Fri. Dec. 29, 2023: Bye, Bye 2023!

Figure in lotus position in a field with a pocket watch swaying over it.
image courtesy of Gerd Altmann via pixabay.com

Friday, December 29, 2023

Waning Moon

Uranus, Jupiter, Mercury Retrograde

Rainy and raw

We are almost at the end of the year!

On Saturday, Jupiter goes direct, meaning expansion and prosperity obstacles are smoothed out. On New Year’s Day, Mercury goes direct. Finally. This felt like a long one. I’m glad I got a lot done for the holidays prior to the retrograde, or I would have been overwhelmed with everything that went cattywampus during it.

Today’s serial episode is from Angel Hunt:

Episode 98:  Complications

The boys cancel the appointment to banish the demon.

Angel Hunt Serial Link

Tomorrow’s serial episode is from Deadly Dramatics:

Episode 48: Back Home

Charlies wants Nina to have protection. Nina wants some time alone.

Deadly Dramatics Serial Link

Slogged through some more admin. Kept my primary inbox under control. Surfed some job boards and rolled my eyes a lot. Worked on my answers for the 2024 GDR questions and did some contemplation on the year. Creatively, it was strong. I need to get the financial more in balance with the creative for next year.

Set up a bunch of folders, both tangible ones and digital ones, in preparation for 2024.

Spun some ideas for a project proposal I want to write in January.

Had an idea for a group project that would be a good way to mutually grow audiences, but I doubt I could get the commitment out of the participants needed to keep it on track, and, frankly, I’m not in the mood to herd cats right now, unless, you know, they are actual cats. So that’s a no-go. I will keep my ear to the ground to see if anyone else launches something similar and then pitch myself for it.

Did a couple of short coverages. My income for these past two weeks will be pathetic.

Ended up going down the rabbit hole of the 1930 census. Found Frank W. Darling, who ran Playland at the time. He and his family lived in Larchmont/Mamaroneck Town. He’s listed as “director of Playland amusement park.” His wife, Helen, is listed as “gardener/landscaper.” With them lived Frank’s two stepsons (which means Helen was married before. I need to find her maiden name so I can track her earlier marriage record. If I can find the marriage record to Frank, I ought to be able to do that). Thomas McDonald, the eldest stepson, lived there with his wife, Opal, and they are listed as “magazine editors” which is intriguing. The younger son, William, is listed as a clerk for an electrics company. You’ve gotta wonder if they were all somehow connected to Playland. They had a servant from Northern Ireland living with them, a twenty-one-year-old young woman name Theresa Keena, only one year younger than William. Frank is listed as born in Michigan; Helen in NY; Thomas and Opal in Minnesota, and William in Massachusetts.

I definitely want to know more about Helen!

I managed to find Frank’s birth record, back in Michigan, and his parents’ names.

None of them show up easily in the 1940 Census, so I will have to do some more digging there, because Frank was at Playland until the late 1950’s or early 1960’s.

Next stop there will be trying to get the property records.

I also found Iris Woolcock in the 1930 census. I’m pretty sure it’s the same Iris at Playland who, in 1948, took an RV to Alaska and wrote a book about it. In 1930, she lived in a boarding house at 118 W. 11th Street run by an Italian-born couple, John and Henrietta Grill, who had wo children, Ida (17, born in Italy), and George (9, born in NY). Iris is listed as a “lodger” with her profession as “artist” which tracks for being the Iris Woolcock who was a Playland Painter at the time. She’s also listed as divorced, which also tracks with the Iris who wrote the book (who was by the time she went to Alaska to write the book divorced from her second husband, Charles Morrow Wilson, whom she married in 1933 and divorced in 1939).

Fellow lodgers include an actor named Joseph Parry (actor) and the journalists Amy MacMaster and Garland Smith. MacMaster wrote an expose on NYC social clubs in 1929 that’s still quoted. Garland Smith’s name, as a writer, is familiar, but I can’t place it. Yet.

There’s a play in that boarding house.

Since Dorothy Dwin was living up on Lexington Avenue, according to the same Census, at the time, and working at Playland, I can imagine Dorothy and Iris on the train together. The train had either just come into Rye or was being built – I have it in my notes somewhere. I remember, in records I went through at Westchester Archives, the payroll records of railroad builders. I made notes, thinking it would be useful, and will dig those up.

I have not found the records I need for Grace King Hutchins or Anita Minter (although I found a lot of info a few months ago about Anita’s time at Parsons, her career in advertising in Georgia, and visits she made to a nearby Vermont town to visit friends from Parsons).

I don’t understand why it’s so hard to find anything about Frank in the Coney Island records, when he was there for years. I also need to find the records of the L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway, where he was a top executive before Coney Island and Playland.

I’m happy with the puzzle pieces I found, though, because they are leading me further.

But finding these nuggets of information takes time and persistence.

I really need the WPA records. As artists ,it’s likely these women would have been part of that program.

Nearly went down another rabbit hole at the National Archives and the Smithsonian. Both need volunteer transcribers. The Smithsonian has a project transcribing letters of a woman artist that sounds fascinating; I’d be one of a group of volunteers working on that project.

But can I afford, financially, the time away from my own work to make the commitment? There’s no set number of hours; but I’d want to be able to commit to transcribing at least one document a week until the project is done.

I have to think about it. But I’m intrigued. It’s the kind of volunteer project I could do remotely, and it’s in a field that interests me – women’s diaries and letters. History that could be lost.

Today I have to do next week’s episode videos for the serials. I also have to do a library run, grocery run, and liquor store run. My webhost told me they’re raising rates this year (I have to pay at the end of January), but haven’t told me how much, so I told them I need to know – and not when they pull it from my account. With that and the rent going up, January will be a tight month, unless the script coverage picks up significantly, and I add in some other quick turn-around, quick-pay work. November was a low-reads month for the serials, so it’s not like I can count on that income. The reads picked up somewhat in December, but I won’t see that money until February.

Tomorrow, I will take my mom to the Clark for the livestream of THE MAGIC FLUTE. Yes, we will be masked. It’s the Julie Taymor production, and I’m excited to see what she did, although I am not the opera fan that my mother is. She’s so happy to go, and has been looking forward to it since I booked the tickets.

