Fri. Aug. 23, 2024: Some Days, You Can Only Work on One Thing

image courtesy of Pexels via Pixabay.com

Friday, August 23, 2024

Waning Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Mercury Retrograde

Partly sunny and cool

I am absolutely loving this cooler weather.

Yesterday would have been my father’s 103rd birthday, had he not died at age 50.

Yesterday did not turn out as expected, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I spent the morning working on a draft of my friend’s project, and then sent it out to the project partners for their input. It’s easier if we all have something in writing from which to work, and then we can tweak it.

That exhausted me more than I expected. I worked on some ad graphics for TAPESTRY. I didn’t get any other writing or proofing done, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Pitched to a freelance gig that I doubt I’ll get. I’m not in that field, although I’ve got the writing chops to rewrite their website.

Trying to decide if I want to apply to a particular residency for next year or not. There’s another one, which opens applications on September 1, that I definitely want to try. And there’s a grant opportunity that opens September 1 that I will give a shot, too, although I haven’t had any luck with them in previous years. But it’s a different grant from this organization, so I’ll give it a shot. There’s another application for a grant that’s intriguing, but I’m not sure we’re the right fit for each other at this moment in time. I have to think about it. There are two play deadlines coming up in early September; I’d hoped to have WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE ready for it, but there’s no way I can whip it into shape by next week. It needs several more drafts.

I managed to repaint the copper kettle that sits on the stove (I call it the “feng shui” kettle). It looks really good. I wanted to paint the bones with the glow-in-the-dark paint, but I can’t find it. I’m wondering if I never actually bought it last year, after I was disappointed by the acrylic G-I-D paint that didn’t really work. It’s okay; I have plenty of time.

Annoyed at a writer boasting on social media that, even though she tested positive for COVID the day before, she’s taking a plane and attending a conference because her doctor told her “it’s just like a bad cold.” Right, that’s why so many people are still dying every week and we’re in the middle of a surge. So this selfish bitch is putting lives at risk. I don’t want to hear that it’s not her fault because her doctor (and, she claims, the CDC website backs it up) misinformed her. It’s basic common sense and caring for community, of which she obviously has none.

And people wonder why I haven’t started attending conferences in person again. Because there are no protections and too many horrible, selfish people.

Cross that author off my list and never supporting/buying her work again.

I spent a good portion of the afternoon hanging out with Bea in her room, catching up on some reading. She stayed at a safe distance, but is braver about being out and about in the room now when I’m in it. We will get there.

I decided yoga would be a good decision, so I went to class in the early evening, and definitely felt better after.

Home, dinner, read some more with Charlotte using me as cat furniture.

Slept pretty well; although I woke up a couple of times, I fell asleep again pretty fast.

Up at the usual time, got everybody fed. Bea waits by the door now, after she finishes her breakfast, until I come in for meditation. She was also trying to get Charlotte’s attention (since Charlotte is the one in the living room most often). Charlotte studiously ignored her. Tessa stomped in to give a lecture, and then stomped out again.

I need to catch up today on some of what I didn’t do yesterday, and hope coverages come in for the weekend and next week. I want to get out a few more pitches. I have a pharmacy pickup for my mom, a light grocery shop, and a library run. Tomorrow, I have to get a definitive answer from someone tomorrow who’s been stringing me along for months. I also need to prepare for a Tuesday meeting with a theatre with whom I want to work. Sunday, I have some time blocked off for poetry.

And housework. There will be housework this weekend, because that’s never ending!