Write 4 pages on the radio play. Turn around a scoring sheet (and hopefully some other coverage work). Start the book for review. Be on the mark for the remaining ZOOM calls. I’m going to look at a new grant cycle that’s opened, and start thinking about what to pitch for it. I’m noodling on proposals for a couple of other places.
I’d hoped to set up a meeting for a project in Williamstown next year, but I’m not up to it, and I have to be fully prepared before I even request the meeting. That will have to be pushed into November, as I work on the proposal, so that’s viable in a way we can both apply for funding.
I’m woefully behind on some of my emails, and need to get back on track with that, but that might not happen today. I have a long list, and I realize I may have to jettison some of it if I start feeling awful again.
It’s highly unlikely I’ll make it to tarot this afternoon; I have to see how I feel.
Have a good one! At least the weather is pretty. Maybe I can get up to the lake for a jaunt this afternoon.
October 24, 2023
Tues. Oct. 24, 2023: Watch Your Brains, I’m Still Feeling Like a Zombie
image courtesy of Open Clip Art Vectors via pixabay.comTuesday, October 24, 2023
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and cool
Well, THAT was quite the few days. Ready for our Tuesday catch up? It’ll be shorter than usual.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 131: Pravin Helps Plan
Pravin helps create the sting to catch his contact, partnering with a surprising volunteer.
Basically, I slept most of the day on Friday. I would sleep for two hours or so at a time, be up for about ten minutes, and go back to sleep. Had an English muffin for breakfast and an apple for dinner. Sore arm, but much less pain than Thursday night. My mom was pretty much the same.
Saturday, I felt a little better. We had a decent breakfast. I still couldn’t do much, or concentrate much. I lounged on the couch, with Charlotte, reading books that didn’t tax me much. We made ourselves eat lunch. I cooked dinner, which was a lot.
What’s weird/interesting with this shot is that sensory detail is heightened. It’s usually flattened – taste, smell, etc. But this go-round, everything is heightened. Tastes are stronger, smells are stronger. Bizarre. Although I’d rather have senses heightened than flattened.
Of course, when I went to bed Saturday night, I couldn’t sleep, because I’d slept so much the previous two days. I got up and read some more, then managed to get to sleep.
I felt a little better on Sunday. Still sore arm. We both have huge bruises at the injection site, which is new. But I could think and speak in fairly complete sentences. Still a lot of fatigue, though.
I’d had hopes, the previous night, of being able to draft an episode of Legerdemain and maybe get the graphics and episodes videos done. Ha! Ha, I say! Big dreams.
I managed to polish/upload/schedule tomorrow’s Process Muse post. I created the episode graphics for this week’s episodes of Legerdemain, and got all six episode videos done for the three serials. It was also time to do another catch-up video for Legerdemain. But I got all of those done, uploaded, and scheduled on TikTok.
While I’m far from a TikTok darling, my views are climbing steadily, and I see the positive effect on the serial numbers.
I read an eBook, the first of a series that came highly recommended, and I was “meh” about it. I sort of wanted to see what happened next, although a good developmental edit would have helped this book. I didn’t want to know enough to pay the price of the second book. I would have been angry if I was disappointed.
I started reading an acquaintance’s fantasy/adventure trilogy and liked that much better. Read the first book and part of the second.
I was confused by an email from a radio producer with not just a rejection but a scolding that I didn’t do something requested. I remembered a lot of conversation back and forth. I checked the email exchange – yup, it was all there. I checked the final draft I submitted (to make sure I hadn’t attached the wrong one). Yup, it’s the right one. Big warning bells, acting like the whole conversation never happened. It’s not worth pointing this out – he’ll just get defensive. Cross him off my list and move on.
Could not sleep.
Got an idea for a new ad for PLAYING THE ANGLES. It’s October, a great time to promote paranormal romantic suspense. And there’s no reason not to promote my backlist.
I got up and headed for the computer. Of course, once I started with one of the books, I ended up doing ads for all four, and then a group ad. I’m happy with the way they came out. I used deck.blue to get the promotions up and out on Bluesky. If I use the regular app, I can’t post photos.
Then I started thinking it might be fun to do a video for the series. I started playing with that. I did the TikTok version of it, but without sound. It was way too late to disturb the neighbors. I saved it, and by then it was 1:30.
I tried to go to bed again, and had an idea for a tagline for the Delacourte spinoff books. I didn’t want to get up again, so I put it in the Keep Notes on my phone.
I was wrecked Monday morning, when I finally got up around 7. The cats were beside themselves, even though my mom had fed them.
I finished the Coventina Circle video and added music. I uploaded the TikTok version, and then did a web version. Canva doesn’t let me convert, so I had to go from scratch, but I’m learning to keep a good log as I make the videos, so I could recreate it quickly. Well, I’m implementing what I learned BACK IN COLLEGE about film logbooks while editing. That film degree oughta be useful for something, right?
The video is on the landing page of the Coventina Circle website. Again, there’s no reason I shouldn’t promote my backlist. The backlist is the backbone of a career. I’ve ignored mine for too long.