New Year’s Eve, we hope for quiet. Good food, reading, enjoying the tree, burning the second bayberry candle “down to the sprocket” for luck and prosperity. The Day will be, again, about good food, good books, and rest. I have yoga in the afternoon.

On a creative level, I’m very happy with 2023. I just need to level up the financial side of the equation in 2024, while maintaining the creative.

Thank you for your camaraderie this year, and let’s step gently into 2024, so as not to scare it.

Have a great weekend!

Fri. Dec. 15, 2023: Time to Finish Some Projects

nuts, pine cone, evergreen, start shaped cookies, and an orange slice, decorated with powdered sugar.
image courtesy of Sabrina Ripke via pixabay.com

Friday, December 15, 2023

Waxing Moon

Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter, Mercury Retrograde

Partly sunny and raw

We made it to Friday! Yay! It’s a little warmer today, but kind of raw.

Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:

Episode 94: Drogo’s Decision

Drogo must return home with the new information.

Angel Hunt Serial Link

Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:

Episode 44: One Missing

There’s no sign of Jake, dead or alive.

Deadly Dramatics Serial Link

Yesterday was busy, but felt scattered and frustrated. I edited and uploaded next week’s Legerdemain episodes. There was a release glitch with Tuesday’s episode, so I had to wait until it went through the approval queue, then fix the date, then send it through the queue again, but it looks like it’s sorted out.

While I waited for it to go through the queue, I wrote the following two episodes, polished, uploaded, and scheduled them. That gets me through the end of the year, plus the last episode of the year is also Episode 150, which kind of feels like a big deal. Okay, no “kind of” about it. 150 episodes is a big deal.

After lunch, I switched over to script coverage and turned around a handful of short coverages.

I did some admin work, and some puttering around.  There were dozens of small irritations during the course of the day, as there tend to be during Mercury Retrograde, but really nothing that couldn’t be handled or let go of. There’s a point where certain things just aren’t worth the stress.

I went to the double yoga class. After six weeks of the lower back clinic (and working on exercises every day in between sessions), I’m seeing improvement. So that’s all good. There are two more weeks of that class, and of gentle yoga for the year, and then gentle yoga moves back to Tuesday nights in January, which works better for me.

Home made up a meal out of leftovers that turned out okay. Read for a bit.

Came up with some blurb/video ideas for THE LIGHTHOUSE LADY and CHRONOS & THE WITCH (ANGEL HUNT seasons 2 & 3) and noted them in Keep Notes on my phone, because I was too tired to get out of bed, but didn’t want to lose that thought.

Up early this morning and spent some extra time on my home yoga practice. I’ve slacked off in the mornings because I’ve been back in the studio, although I’ve done some of the lower back exercises at the end of the writing day, before dinner.

I want to get some writing done (time to work ahead on Legerdemain over the next few weeks). Then it’s errand time – post office, library, pharmacy, grocery store, picking up ink for the printer (because of course I’m out of ink again). I need to work on the project for Yule some more – I have six or seven more pieces to make, which will then need to be painted and finished, and I have to put the cords on all of them and pack them in their little gift bags before Solstice.

Tomorrow, I work on the stollen, which is an all-day event. Don’t worry; I’ll post photos!  😉

I hope to get some other writing and editing done this weekend, but we’ll see how it goes. I also want to at least start the next book for review.

I have to pin the cards to the board and put it up on the mantel. Cards are coming in, and it’s fun! I have some ornament boxes to put away, and tidying up to do, so that we can sit back and enjoy our decorations for the next couple of weeks.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll catch you on the other side.

Tues. Oct. 10, 2023: Back at the Desk

Fountain pen resting on an open journal
image courtesy of Christine Sponchia via pixabay.com

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Waning Moon

Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde

Pluto DIRECT today

Cloudy and cool

How was your weekend? Ready for a good Tuesday morning natter?

Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:

Episode 127: At The Twisted Thespian

Shelley meets with a man in disguise to exchanged information.

Legerdemain Serial Link

Legerdemain Website

Pluto goes direct today. What does that mean? Pluto influences what’s hidden. When Pluto is retrograde, secrets are often revealed: either yours, or someone who’s kept something from you. Also, during a Pluto retrograde, you might choose to reveal parts of yourself you formerly kept hidden, as might those around you. Pluto is also about transformation; when it’s retrograde, you have time to consider how you want to transform moving forward, but it’s not yet time to do so. Now, with Pluto direct, you can move forward with necessary changes.

With it going direct, it’s easier to keep secrets again.

I’m just happy we’re down to five retrogrades from the seven a few weeks back. But we’re stuck with these five until early November.

Okay, so catch up from the weekend. Friday was slow going. I had to do a bunch of paperwork/admin, etc. Worked on setting up a forum for the group; filled out some feedback forms for the two big units that ended this week. I managed to get an episode of Legerdemain rewritten, polished, uploaded, and scheduled.

I did the big grocery shop. The first shop of the month is when I restock staples, and then I fill in as needed, depending on the meal plan for the week. As I’ve said before, when I meal plan to recipes ahead of time, as I did this week, I spend more than when I go to the store, see what looks good, balance that with what’s on sale, and make up a meal plan on the spot. However, I want to start trying new recipes again and get my cooking mojo back, so I planned ahead. And thereby spent more.

Hauled it all home and up the stairs. Put it away.

I couldn’t get the hazelnuts for the chocolate orange hazelnut cake I’m planning to make this week, but I figured I could pick them up later over the weekend at Wild Oats.

Then started organizing my fridge along the lines of the way Jeremy demonstrated in last Wednesday’s class.

Yes, I’m aware I should have done it BEFORE I went shopping. But that’s not how it worked out.

Anyway, it wasn’t as difficult or scary as I feared; I’ve kept on top of things better than I thought. I switched out some Ziploc containers for glass jars, grated an entire wedge of Parmesan and put it in a jar, and so forth. Since we have PLENTY of glass jars, put them to work. And I’ll get more Pyrex dishes. I have some great ones from way back in the 60’s, along with casserole dishes, but a few more couldn’t hurt.

