Fri. March 14, 2025: Figuring Out on What to Work
image courtesy of Michal Jarmoluk via pixabay.comFriday, March 14, 2025
Full Moon
Venus Retrograde
Lunar Eclipse at 3 AM
Cloudy and chilly
Here we are, at the end of another week! The lunar eclipse was at about 3 AM. I was not up for it. I woke up near the time, but it was cloudy, and I just rolled over and went back to sleep.
Yesterday, I finished putting together the additional handouts for the students, and sent those off, along with the slides. They can keep all this information and then reference it as they work. And, no matter what handouts I prepare, our conversations lead to additional information. Which is a good thing, because it means they are actively engaged.
The migraine persisted most of the day, unfortunately, and it’s lingering a bit this morning. But I pushed through. I turned around three small coverages. I went through a bunch of research books for a project, few of which were actually helpful, so they can go back to the library today.
In the evening, I walked up to the library for the Trustees meeting. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. The meeting was well-run, and got a lot accomplished. Once again, I am struck by the commitment of the members. They are there to serve the interests of the library, not for their own self-aggrandizement. Very different than in other towns/cities in which I’ve lived. I’m sure not all the city committees are that fortunate, but the two with which I am most interested/aligned are, and I am deeply grateful.
Home, dinner, reading.
To say I am furious with Chuck Schumer for voting for the dirty GOP CR bill is an understatement. And, of course, like Jeffries, immediately after the vote, he’s going on a “book tour.” None of these dipsy doodles should be out on a book tour, and I hope their books are remaindered within a week, and that every event is turned into an impromptu Town Hall. I’ve worked with Schumer for years on legislative issues, and his spinelessness here is unacceptable. House Dems held the line, except for one. Senate Dems need to do the same.
Schumer has also put the April 1 elections, which had the potential to flip the House blue, in jeopardy. Why should anyone vote Dem, if they are just going to keep caving?
His time has passed, and he needs to be replaced with someone who will lead the fight. And Kirsten Gillibrand makes me wish I’d never voted for her when I lived in NY.
On top of that, milquetoast Ken Martin does nothing. And, he’s muzzled David Hogg, an effective activist since he survived the Parkland shooting, who was named Vice Chair, only to be silenced, rather than utilized.
We need a genuinely effective multi-party system (looking at the UK), not the two parties with a few foil hat fringes.
On today’s agenda: some writing, going over some client materials, working on books for review and contest entries, getting in touch with federal and state elected officials on several issues, paying bills, library, grocery store, post office.
Not sure what the weekend holds. There’s an all-day event at MASS MoCA I might attend tomorrow; I’ll make a decision later today. It sounds fascinating, and it will boil down to the inner friction of what I feel I SHOULD do versus what I WANT to do.
I’m playing with ideas for End of Play, which starts April 1, via Dramatists Guild. I’m wondering if it’s even going to happen this year, since only last year’s page is up. When I thought I was going to be on two large projects for the bulk of this year into next, I had decided not to do it. But now, I think it might be a good idea.
The question is, then, do I work on the draft of I WILL BE DIFFERENT? Do I work on the play about the Playland Painters, LAUGHTER & TURPENTINE (which I have to outline, at this point)? Or do I start the play about the 1908 Balloon race which happened here in North Adams?
The purpose of the event is, like Nano used to be, to start and finish a project within a month. Last year, I used the time to finish an already-begun project, THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE, and began LAUGHTER & TURPENTINE. I recently applied for a grant for I WILL BE DIFFERENT (which would be for next year), but that doesn’t mean I can’t finish the first draft before I hear about the grant.
I will ponder it between now and the beginning of April.
In the meantime, I need to get back to THE VICIOUS CRITIC and ANGEL HUNT. The Nina Bell books are selling decently (bet they’d sell even better if I upped the marketing), so I need to get the next one finished. I think I’ve cracked how to restructure this last section, so once I sit down to write, I should be able to gallop to the end. I still haven’t fixed the logic issue, which I hope to do this weekend.
It’s supposed to get up into the mid-60’s this weekend, and then back into the 30’s on Monday. If it’s nice on Sunday, maybe I’ll write up at the lake.
Mercury goes retrograde tomorrow, until April 7. Back up your work, and think three or four times before you speak!
Have a good one!
