Tues. Jan. 16, 2024: A Steady, Creative Flow
image courtesy of Mohamed Hassan via pixabay.comTuesday, January 16, 2024
Waxing Moon
Uranus Retrograde
Snowy and cold
I hope you had a great weekend!
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 155: Brother Lillet’s Guilty Pleasures
Brother Lillet did not follow the enclave’s simple lifestyle.
Friday wound up being more complicated than I would have liked. I wanted to get the errands DONE, so I left earlier than I normally would have, which hurt my writing time.
First, I picked up color ink for the printer. I had hoped to look at some lamps that caught my eye, but they weren’t in stock, and they’re not something I would order online without seeing in person first. If, in person, they are right, they will be very cute. If they’re not, ugh, and I’m not going to risk it. I’m better off buying unusual lamps in thrift and consignment stores anyway.
After getting the ink (which got complicated because there was no one to check me out and it wasn’t something that could be done through self-checkout), I headed to the grocery store. They didn’t have everything I needed, but I got most of it. Then, it was up to the library, to drop off and pick up books, and to return the bookbag they so kindly lent me when I had too many books to fit into my bag last week. In the midst of checking me out, the system went down, so they had to do it manually, and then they will upload the records back later. Just what they need, on the Friday before a holiday weekend!
From there, I had to go to the other grocery store, on the other side of town to look for the last couple of things I needed, and got stuck in the traffic slowdown around the bridge work. But I got there, I got back, and even though everything took way longer than it should have, it got done.
Hauled everything upstairs and put it away. Sprawled on the couch in the sun with the cats for a bit before lunch.
At least it was sunny, so people were in a reasonably good mood. But busy, because most people were doing storm prep. At least most people were masked.
Wrote and sent off the two reviews and the invoice. Realized I’d gotten an article wrong in one review and asked if there was a way to correct it. I hate it when I make mistakes. They fixed it, and everything was fine, so I’d tied myself up in knots for nothing. But better me catching the mistake than not.
Tired and grumpy and just wanted to nap. The pre-storm headache was bad. I wanted to just push everything off, but if we lost power, I knew I’d regret it, especially since Wednesday is an off-site day. I’m still working, but not client work or serial work.
Managed to get the Legerdemain graphics done and all the episode videos for next week done, uploaded, and scheduled.
Received my next two books assigned for review, and the payment on the invoice.
Someone on social media tried to draw me into an argument as they defended the Platformer guy on the Substack issue. The differing opinion is fine, good for him; the mansplaining and the condescending “you should read this” made me roll my eyes. I decided not to be drawn in and just responded with “I read it.” Let him take what he wishes from it.
Read in the evening, because I was tired, and my brain wouldn’t work to create any more, even though I knew I should be working on serial episodes.
Because of the storm, I shut down the computer, made sure the printer was turned off, the devices charged, etc.
We were lucky that the storm wasn’t as bad as expected. Heavy rain and winds overnight into Saturday, but the power held.
I did some organizing in the office. Plenty more to do, but one step at a time. Juggling projects is always a challenge. I need to keep the projects within the juggle in front of me, or else my subconscious considers them complete and moves on. I’m trying to figure out how to arrange the space to do that, but also keep it tidy and workable.
There’s a lot of filing to catch up on, too, so I need to put aside time each day, 20 minutes or so, in the typical workday, just to file.
I have my inboxes in the various email accounts sorted, emptied, and up-to-date, though, which is a big help. Now, to keep them that way.
I sat down and drafted two episodes of THE LIGHTHOUSE LADY. That met my goal of 10 episodes for the week, and, with the episodes already written, has me at 16 episodes. But that’s not halfway through the story, by any means. So it will run more than 30 episodes.
I started drafting an episode of LEGERDEMAIN, but was out of steam.
I organized my notes on THE VICIOUS CRITIC (Nina Bell), which is the focus for this week, and REP, the focus for next week. This week will be tough, because I have to juggle drafting THE VICIOUS CRITIC with continuing to draft LIGHTHOUSE LADY and then, over the weekend, more LEGERDEMAIN. I think 10 episodes of VICIOUS CRITIC is unreasonable. I think it’s more realistic to expect 6-8. But I do need to draft 4 episodes of LIGHTHOUSE LADY and 4 episodes, over next weekend, of LEGERDEMAIN. However, not searching for my notes will save me some time.
I did some work on the nonfiction project; not words on paper, but other work connected to the book.
Heard back from one of my Nightwood colleagues; she had wonderful comments on the poem “I Will Be Different” and sent me the one-act play of hers for me to read. Her timing was perfect, since I’d blocked off time on Sunday to work on poetry.
Heard from another friend who is going through a rough patch, and I wish I could do more to help.
Read two short memoirs by a person who’d been referred to in some of the other nonfiction I’d read lately around the heyday of the Barbizon Hotel. There’s a tickle of an idea, and I’m not sure whether it’s its own project, or an arc to fold into Legerdemain. I’m tempted to do the latter, simply because it means less worldbuilding at this point, and more integrating. It would mean making this arc, inspired by these ambitious women, the fourth arc, and pushing back the fourth arc as the fifth arc. Which would work, because this is a somewhat lighter arc than either the third or the fifth, at least on a plot level, if not on a sociological one. And this second arc and the upcoming third arc are pretty dark, in some aspects. It would give me a lighter arc, and then a more serious arc. I have to think about it.