Since I was on a roll, I re-organized the freezer, too. That tends to be my trouble spot. I slam things into the freezer and forget about them. But I rearranged, cleaned out, got rid, and now can get at everything and know what’s what and where.

I couldn’t do it quite as efficiently as Jeremy, mostly because I don’t have a fridge that big. His is wide enough, with double doors for the fridge and the freezer at the bottom, so he can put sheet pans of things in the fridge. He has my dream fridge.

Someday.

But that took most of the rest of the day. Along with making three batches of differently flavored vegetable stock from the veg bits I’d saved in the freezer over time. I have plenty of vegetable stock, and I’m going to use one particular herb-heavy batch to infuse the next batch of rice I cook by cooking the rice in the stock instead of water.

But that was pretty much the day. I made a chili-spiced salmon on a bed of crunchy kale with roasted potatoes that was really good (and tagged Jeremy in the photo, since he’s always going on about kale).

Read more of Mary Rodgers Guettel’s memoir in the evening. I love it when she talks in detail about her composing and writing. I learned a lot. And, again, hearing anecdotes about people I worked with, from a very different perspective, is always interesting.

Slept pretty well, albeit with weird dreams about packing up a touring show and having trouble getting the guys to load the trucks.

Up at a decent hour, but a slow start, in spite of doing my morning routine of coffee, yoga, meditation, writing in longhand. Worked on some more catch-up admin, then got ready to go to the theatre, because I had to leave at noon.

Pittsfield isn’t that far, but with traffic, it took me nearly an hour to get to the theatre, park, etc. I was early enough to get one of the few spots in the theatre’s parking lot. The show was at the black box. Everyone was very efficient and very nice.

The show itself, THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH, was powerful. It’s a one man show about Eddie Jakub, who was in concentration camps three times (Buchenwald twice and Auschwitz once) and lost 99 relatives in the Holocaust. Kenneth Tigar’s performance was astounding, wonderful, detail-oriented, and moving. To be on stage for 90 minutes and go through such a physical and emotional show takes stamina as well as talent, and he has both.

I’m really glad I met him and his husband before the show in Great Barrington this summer, and that they asked me to come and see it.

It also makes one ponder, how can people be so cruel to each other? I mean, they do it all the time, but what is so inherently wrong with the human soul that it can twist like that? When you think that Trump and his supporters revere this kind of treatment of those they deem “other” in order to feel powerful and good about themselves, you realize just how much is wrong with the human race.

I did not wait to talk to Ken after the show; he had an evening show for which to prepare, and shouldn’t have to be gracious to someone he met once for twenty minutes. I wrote him a note instead, when I got home. This way, he knows how much his work moved me, but I also didn’t interfere with his dinner break.

By the time the show let out, It was monsooning. The drive home took even longer than the drive there, due to street flooding. There were two points I was worried I wouldn’t make it through, but I did.

Dried off, warmed up, read a bit, but mostly sat with the aftermath of the show.

That’s how you know you’ve seen a good piece of theatre; it stays with you.

Tried a new-to-me lasagna recipe with chicken sausage meat instead of beef on Saturday night. It seemed a little funky when I read it, but I figured I should try it as written.

Well, THAT was a mistake.

The proportions were off (not enough ricotta, for one) and the timing of what to prepare when was wrong (preparing the noodles first and letting them sit and get gluey), and then the layering was wrong.

I should have just gone back to the way I’ve done lasagna before as soon as I thought something was off, instead of trusting the recipe just because it was published.

It was kind of a disaster.  No, that’s too kind. It WAS a disaster.

We managed to scrape out some decent ricotta/marinara/spinach/sausage out of it so we wouldn’t go hungry. We rescued what we could of the big pan of it and labelled it “lasagna adjacent” and I’ll figure out something to do with it later this week. Tossed the icky bits into the trash.

Yes, I stuffed it into the freezer. But this time I won’t forget about it (stop taking bets over there, you).

At least we had chocolate mousse cake to make up for it.

I’ve cooked enough so I should trust myself when something doesn’t read right in the recipe.

Read in the evening. Slept decently, although I woke up around 1 from a dream about a mass suicide by drowning (not fun). When I went back to sleep, I dreamed of a parrot who’d call out, “My Queen! My Queen!” whenever his human entered the room, because she’d played a queen in a play, and that was his line when she entered the stage. She inherited him when the show closed.

I’m not even going to try to interpret either of those.

Made raw apple muffins from Marion Cunningham’s THE BREAKFAST BOOK just to remind myself that yes, I do know how to cook and bake. I only had one kind of apple (I usually use 5 different kinds). I also added allspice (anything with apples and cinnamon gets a dash of allspice when I make it) and substituted currants for raisins.

Yummy.

I also need to buy more currants this week. And liners for the muffin tins. And sugar.

Blog as grocery list. Um. . . .

Started decorating the kitchen for the holidays. This year, instead of just the pumpkin lights, I’m also putting up spiderweb curtains in the kitchen. And switched out the kitchen island curtain from the sunflowers to the witches, cats, and pumpkins one, and switched out the tablecloth and table decorations.

There’s still a lot of decorating to do, but I’m doing it in bits this year instead of a single burst. And we’re trying things differently.

Drafted an episode of Legerdemain. Edited, revised, polished, uploaded and scheduled an episode. I’m cutting it a little too close and must do better this week, and moving forward. Once I sat down at the desk, it flowed well, so I don’t know why I had trouble drafting episodes in-studio.

It doesn’t matter why. It simply needs to get done, and better, moving forward.

Had a quick bite for lunch, put on Real People Clothes and headed to the Clark for the “Experiencing Nature” workshop. Two staff members, three docents, and 20 people, a mix of first-time visitors, frequent visitors, and members. We spent some time in the woods around the property.

Of course, I noticed a pair of gravestones tucked away and had to ask about them. The staff explained that it was originally thought to be a pet cemetery, but it was recently discovered to be the graves of two children, who died in the 50’s or so. Their parents couldn’t afford traditional burial, and the Clarks let them bury the children under this tree on their property. The museum felt it was unethical to keep the original story of “pet cemetery” which is the story most of the locals know.

