Sunday, August 22, 2010

8:01 shaping the day

Today is a nice fat Sunday - I know, I know, it is usually Saturdays that are fat and Sundays all calm and reflective and a little melancholy because the gears of the week are getting ready to grind on again. None the less, today is a fat Sunday.
I have many desires and goals for today.
First and foremost it is the 1st Annual Low Expectations Dinner! Now that's exciting, eh? You probably don't even know what a Low Expectations Dinner is, do ya? Well, you can count on me to tell you. A L.E.D. happens when you have a desire to get together with friends and you know that all of you are kind of uninspired. In our case we know that our friends have been through a rough summer and even though you might not know it from my sunny disposish, my sweet patootie and I have had some set-backs as well. Things aren't exactly great for any of us on the earning a decent income. Oh, we'll make it through all right but we're not celebrating. And we've all had set-to's with kids and step-kids - grown and not.
The truth is that if we could have them teleported over to our place (our friends I mean - not the kids) we'd all maybe sit around in our Dr. Denton's, eat grilled-cheeses and watch Charlie Chaplin movies. But hey, instead SP, step-dot and I are planning a pretty nice Indian meal. Each of us have our jobs and we've got mojitos organized and a yummy really easy dessert thanks to another friend's brilliance in the cooking department. And we'll talk and laugh and cry a bit. So where do the low expectations come in? We won't feel any need to be brilliant or shiny or hilarious - just sort of soft and kind and perhaps a little bemused by our own situations.
So that event will shape the day to some extent. But there's more! I want to go swimming and that will take some doing. It feels a bit chilly out so it might not happen but I want to make sure I can if there is a chance. In the ocean!
this is one of a series of canoes that were in a river along side the train in Quebec. Very mysterious - I think they were somehow fastened to something but still darned odd. Maybe that is how I feel today - somewhat fastened but buffeted by the currents!

The living room is a mess and needs to be tidied up. This is a direct result of the slowish move of stuff from my old office to the rest of the house. In other words it is my junk and I have to deal with it. SP said he'd wash and wax the main floor which includes Felix's room (my old office). Yesterday we put up curtains - the space looks great! Step-dot is donating a chest of drawers she doesn't use and it needs to be sparked up.
What else? I'd like to get back to my revision. With the trip to Montreal and the moving of my office - I've lost my focus and today I'd like to find it. That's where the 8:01 comes in. Only now it is 8:20. I'm going to go get my self something to eat and then come down here and work for at least an hour on my revision. Yes, before I do any of the other stuff - go for a swim, pack up more garbage to go out, sweep another floor, answer another email. I have to make it a priority or it won't happen. Because, dear readers, I am a writer.
I am a writer!

Update: I did more than an hour of writing and feel like I'm back in finally! Now off to do some sorting and cleaning. Don't worry - this is all good and I think I'll get that swim in too!

13 comments:

John Atkinson said...

I understand. It's the writing in the final act. I take care of my wife who has been fighting cancer for 6 years, some good years and some bad, but the double edge blade and savor of sanity is my writing. It is lonely life at times but the habit to revise my book each day keeps me glued together. On paper I can make a better world. Like you, I am a writer as well.
Best

Cruella Collett said...

The rough patches are unavoidable, I think, but what matters is that we manage to keep our mood and health through them. It sounds like you are on the right track there.

And I love the idea of an A.L.E.D.! Ironically, one of the things I miss about my much-loved solitude in my apartment is that I can't really have friends over. Or I can, but it requires a lot of planning, and it definitely isn't compatible with low expectations. I don't have a spare room I could lock away my mess in, so everything would have to be tidy before I'd let anyone in. The thought alone exhausts me.

Helen Ginger said...

You've planed a full day. I hope as it gets closer to the gathering time, you'll put aside everything and just have fun. Fun and camaraderie is what you need, it sounds like.

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Kick back and have fun today--even if that means freezing your butt off in the ocean.

Jemi Fraser said...

You're right - unless we make the writing a priority, it just doesn't happen.

Enjoy the LED and I hope things are on the upswing for you :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I understand the low expectation gatherings concept. Sometimes that's okay. No pressure!

Jan Morrison said...

Hi all!
I'm feeling the love and it is great - I really don't like to put much about low times on this site as I don't get the point of it but hey - it is nice to hear back from interested parties.
John - I'm sorry about your wife. And I know that writing is a form of sanity protection for me too. Keep on keepin' on as we hippies used to say (and apparently still do!).
Mari- That is why I have people over- so I'll clean up a little! I love parties in small places. Come on - have a party! Just a small one with those who don't care if things are perfect...
Helen - oh yes - I'm looking forward to the fun. The fun and the mojitos! These are very fun friends so even if we're all a little lower than normal we'll have a good time.
Mary - think the ocean lost me as a swimmer today...maybe tomorrow. But I'm loving cooking with my SP!
Jemi - yep, I have to make the writing number one or it slides to number nowhere...
Alex - Yay for low expectation gatherings - they rock...gently!

Liza said...

Glad you got yourself to a positive place.

Natasha said...

I love the idea of a low expectations dinner. I used to kill myself when entertaining, then decided people wanted me in the drawing room when they came over, and not in the kitchen. But to have a dinner where you do not put yourself out to be witty and smart either is a great idea.
Wishing you lots of love to get over the rough patch.

And that photograph is spectacular.

Helen Ginger said...

It's Monday. Did you get in the swim yesterday?

We had a low expectation dinner last night - salad and watermelon. It was quite good.

Anonymous said...

Ah, the nver ending challenge of balancing writing, cleaning, and sorting. My day is already full of all three tasks. Good thing I brewed more coffee.

Stephen Tremp

Carol Kilgore said...

Hope you got your swim!

Congratulations on making your writing a priority. That's what it takes.

Jan Morrison said...

Liza - yep, a little attending to what sustains me and I can do that!
Natasha - oh, we still ended up having high expectations for ourselves - it was a dynamite meal made by Ron,myself and my step-dot - all East Indian food, vegetarian and a scrumptious easy dessert - but we had plenty of time to enjoy each other! I agree with the not being in the kitchen when the guests are present - we did it so I did the appetisers (chickpea fritters that turned out more like latkes!) and a dish that was cooking away with no needed attention (cauliflower dun) while Ron and Sarah did some of the just before stuff. I made mojitos and served the fritters with a coriander chutney while they finished up. Yummy!
Helen - no swim but everything else was great - might get a swim in today...little cool. I want to drink fake coke under water though.
Stephen - where would be without our rocket fuel?
Carol - yes it has to be or we are something else and not writers I think.