Dear Reader,
Today has Monday energy, even if it is Tuesday. Yuck.
Word Raccoon was slow moving this morning. She knows I am planning to work on the novel and she is not interested. Not today. I let her write a poem.
“Let…don’t you mean required?” she asked. She’s so ready for April to be over. She wants to write poetry on her own terms!
Today’s notebook poem mentioned the composer Haydn and how we were taught to pronounce his name by our arts professor. The irony is, I remember how to say his name, but do I still remember any of his music? (I do. Just don’t ask me to name titles.)
There is a Zoom reading tomorrow to wrap up National Poetry Month with my writing alum cohort. WR is deciding whether she wants to sign up. I suspect she will and that she will insist on reading “Renewal.” We do have a couple of big energy performance poems, but one may be a bit less…formal…than the occasion requires.
The universe delivered Clutterbug’s podcast to me this morning, right as I was drowning in that familiar feeling of being back online physically with too many things waiting. She suggests choosing three items in three categories: three must do’s, three to move your life forward, and three just for fun.
I haven’t exactly planned these evenly today.
My three must do’s:
Confirm tomorrow’s lunch date.
Call the hotel to try to get reservations for our May trip.
Prep a couple of items that need to be mailed. One is a writing project that only accepts submissions by mail. Fun and analog.
My big “tame the household” thing today was putting away the laundry that had begun staging a household takeover: bedroom, hallway, library. I set a ten minute timer and got it done with twenty seconds to spare.
That task had been weighing on me, and now it is done.
Dinner will be leftovers. I made a pasta bake yesterday that came out surprisingly good for being assembled so quickly. Done and done.
Word Raccoon insisted that if we were going out, she wanted a cozy sweatshirt, but it had to be brightly colored. We own exactly two sweatshirts. She doubled down and insisted that I bring a flannel shirt as well. Which I am now grateful for because why is it so cold in here?? Is the air on??
Last night I watched a video about Flannery O’Connor, which made me want to read more of her work. I have not read any of her novels. The video was fascinating and I want to know more about her now.
Also, whenever I hear her name, I picture someone in flannel, which feels relevant to nothing and everything.
We are listening to Meghan Trainor’s new album, Toy with Me, because we need something light. Because where is the sun?
This is a good bop.
Now, the work.
Yesterday I was writing indoors at a café when two women came in looking for a table. It was almost too chilly to sit outside, but I was not going to occupy a table they needed, so I moved anyway. That shift in atmosphere might have been exactly what I needed.
I opened my novel. One of the main characters had softened toward me the other day, and yesterday I sat with her as she read that book I mentioned giving to her that led to her opening up.
I had given her a book I have not actually read, which means I now need to read it, because she seems to understand it better than I do, and it might be affecting things I don’t realize.
I was able to sit beside her on the settee, watch her read, and then follow her to dinner. It is one of my favorite scenes I have written so far.
I am looking forward to standing near her today, quietly observing, listening, if she lets me. I think she trusts me a little now. She will not let me into her mind yet, but she will allow my presence. That is a breakthrough. She has already surprised me.
This is not poetry, and yet it feels poetic.
I am in that strange place where I want to write more on the novel, but the excitement makes me hesitate. The anticipation is part of the pleasure.
But I do want to write.
I have never approached a more closed character. I will be patient. If I get it wrong, I trust she will let me know.
Meghan Trainor is currently making me want to go to the gym. Not now. I think it is time to switch to something without lyrics.
Opening the document now.
Or maybe I will finish my breakfast first.
Or, or…
Word Raccoon is eyeing my Coke Zero.
Single minded creature.
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