This blog has been very quiet for many months. Yet, astonishingly, people are still visiting. I am often amazed when I finally log into Blogger and see the amount of people that have visited. To those of you who are still here, thank-you for sticking around.
I have been working on a writing project, but only a few, close friends know much about it. Right now it is like a delicious cupcake that I keep hidden in my desk drawer, because I'm unwilling to share, at least for the moment. I have been taking my writing seriously for quite a few years, but nothing in the past compares to what I am doing now. This is a metamorphosis, of sorts, that I'm going through. And I can't wait to share it all with you, but I'm not quite ready to break open the cocoon. I need to love and nourish the "butterfly" a bit more.
I have been scribbling ideas in notebooks all summer. The majority of the books I read now are not fiction. The books are about writing, how to improve the end product or streamline a process. Finally, I extracted enough information from those books to solve a problem with my work in progress. I poked at this story several times over the summer, but a few weeks ago dove into it again. This time I was armed with some valuable literary weapons...and the story consumed my life.
I can say that the work I have been doing over the last few weeks is like nothing I have ever done before. I feel a physical change when I shift from writer to mom/wife/head household technician. I've had Campbell's condensed tomato soup, made with skim milk and a generous sprinkle of dried Italian herbs, for lunch many times lately. Not because I really enjoy it, but because I can drink it out of a coffee mug. I don't have to stop working like I would if I ate something that required utensils. Often I have turned the television on in the afternoon, but not because I want to watch the soap operas. I use it as a visual time clock of sorts. When The Bold & The Beautiful comes on I need to start winding down my writing, make the shift to mom and not forget to pick the kids up from school. I write down chores, like washing laundry of vacuuming, in my date book so I won't forget them. I've been living with the characters in my fictional world so much I have developed an intense craving to interact, face-to-face, with people. Earlier this week I got back in touch with some old friends. I was so relieved and grateful that they welcomed me with their beautiful smiles.
Last night, in the middle of the presidential debate, I crossed the finish line in this leg of my writing journey. Today, I am taking a mental health break. I loaded Cooper into my pickup and we ran errands. I walked around the farmer's market and bought healthy, nourishing vegetables. Then I stopped at the office supply store and stocked up on legal pads. All of them have fancy patterned paper covering the top binding and they make me smile. After that I stopped for a real treat, a Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte. Along the way I finalized my plans for dinner. Right now I am finishing off that latte, writing this post and just relaxing. I have more work to do, but for today, I'm taking a much needed break.
What I really want to know is: What are you doing today?