February 21, 2006

5:08 p.m.

Duty, Schmooty. It Should All Be Fun.

Monday, Feb. 20th

I'm at Rose's today while the Tardis is in the shop for its much belated 30,000 mile servicing. I like being here except for the dog conundrum, where one is wild and destructive so they're usually both crated. Unless I want to sit in the front room at all times and watch them...

I brought my two book docs here to print on their laser printer, but it turns out I can't print them out today because they don't have two of the fonts I used. I'll have to bring them next time and import them, but that won't be til after Texas. I tell myself it's for the best anyway, since even today I was making changes in the text. I did print a sample page which is clean as a whistle.

Maude, the black kitty with white paws, has awoken from her morning-long nap in the original office chair. There is now a second office chair for humans to sit in. She's purring up a storm on the desk in front of me, butting her head against my arm and contemplating whether it's time for a snack or just a good look out the window.

Arthur, meanwhile, is contemplating tormenting her until she hisses at him and runs out of the room.

Siblings.

********

Night before last I had a sweats-and-chills night deluxe. I wrote a poem about it where an angry giant is walking toward my house and making the earth shake suddenly, every time he steps. That's what the shivers feel like. Then I can't get them to go away; I make my body so hot I can feel the heat radiating off of me, yet my core is still fragile, arctic; the least movement of air will set off tremors. It lasted for a few hours after I got up and showered and dressed; that's new. Rose asked if I was coming down with something, but it's never that. I'm not sick. I'm just perimenopausal. Sigh.

Happily, last night I slept very well and had good dreams. In the morning I let the cats in to investigate my stuff and get on the bed. A few years ago, when I was sleeping sometimes on my airbed on the floor in the front lodge (because mom was living in the spare room then), Rose would crack the door open and ask if I was awake, and I'd say, "Send in a little black dog!" And Suni would come racing in to sprawl under the covers and get a belly scritch.

So, what to do with this long day, since I won't be printing poetry books? I brought knitting and two more of Jasper Fforde's books came from Amazon. Incidentally, I've been under the impression that Fforde was a woman, but the picture on the back cover de-illusioned me. He's very cute, actually. Shall I run off with a writer from Wales?

Or... shall I go be a writer from Wales? Heh, heh.

I am of Welsh extraction, you know.

Better go check that the dogs haven't eaten the bookcase.

********

Tuesday, 2/21

I've been listening endlessly to a new Steve Halpern CD and I can just feel myself healing.

Got my car back from its 30,000 mile servicing, to the tune of almost $430. Ouch! Ouch! New mantra: Prosperity Consciousness. Prosperity Consciousness. I will not whine. The money will come. Sell poetry books: pay off Visa card. Sell poetry books: pay off Visa card.

As I told Dar, if I do ten things that each garner me one tenth of a living, I'll be fine.

Nice day at home. I've gotten the to-do list down to about TWO items, an amazing feat. CD Baby sent a link to all its artists, to an article about time management, which I read this afternoon. I don't usually take the time to read articles about time management, because I, eh... I don't feel that I have the time. But this one was very inspiring. In case anyone is interested, it's here. This guy decided he wanted to complete college (with a double major, no less) in THREE semesters. And he did it. I don't aspire to anything that dramatic, but I know some days I feel pressed for time, and I also want to be faster at achieving goals, now that I actually have some. His story and advice rather blew me away.

Balloon report: the mylar balloons from my Dec. 16th birthday party are on their last few days. I've snipped off all the ribbon I can to lighten their burden (the burden of self), but they're pretty close to the floor now. Still moving around a bit, sometimes following me like dogs, or hiding like cats so I don't find them for hours at a time, but the little spirits within have already made travel plans to elsewhere. It's been fun having them, and they lasted more than 2 months.

Time soon for a break (ha ha, I typed "freak" instead), after putting on my editor's hat and looking at a blurb Steve wrote for his film series brochure. They're showing "Capote" this summer with a talkback by the director. Did I mention that already? Then must finish a hat and see about supper, and then practice. Then I'm off duty for the rest of the night.

Note: Today's Word is lovingly dedicated to Hissandtell.