It's all a blur...

Another long day. Started so long ago, I can't even remember when. Up early to the office, and after some letter writing, bill paying, and dumpster drops, off to the recycling post to dispose of, among other things: hard drives, computers, a keyboard, a sound mixing board, a printer, patch cords, disc drives and sundry electronics. A full and satisfying day, by any reckoning. Office on West Colorado is all but empty now. Another trip to the Arc ought to do it. Just want to have it behind me and move on. Sold one of my old armoires to a nice couple from Woodland Park. Never been one to fall in love with material things, but realize more and more how much emotion we invest in objects without even thinking about it. Anyway, good to clean house. Good to get closer to the center of things. Haven't slept well the past week, but again, probably to be expected, given everything that's going on. Used to think life would simplify as I got older, but in many ways it's become more complicated. Go figure. 

Take the victories where you can...

Weather cool today. Winds came down from the north and made for temps in the 20s. Best revenge? A six pack on the back porch, imported beer at the ready.

Got close (maybe even finished) with final revisions on "Te Quiero," and "Herald Angel" today. More than ready to push both out the door and move on to something new.

Spent the day painting and insulating the new office. New HVAC up and running. Heat, at last! Going to be a tight window getting everything finished by month's end, but have faith it's going to happen.

Learned tonight my short story "Unseen" was named a finalist in the Tucson Festival of Books.

This pilgrim's progress...

Still spinning the wheels, but managed to get some writing in just the same. Drafted the first 500 words of a new story, made some good revisions on "Dancing with the Devil. Need to put the final proofs of "Herald Angel" and "Te Quiero" to bed tomorrow. Get them out the door and have done with them.

Been re-reading Poetics in my spare moments, absorbing even more this time around. The knowledge is beginning to feel liberating, rather than restricting or intimidating. Halfway through it, and making good notes.

My dad's been on my mind a lot lately. Not sure why, but I welcome the visits. Hard to believe he's been dead almost ten months.

A quarter of the way into T.C. Boyle's The Terranauts, and enjoying it greatly. Look forward to making more progress this week. Haven't had as much time read as I would have liked, but with moving the office it's not surprising. Can't seem to find ten minutes of uninterrupted time lately. Haven't been to a movie in months.

 

Saved by the cat...

Up early to look after little things. Didn't make it to the office until after 12:00 pm, but managed a good bit of housekeeping after I got in. Jettisoned old files, letters, etc., in anticipation of the move. Bittersweet, but no time to get mired, emotionally. Need to get the world in order so I can get back to the keyboard. Feel like I haven't done any worthwhile writing for two weeks now. Good thing is, workmen seem to be keeping their schedules...for a change. So maybe things will come off better than planned.

Haven't slept for a while now. Not sure what that's about. Haunted by gray thoughts and strange, grotesque dreams. Maybe it's just that it's winter. Hard to tell. Could probably use some vitamin D, straight from the source. Haven't been outside all month except to drive from one place to another. Be nice to lace up the boots and go hiking.

 A kitty makes his entrance as I'm writing this. Thank heaven for furry friends. Somehow, they fix everything.

Wednesday, 5:17 pm...

Wild and wooly day. 

Mom left for Albuquerque after a nice, five-day visit. Saw her off, then went to work painting the cottage office. Finished in time for an unexpected visit by Rick, the sheet rock man, and later, Tim the electrician. Hit the gym for the first time in three days, then drove to the office to do some project work.

Need to settle in tomorrow. Get back on task.

Haven't read or written anything for days. No idea what's going on in the world. Not sure I care.

A day late, a dollar short...

Another day lost in translation. 

Revised scripts, put in research, answered some overdue correspondence and got a jump on a new project. Still haven't managed to read the second of the two N. mss. Afternoon lost to meetings, but one with the prospect of new work.

Mom coming tomorrow. Not ready, but never am. Will have to fly by the seat of my pants. Should be an interesting few days.

Cold tonight. Blustery again, though not as bad as before. Snow prediction for Saturday now moved to Sunday. Need to winterize! Man, did I blow that one!

