Thurs. Sept. 5, 2024: Feeling a Bit Scattered

image courtesy of Public Domain Pictures via pixabay.com

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Sunny and pleasant

You can read about the latest on the garden over on Gratitude and Growth.

Yesterday was kind of a scattered day. I got out the next draft of my friend’s project (which I think is the last one). I got out the promised materials to the theatre with whom I met last week. I plowed through a bunch of email, and wondered about some residency applications. There’s one that I really want to do, I don’t think next year is a good time to do it, so I might wait and apply next year for the following year.

I put in the Chewy order, and went out to pick up wet food for Bea (I’ll order from Chewy once we figure out some more likes and dislikes; she’s going from eating anything to having preferences), and ink and a higher wattage light bulb for our reading lamps. I prefer the soft light, which these aren’t; they’re a bit harsh and cold. But they’re easier to read at night under.

One of the positives of the Nano implosion is that people are setting up alternatives the encourage each other, and at other times of the year. As someone pointed out, November? Really? And someone else pointed out it was originally started by a guy who didn’t have to worry about child care, cooking, or holiday planning.

I mean, my goal was to hit 50K before the Thanksgiving holiday, and anything above that was gravy (pun intended). So I did. But November has a lot of external pressure on it, especially since we have to push holiday mailing back earlier and earlier since the corrupt Postmaster is still destroying the US Mail service, and worry about all the other things one has to worry about to wind down the year.

I was in a workshop in the afternoon. There was some good information, but it was mostly geared to those at an earlier stage of their career than I am. I liked my fellow attendees, and we agreed to put each other on our mailing lists. We had some good conversations in breakout sessions, but again, I’m at a different point in my career, so I was able to suggest resources, but not gain new ones. I was uncomfortable with the encouragement to use AI “because it’s not going away.”

The way AI is currently used is theft, pure and simple, from other artists. There is NO wiggle room in that. Plus, the environmental damage it does. The way to change it is to starve it from the theft and push it toward doing repetitive, mundane tasks to free us to use our creativity AND find ways to use it that doesn’t further destroy the planet.

Encouraging artists to steal from other artists is not okay. Period.

Fiverr and Upwork were also recommended. Um, no. Again, it exploits and underpays those who work for them.

Create your vision, make your plan, get your funding, and PAY PEOPLE. That is how we lift up the artistic community.

Got a lovely email from the artistic director of the theatre with whom I met last week, saying how much she’s looking forward to working together.

Headed off to tarot, which was a lot of fun. We laughed a lot and took joy in each other, which is always a good thing.

The crockpot dinner of chicken and CSA vegetables was good. Then, I settled on the couch with Charlotte and the laptop and worked on coverages. Got what I needed done; had a question on one, and put that in, which gave me an extension, and I can do it tomorrow.

Slept reasonably well. The anti-inflammatories are sort of helping my knee until they wear off, when it hurts worse than ever. I’m going to try some arnica and some of Badger’s joint soothe as well.

Up an hour later than usual. The cats were not amused. Bea started to explore, but Charlotte convinced her to go back to her room. Hopefully, she will explore more later on. Tessa had a lot to say this morning, even after going over the day’s schedule with Bea. Willa is jealous of Bea’s toys, completely forgetting she has an entire box of toys in my mother’s room.

Bea has discovered indoor heating, and that she likes it. Yes, Bea, there are perks to being an indoor cat, even with eccentric sister cats.

We were sent a reminder that the virtual meditation group starts up again today; a few hours later, we were sent a cancellation because the leader is “traveling.” Why travel that day when the return date was set back in June? Surely there were other options. Again, this disrespect for our time and trying to pass it off as “going with the flow” is gaslighting, and I’m tired of it. My time with this group may be at an end. It’s been four years. It might be time to move on to a different group that is more reliable.

I will re-read “The Effie Effect” this morning in preparation for this afternoon’s meeting with the director. In the early afternoon, I have an advisory meeting down at MASSMoCA. No coverage reading today (by choice).

I’d like to get some writing done; hopefully, I can fit some into this morning, along with the marketing for the Topic Workbooks.

I decided not to do the reveal of the Nina Bell website until next week. There’s too much going on this week to do it well, and still a few things I want to tweak on the site. Hopefully, I can get that done over the weekend.

Have a good one, and we’ll catch up tomorrow. Another week is almost gone.