I did a post office and library run and was wrecked by the time I got back.
Got a lovely email from a theatre in Philadelphia where I’d applied for a specific commission. They’re not giving me the commission, sadly, but they like my writing. They said now that they “know me” would I please consider submitting any play I think might work for them for full production? Yes, thank you, I will.
I drank some of the oat straw/nettle tea from Wild Soul River, and that helped.
I re-read what I have of THE BARD’S LAMENT (Coventina Circle Book #5) and it’s not as bad as I remember. One of the reasons I abandoned it when I got sick was because I felt it was a hopeless mess, and not even the wonderful series editor could salvage it. In addition to the whole being sick part.
In fact, pace, character, and plot is pretty decent, although I’m about to face huge plot holes of the various threads I’ve begun in the book. I thought I had a bunch of notes for the rest of it. I’m sure I do –somewhere. But I’m not sure where the planning folder is for the Coventina Circle series. It’s all in longhand, not on computer. When I got sick, I didn’t think I’d have the chance to go back to the series. But maybe it’s worth at least having some conversations about it. If I can, I’d like to finish the series, and also do some of the tie-in novellas, and then the spin-off with the Delacourtes. They really jump off the page whenever they appear.
It’s a lot to think about.
Readers have been in contact over the last few months, asking if there would be more Coventina Circle books, and hoping that will happen. Now is the right time to spend some time thinking about it, and then having the necessary conversations with the necessary parties.
If you’re curious about the premise of THE BARD’S LAMENT, you can read the blurb here.
All of this happened in and around getting out a couple of play submissions, and too many ZOOM meetings. I’m usually good about restricting those, but this week, I’m over-Zoom booked. I’m trying to land some steady projects to get me through the winter, while juggling possibilities for spring and summer. Plus, all the Samhain-oriented stuff that always comes up this week.
All when I’m not at my best, from the booster.
A couple of really cool submission calls landed on my desk. One wants 5-page plays that are well in my wheelhouse. I got an idea and wrote two pages of one. I need to figure out the punch line, and then I can write the final three. We’re allowed to submit two plays, so I might also write another idea that came up while I read the call. Five pages are easily drafted (again, once I know the punchline). Then I have to go back and work them beat-to-beat, so that they build properly in both character and plot.
I paid some bills, ordered my journal books for 2024 from Peter Pauper Press, and ordered a book from a colleague. She’s having a sale of her signed books; I thought I had that particular book, but it turns out that I don’t, so I ordered it. I was invited to a couple of interesting events at the Clark – a rare book talk, and a members-only tour of the decorative arts with the curator, both of which I will do. I had some final stuff to do regarding Nightwood.
In other words, I had a productive day, although it didn’t feel like it.
There’s an extraordinary exhibit in Amherst, Shakespeare Unbound, that I MUST book at least a day to get over there and see. 156-mile round trip for a Shakespeare Folio? HELL YEAH. Especially since it’s in the hands of a private collector most of the time. The “when” is still up in the air, but it’s a MUST for someone as Shakespeare-obsessed as I am.
Leftovers for dinner, went to bed early. Slept for 11 hours, which is something I rarely do. Woke up feeling logy and disoriented.
I have a lot on my plate today, including drafting an episode of Legerdemain, doing the social media rounds to promote Legerdemain and PLAYING THE ANGLES, getting some LOIs out, working on the long radio play that needs a new title, getting up the next four episodes of ANGEL HUNT, doing at least one score sheet coverage, and too many ZOOM calls. I’m hoping more coverage comes in, but we’ll see.
I have a Wild Oats Annual Meeting tonight to which I am committed. I hoped to swing by the artist meet-up over at Eclipse Mill first, but I don’t have the stamina for both yet, so I will keep my commitment and let the other go.
Back to the page.
October 23, 2023
Mon. Oct. 23, 2023: Intent for the Week — Shake It Off
image courtesy of Birgit via pixabay.comWhile we both feel better, we’re still feeling the effects of the COVID booster.
The week before Halloween/Samhain is always my most hectic of the year, so I need to shake it off and pace myself.
I’d rather build a blanket fort for a few more days, but —
October 20, 2023
Fri. Oct. 20, 2023: Post Vaccine Blues
image courtesy of NeiFo via pixabay.comFriday, October 20, 2023
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Weirdly greenish gray sky and cool
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 78: Gaston Explains the Demon of Gaul
Gaston has an unexpected personal connection to the demon.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 28: Grace Painter’s Opportunity
Nina, Nigel, and Andrew work together to protect a vulnerable client from a conman.
Yesterday was vaccine booster day, Shot #6 for us.
I managed to draft an episode of Legerdemain before we left.
We headed up to Walmart (I can’t believe that’s where we got our shots). There was a lot of paperwork, but they were very nice and got it through and cleared by insurance. Unlike CVS, smirking as they find reasons NOT to put it through, the people here just kept at it until it went through.
We got our jabs – Moderna.
Uh, oh.
My first two shots were Moderna, and they took me down badly. My mom only had Pfizer. But we got Moderna.
