SI walked four miles today, and took Jim to breakfast, and bought packing materials — why do I feel as though I achieved nothing? In fact, I achieved lots, but my poor stress-management skills make it feel as though that’s not the case. So let’s reset. In fact, I got tons done, and also took a nap and reread Susan Cooper novels and made dinner. So, it’s been a very productive day. Also, here’s some stuff:
Moving: Talked to Ruth, my future landlord, yesterday and we sorted out much of the summer schedule for (if you recall) self, cat, and stuff. What’s left now is to sort out the date for leaving my current place; hiring the movers (or truck plus friends who want to make some money that day); kicking off a cunning plan for the cat; and find a place to stay for a few days in June. And packing, of course. And training the cat to wear a harness so that she can wear a license tag, just to be safe.
New advisory board: I have been invited to be on an advisory board for a failry large nonprofit that has nothing directly to do with either writing or science fiction. My main responsibility seems to be two meetings a year for two years, which seems great. Even better: the first meeting is in San Francisco. Not quite so great: I only found out yesterday, and the meeting is in two weeks, so that means a lot of last-minute rescheduling of things. It’s a flyby so I won’t really be doing anything but being in meetings, this time at any rate: if the next one is there, I may stay for a few extra days and see SF friends. I haven’t been there in ages.
Concentration: As in, there hasn’t been any. I have some stuff that I really need to get done — in fact, this is why I feel I achieved nothing: because I didn’t do these things — but let’s be honest. I’m not going to do them today. Will I be better able to focus tomorrow? Magic 8-Ball says REPLY HAZY, TRY AGAIN.
Summer course: This summer I am teaching a new class for the grad students, Creative Writing Pedagogy. I now have a text, three-quarters of a syllabus, and a Blackboard page. So, yay.
But I am not writing. It’s been a challenging spring for that in any case, but now, advising responsibilities, the move, and the new class have really disrupted my creative focus. Please wish me well.