 

 

Here we are, Tuesday...

Not sure what happened today, but here I am. Back at it.

Winds died down, meetings came and went, temps got into the high fifties but no one seemed to care.

Mom coming for a visit on Thursday. Should be fun. Look forward to catching up.

Meanwhile, still behind on my reading. Gotta ramp up tomorrow and get the N. mss out door. Prep a couple of bids. Make plans for what's ahead.

Nice morning, today. Happy for that.

Blow ye winds and crack your cheeks...

High winds woke me early from a bad dream. Imagined I was moving to Florida, against my will. Kept asking strangers if my Colorado "residence" papers were still in order, presumably because I figured to make a break for home the first chance I got. Wasn't looking forward  to being up at three, but it beat the alternative.

Hurricane force winds almost all day. Hundred year old trees felled all over the neighborhood. Power out, home and office, for most of the day. Internet out, too. Miserable goddamned day, and looking at a reprise of it again tomorrow. God, I hate this time of year. Weather folks say there's snow in the forecast for Saturday. Sure hope so. Was just beginning to feel better when the air went south on us again. Nursing a major league headache, nausea.

Needless to say, didn't accomplish a damn thing today, outside of a v.o. session at the office. Wasn't even able to get my reading out of the way. Meetings were cancelled, rescheduled, cancelled again. Schedule all out of whack. Hoped to get a bit of a respite, but things are already beginning to get a bit blustery again. Maybe I can score a pair of earplugs before he night's out?

Backlogged...

Up early. Finished revision of "Herald Angel." Time to let go and move on. Went off mid-morning to pick up insulation. Spend the rest of the day hanging it. Pretty quiet, otherwise.

To do list is getting longer by the moment. Behind on my correspondence, phone calls, and the like. Maybe I'll have some luck catching up tomorrow.

Small, unexpected interruptions conspire to keep me from my appointed rounds, but I have the feeling something's going to shake loose before long. We'll see.

Friday...

Topsy-turvy day. What should have been a short meeting turned into a marathon, and from there there wasn't much hope of getting the time back. Got a little done, but not much. Guess I'll have to reset and try again tomorrow. See if I can make up some lost ground.

Did make it to the gym today for the first time in ages. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Pushed it as far as seemed prudent, given time off, and lived to tell about it. Home now, and looking forward to a quiet evening. God, the week went fast. Maybe because the pieces kept moving. Murray's death definitely shook thing up.

Took a brief glance at the world news and immediately looked away. Better to keep working, head down, and not worry about what can't be controlled or changed. Time passes too quickly. Don't want to get caught standing around watching the paint dry.

What little ambition I have...

Off the rails again. Snow messed with everyone's day. Schedules changed, changed again. Took care of small business at home, never quite managed to make it into the office. Maybe that's just as well given the roads were an icy disaster.

Perplexed about the health stuff, but why? My doctor feels the same way and she's got a medical degree. Keep punching, I guess, and just don't think about it. Wish I could steal some extra energy is all. Got the cabin fever bad. Haven't been to the gym in a coon's age, the mountains even longer.

Started T.C. Boyle's Terranauts today. Don't know where it's going yet, but man, the guy can write. Felt good to start something new. Would feel good to revisit an old friend, too.

Not sure what tomorrow's supposed to bring. Cold? Feels like it. Weekend? Guess I'll have to wait and see. 

Moved story files from 2016 to 2017 in a shot to organize. Not sure if it made any difference, but have some good stuff in the hopper and look to having a good year, too. Wanna keep pressing forward. Think seriously about getting a collection in front of a publisher. Enter a couple of contests. Shoot for elite mags.

Unfinished, untitled...

Should have known which direction the day was headed. Early morning appointment with orthodontist office. Found out my upper permanent retainer had broken. Spent some time in the chair getting it repaired. Went to the doc next for tests and a routine exam. Found out I don't have a kidney infection. Maybe not a sinus infection either. But whatever it is, we're gonna keep digging. Yippie yahoo! More tests next week. Meanwhile, supposed to keep on with the antibiotics. For a while, anyway.

