Currently I am sitting at a desk on the 5th floor of Wilson Library. The sky is blue — FINALLY! — and the sun is making the ripples on the bay sparkle and gleam.
It’s a beautiful March day. It is also a day that I am in flux.
Like most humanesque creatures, I take comfort in my silly habits and routines. I can be quite curmudgeonly about them, and breaking them against my will can lead to a toddler-level tantrum (at least internally…).
So why do I persist in changing my routines every three months? For those in the know, it is because I decided to return to university at the ripe young age of 49. So every three months my schedule changes and I must adapt.
It’s gotten easier, fortunately. I take the down time between quarters to formulate a new routine and then I implement it in baby steps during the two weeks off. But then, I decide to try something new. This quarter the new thing is to schedule all of my classes on two days, Tuesday and Thursday. That gives me five days of freedom to work on my writing, earn a bit of the devil’s kale (not marijuana, but money), and to enjoy my life a bit.
It also means that on two days each week I leave my house at 8:30 am, walk a mile to the bus stop, go to classes all day, then get back to the bus stop at 6:30 … where I then walk the mile home.
Wish me luck in surviving this experiment!
Project Updates:
I completed, and properly formatted, a couple of microfiction pieces. They are each around 550 words and complete stories in themselves, although both could also be expanded if I ever feel the urge.
The first is “Dog Bowl Eulogy,” which has nothing to do with bowls and the dogs only make a guest appearance, as in the main character Shirley is terrified she is going to be eaten by dogs.
The second is “Minstrel Cramps,” which as the name implies was much fun to write and will hopefully be more fun to read!
Both will begin their submission odysseys later this week. I’ll update as the rejections, ahem, I mean acceptances begin pouring in!
A bit of noodling on the “Ragman” project, but that’s it. I won’t be working on it in earnest until summer break.
I’ve also began editing and revising a longer short story, with the working-but-probably-final title of “Dendrolatry,” which simply means Tree Idolatry or Tree Worship. It’s at about 5,000 words right now, pre-revision, and I expect it is more likely to pack on a couple thousand more by the time I am done with it.
The interesting thing about this story is that it began with a prompt writing exercise. My initial prompt was simply “What if the trees had eyes?” I wrote about 1,000 words on that little prompt, and I had more words but no more time so I ended it with a new prompt for the following day.
That prompt was “what are the trees looking at?” Still, more words at the end of the exercise, so I followed it up with another prompt on day 3. “Why are the trees looking at me?”
I continued in this vein for several days before I finally reached an ending of sorts. Quite lovely of an ending, really! Some parts I rushed through, which is why I know I will be adding more words.
Now, what have I published this week? Not much. Nothing, actually. I did send out 5 submissions yesterday, but I didn’t hear anything back other than a few emails stating my submission was received.
I also published a new essay over on Medium, free-read Friend link below:
Are the Myths You Tell Yourself Hurting You?
Reading Notes:
I haven’t finished a book this week, so I will simply share what I am reading right now:
Pitchcraft by Laura Goode — lots of good information, so far! I’ll give a more detailed review once I finish it.
Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers. I’m about halfway through this short book. I love everything Chambers has ever written, and so far I love this one, too. Chambers is the best hopecore, solar punk sci-fi writer on the planet, I swear!
Moments in Living:
Life has been pleasantly chill this past week. Wonderfully chill, even. I met with friends nearly everyday last week to make up for the fact that I dropped off the planet during winter quarter. We didn’t do any hiking or geocaching, which are the usual weekend activities, and instead stuck close to home where we read, played games, and simply relaxed.
Oh, and we enjoyed the sunshine on Monday with a pint at our favorite beer garden. Good times!
Nothing exciting, but sometimes that is the best way.
Until next time,
Jenny Wren Harrington
Jenny Wren 