I could have told them it was human remains just by walking past. Human graves feel different.

We spent some time in forest bathing mode, then moved inside to the Munch exhibit, which was packed (and yes, I masked; I’m getting stringent about masking again, after being lax during the residency). We studied three paintings: “Summer Night” and “Fertility” and “The Sun” and talked about them in terms of nature and symbolism and tensions. It was so interesting. The group numbered about twenty, with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, and the way we showed each other how to see in new ways and then built on it was interesting.

I’m really glad I went. Believe me, I considered not going several times in the morning. But it was worth it.

Stopped at Wild Oats for coffee and hazelnuts – and ran into one of the docents with whom I’d spent the workshop! It really is a small town around here. Stopped at Stop & Shop for sugar. I forgot to look for currants; next shopping trip. I used the last of the currants in the muffins.

Home, and it started pouring with rain again, and the temperature dropped. Leftover chili and rice for dinner. Read in the evening for a bit. I started a mystery that was recommended by an acquaintance, but I didn’t like the protagonist enough to spend the length of the book with her (and she wasn’t showing me how to see things in a new way; she was merely annoying). I put that down.

Slept well, in spite of a few stress dreams.

Slow start on Monday. We were supposed to go away for a few days at the beginning of the week, but with Hurricane Phillipe making his way up the coast, and the coastal areas we wanted to visit being a mess, we scuttled the trip. We’ll do stuff at home instead. There’s plenty to do.

I finished, revised, edited, polished, uploaded, and scheduled a Process Muse episode. I did the episode graphics and loglines for Legerdemain, then did this week’s six episode videos for the three serials, uploaded, and scheduled them to TikTok. I typed up the meeting notes from the Collective’s meeting and sent them out for review, and the contact sheet, along with the link to the message board I set up for the group. People can visit to post about readings, post submission calls, opportunities, see if someone’s around to read something, etc. People can use it or not use it through the year to keep in touch.

In the afternoon, I read the book for review, and that’s all I’m going to say about that. But the review is due today, so I have to come up with something. I finished reading an acquaintance’s book, which was cute and fun.

I made Moosewood’s Thai Vegetarian Curry for dinner, which was good, even though there was a lot of vegetable chopping involved. I miscalculated how many sweet potatoes I needed, and peeled too many, so I cooked and mashed (with butter, orange juice, and brown sugar) the rest, and we’ll have them with tonight’s trout.

Stayed up until nearly midnight and finished A.J. Hackwith’s THE LIBRARY OF THE UNWRITTEN, which is just wonderful. If you love books about adventure, libraries, stories, and imagination, this book is a good choice. It sets up like there might be more in the series, but I kind of hope it’s a standalone. (Note: I checked; it’s the first of a trilogy, and yes, I ordered the other two books from the library).

Slept reasonably well. Woke to the smell of coffee and Charlotte using my stomach for a trampoline.

Today’s writing priorities are drafting Legerdemain and working on the poem for Sunday’s reading. I have to finish telling the story I want to tell in the poem, time it, cut it where necessary, and then go back and work on sonics.

I also have to write and get the review out the door, and let them know I’m ready for the next assignment. I have to negotiate with the car insurers – our insurance DOUBLED since April’s payment, and we haven’t had a claim in years. I have to revise yesterday’s meeting notes and send them out for another review. I have an early conversation on a possible freelance gig. I need to do a library run and swing by the pharmacy to pick up something. I also have to get back on track with promoting the serials again on the rounds of social media.

The new WGA contract’s been ratified. Hopefully that means more script work coming my way in the coming weeks. I’m still going to look for another big, but short-term client for November-March, remote. I’m waiting to hear back on a few proposals between now and the end of the year, and then we can figure out spring and summer.

The constant beeping from the heavy machinery and the construction workers sending cars speeding down our street in the wrong way instead of putting up signs like responsible workers would to detour them around on the proper streets is sending me over the edge. Enough already.

I better get going then, hadn’t I? Have a good one.

Wed. Feb. 17, 2021: Die For Your Employer Day 273/MA Vaccine Distribution Fail Day 21 — Rolling the Boulder Uphill

Image
image courtesy of Elias Sch via pixabay.com

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Waxing Moon

Mercury Retrograde

Sunny and cold

Yesterday was a yucky, rainy day, but at least I got a lot done. Got client work done, a big email blast out, a lot of LOIs done, interview requests out (and even heard back from one requestee). Packed up another bookcase up in my bedroom.

Had some admin work come in, and also got some information that requires action today, which means an adjustment to today’s schedule, but it’s positive, so I’ll go with it.

On Ink-Dipped Advice, I talk about how we must restructure the work culture and move our passion-work to be central to our work lives.

I woke up to a lovely email from my state senator, who is working hard to get a more equitable vaccine distribution on Cape Cod, and is as frustrated and enraged by Governor Baker as I am. Cape Cod has the highest number of vulnerable seniors in the state, and gets the lowest number of vaccine doses, and not even a reliable number from the increased doses received every week. Yet there are vaccination sites all over the state with open appointments and expiring vaccines. Instead of addressing the problem, Baker continues to smirk and lie.

Plenty of seniors on Cape Cod, who vote Republican, plan to vote against Baker (a Republican) in the next election, provided they survive.

Today will be a stressful day on multiple levels, and there are so many things that could go sideways, I am causing myself even more stress. So I will have to deal with each thing as it comes up, and concentrate on surviving the day in a very literal way.

Have a good one, and we’ll catch up tomorrow!

Published in: on February 17, 2021 at 7:04 am  Comments Off on Wed. Feb. 17, 2021: Die For Your Employer Day 273/MA Vaccine Distribution Fail Day 21 — Rolling the Boulder Uphill  
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Tues. Dec. 29, 2020: Die For Your Employer Day 223 — Trying To Hold On, These Last Few Days

Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020

Full Moon

Uranus Retrograde

Fourth Day of Christmas (Four Calling Birds)

Fourth Day of Kwanzaa (Day of Cooperative Economics)

Sunny and cold

There’s a post over on the GDR site to make you feel better about the year and the turn of it.