For most of yesterday, we were just very, very tired (within about 30 minutes of getting the shot). About 4 hours after, our arms started hurting. But we just lounged around, alternating reading with napping with drinking lots of water. Sitting up for more than ten or twenty minutes at a time took too much work.
We were hungry enough to eat lunch and dinner.
But by 8 PM, I got the chills. Bad, bad chills, so bad I physically shook. I went to bed and swaddled myself in blankets, trying to get warm. Charlotte sat on me, doing her part.
I sort of dozed off, but woke up around midnight, absolutely miserable. Everything hurt. I couldn’t get comfortable, and was shifting around every few minutes. I should have hoisted myself out of bed and taken some liquid Tylenol, but that was too hard.
Around 4:30, I fed the cats, took the Tylenol, and finally fell asleep until about 8. I have a little bit of a fever, but nothing like the last few jabs.
My mom had a bad night, too, with arm pain. She is not enjoying the Moderna experience. I’m not either, but it’s still not as bad as the first two Moderna shots.
Today, we take it easy. I’m about to migrate to the couch, where, again, I will read and nap. We’re just going to take it slow. That’s why I cleared off the next few days, so we don’t have to worry.
Hopefully, we’ll feel better by tomorrow. There’s supposed to be a Nor’easter coming through, so it’s not like we’d go out and about anyway.
Have a good weekend, and I’ll catch you on the other side.
October 19, 2023
Thurs. Oct. 19, 2023: Vaccine Appointment (Let’s Try This Again)
image courtesy of Arek Socha via pixabay.comThursday, October 19, 2023
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Rainy and cool
The latest on the garden is over on Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 130: An Arrest, A Surprise
Birrin begs to be arrested, and Emlyn’s forging skill impresses Shelley.
After I got back from the laundromat and had breakfast, I polished, uploaded, and scheduled the next two weeks’ worth of episodes of Legerdemain. I did all the paperwork surrounding it, and then drafted the next episode. It feels good to be more fully immersed in that world again, and not just scrambling to keep up.
Did another run to the library to pick up books, then picked up a few things at the store, so we are all set, in case the vaccine hits hard.
I wrote and submitted the book review. Asked for my next assignment. Two more and I can invoice (my instructions are to invoice every 5 books reviewed).
I got myself together and walked down to my colleague’s art piece and she wasn’t there. I was where she told me to be, and when, and she wasn’t there. I hung around for a bit, but nothing. And no messages (she said she would text me if anything changed). I walked up and down the block. Nothing. I went into Heart’s Pace, which I’ve never visited before, and had a coffee. They make each cup individually. I ran into someone I know leaving as I entered; there was an older man in the back, knitting; another man writing on his laptop; a meeting going on. In other words, it’s a community meeting place. But my colleague was nowhere to be found.
So I left.
I contacted her later, and she said she gave me the wrong directions, that she was farther up the block, but I’d walked by there. Anyway, somehow the wires got crossed (and it wasn’t even Mercury Retrograde). She said it went pretty well, so that’s a good thing.
Worked on the next four episodes of ANGEL HUNT, some of which needed to be broken down because they were too long, and I wound up with six. That means I wrote one new serial episode (around 1K) and edited/uploaded 10 episodes (about 10K). That’s a big day’s work, and I was kind of cooked.
Got the final feedback from Nightwood on the radio play. They loved it, had great suggestions, and hadn’t figured out the twist from the clues I planted. As soon as I’m back on my feet after the vaccine, I can get back to that and get it finished. I want to send it out sometime in November.
I managed two small script coverages. And then my schedule was clear. While I need to prep something for the middle of next week, the next couple of days are okay for me to take off in case the booster takes me down as hard as it usually does.
There’s plenty I COULD do and plenty I feel I SHOULD do, but nothing I HAVE to do.
Those differences are important.
I didn’t go to tarot circle; I canceled out of this evening’s yoga. A Nor’easter is coming in tomorrow night, so even if we weren’t down with the vaccine, we couldn’t have done a storage run.
I’m nervous about the booster. I’m nervous that something will be messed up with insurance and I won’t get it; I’m nervous that I will have a bad reaction. My arm already hurts in anticipation.
And: Must get coffee filters on the way.
Drinking lots of water this morning, in preparation. Think a good thought for me!
October 18, 2023
Wed. Oct. 18, 2023: Organzing the Rest of the Week
image courtesy of Karolina Grabowska via pixabay.comWednesday, October 18, 2023
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Foggy and cool
Today’s Process Muse talks about how the poem “I Will Be Different” evolved over various drafts. You can read it here.
Today’s Ink-Dipped Advice talks about “Professional Development.” You can read it here.
Today, two serial episodes go live. The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 77: Visiting Gaston in Park Slope
Lianna visits the ceremonial magician in his elegant Brooklyn apartment.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS;
Episode 27: Myles Suggests Nina Switch Coasts
Roger’s best friend tries to convince her to move to LA
Got a rejection for a short story, which I expected, because I wasn’t sure it was a good match for the piece. I don’t think submissions are open on the markets that are right at the moment, so it will sit and wait until they do.
