I'm a Winner! I have a Blog Sticker That Says So

Oh, Yeah Baby! The first draft of my first screenplay is done! If you follow this link to the excerpt, please be gentle with any comments. It's a first draft. It's supposed to be bad.

Next up, the long dreaded editing of the NaNoWriMo novel. I need to have something worthy of claiming my prize of one free paperback copy by June 30th.

Speaking of, I need a cover design. If anyone's good at drawing. let me know. There could be some free chocolate or pastry in it for you. Plus, the finished cover would look good in your portfolio. Everyone needs a portfolio.

Mindful Mindlessness

Today I sat at my computer and noticed that there are only 15 pages to go to meet the Script Frenzy goal. Unfortunately, "THE END" is somewhere further away. I stared at the screen for a few minutes. I looked out the window and noticed that the rain was turning to snow. So of course, I had to get up and take a photo. All these tulips are from a few bulbs that were transplanted by squirrels several years ago.
I sat back down at the computer and noticed a splashy sound. Looked up and noticed that there was water dripping down the chimney of the woodstove. Mopped up the water, put a bucket under the drip, and called the people who did the roof. Sat back down. Looked out the window and noticed that it's snowing much harder. Opened the backdoor and took more photos. Sat back down. Wondered why I haven't heard from my last interview, not even the standard rejection email that this company sends out. Called the store to follow up. No one I need to talk to is in yet.

Puppy started poking me with her nose, so I put her in her little raincoat (she hates getting wet unless it's her idea) and watched her step carefully through the slush. Notice that her tail is still sort of curled; she's not that upset.

After being outside, she gets towelled off, which she does like. Then I sat back down and finally started working. Got all the characters to a masqued ball. And that's where they'll stay, because I don't know what happens next.

Call the store again, speak with one of the people who interviewed me. The process is taking longer than they thought; I'm still in the running.

I wish there was a place I could call to find out what happens at the ball. Some mundane chores might help. Something about mindful mindlessness frees my creativity.

The Totem Returns

Today the dragonflies made their first appearance in the park. I would have missed them if I hadn't listened to the little voice that whispered 'go back the way you came'. So instead of taking the easy path back to the car, Puppy and I wandered the twisting, rocky path that follows the south shore of West Lake. And there they were; the red dragonflies. Over the past few years, I've come to think of the red and bronze dragonflies as the stalkers of the insect world. One will accompany me for a while as I walk the trail. Then it disappears, and is shortly replaced by another. I read today that dragonflies are very territorial. Sound like anyone you know ;)?

Prospect Park

Dragonfly is definitely my totem. My favorite of my three tattoos is a dragonfly.

Denver Botanic Gardens

Dragonflies can fly at speeds up to thirty miles per hour, yet they are very obliging about having their pictures taken. These were all taken with a small digital camera set to 'child', aka 'motion'.

My backyard

Dragonflies have been around for millions of years. There are legends that they were once real dragons; some people call them mosquito hawks because of their ability to catch flying insects.
So beautiful, such a fearsome predator. Delicate wings, crushing jaws. Welcome back.

Pond at Will's old house

Writing Outside in 10 Easy Steps

Step one - remember that the laptop is portable, and therefore can be used in the backyard.
Step two - put Kitty on his tether so he can be outside too. (Our neighborhood has foxes, coyotes, skunks, big dogs and bad drivers. Kitty is not free range.)
Step three - ooo! Look! a butterfly!
Step four- get all set and ready to write.
Step five- get up to untangle Kitty from the rosebush. Notice that the rosebush is beginning to sprout leaves. Walk around the yard to see what else is sprouting.
Step six- fill bird feeder.
Step seven- follow a random thought and wind up on a website about the Sacred Feminine with an interesting article about the Sacred Prostitute. Send this link to witchy friends.
Step eight - untangle Kitty from cauldron planter. Tell him Puppy knows how to untangle herself. Receive the 'silence, underling' stare from Kitty.

Step nine- Spend a few minutes mentally redesigning the backyard. Realize a small horde of minions would be necessary. Wonder if this is a good day for planting because I still have moonflowers and corn to start. Realize this is not getting the page count done.

Step ten - untangle Kitty from rosebush again.

A Writer to an Univited Character

Dear Attractive Manly Landscaper,

I did not plan for your appearance in my screenplay. But here you are, and it seems you are going to stay, no matter what upheavals it might inflict on my tenuous thread of a plot. I blame Mags, that mead-making Green Witch of a plant merchant from the farmer's market. Things were going along fine, until she up and gave your business card to the main character. This sort of reckless disregard for my intentions is very disconcerting. If this is how you people are going to behave, you should learn to type and just leave me out of it. What's that? You're all non corporeal and can't type your own stories? Well maybe you should have thought of that before.

Cough Syrup & Chutzpah

"Hi, this is Daniel from Root Down. You answered our ad on Craigslist."
"I did?"
Laughter. "Yeah, you had a great cover letter about how even though we didn't list pastry you wouldn't let that stop you from applying, and that pastry skills would translate to pantry & prep. Which they do. We like your chutzpah. This place pretty much runs on it".
"OH! This was a blind ad, wasn't it ?"
"Yes, it was. When can you come for an interview?"
I don't tell him that I was stoned on cough syrup when I did my applications last week.
I set up a time (Wednesday) and go back to getting my paperwork together for this afternoon's financial assessment for lowcost healthcare. The phone rings again.
"Hi, this is Rhonda from Rolling Hills Country Club". They weren't looking for pastry either. But I have an interview. Maybe I need to dial back the chutzpah. I wouldn't want to accidentally take over the world.

Later: Oh dear Gods and Goddesses. I went through 'sent mail' and found that cover letter:

Hi, Your ad didn't say that you were looking for a pastry chef, but I'm not one to let things like that stop me. My last Chef told me that pastry skills would translate into pantry and prep, and I'm willing to test his theory. You'll see by looking at my resume that I don't have restaurant experience, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Look at it not as a lack of experience, but as a lack of bad habits to interfere with my doing things your way. Given that every job posted on Craigslist tend to get 100 or more applicants, it's likely that that my resume stands out only in terms of chutzpah. I'm okay with that; nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Oh my. Should I be worried that they called?

Here We Go!

Today is the first day of Script Frenzy, and with even less planning than I did for Nanowrimo, I'm diving in. It's not too late to donate on my penniless behalf; you have the entire month of April to click here and support my insanity by supporting Script Frenzy. Join my friend Judy, who already donated so generously. Any amount, no matter how small, is welcome. They aren't proud, they just want to break even. Thanks for supporting my delusions of grandeur :)

I've been sick for about a week, and yesterday my friend Najah made me go to the clinic. She actually turned her car around and came to take me to the clinic. It turned out to be bronchitis. The amazing and lovely PA Marjie charged me only for the office visit; the nebulizer treatment, the inhaler, and two doses of prednisone she gave me for free. She said health care is too expensive and this is her way of balancing the scales. I really appreciated it. I also appreciated the prescription for narcotic cough syrup that let the whole household sleep through the night.

I'm starting to believe in the kindness of strangers.

Enough procrastinating. Time to meet or surpass today's quota of 3.3 pages of screenplay. And remember, you can donate to Script Frenzy here.