I hope you had a lovely holiday weekend, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

If you haven’t read the fun pieces in the Weird Christmas anthology (including mine), you can read or listen to them here.

It was stormy here, but we were tucked inside, with blankets and cats and candles and books, so all was fine.

Christmas Eve, I got some admin done and some LOIs out. I got out my review, and received the next two books for review. I played with some ideas.

For dinner, I made cod paella. Talk about a Cape Coddish version of paella! The cooking wasn’t bad at all, but the chopping – let’s just say I should have started far earlier! But it was the christening of my new paella pan, and it turned our really, really well. Dessert was chocolate and lemon mouse, layered.

While I prepared the paella, as I listened to Christmas carols on the radio, a particularly passionate rendition of “O Holy Night” gave me an idea for a short story, set in NYC.

We burned our bayberry candle for prosperity and good luck as we opened presents. I think it’s hilarious that one of my friends and I made each other potholders. Because we both bake so much!

Settled in, Icelandic-style, to read.

Up early Christmas Day, thanks for Charlotte. We did stockings, and I made scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for breakfast. Usually, we have scrambled eggs with Panettone, but I couldn’t find one that looked good this year, and I used up the only fruit peel I had in the stollen.

I noodled with the story idea I’d had the night before, and worked on another piece, too, for something I’m looking ahead to do next year.

Mostly, though, we read and played with cats. I didn’t want to be on the computer, because I expected the power to go out any minute.

I made Cornish hen for the big, midday meal. Somehow, an entire 5-pound bag of potatoes disappeared in the last few days. But we had enough left over from the other bag to make mashed potatoes. However, I’ll need to get more before New Year’s. I don’t know how 5 pounds of potatoes could vanish from the kitchen, but, somehow, they managed. I also made the carrot-parsnip-mushroom dish, which was good.

Stollen for dessert.

We cleaned up the kitchen, put away the leftovers, and I cooked down the bones from the Cornish hens for stock.

One of the books I read was Christina Baker Kline’s THE EXILES. What a sad, beautiful book.

Got a notice from Amazon that they lost my package. So – when I’m looking at the print books I wanted to buy (and give my acquaintance her few affiliate cents) – they GURANTEE it will be here by Dec. 21. Once I actually BUY the books, it changes to “estimated” by Dec. 21. On the 21, it was “delayed” and would arrive between the 22-24. On the 25th, they tell me it’s “lost.”

That’s what I get for breaking my vow not to buy anything except eBooks from Amazon. They really are a vile company.

If I ask for a refund, they’ll just double-charge me, like they did last time.

I’ll wait a few more days to see if the books show up. Fortunately, they weren’t anything I counted on in time for the holidays.

Meanwhile, the velvet fabric I ordered on Christmas Eve – shipped on Christmas Eve.

Up early Saturday morning, thanks to Charlotte. Who, of course, promptly went back to sleep as soon as I fed her.

Noodled on a short story for a bit, then got the laundry and usual Saturday household chores started. It was nice out – I put the outdoor decorations I’d taken inside during the high winds back out.

Read a lot. I’m reading Laurie Cass’s bookmobile cat mysteries. They are fun. She captures the way cats behave well, and it’s nice to have an upbeat, positive protagonist instead of one all angsty all the time.

Worked with Tessa and Willa for a few hours, so they get used to having good experiences in the same room together. Willa wants to be friends, but Tessa doesn’t trust her, because sometimes Willa forgets and plays too rough. But we will get there.

Leftovers on Saturday night (yum), and more reading.

Up early on Sunday, again thanks to Charlotte. Baked cranberry-chocolate muffins. Wrote a short story, just under 1500 words, start to finish. It will need a lot more work, but I like the bones of it.

Did an early morning Target run. The holiday shelves were bare – they already removed everything instead of marking it down. I searched for bins – there were only two bins left in one of the sizes I needed, so I grabbed them. They were sold out of all the other bins I need, and one can’t order them to ship. Which is why I sucked it up to do the Target run in the first place–because I couldn’t order the bins online. So I am SOL for bins in my budget. Picked up a few other staples, and checked out. Risked going across the street to Kmart – again, no bins. The store will close soon and it’s just. . .depleted and sad.

Home, decontaminated. I was out and about early enough so there were only about 5 other people in Target and two in Kmart, so I could stay far, far away.

Read, worked with the cats. Depressed myself looking at rental listings. Too many are overpriced crap. Allowed myself a quiet day. Leftovers for dinner.

Up early on Monday. Worked on a short story. I’m trying to do a short piece for each of the 12 Days of Christmas. They’re linked, but each stands alone. It’s an idea I have for next year. It’s also a way to get the creative juices flowing properly again.

Worked on the ghost ship story. I SHOULD have finished a draft over the holidays so I’d polish now. But I gave myself a rest.

Went to the office for a few hours. I was there on my own, as it should be, and got a lot done. Had to chase down the postman to take the package. Most of the post office workers around here are great, but this one guy on the office’s route – he’s arrogant, won’t wear a mask, and tries to get out of picking up or dropping off mail to us all the time. I can’t stand him.

Had dropped off books at the book drop in the morning. At least 3 dozen people wandering around on their “walks” – no masks, no distancing. It’s disgusting.

Home, had to take my mother to the doctor, which meant I had to put off the writing and editing planned. But she’s better, and that’s what matters

This morning, up early, worked on a short story. Went to the dump to get rid of garbage and recycling, so we don’t start the new year with a garage full of garbage. Stopped at the grocery store for a few things – everyone’s sold out of leeks for the past two weeks. The world will not stop because I can’t make the leek and cheese pastries for New Year’s – I’ll make them later in January.

I’m getting ready to do some writing and editing, to catch up on yesterday, and then some client work in the afternoon. I started the day feeling pretty optimistic, but that melted away pretty quickly, and I have to work to get it back. I hope a good writing session will help.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Wed. Nov. 18, 2020: Die For Your Employer Day 182 — Trying to Stay Balanced

Image
image courtesy of Manfred Richter via pixabay.com

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Waxing Moon

Neptune and Uranus Retrograde

Cloudy and cold

It’s been snowing in Western and Central MA.