Read through a call for writers for a collaborative playwrighting project, where they choose a group of writers, assign scenes, then integrate them into a final piece. It’s paid – not much, but something. However, they want 2-5 pages written to a prompt as part of the interview process, rather than looking at previously written samples. Warning bells went off right away. First of all, that’s unpaid labor as part of the interview process, so nope. Second, what’s to prevent them from keeping the scenes, telling the writers none of them are hired, and then tweaking them and using them themselves, the way so many corporations do? If they can’t read a sample of previous work and tell whether someone is right for the project, that’s about their lack of reading comprehension (or lack of ethics), not about the person’s work. So that’s a pass.
Finally found a place where we can get our COVID boosters. At Walmart, of all places. But it’s tomorrow at 10 AM, which means I cancelled out of yoga tomorrow night. I’ll skip going to tarot circle this afternoon, too, since a few people there recently had COVID, and I can’t afford the risk. Since this week was blocked off for jury duty anyway, might as well get the vaccines in.
Maybe, MAYBE I’ll be back on my feet for the Artist Meetup and then the Wild Oats Board Meeting next Tuesday. There’s not a lot of script work in this week, so it makes sense to be down for the count with vaccine reactions now. I’m already overbooked next week (the week leading up to Samhain/Halloween is always my busiest of the year), and if I have to move things because of the vaccine, it will be a problem.
I am, of course, nervous as all get out about the vaccine, and feeling so awful AGAIN for days and days, but it beats the alternative.
Some authors with whom I interact on social media have started using Ream for their work. It looks interesting, but I’m not sure I have the following to make it worth setting up yet another account and trying yet another project. It seems to be mostly for romance authors right now, although the site says it supports all genres.
Did a library and pharmacy run. Turned around some script scoring sheets. Got a message that the materials I sent to a group on Friday weren’t delivered (Spectrum was being wonky), so I tried sending them again. This time, it seems, they went through.
Drafted an episode of Legerdemain. I will upload/schedule next week’s and the following week’s episodes today instead of the usual Thursday, so I’m not trying to do it right after the vaccine. Polished, uploaded, scheduled four more episodes of ANGEL HUNT, getting me into February of next year. Just 32 more episodes to upload/schedule, and it will be up (8 days’ worth of uploads, doing 4/day). Did all the paperwork around the episodes, and wrote the loglines. The next batch of episodes has some tricky rewrites in it, so I may not get them done as quickly, especially with script coverage work coming in.
Did the social media rounds for the Legerdemain episode. Did a round or promotions for 30 Tips for 30 Days, because I haven’t pushed that anywhere this year. At the end of the moon cycle last week, I decided to stop going on Pebble. Not enough interaction with artists, and it didn’t drive traffic back to any of my sites. Can’t spend the time there.
I considered starting the CAST IRON MURDER revisions, but I’m worried that I won’t be able to work on them post-vaccine, and I’ll lose the rhythm, so I’ll wait until I’ve recovered from the shot to get going. Three to five chapters is a solid revision pace for me. If I can stick with three chapters a day for the course of the revisions, it will take a few weeks (barring major rewrites, which already happened in a previous draft), and I hope it will chug along steadily. I don’t want the revision flow interrupted once I start.
Finished and polished today’s Ink-Dipped Advice piece, and got that uploaded and scheduled.
Read the book for review. Will write up the review today, get it out the door, and maybe get my next one (I can read it while recovering from the vaccine, once I feel up to it). I also have two script coverages I’d like to turn around today, although they’re not due until the weekend.
Out the door early this morning to do laundry. Only one there, which means I could edit Legerdemain episodes, and they are ready to go. Filled out a jury duty survey, and mentioned the parking situation.
I need to do another library run, pick up a few things at the grocery store. A friend is doing a live art piece on Eagle Street this noon, and I want to swing by and support her.
Then I’ll work however long I can this afternoon and get as much done as possible to clear the week, in case the booster takes me down hard, the way all five previous shots did.
One day at a time, right? Have a good one!
October 17, 2023
Tues. Oct. 17, 2023: From Poetry Reading to Jury Pool
image courtesy of 12019 via pixabay.comTuesday, October 17, 2022
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Showery and cool
Did you have a great weekend? I hope so.
Time for our usual Tuesday morning catch-up.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 129: Unexpected Negotiations
Shelley makes a deal with Mirren to keep the assassin for her plan.
Friday felt a little scattered. I drafted an episode of Legerdemain. I polished/uploaded/scheduled 4 more episodes of ANGEL HUNT and did the paperwork around them. I ran errands, including library and grocery shopping. I was assigned another script coverage. I dealt with a bunch of admin.
I did the graphics for next week’s Legerdemain episodes, did the episode videos for all six episodes of the three serials, uploaded and scheduled them all to TikTok.
I’d hoped I wouldn’t be needed for jury duty, but nope; got the reminder to be there at 8 AM on Monday. Nearest parking is about 10 minutes away, and we have to pay for it. I’ve never had to pay for parking when on jury duty. Or not had a lot near the courthouse. Ridiculous.
