I’m forty-six today, which feels — well, just fine. I woke up thinking about SLF programming, but am going to try to put it aside now to try to draft more of the novel. I’ll take my laptop down to the treadmill, get in some mild exercise while I write. I don’t think I can make it to the gym today, but I swam yesterday (I actually went at 9:30 p.m., after the library board meeting, which is so unusual for me that I’m not sure who I’m turning into. Someone who loves swimming, I think), so that’s good.
Kev and I were talking about budget priorities recently, and at the top of my list (after paying the mortgage) is health — the gym membership, the organic food for the kids. As my dad says, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. I’m feeling grateful to have such an abundance of health right now, and to have a healthy family. It’s the sort of thing you take for granted until you don’t have it anymore, and then, it becomes everything. (Americans, call your senators.)
I should be able to get in an hour of writing before it’s time to wake up the kids and take them to camp, at least if I turn off Facebook so I’m not tempted / distracted. (I love you guys, you’re the best, but also the worst when it comes to getting things done.)
The kettle’s on, making the three cups of my typical morning. After I drop off the kids, I’ll come back and try to write some more; there’s two story revisions that are almost done, and I’d like to knock them out this morning, figure out where to send them. One of them will go to Great Jones Street, I think.
At 10, Tim is coming by so I can help him set up a website for local non-profit, Neighbors United, which is helping local youth who have been in a bit of trouble find more productive landscaping work, get on a better path. Peace through gardening. At 11, Chris arrives to assist for a few hours, and I’ve started making a list of things for him to do — mostly cleaning / organizational this week, getting everything in order so I can think clearly. By next week, I hope to have him working more on the computer, building out projects for the SLF for at least a third of his time with me.
At 2, I have an interview with Politico, about how liberal SF writers are responding under the Trump administration. That’ll be…interesting. Thoughts welcome, below. How *are* we responding? At 3, I pick up the kids, probably spend a few hours reading more of Sam J. Miller‘s _The Art of Starving_ (which, it turns out, has a fantastic element, which I didn’t even realize was coming!)
At 5:30, I have a phone call with the XPrize SF Advisory Council — I can only stay on for half an hour, but they said it would still be worthwhile to have me join, so will do. And then at 6, hosting a rapid-fire reading at L!ve Cafe, also selling some books at major discount; I’d like to clear some of the stock in the basement, so $5 copies of Torn Shapes of Desire and the first edition of the cookbook! Tell your friends! I think I’m going to ask Kavi to work the book table; she’s old enough to get a taste for bookselling, right?
And then dinner with family and friends at Maya del Sol, mango margaritas with chili, salt, and lime. Writing, work, reading, performing, socializing. Hm. I might have to squeeze a board game in there somewhere, to make it a perfect day. I’ve been wanting to play Jaipur with Kevin.
Tea’s ready. Time to work.