There’s a post up on Ink-Dipped Advice about not begging for work.

Yesterday was pretty satisfying, on a creative level. I started finally writing the Susanna Centlivre play yesterday, and I like the way it’s going, at least for a first draft. Working out a lot of it in my head before actually writing was helpful. I’m really delighted by the relationship between Susanna and Joseph.

I had to do a Trader Joe’s run. The lines are back to the length they were in April. The store was pretty well stocked, although, even on a Tuesday, already some items were selling out.

Since I was in the same plaza, I also dashed next door to Christmas Tree Shops for some more cookie tins. They’d sold out of the cute little trucks, but I found some others that are pretty and will do.

And bought some things I didn’t really need, but liked.

Came home, put the CTS stuff in quarantine, decontaminated the groceries and myself. And there was the morning. We’re back to it taking a half a day to do a couple of errands.

I got some client work done, some admin done. I’m spinning ideas for holiday ads for a client, but haven’t landed on the right one. Something with sparkles, but not sure how to pull it off yet.

Then, I worked on the revisions for “Just Jump in and Fly” which will be re-released after Thanksgiving for the upcoming holiday season. It’s a magical fantasy/comedy/romance short under the Ava Dunne name, playing with Yuletide myths, and is still one of my favorite pieces I ever wrote. I need to do one more proof, and then I can sign off on it.

I re-read “The Ghost of Lockesley Hall”, which is a holiday ghost story/romance I wrote a few years ago. I still like most of it. I need to add a couple of scenes to put in some more conflict, but that should be ready to re-release by the end of November, too.

Which, of course, meant I had to make changes on the links on the websites and, as new buy links go live, keep them updated.

I’m also working on the promo campaign for the shorts, and figuring out how to promote the TRINITY OF TEASERS, which is a free read of the first three chapters of the first book in each series.

It was a busy day. I should have gotten out some more LOIs, but I didn’t.

I reached for the pizza pan and somehow hurt my back again, which made me feel old and grumpy.

Received the next book for review, which is good.

Knowledge Unicorns was about steady work yesterday. They’ve had a lot of assignments piled up, with the workload increasing. It’s as though they’re being punished for learning online. But we spent some time on everyone’s assignments, offered support to each other and ideas, and I think they’re in good shape. ALL of their grades have gone up this year, since we’ve been working together. We – meaning the parents, the kids, and I – are working hard to make sure that this isn’t a negative, non-learning, back-sliding time, the way the “experts” who’d rather see kids go to school and die, just so they get their reopening numbers, claim. I spent a LOT of time every day looking for additional resources and tools and fun stuff to add to their curriculums, and to expand on what they’re supposedly learning. I don’t want them to feel restrained by online learning, but expanded.

The parent session after the kids are done is useful, too, and it’s nice to see the parents making virtual friends with each other and able to offer support.

But I admit, by the end of the sessions, I’m tired. So I can only imagine how exhausted the parents must be every day.

Watched AUNTIE MAME on DVD, the Rosalind Russell version. Wow, she’s good. Her timing, her ability to communicate multiple layers of meaning in a gesture, a glance, a pause. Truly wonderful. I didn’t like the way Ito was portrayed most of the time, although he had a couple of good scenes. The way Mame fought back against the anti-Semitism was good, but would be considered too subtle nowadays. It was a movie with a lot of contrasts and some inconsistencies, but Rosalind Russell was terrific.

Tired when I finally fell into bed.

Slept well, though. That’s a positive from the curfew. No drag racing to wake me up at 2 in the morning.

Getting some writing done this morning. Then I have to spend a few hours onsite at a client’s, then home to decontaminate, join Remote Chat, and proofread in the afternoon. Maybe, if the onsite escapade hasn’t stressed/worn me out completely, I can get some more writing done.

Onward, and trying to be safe.

Tues. June 16, 2020: Die For Your Employer/Die for Tourist Dollars Day 29 — Bone Weary

Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Venus Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cool

It was cool enough last night for the heat to kick on.

There’s a post over on the Goals, Dreams, and Resolutions site, “Just Rest”, which I have to take to heart this week.

Up and down weekend. Not as productive as I wished, but I got work done. It just wasn’t what I needed to get done.

I felt as creative as wilted lettuce on Friday, so I concentrated on admin tasks. Cleared out a couple of inboxes, dealt with things, got out some LOIs.

I can’t remember if I made the new curtains for the bedroom on Thursday or Friday. Sheers with small roses on them, a little out of character for me, but they’re nice.

Saturday morning, geared up and went to Star Market early (after dropping my library books in the bin). People were masked, and there weren’t a lot in there, so it wasn’t bad, even though they don’t always follow the arrows.

On the way home, I saw lots of people out and about. All unmasked. All acting like nothing’s happened.

Basically, we stayed home to give the powers that be time to come up with solutions to keep us alive, and they did nothing. Now, they just want us to go back out there and die for their profit.

Still getting daily emails claiming my package will be delivered that day (whatever day it is). Of course, it’s not. Now, UPS marks the excuse as “emergency or natural disaster.” Um, no. There haven’t been any emergencies or natural disasters in the 11 miles between the facility and the house in the past ten days. It was either Friday or Saturday when the UPS truck drove right past the house, but didn’t stop.

Absolutely unacceptable.

If my package isn’t important enough for them, then they should hand it off to USPS, like they did the last one. At least USPS can be bothered to deliver.

UPS seems to forget that the only reason they exist is to deliver packages. If they can’t do that, then they need to be broken up.

Most of the weekend was taken up by GAMBIT COLONY revisions. I planned to spend an hour or two in re-reads. That piece is my favorite stress reliever. But I got caught up in it. I revised books 3 & what I have of 4. Book 4 is nearly finished. Book 5 is an interlude book, and I have bits and pieces of it done, and Book 6 is in basic outline.

Once all six books are done, I will do a big pass over them for continuity and hand them off to the editor. As we do the editor-based revisions, I will do the Series Bible, which is complex.

The plan, once the first six books are edited, is to release one a month over the course of six months. Although I have ideas for a few more books in the series, whether or not anything will come of them remains to be seen, and will be contingent upon how well the first six books do. They are of a piece; while they don’t act as cliffhangers, each book is a specific part of the journey.