It took far longer to get ready for the Clark event than I would have liked. The original dress I planned to wear was too summery for the turn in the weather, so I went with a skirt and sweater instead. I was still pretty overdressed, which means at least I know I can be more casual at future events.
I did a final round of the Munch exhibit, to say goodbye. I’m telling you, plenty of his pieces remind me of tarot cards: the plough horses are the Chariot, “Human Mountain” is the Tower, the one with the skeleton is Death, and “the Sun” is the Sun.
I nearly cried when I said goodbye to my WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE. It is part of a private collection, so it is unlikely I will ever see it in person again. I have the catalogue, I have my own photos, but that’s different than being in the room with it.
I had my glass of wine and chatted with a few people, then went out to the reflecting pool in the darkening twilight and took some dramatic pictures.
Went home before it got too crowded. Too many people I know are coming down with COVID, and I still can’t get the boosters scheduled.
Cooked dinner, read a bit, went to bed.
Woke up around 4 AM on Saturday from a dream where I left my purse in a cab.
Did Saturday morning chores, like changing the beds, etc. Saturday is always my favorite night to go to bed, because of the fresh sheets! Drafted another episode of Legerdemain. Did a library run, and warned them that, due to jury duty, I might not be able to pick up again until next weekend. Picked up a puzzle book for my mom and a pair of smoky-style glass wineglasses to replace the once that have broken over the years.
Home, dropped things off, added my mom to the car, and we headed over to Hoosic, NY, to a favorite consignment store. We found some glass storage dishes we wanted (albeit not enough random lids). Murder Maps and I fought the whole way, but I had to take a detour because there was a parade down the Main Street of Bennington and it was closed. Murder Maps specifically took us home the way I TOLD it not to go, but Maps was right; it’s quicker and the road is better than I expected.
Stopped at a favorite thrift store on the way home, found a large cooking pan o’my dreams (stove to oven) and some Santa figures on sale that I couldn’t resist. No random Pyrex lids, though. But I now have a Sleigh of Santas (yes, that’s what a group of them are called), hanging out in the office, because it doesn’t make sense to pack them away just to take them out in about a month.
I have a feeling I might end up custom building a china cabinet this winter, if I can find the glass doors I want for it, and something to make sturdy little feet. Next time I’m at Re-Store in Pittsfield, I’ll look at the small, mullioned windows (if they don’t have cabinet doors). I might find pieces that are the doors of my dreams, and then measure and build the cabinet around them. That way, I can put all the special/vintage dishes and cups in a protected cabinet, and have cabinet space in the cabinets and bookcases that have been pinch hitting. If I can find the right bookcase and a pair of windows or cabinet doors I can attach with hinges, that might work, too. And paint the whole thing whatever color I want. Maybe do some stenciling. I see it in my head, I can even draw it (thank you, stage drafting skills), but I haven’t found the pieces yet.
It was eerie and unsettling to drive during the eclipse. Most people had their headlights on, even though it didn’t get all that dark. But the quality of light was disturbing.
Late lunch, and then I wrote up one of the script coverages, which took longer than expected, and started the next one, which I didn’t finish. I knew I’d regret that on Sunday, but I can’t do good work when I’m overtired. Managed to fill out my juror questionnaire without too much snark, though. I usually have a much better attitude towards jury service.
Loved settling into the clean flannel sheets. I really love my bed. So do the cats.
Jolted out of a nightmare (which I’ve since lost), but had to talk myself down from it, with Charlotte’s help. Dozed off, and overslept, getting up just before 7 on Sunday, which annoyed Tessa.
Wrote, edited, polished, uploaded, and scheduled tomorrow’s Process Muse, which deals specifically with the poem I read on Sunday evening with Word X Word, and how it evolved, and the influences from the Boiler House Poets Collective Residency.
Did another couple of drafts of the poem, printed it out in 16 pt. font, added breath marks.
Turned around two scripts and a score sheet.
Headed out to Lenox early. I stopped in Pittsfield, in my search for Pyrex lids (one can only buy plastic replacements from Pyrex, which defeats the purpose). I did find two blue Pyrex dishes, which I bought, and a pewter three-legged mortar (without its pestle) which is a great inspiration for Word X Word’s “artifact” conversation.
Continued down to Lenox. It was a lovely drive, sunshine while raining. I didn’t see any rainbow, though.
We were up on the terrace. It was a bigger audience than I expected – turns out this is one of the events in ArtWeek Berkshires. That made me so happy. I was bummed that I wasn’t participating in ArtWeek this year – but I am.
I was so happy to see some of the regulars again, along with the young woman who’d come to our reading at Bear & Bee, whom I had spoken to about this event. Of the guys who told me they wanted to come, one of them contacted me to let me know he was on his last day of COVID quarantine and couldn’t come, and the other just didn’t show. Figures it’s the youngest and the woman who shows up!