Drove to the office after the med stuff and discovered some new reading from N. Two pieces of fiction, one of which I read and made notes over. Also sent back notes to B&T, defending choices i'd made writing "Man of Letters." Would have gotten more finished, I think, if I hadn't been interrupted by an unexpected guest. 

Beginning to see a pattern here. Or not.

Something ere the end, some noble note...

Hard day. An old, old childhood friend lost her daughter to cancer. Closer to home, the arts community lost Murray Ross.

Thought maybe the world was on an upward swing, then this. Trying to fight off the blues, but being sick has made it tough. Hoped for a broader recovery today, but started to flag around 2:30 and never managed to rally. 

Still. Letters off to mom and kid. Errands. Etc.

Thought maybe a visit to the gym was in the cards. Not so.

Quoting Papillon: I'm still here, you bastards!

The Revenant, redux...

Day after New Years. Woke to find I've slept through almost the entire holiday. Looks like maybe this sinus infection I've been packing was only half the problem. Kidney infection, too. Keep looking at that big bottle of augmentin 875 sitting on the window sill wondering how long before I can finish it. Feel like a kid counting a jellybeans in jar. Anyway, fever down today and stomach pain in remission. Energy levels still way off, but even so managed to make a few revisions and finish "The Big Sky." What a book. Not sure I was giving it the respect it deserved starting out, but have since come to see why it's considered a western masterpiece. The ending--the last hundred pages--felt incredibly modern in many ways. Gonna go on a search for "The Way West," now. How can I not? Going back into hybernation. Hope to gain a few more yards by tomorrow.

Medicine, man...

A day of meager strides, for sure. Bad night's sleep. Up at 2:30, dragging on the albuterol, Early doctor's appointment, where I was put back on antibiotics. Three week course this time around. Stronger prescription.

Staggered into the office before noon and got a few good revisions in place. Looking to send off "Man of Letters" and "Occurrence at the Night Owl Liquor Store" before week's end. Knock wood, but pretty sure I'll make it.

Called it early afternoon. Didn't have any big projects to attend to, and felt bad enough to come home and go to bed. Haven't done that in a while. Didn't really sleep, but the rest was good. Looking to make a small comeback tomorrow.

Hot & sour soup tonight. It's gotta help, right?

Breathe in, breathe out...

Still feeling a bit run down. Up later than usual, did a bit of revising, looked after small things at home, then to the office and barber. Never did make it to the gym. Too worn out to fight the crowd.

Close to having a mail draft of "Man of Letters." Should happen by tomorrow. Close on "Dancing with the Devil," too.

Nice day, a little cool, but it felt good to get outside. If only for a few minutes.

Got a surprise later in the afternoon. Discovered I'm the featured writer in the new edition of the Saint Katherine Review. They picked up my story "The Bitter Angels of Our Nature" a few months back. Can't wait to see it in print.

Another visit to the allergist tomorrow morning. Hope we can get to the bottom of this sinus/allergy/cold mess. 

The Day after...

Off the grid the last three days. Much company, little reflection. Managed to type a word or two, but far fewer than hoped. Thought I'd find a way to ramp up today, but have fallen ill again and couldn't muster the energy. Congestion, coughing, fever, aches, and lethargy. 

Spoke to my mom last night, and she sounded well. Lots of company from what I could make out over the phone. Didn't get a whole lot in the way of news, but very often that's the way you want it.

Bad winds the last couple of nights, but they seem to have subsided for a while. Did they come early this year, or is it my imagination?

Pressing ahead wit The Big Sky, though I haven't had much time to read. Fascinating book. Well crafted, but in some ways it falls on the ear like a 50s western. Maybe that's why I'm enjoying it so much.

Have a few loose ends to tie up for clients, and figure to do it tomorrow. Work, hit the gym, then come home and rest. Big longing as I write this. Big. Weariness brings out the strangest emotions.