I’ve been joking about the series being a “creative soap opera” since it deals with the behind-the-scenes filming of a television show. But, really, that’s what it is. And not your typical, clichéd, bitchy idiocy. But an exploration of creative process under pressure; some of it is a creative utopia I wish existed, some is about the actual conflicts that come up.

We’re looking at a 2022 release, but it could get pushed back, again, because of other contracts that need to be finished first.

If there are further books down the line, they will have to deal with the pandemic and how it affects the show. Maybe by then, I’ll have a better idea of how things actually work out.

Providing I survive. Which, when your government and your bosses are doing what they can to make sure one doesn’t, becomes a challenge.

I got a bit of yard work done. Not as much as I should have. Cut back some invasives. Did not get the front finished, which is something I need to do this week if the weather holds.

A lot of this week is getting in what I need for next week’s surgery and recovery. I think I have most of it; will get a few last things at the end of the week, and then play it as safe as I can until I have my COVID test next week, and, if it comes back negative, the surgery.

At each phase of the process, depending on what happens, there are different sets of protocols to follow, so it’s just one step at a time.

I decided, since GAMBIT COLONY is my stress-relief project (as complex as it is), that it will be my carrot. If I finish what I need to write that day, I get to spend some time on GAMBIT COLONY. If I don’t, no GAMBIT.

That should motivate!

Had weird dreams all weekend. Sunday night into Monday I had a good one, which was working on a Shakespeare production with Peter Dinklage. That would be great, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Decent first writing session on THE BARD’S LAMENT on Monday morning.

Headed in to the office. It was quiet for most of my stint, and I was on my own. A bit of overlap with a stressed out co-worker. There’s nothing I can do to help her. I’ve tried. I attempt to lend a sympathetic ear to her venting, but I leave feeling bruised from the negativity.

Home, got out some LOIs, had a really nice preliminary online interview with a company based in Australia. I don’t have enough expertise in their field, so I doubt they’d hire me, but the actual process was a pleasure. That is so rare when so many of these recruiters and application places either bait and switch or are so demeaning in the initial contact that I stop the process right there.

I’m so weary, weary all the way into my bones, running deep. Having a migraine didn’t help, either.

I took a two hour nap (I’m not a napper). It didn’t help.

Slogged through making dinner. Read a bit, went to bed early. Felt no better after nine hours of sleep.

The UPS package finally arrived. It wasn’t delivered for so long because it was small (smaller than I expected). Therefore, not important enough. They should have just handed it off to USPS, and not lied every day that it was going to be delivered.

I already decided NOT to buy a couple of things in the past few days because the companies use UPS to ship.

Ron Perlman taking Ted Cruz to the woodshed was funny as hell. Cruz behaved completely inappropriately for a sitting Senator – especially one who allowed the Sociopath to publicly trash both his wife and father. Perlman is smart, talented, and has integrity – everything Cruz does not.

The Supreme Court decision saying the Civil Rights Act protects LGBT was important. I was not impressed with Gorsuch’s opinion on it, and Alito’s disagreement was appalling and from the past century. But it passed, and the Supreme Court actually served justice and our population, which it hasn’t always done.

I’m hoping to have a good day both on the fiction front and the client front today, and mentally prepare for a difficult day onsite tomorrow.

But I still have a migraine, I’m weary unlike any exhaustion I’ve ever had before, and it will be a struggle. Hope it’s all better on your end.

Published in: on June 16, 2020 at 5:36 am  Comments Off on Tues. June 16, 2020: Die For Your Employer/Die for Tourist Dollars Day 29 — Bone Weary  
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Tues. July 18, 2017: Trying to Tread Water

Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Waning Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Cloudy, foggy, hot, humid

I wish I could say everything worked out yesterday and today is brilliant, but no such luck. The life stuff is still crushing me.

However, I got a review and two short stories out, along with a couple of pitches. I prepped some more pitches that will go out this morning.

The only thing left to do on the PLAYING THE ANGLES cover is to see if I want to add in the image I’m using to tie together the entire series, or if I’ll only use it on the website. I have to add some links into the media kit, and then that’s done. I did a few chapters on the galleys. Mostly, it’s tightening the writing, replacing some vague language with sharper, more specific. Unlike print galleys, where, by this stage it’s about correcting errors and maintaining consistency, because it’s being prepped for digital formatting, I have more room to fix problems. Then this will be used as the basis for the print edition galleys, which means I have to get it right NOW, and the print galleys are only about minor, final changes.

Polished the big article that’s going out today. Tried to set up some project appointments, but the other party was vague, which is frustrating, because I don’t have time for vague right now. I need definites.

Tried to read a mystery, but the protagonist was so annoying that I stopped. I sort of liked a book by this author in a different series, but this book turned me off completely.

Being on the second day of a migraine isn’t helping.

This morning, I did some trimming and pruning in the front yard. I have a lot of admin work to do today, and then more writing and edits. I also got notes from my editor on the review I sent in. I resent the fact that this is the third review I’ve done and I’ve yet to be paid for the first one.

I need something good to break my way.

Digging down and moving on.

Published in: on July 18, 2017 at 9:48 am  Comments Off on Tues. July 18, 2017: Trying to Tread Water  
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Thurs. April 27, 2017: Getting Back on the Query Wagon

Thursday, April 27, 2017
Waxing Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Rainy and cool

Yesterday, I wrote three pitches and submitted them, and submitted a radio play. The play was acknowledged, and two of the three pitches got a positive response. Not a bad day’s work! That cheered me up — I was feeling rather down the past few days, between having a cold and everything else.

Admin work, and then I spent the afternoon making my final decisions on the contest entries. I send those off today — the contest will announce the winners on Monday.

Getting ready to start the next draft of the FIX-IT GIRL next week. I’m giving myself six weeks for it. Hopefully, I’ll have the first draft of WINNER TAKE ALL done over the weekend, or early next week.

Enjoying re-reading the Trollope biography. I’ve read some of his books; I’m debating whether I should re-read and go beyond what I’ve read.

I’m enjoying reading what I WANT to read for the moment, instead of what I HAVE to read. Important to keep that balance.