Anyway, a block of us read one after the other – a woman I know from several events, poetry and other; me, the woman from Bear & Bee; and a woman who does her poetry in song, who’d done a wonderful piece in the book burning/gun violence event. Even though we didn’t share our work ahead of time, it played off each other well. The other poets’ work was great, too, and hit a wide range.
I was really happy with “I Will Be Different.” It felt good as I read (and I didn’t rush, for once). I could see and feel how it landed with the audience, and it got them when and where I hoped. There are only a couple of lines I need to tweak. It got a great positive response. After the event was over, quite a few people came up to talk to me about it, and how it struck them. One audience member, who comes to a lot of these events, said she liked everything I’d brought in, but this piece took a leap.
Evidence that I learned a lot in the residency! Now, to keep applying it moving forward.
A couple of people suggested magazines to which they thought I should submit it, so I will look into that.
Once I fix those one or two lines that need attention.
But, overall, it was a great experience. Bill told me that 18 poets had signed up, but only 8 showed up. A couple of people had contacted him that they were sick (again, COVID numbers going up), but some just didn’t show up and didn’t contact him. That’s just so disrespectful.
I managed to get home as it got dark. It was okay. Not terrible, not wonderful. The event in November, at Berkshire Museum, starts later and ends later, so it will be full dark when I leave, which will be a challenge, but I really want to do it. After all, I have the artifact.
Cooked dinner, read a bit, got everything ready for Monday’s jury duty.
Up at 4:30 on Monday. Felt kind of weird. Had gastric issues. I was pretty sure it was because I had red meat the night before in the ravioli, and my body rejected it. I was trying to see if I could integrate red meat into the diet, especially for winter, but it seems I have to be careful. When I have the craving, every 3-4 months, it’s usually for something very specific, I eat it, and I’m okay. If I just randomly eat red meat, I pay the price.
I considered calling out of jury duty, but I wanted to get it over with. I took a COVID test, just in case. It was negative, as I suspected. I didn’t feel like I had a stomach virus or something; it was food sensitivity based.
By 6:50, I felt better, and decided to risk it, although it was much later leaving than I’d planned. The drive to Pittsfield was okay. More traffic and less construction than I expected, so it evened out. I parked up in the First Street lot, paid for the day. A woman (who turned out to be part of the jury pool) advised me to leave the ticket on the dashboard, when the meter people made their rounds. To me, that seems like an invitation to break into cars that will be there all day, but whatever.
I hiked the blocks to the courthouse, stopped to mask before I went in, went easily through security (I wasn’t wearing all the rings I usually wear). Settled into the jury room, took out my book and read.
The court officer in charge of us was late. Turned out he was a substitute, also from North Adams, and they’d called him when he was dropping his kid off at school, and sent him down here. This wasn’t his court. And no one left him the login information. So that took a bit of doing, to track it down. Oh, and get this? He wasn’t given parking either and had to fight for it/pay for it like the rest of us.
We checked in and got our numbers. I was 67. There were at least 80, and it might have been the full 100, spread over two rooms.
We watched our little video about process, history, and responsibility. We were told we’d go up to the Superior Court room to be interviewed; any of us that didn’t get impaneled would come back down to the jury pool room, we’d regroup, then tromp over to the District Court building and do it all again.
We hiked up the three flights of stairs to the courtroom. The judge introduced himself, the lawyers, the plaintiffs, and the defendant. He explained the basics of the case, read the witness list (anyone who knew anyone connected to the case would be dismissed), talked about the schedule. It only needed 8 jurors and no alternates; would start that morning. Superior Court tries cases from 9-1 and does other work in the afternoon. He expected the case to wrap by Wednesday, and then it was up to the jurors how long they deliberated.
He asked two sets of questions for elimination purposes. Then, people were called up in groups of five, per their number, then brought up individually for sidebar conversations with the judge and the lawyers.
It was interesting to watch, because it was so different than any other jury selection process I’ve been a part of, and cut down on the lawyer showboating.
I was number 67, so I figured they wouldn’t get to me and I’d be exiled over to District Court. The woman next to me was number 25, and a little worried. One of those interviewed (and dismissed) was one of the poets from the previous night, which I thought was pretty funny. Another was dismissed because he and the judge had grown up together and knew each other well.
Anyway, it took 21 interviews to seat 8 jurors. The judge asked if we (the jury pool) were needed elsewhere. One of the court officers said no, so the judge told us we were free to go. So, jurors tromped down the three flights of stairs and . . .left the building?
I’ve never served, even when not impaneled, in a place that didn’t have a check-out process as well as a check-in process, or where the jury pool could just wander the courthouse, so it seemed weird to me. At the very least, shouldn’t we get instructions as to whether we’re called the next day and/or get our proof of service paper? I returned to the jury pool room, which was empty and the lights were off.
So I left.
I hiked back to the car and drove home. I’d paid for a full day, but that lot was only $3.75, not the $12 the lot the jury notice pushed. Why wouldn’t I park in a lot 1/3 of the price? We were out of there around 11, and I got home just before noon.
I felt like crap, had some chicken soup, and took to the sofa like a Victorian heroine. I felt better after a few hours of rest. I checked on the jury website in the late afternoon, and my service is marked “complete” so I guess I don’t have to worry for three more years.