Anyway, the memoirs: the strong writing didn’t hide the fact that this was an awful human being who caused a lot of destruction, and kept trying to justify it and blame it on everything but her own choices. I’m so glad we didn’t cross paths during the time we both lived in NY.
For dinner, I made Poulet Basquaise from the BISTRO COOKING book by Patricia Wells. It turned out really well and was delicious. Chicken with pancetta, red pepper, green chilies, and lots of garlic on a bed of cooked onion and tomato.
Slept well, baked biscuits in the morning (the American kind, not the British kind).
Did some organizational work for next week. Did some research so I could finish turning around a coverage, and got that done. Drafted an episode of Legerdemain. Updated the series bible and style sheet with the new information. Did some non-writing work on the nonfiction book.
That was the morning, which left me the block of time I’d put aside in the afternoon for poetry.
Saw the lava flow in Iceland, and it’s just heartbreaking and terrifying.
I spent some periods of time reading STAG’S LEAP by Sharon Olds. She is one of my favorite poets, and has been since her first book came out in the 80’s. This book focuses on her divorce, when her husband of 29 years left her for another woman. She was far too kind to him in the book, in my opinion. But she got a Pulitzer for the book, which is a pretty terrific outcome of a difficult and heartbreaking time. With good reason; the poems are poignant and beautiful.
In between bouts of reading, I worked on several drafts of “I Will Be Different.” Many of my colleague’s notes made a lot of sense. I went deeper in a few stanzas; I added a couple of stanzas (now that I’m not in a restricted time limit, for the event, the poem can be the length it needs and wants to be). I replaced words with stronger words for sonics and rhythm. I worked with enjambement. I’m not sure if I can’t make the final suggestion work, to challenge the reader with a question, because it’s not the right choice for the piece, or because I don’t yet have the skill to make it work. I suspect it’s the latter, although my gut instinct is also that it’s not the right choice for this particular piece.
It was several hours spent on a little over 700 words, and it was glorious, as the snow came down and the winds picked up.
Leftovers for dinner (there will be a lot of those this week), and then I started reading THE RAGING STORM by Ann Cleeves, which is very good.
Had weird dreams about a former toxic boss. I’m sure there’s a warning in there, if I can figure it out. Which, I think, ties into some warning cards coming up [n the tarot pulls.
Up later than usual on Monday, although I was eager to get back to THE VICIOUS CRITIC. However, some ideas about the next episode of Legerdemain were clear, so I wrote that episode first. The group of singers Shelley interviews about a murder and someone posing as a member of their group went well. The rhythms between these characters are good, and their stories and backstories lively. They may wind up with a tie-in short (not a dedicated arc in the serial). When I can do that, I’m not sure – I’ve had so many requests for spin-offs and tie-ins built around various characters, which is thrilling, but needs organization.
Then, two episodes of THE VICIOUS CRITIC flowed beautifully. It was great to be back in Nina’s world and remember the emotionally complicated times, and use them to support her story.
By that time, it was late enough in the morning to dig out the car from the snow that wasn’t supposed to accumulate and head out for errands. I had to pick up a prescription for my mom, and we went to Wild Oats to find a birthday present for an extended family member in Maine. We found some cool stuff. Came home, packed it up (yes, there’s a trip to the Post Office on tomorrow’s agenda; not going out in the snow).
I sat down and wrote another episode of LIGHTHOUSE LADY. That went pretty well.
I did some work on the nonfiction book. A short section, but necessary. I’m not numbering these sections, because I have a feeling I’ll rearrange them as the book takes shape.
Overall, I wrote about 5K on Monday, and it was a good, solid, creative day. I didn’t even feel burned out by the end of it, just satisfied.
My mother wanted a particular German dish I’d never made before. I managed to pull it off, and she was happy. It’s a bit too heavy for me, but hey, as long as she was happy.
Read a bit in the evening. Went to bed early. Pulled myself out of nightmares twice in the night, but got back to sleep fairly easily.
It snowed overnight, and it’s snowing more now. A few days ago, we were promised “a trace.” Now, they’re saying 3-6 inches. I doubt I will get to yoga tonight, if it keeps up. Not driving in this, even only a few blocks.
On today’s agenda: two more episodes of VICIOUS CRITIC. One more episode of THE LIGHTHOUSE LADY. If possible, one more episode of LEGERDEMAIN (because then I will be caught up where I need to be for Thursday). Not much script coverage in yet for the week; hope that will change. But maybe it will give me a chance to read my friend’s play today. Possibly work on some contest entries.
The ”Severance” re-release is next Tuesday. I still have to make the video for that. Buy links are coming in, so I should update what I have on the website.
Tomorrow, I’m offsite all day at the Clark, and then, in the late afternoon, at tarot circle. I leave a little after 9 in the morning, and I won’t be back until about 6. I’m looking forward to it: the talk in the morning, the wander around; lunch, and then work in the library on the Bibiena family. The librarians are looking forward to giving me the orientation and helping me on the project.
That means I need to buckle down today and make sure I get enough done.
Have a good one!
