Mon. Oct. 7, 2024: Start of a New Adventure

Photo by Devon Ellington

Monday, October 7, 2024

Waxing Moon

Pluto, Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus Retrograde

Rainy and cool

I hope you had a great weekend.

You can check out the Community Tarot Reading for the Week over on the Cerridwen Iris Shea site here.

I’m doing a regular post instead of the usual Monday intent post because, later today, I go in-studio. Last year, I posted regularly while I was in-studio. I hope to do so this week, but who knows? I’m giving myself room to let it unfold organically this year.

And don’t worry, I’m not putting my home at risk by announcing I’m not there – it’s occupied. Can’t leave the cats without a human, now, can I? Plus, I’ll be headed back there at least twice over the course of the week to check on things and get things I’ll need for the reading, which make more sense to keep in my place (one flight up) than the residency apartment (two very steep flights up).

87 projects are vying for attention for the residency week, but I want to do a deep dive into adapting “I Will Be Different” so everything else just has to shut up and wait their turn.

I will be doing some work on VICIOUS CRITIC throughout, to get the rhythm back, and possibly an essay, but that’s the plan. There are some poem ideas I want to play with as well, since, you know, this is a session for and with poets. If I need a palate-cleanser here and there, after I’ve written myself out on the play for the day, we’ll see. But I don’t want to get too scattered.

Friday, I managed just over 1200 words of VICIOUS CRITIC. I’m struggling to get back into the voice of the book, and worrying I might not have enough story for a novel, but the original idea was for this to be a novella, so I’m not going to worry about it for this draft. The voice of this series is very important, so I need to get that back.

Did a large library pick-up return, mailed some bills, bought some stamps. Came home and “just took a look” at one of the books. Suddenly it was 5 PM and I’d read the whole thing. It was the published journal of a writer whose work I sometimes like, but often feel is nasty rather than funny. Reading the journal made me actively dislike him. But it was still interesting to watch his voice evolve, even in the journal, and get more detail and story oriented.

Used as much of the CSA goods as possible for dinner.

After dinner, I turned around two small coverages. And then read some more, including a really fun book by Sylvia Boorstein about meditation retreats. One wouldn’t normally pair “fun” and “meditation retreat” but her style makes the book fun.

Mentally, I already left for the residency, so it was a struggle to focus on the chop wood/carry water I still needed to do.

Bea is having a lot of fun during the day. She’s especially adventurous right after breakfast and right after dinner. And it’s good for Charlotte to have someone to hang out with. Charlotte is definitely happier. Tessa likes Bea, too, although Tessa is determined to keep us all on schedule. Willa will get there. She’s hanging out more, and then having a tantrum and running away.

I re-read the “Ink” posts from last year’s residency experience, and also the handwritten journal I kept, to remind myself of the details, and to see where I can build this years’ experience on what I learned last year. What worked? What do I want to try differently?

Had weird and very intense dreams into Saturday.

Had a gentle morning. Got out a manuscript submission and then realized I’d made a huge mistake in the file, so that’s an opportunity blown. My own damn fault. Fixed it for the rest of the submissions – which will wait until AFTER the residency.

Did a large grocery shop to cover what I need for the residency, what my mom needs while I’m gone, and what I need to prepare the food for the reading. Had to go to several stores to find figs. Figs have gotten difficult to find around here, and currants nearly impossible. I will head down to Pittsfield post-residency and see if I can stock up on currants from one of the stores down there. I prefer currants to raisins in quite a few holiday recipes, and I tend to use them with golden raisins in Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine.

Picked up a couple of bottles of wine to get us started this evening!

When I got home, I sorted as I unpacked, as to which items had to go where. Then I unpacked and repacked my book bags. I took out about a dozen books, and I still have more books than I need, but I might want them, so they’re coming.

Made pizza for lunch. We hadn’t had pizza in ages.

All I wanted to do was enjoy the sunshine and read a book, but since I hadn’t finished the coverage work on Friday (because I sat in the sun and read a book), I had to get back to work on Saturday. Finished a medium coverage, did another medium coverage, did a small coverage.

Then, I got to read for pleasure. Unfortunately, the book had so many plot holes I could drive truck conveys through. Won’t be reading more from that author.

Woke up at 2:30 on Sunday and couldn’t get back to sleep. Moved to the couch around 4, and dozed off with Charlotte sitting on me until about 6, when Tessa insisted I get up to feed them.

Woke up with a strong opening line for a new piece that puzzles me. I will have to let it percolate. No idea what this piece will be. All I have is the opening line.

A rush coverage showed up and I was in no position to turn it down. I spent most of the morning on that, and got it out the door. Packed and repacked a few things, including my clothes. I’m definitely taking too much, but I have the car, and I’ll probably bring some things back midweek, so I have that flexibility.

I took the COVID test. It was negative, which was no surprise, since I feel fine. But I still always worry. Sent the photo of the test to the residency manager. I am so grateful they are strict about this.

There was plenty I “should have” done, but did not. I’ve set up systems so everything house-wise can keep running while I’m gone. I’m doing some last-minute tidying this morning, and I have some correspondence to get out. I have to do one more library trip – something came in on Friday afternoon that I have to pick up. I have a few things to do for the reading this morning, and also want to do a round of publicity for the reading, which is on Wednesday. I’m glad we’re doing it early in the process, because then I can sink into the rest of the residency without worrying about it.

Slept pretty well (which surprised me). Up around 5:30, got everyone fed, had a good meditation session. Bea learned about reflections. I had a lamp on in the living room. She came out to explore, then turned and saw the reflection of me on the sofa in the glass. So it looked like I was on both sides of her. She was a little perplexed until she figured it out – a paw to the glass, then walking back into her room to check, the looking at the sofa, and coming out to look at the reflection in the glass again. Once she’d done all that, she understood, and it didn’t bother her. She’s a smart little cat!

Tessa is very unhappy with all the packed bags and project bags. She knows what this means, and Does Not Approve. She does not like changes to the schedule. It’s hard enough keeping us all in line.

I’m looking forward to this week, being in the company of creative, supportive artists in a great space. 

Have a good one!