catching up
I was sick last week. After Sunday night / Monday's migraine, my stomach started bothering me Tuesday afternoon and was worse Tuesday night. I called out sick from work Wednesday after a night of no sleep and lots of tummy discomfort. Was back to work Thursday, but still didn't really feel better til Friday night, and then a second migraine on Saturday to bookend the week. So, that was fun.
I think in my last post I neglected to mention the good news I received in email after the Horrible Travel Day: another of my short stories has been picked up for publication. I cannot say who bought it or where it will be yet because the publishers/editors have not announced the full TOC for the book, and so I'm even hesitant to say which story it is. But I will fill you in on those deets just as soon as I'm able.
Friday afternoon I got a work email that, due strictly to financial concerns brought on by the sequester and the drop in class enrollment we're already seeing, my Big Project has been shelved. I was meant to be spending all my office time the next few months developing this new class that I would then debut in California in September, guaranteeing me a full week in Los Angeles followed by most of a week in Oakland. That's now shelved indefinitely. There's the possibility we'll continue the project in 2014, but who knows. So fuck you, Congress, and your sequester. Here's another casualty. Note: this doesn't mean I'm out of a job. It just means they have to find something else to fill the large number of "off the road weeks" they'd scheduled me for. And so far, I'm honestly not thrilled with what I'm being given -- I don't have the skill at developing on-line content that other people have, and it causes me great anxiety. But one does what one must. At least I have a job, and there's always the possibility I'm going to be handed more travel now that I don't absolutely have to be in house developing the Cali course.
On Sunday, I saw a community theater production of Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART that a friend of a friend was playing a supporting role in. I read the play script twenty years ago, had never seen a production of it, and had forgotten the details. I was not the only one in the audience crying at the end. The two leads were very well cast and had strong chemistry, and the slow deterioration of Felix as AIDS ravages him brought up lots of memories of friends lost to the disease, including my cousin Ricky. It hit hard, but it wouldn't have hit AS hard if the actors hadn't been up to the task, and they both were.
I've been struggling with writing the past couple of weeks. This afternoon I cracked open the critique of "Cold Weather, Tap Water" that the wonderful Kaaron Warren did for me and started trying to implement some of her thoughts and answer some of her questions, because they are all good thoughts and questions. Got some little way into it, and hit a wall. Took a hot shower, and suddenly the scene I needed to add popped into my head. That felt great.
In office the rest of this week, home this weekend, then Monday I drive up to St. Albans, VT to teach for day. A quick up-and-back trip.
I think in my last post I neglected to mention the good news I received in email after the Horrible Travel Day: another of my short stories has been picked up for publication. I cannot say who bought it or where it will be yet because the publishers/editors have not announced the full TOC for the book, and so I'm even hesitant to say which story it is. But I will fill you in on those deets just as soon as I'm able.
Friday afternoon I got a work email that, due strictly to financial concerns brought on by the sequester and the drop in class enrollment we're already seeing, my Big Project has been shelved. I was meant to be spending all my office time the next few months developing this new class that I would then debut in California in September, guaranteeing me a full week in Los Angeles followed by most of a week in Oakland. That's now shelved indefinitely. There's the possibility we'll continue the project in 2014, but who knows. So fuck you, Congress, and your sequester. Here's another casualty. Note: this doesn't mean I'm out of a job. It just means they have to find something else to fill the large number of "off the road weeks" they'd scheduled me for. And so far, I'm honestly not thrilled with what I'm being given -- I don't have the skill at developing on-line content that other people have, and it causes me great anxiety. But one does what one must. At least I have a job, and there's always the possibility I'm going to be handed more travel now that I don't absolutely have to be in house developing the Cali course.
On Sunday, I saw a community theater production of Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART that a friend of a friend was playing a supporting role in. I read the play script twenty years ago, had never seen a production of it, and had forgotten the details. I was not the only one in the audience crying at the end. The two leads were very well cast and had strong chemistry, and the slow deterioration of Felix as AIDS ravages him brought up lots of memories of friends lost to the disease, including my cousin Ricky. It hit hard, but it wouldn't have hit AS hard if the actors hadn't been up to the task, and they both were.
I've been struggling with writing the past couple of weeks. This afternoon I cracked open the critique of "Cold Weather, Tap Water" that the wonderful Kaaron Warren did for me and started trying to implement some of her thoughts and answer some of her questions, because they are all good thoughts and questions. Got some little way into it, and hit a wall. Took a hot shower, and suddenly the scene I needed to add popped into my head. That felt great.
In office the rest of this week, home this weekend, then Monday I drive up to St. Albans, VT to teach for day. A quick up-and-back trip.