Quick blog post — we’re packing for our adventure to New York. We have to pack a lot with the moulage and everything. I’ll keep you posted.
Quick post
Tag: summer
Summer Will End Soon
Summer is winding down fast. I am starting to look at doing beginning of semester stuff (although it is a bit early) and my annual trip to New York State to do moulage is looming. I know my days of leisure are coming to an end.
In the meantime, however, I might as well enjoy. Writing and resting are the order of the day. (Except for today; I have a couple school-related items in the afternoon).
I wish I could store up rest. It doesn’t work that way, but at least I can store up the memory of rest and let it sustain me.
On This Writing Retreat
I’m on a writing retreat in KC, and although I haven’t written anything yet, I got to watch fireworks from the 35th floor of my hotel.
Today is writing, followed by going to the cat cafe to pet cats. Then maybe more writing. We shall see.
I’m at a crucial place in my story, a big reveal, and then chaos. It’s a bit intimidating to write. But I will make it.
It’s not the heat — Hell, yes, it’s the heat …
It’s too hot to write. I think I’ll sit here and melt.
What Is This Weather?
It’s May 26th, Memorial Day in the US, the official opening day at local swimming pools. And the high temperature is going to be 64 degrees F (18 degrees C). It’s 54 right now. I’m freezing.
Right now I’m in the living room sitting at the computer with a blanket on. I’m going to warm my hands on the coffee — thank goodness for the coffee; it might be the only thing keeping me from hyperthermia. The cats are huddled with me for warmth. Their fur is not enough to keep them warm. It’s not enough to keep me warm.
I feel like hibernating. At least until the temps get above 70.
That Annoying Nightmare
In the nightmare, I am new at the college, which is supposed to be the University of Illinois or SUNY Oneonta (both places I’ve worked), but looks like neither of them. I am halfway across campus from where I should be, and I have a class in twenty minutes. But then something goes wrong — I don’t have my computer or my class notes or I have to come up with a lecture in the next few minutes. I can’t find my office or, for that matter, the classroom because I haven’t been there all semester. I have no way of telling my students that I’m going to be late.
I suspect the dream is shaming me for being unprepared. But it has nothing to do with being unprepared. Right now my workload is light and I’m on top of it, being summer “vacation”. I just did my grading for the day. I will write later, after I water the plants on my porch. I might go out to Starbucks. I don’t have any “work work” I can do right now because my research is on hold till fall and I already have fall classes put together.
I suppose I feel guilty for relaxing. This is definitely part of what is known as the Protestant work ethic in the US — we have to be working or else we’re debased. I think I’ll put my feet up later and thumb my nose at the nightmare.
What I am Doing for My Summer Vacation
First, it’s not really a summer vacation. Although I’m on a 10-month appointment as a faculty member, I also work over the summer doing internships. It’s not a big deal, though, doing internships — it’s mostly monitoring the students through assignments and touching base with them, and going on site visits. I don’t get a lot of money for internships, because this year I only have ten or eleven interns.
Other than internships, I hope to write. A lot. I have a book that wants to be written, and it’s starting to get interesting. I will have to edit it good so that I think it’s interesting from the start, but I’m in the ‘getting things down on paper’ stage. I wonder if I have more books left in me, and I realize I’m sitting on at least two ideas. So we will see.
I’m also gardening the best I can. I have a tangle of seedlings in the grow room that I have to put out to harden off soon. I would say most of what I’m planting is herbs, because my sister gave me a ton of herb seeds for Christmas. And I like fresh herbs. There will be a few vegetables because they are nice to eat. I’m hoping I can motivate to weed like I’ve had trouble with just about every year I’ve put in a garden.
I hope to do a writing retreat in KC sometime. Ideally (a hint to my husband) a trip to The Elms, a massage, and some grotto time. I would settle for a trip to 21c, some Broadway Cafe time, and a quick visit to see some kittens at Whiskers Cat Cafe. Or someplace totally new, as long as there’s a coffeehouse nearby and some decent places to eat.
Nothing fancy on the plans here. I just hope to have a good summer.
Summer Vacation is So Close
If I get through the next two weeks, I tell myself, I’ll be scot-free.
It’s that time of the semester. The last week before finals, and I have two major assignments coming in on Friday. And two essay exams the week after. And then summer and internships.
Summer and internships are a lot easier, because my time is more my own. I have paperwork, grading, and internship visits, but I have more freedom to schedule them. And I have time on my own.
Maybe I’ll get something written.
An Upcoming Writing Retreat
It looks like my summer vacation* is about to end. I have a little over a week until meetings start. In fact, next weekend is my last weekend before school revs up. But I will have a writing retreat in Kansas City that weekend!
Writing retreats are when I spend a weekend some place with cafes where I can spend a good part of the day writing and where I can eat excellent ethnic food. My husband gets coffee and ethnic food out of it**.
I’m working on short stories right now. The stories I’m working on reside in the Hidden in Plain Sight universe, to be published in a future collection. I’d rather write stories for competition/publication in journals and the like, but I don’t feel inspired. To read the first collection and get an intro to the universe, look here.
I will come back Monday just in time for meetings two days later. And the first day of meetings lasts all day and is followed by a picnic***. Summer needs a last hurrah.
* Such that it is. I work all summer, but at least I get to set my own schedule.
** My husband doesn’t write anymore. I wish I could get him to write again, because I think he needs a flow activity in his life.
*** The first day of meetings is not a picnic, however.
Where I’d Like to Be Right Now
I’m sitting at home again today, cowering in the air conditioning because “it’s going to be another hot one,” in Midwest parlance. I’m listening to playlists that help me concentrate, hoping they’ll inspire me to finish the last three chapters of Carrying Light.
There’s a list of where I’d like to be right now:
- At The Elms, enjoying time in the Grotto;
- At Broadway Cafe in Kansas City with noise in the background;
- At Wild Horse Pass resort in Arizona having a drink in the swimming pool;
- In a cabin at Mozingo Lake, on a writing retreat;
- Sitting on a couch anywhere that doesn’t encourage slouching;
- At a cat cafe, self-explanatory;
- In a camper at Mozingo Lake, just because it would be different;
- At Starved Rock State Park, except for all the crowds.
Where I do not want to be:
- OUTSIDE.
Words Like Me 