It just felt a little disorganized to me.
I felt better, but was only up for scrambled eggs for dinner, and an early night in bed.
Slept well, although I’m having a recurring dream about a white ceramic fluted baking pan. Some people dream of riches; I dream of dishes.
Slow start this morning. I’m not feeling terrible, but not great, either. I have this gift of a day. I will do some work, but I will also rest. I have to do a library run and pick up a prescription for my mom, but that shouldn’t be too complicated (famous last words, especially when it comes to the pharmacy). I will take it easy, do some writing, hope I get some coverage. If not, I can promote the serials, and maybe get some more of ANGEL HUNT scheduled. I definitely want to draft some more of Legerdemain. I’m finally getting a little ahead, and would like to keep that lead. I’d also like to get started on the next draft of CAST IRON MURDER this week, the draft I hope will be the submission-ready one to go out after the first of next year (well, after the 6th of next year).
At the same time, since I’m not yet feeling 100%, I want to rest as I need to, in order to give my body the tools it needs to heal. Otherwise, I’ll run myself down and get really sick.
I expected to be in jury duty at least through Wednesday, even if I didn’t get put on a case, so today is a gift, and I don’t want to squander it.
Have a good one!
October 16, 2023
Intent for the Week: Search for Truth with Integrity
image courtesy of PIRO I start jury duty service today.
It means getting up at 4:30, being out of the door by 6:30 to be there on time (becuase of the hunt for parking and then the walk to the court).
May I approach my responsibilities with integrity and the ability to separate the truth from the lawyerly fictions.
What’s your intent for the week?
October 13, 2023
Fri. Oct 13, 2023: The Need to Stay Organized
image courtesy of Pexels via pixabay.comFriday, October 13, 2023
Dark Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Partly cloudy/partly sunny and cool
Friday the 13th is one of my favorite days!
Tomorrow we have a new moon in Libra and a solar eclipse. While I am ready for a new moon, I would prefer a nap to it all.
Today’s serial episode is from Angel Hunt:
Episode 76: Recognizing the Need for Help
Lianna turns to the sexy, enigmatic Gaston Fletcher for help.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from Deadly Dramatics:
Episode 26: The Funeral
Nina meets those closest to Roger at his funeral, including the ex-wife she didn’t know existed.
Meditation was good. After, I did another draft of the poem, and fixed the ending. I timed a reading a few times. Unrushed, it’s coming in at 2 min. 45 seconds, and my slot is 3 minutes, so I’m still fine.
I’m sure I will hone it more between now and Sunday, but hopefully, I’ve applied at least some of what I learned, craft-wise, from the residency. I’m telling the story I want to tell, and there’s even some craft involved, and it’s deliberate, not by accident.
Drafted an episode and a half of Legerdemain. There was a good place to end the episode, but I wanted to finish the full scene while it was fresh in my head, so I started the next one, which I will finish today.
Revised, polished, uploaded, scheduled 4 more episodes of ANGEL HUNT, getting me into early next year, and past Episode 100. Did all the paperwork and loglines around them. Getting there.
About 40 more episodes to upload and schedule. 10-ish days, if I can be consistent.
I have not talked much about the war going on between Israel and Palestine. I am not qualified to discuss the nuances of the situation over there. All I can say is how angry I am that people continue to destroy each other, and perform deliberate acts of cruelty on others for simply existing.
As far as the situation with the House Speakership is concerned, Republicans are not only unqualified to govern, they don’t care to govern. They want to rule. And anyone who voted not to certify the election should be removed from Congress anyway, and not allowed to run for the most basic of offices, because they have no interest in serving citizens, but in their own profit.
In the afternoon, I read the novel for the script coverage assignment. It was a delight; even better, it’s perfect for this particular company. I look forward to writing it up today and getting it out the door.
There were pockets of time throughout the day where the heavy machinery wasn’t beeping, and it was like being able to sprint ahead on some of the work.
Started the apricot-ginger glazed chicken in the crockpot before I left for yoga; it was ready by the time I got back and all I had to do was finish the glaze and cook the vegetables. It was very good.
Read a little in the evening. Slept well, although I had a dream that was a continuation of a dream I had a few weeks ago. It was work dream, not a stress dream.
Woke up to find I’ve been requested for a script coverage, which is always nice. I try not to read on weekends, but since the strike is over and coverage is picking up after all these months, I will do so. Plus, I don’t yet know what’s going on with jury duty next week, so I’d rather get it done sooner rather than later. I don’t want to be up until midnight or later, after coming home from jury duty, doing coverage work.
I hope the actors and producers can get back to the table next week (talks broke down). The producers are whining to the press. Boo Hoo, babies, you make huge profits and your jobs don’t exist without the rest of us. Pay everyone fairly (both in the production and with residuals) nix the AI crap, and let’s get back to work.
