Wed. Feb. 26, 2025: Doing My Best to Dance Through the Rain
image courtesy of Carmine Paolo Di Criscito via pixabay.comWednesday, February 26, 2025
Dark Moon
Slushy and raw
I forgot to mention yesterday that it was the day before the dark moon, the day of the month where I have the least energy. All I wanted to do was crawl back into bed and sleep the day away.
I’m participating in the Smashwords Read an eBook Week from March 2-8. The first book of each series is discounted 50%, the rest in the series 25%. Digitally, through the Smashwords channel only. You can read more information here. I will have links up on all the series pages when they go live next week, and do a lot of social media promotion.
It’s my first participation in the program. We will see. There are going to be a lot of books available for free, so discounted books might not get any traction. But it’s an experiment.
Checked in with Pioneer Valley Writers Workshop. There are still a couple of slots in the screenwriting class that starts on Wed. March 5. Please tell anyone you think might be interested. It’s on ZOOM, so people can attend from anywhere. More information here.
Contract signed for this next project with the ghostwriting client, although I am not happy with it. But it will be over by next week, when I turn in this contracted assignment, and we can all move on. So much for thinking I was going to earn a professional rate from them and steady work this year per our early conversations. Live and learn. It’s a shame. There’s a lot I like about it.
Got out the tribute to my former mentor. That felt good. I’ll link to it next week when it goes live.
Signed the contract for the anthology story. Sent them the requested bio. Once I get the okay, I can share the details. I’ll get the editing notes within a month, turn them around within 7 days, and the anthology will release in late summer. I’m looking forward to it. Depending on when it releases, maybe I can have copies available at the October reading.
Sent an LOI to an international prospect who is actually willing to work with Americans right now. I’ve expected, depending on which party was in office, that things would get hinky at times, but not that the US would align with Russia against the rest of the world. That’s downright embarrassing. Not to mention dangerous. And now we’re selling citizenships. Enough to make one vomit.
Worked on a pitch to a potential new client.
Tired of all the toxic positivity making the rounds. Stop saying we are “out of alignment” when we’re struggling, and accuse us of bringing it on ourselves because we’re worried. We’re under a system actively working to kill us. Landlords and utility companies don’t give a f!ck about “divine timing.” They want their money NOW. We can’t vibe our way out of fascism. Stop blaming people for being rightfully terrified. Stop causing more harm. Do some work to change the system, rather than taking money from people desperate to find help.
Gee, what a surprise, the House Republicans passed a budget gutting Medicaid and SNAP. While there’s plenty that none of us voted for (such as DOGE), every voter who voted R this election KNEW this would happen. R’s have been committed to getting rid of Medicaid since Reagan. So none of this pretended surprise. Everyone who voted for an R candidate KNEW this was on the table. Own it. It’s on you. And for those who sat out the election, especially from performative purity? This is on you, too. There is no “we didn’t know” or “we were lied to.” Nope. The information was out there, and you chose to do this anyway. If you have a cell phone, you had the means to dig deeper than Fox Noise. There is no excuse and nothing to hide behind.
I mean, I have nothing but contempt for people who refuse to vote anyway. There’s a difference between voter suppression and those who refuse to vote or can’t be bothered.
Worked on the next book for review. Worked on the ghostwriting assignment that’s due next week. There’s no joy in the work for me anymore. It’s by the numbers, fully professional, and I will fulfill my end of the contract. That’s the way it goes sometimes. It still makes me sad.
Spent too much time doomscrolling. I need to break that habit. Did the rounds of elected officials. Did some planning for tomorrow night’s workshare. I don’t have to do much for it – pick up more eggs and a couple of incidentals today, make and pack the eggs tomorrow, hump everything down to MASS MoCA, and then be present for the cohort. The absolute least I can do for them is to be present and honor their work.
Awake again at 2:30 worrying. Charlotte did her best to comfort me.
Bea, that little dickens, was playing in my office all night. She really like tarot cards. They were everywhere when I got up this morning. She’s figured out how to unwrap the decks that are wrapped in fabric, and she’s learning how to open boxes.
A cat who can open boxes. We are doomed. 
Seriously, though, you’d think she has thumbs.
Hopefully, the payment from the last ghostwriting assignment will come through today, and it will be what we agreed. I have a review or two to write, grocery shopping to get done, and more work on the ghostwriting assignment. I only got half of what I hoped to get done yesterday, because I lost heart, so I need to make up for that today. I have to promote the screenwriting class to fill those last slots, and I have to get out some more pitches. I have to make some decisions on whether or not I want to go forward with a couple of grant proposals, or if I think the money will be gone by the time I submit, and is that really the best use of my time and energy?
Going to the store gets me out of the house at least. And I’ll probably shovel the rest of the slush away from the car, depending on how hard it’s raining or snowing this afternoon.
New moon tomorrow, lots of astrological chaos in March. I’d rather have a nap.
Have a good one!