Balancing creating new fiction with revisions and writing/researching nonfiction is always a challenge. Each type of work takes a different thought process and different skills. The wonderful part is that it keeps one active and engaged, and it’s interesting to keep expanding one’s repertoire. But sometimes, one project pulls hard, while the others also demand attention, due to deadline.

Re-watched two of the DOCTOR WHO Christmas specials — THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW, AND THE WARDROBE, and THE SNOWMEN — both from the reign of Matt Smith. They rank among my favorite episodes.

I wrote three more article pitches this morning, which go out today. I need to rework some requested samples this afternoon, do a few more script pages, and also dig in to the Venice section of POWER OF WORDS.

Never a dull moment, which is wonderful!

Published in: on April 27, 2017 at 9:23 am  Comments Off on Thurs. April 27, 2017: Getting Back on the Query Wagon  
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Mon. Jan. 13, 2014: Writing, Clients, Research, Award Shows

Monday, January 13, 2014
Waxing Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and mild

Busy weekend. Still annoyed with two clients. One is now three weeks late in paying me — and this is our first project together. It may well be our last. Being “on vacation” and “out of town on business” is not an excuse. The payment date was not a surprise. It was in our written agreement. Make arrangements for the check to be mailed while you’re gone, or pay me electronically. I fulfilled my part of the contract — now you fulfill yours. The other client, the perpetual random payer — is now over a week late. I’m not delivering the final two articles on the contract until I’m paid, and, once I’m paid for those — I’m done. There’s a reason both these clients have a high writer turnover — they’re unreliable. You want to keep good people? Show them respect, and part of that is paying on time per the contract.

On a happier note, I finished the airship steampunk, revised it, and sent it out. I had enough material for a novel and had to strip/throw out a lot of ideas. I kept notes, in case I ever want to expand it. Hopefully the story doesn’t read as compressed. I’m worried that there’s not enough conflict in the climax, although I invented some interesting gear used in it.

Totally cooked by Friday night — I wrote synopses for three different scripts. And another teleplay comes up in the editing/revision queue today. Gotta get that packet ready for February!

Had a meeting with a fellow writer and friend –we’re going to encourage each other along writing our novels. She’s outlined what she wants to work on — I have to decide which of three possibilities I want to work on with her.

I also have to get back to work on THE BALTHAZAAR TREASURE, which I hope my new publisher will like. I have to find the full writer’s rough I did a few years ago.

I have some admin work to do today, and I also have a client meeting about an hour off-Cape. My materials are all together for that; I just have to give myself enough time to find the place and feel settled before the meeting starts.

Read a supposed thriller over the weekend which did not thrill me. Started another novel, whose premise excited me, but the author was one of those pretentious ones who uses dashes instead of quotation marks for dialogue AND writes in present tense. I lasted for ten pages and had to put it down. The structure did not support the novel. Since I wasn’t being paid to read it, I didn’t have to fight my way through it.

Found the letters from George Eliot to Harriet Beecher Stowe that I looked for in reference to the Charlotte Bronte conversation in a collection of Eliot’s letters. Copied out the relevant passages. Now, I want to read Harriet’s letters to see her side of it. So that project is developing.

Worked with students — I’m lucky to have a dedicated, committed batch this semester. They want it, and they’re willing to work for it, rather than making excuses.

Watched the Golden Globes last night, both for fun, and as background for a couple of projects that use award show scenes. Glad AMERICAN HUSTLE did well, but I feel that Jeremy Renner’s work is being unfairly overlooked. He went in a completely new direction for him, and I don’t feel the work is being properly appreciated.

Really pleased by the positive response to my short story “Catch Your Breath”. It encourages me to play more with contemporary literary fiction.

Off to get some writing done and then to the meeting.

Devon

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Waxing Moon
St. Patrick’s Day
Sunny and pleasant

As I’m catching up on email, I just noticed that my essay, “The Artist/Pop Culture Symbiosis” has been up for awhile on Smart Pop.

Stop by and drop a comment, so they ask me back! 😉

We’re finally able to reach friends and colleagues in Greenwich, who were hit terribly by the storm. Most still have no power and no water — and they can’t leave their homes because of downed trees, so they can’t even get to a hotel to wait it out. A few people were killed — no one we knew, but neighbors of our friends.

We tried to drive to Purchase, to go to the post office, but the roads were closed due to downed trees and broken power wires. It was a little scary driving through it, and we were turned back before we could get there.

We went down to the beach — lots of erosion, and tides about four feet higher than normal. It made us realize how lucky we were in our little brick tower here. It was sunny and gorgeous, though, so it was nice to be out.

Lots of busy work, paper work, admin work yesterday. But it pays off to make the time to do it as it comes in, especially when it comes to pulling/printing/filing clips, or else it becomes difficult to get out pitches & packets in a timely fashion.

I’m reading Louise Erdich’s SHADOW TAG. Fascinating book. It’s a slender volume, but by no means a quick read. And not at all what I expected, but, so far, in a good way.

I figured out why I’m struggling with the plays. It’s a really stupid reason, and I better get over myself.

Got some good work done on POWER OF WORDS, and am starting to get excited about it again. The tracking sheets are helping.

Good first morning’s writing session on a short story, even though I overslept and got a later start than I hoped. Today is more admin work, prepping for tomorrow’s talk at the Middle School, work on the play and the novella, a couple of queries/pitches out, polishing the newsletter, filling out the Census, and a talk with my Congresswoman on an issue we’ve worked on together for quite a few months now. It’s nice to have a solid enough relationship with my representative — the person whose job exists to represent me — where we can speak openly and honestly about issues, even when we disagree. We actually agree on a lot of things, but sometimes differ on how we’d get there. She’s really good at making things work both on a community and an individual level, which I think is rare in politics.

Will have to get to the library once it’s up and running again — hopefully by the end of the week. I need to do some scientific research, and don’t have the materials here. I’ve been picking up quite a few good scientific tomes for various projects, but, of course, this one needs something totally different. I don’t have to go into much detail about the process, thank goodness, but I need to know what’s involved, so my character’s choices make sense.

Devon

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