I have a few things to get out the door this morning. I want to finish the episode of Legerdemain I began yesterday. I have to do the graphics for next week’s episodes, all six episode videos, get , them uploaded and scheduled on TikTok. If there’s time, I’ll try to get some more ANGEL HUNT episodes uploaded and scheduled. I’ll write up the coverage, and then, hopefully, have time to start the next coverage. I check in after 4 to get final details about Monday’s jury duty assignment. I am deeply irked that we have to pay for parking. In every other jury duty situation anywhere else, we received parking vouchers.
I’m going to a special membership party at the Clark tonight, to say farewell to the Munch exhibit. Getting ready for that is going to take more than a minute. But I’ll try to get as much done as possible.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we might do a jaunt over to Hoosic Falls, NY to check out something, and then I’ll finish the script coverage.
Sunday is the Word X Word reading, so I’ll rehearse and hone. The reading’s been moved from inside the stables to outside on the terrace, so I’ll adjust clothing appropriately.
Have a good one weekend, and I’ll catch up with you next week.
October 12, 2023
Thurs. Oct. 12, 2023: Genre Shift to Horror, Perchance?
image courtesy of Simon Wijers via pixabay.comThursday, October 12, 2023
Day Before Dark Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and cool
The latest on the garden is over on Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 128: Encounters Across the City
Shelley meets an old friend, a potential new lover, and a talented artist on her rounds.
Yesterday felt scattered. It was hard to concentrate because of the constant beeping from the heavy machinery. I am going to kill off these bozos in fiction, in a variety of creative ways. Who knew construction ineptness could inspire horror stories? A whole new phase of my career. Slice-and-dice is usually not my thing, but I will make an exception. A list of such markets landed in my inbox yesterday. All paying.
I managed to get an LOI out to a company I like, who I heard is looking for writers. I also got a short story out on submission. I was about to pull it from a previous submission, because red warning bells started going off about the publication, but then they rejected it, and saved me the pull.
My computer is running poorly, and I have a sense there is about to be another repair in the near future.
Got the laundry folded, Some of it is put away; the rest is draped all over chairs, doors, etc. because obviously the dryers did not work properly. I had everything in for the same time I’ve used for two years, but things did not dry properly.
I didn’t have editing work to do at the laundromat. Instead, I read – a book that came highly recommended, supposedly a novel, but poorly formatted because it doesn’t know if it wants to be a long poem or notebook entries. It read more like creative nonfiction, and the lack of arc annoyed me (along with the lack of character development, plot, etc., you know, the things that constitute A NOVEL).
Drafted an episode of Legerdemain, which took longer than I would have liked, because somewhere I dropped the ball on series bible details, and I had to go back through previous episodes to make sure it was consistent. I need to sit down soon with this arc and make sure I’ve gotten all the paperwork around the serial right.
I finished the draft of the poem for Sunday. I have to time the reading, so I know it’s within the allotted time, and then see what I can cut, add, reshape. The last bit is a little rushed; I want more character development. Then I need to layer in rhythms and sonics. The title is “The Real Work” but I might change it to “I Will Be Different” which is a refrain in the poem.
Once I have it where I want it, I will print it out in large font, so I can see it to read, and add the breath marks.
Four more episodes of ANGEL HUNT uploaded/scheduled with all the paperwork around it. Still have to write the log lines for those episodes, which I will do today. But that gets me through the end of this year.
Turned around four coverage scoring sheets, and got things set up to cover the novel this afternoon.
Tarot circle in Williamstown was great, and then some of us headed back to support our friend teaching a tarot workshop at my local library. Again, a great turnout, over 30 people. And ALL of them eager to dive in and learn and play, even if they’d never worked with tarot before. I love how people here throw themselves into trying new things.
Home, heated up some leftovers for dinner, then started reading MISSING WITCHES: RECOVERING TRUE HISTORIES OF FEMINIST MAGIC by Amy Torok and Risa Dickens. It’s very well done, and I may have to invest in my own copy. I was going to buy a second copy of a couple of books I have in storage (since I can’t seem to get to storage), but copies of these tiny little paperbacks are selling for around $200, so I’ll just wait until I can retrieve the ones I already have.
The Goddess Provisions box arrived on Tuesday. Since there are only about two more before the subscription ends (change of direction for the company), I’m savoring each one. Five years’ worth of boxes, always good, is quite a run. The Ipsy bag also arrived yesterday, with great stuff in it, some of which I will use for the cocktail party on Friday and the reading on Sunday.
Today’s agenda: meditation in the morning, yoga tonight. Between: draft another episode of Legerdemain, edit/upload/schedule next week’s Legerdemain episodes, work on the poem. If there’s time, polish/upload/schedule more ANGEL HUNT. This afternoon’s work will focus on the script coverage of the novel.
Let’s hope the heavy machinery isn’t too bad today. Playing music to cover the incessant, unnecessary beeping doesn’t help enough; it’s distracting. Noise cancelling headphones make it worse.
Almost time for meditation. I hope that gets me on the right track for the day. Day before dark moon is always a low energy day for me. Glad I’ve got gentle yoga to look forward to tonight.
Have fun today! It looks like it’s clearing up and might turn out to be a pretty day after all.
