Story Cycle! + the July List

Today I started writing a story cycle. I have had the idea ever since I worked at Trader Joe's - to write six short stories, each depicting the destiny of a bottle of wine. I was always astounded to open fresh cases of wine and daydream where each bottle would end up. On a date, at a wedding, alone for dinner, alone while writing, at a graduation party, on a hike, in a suitcase? So I chose six scenarios, actually, the outline ended up to be an autobiographical account of my wildly interesting and decadent life when I lived in Chicago. :)

But I was scared to death to start. In traditional fashion, after I spent an hour outlining, I ate leftover french toast in the front room and frantically recorded word counts in "The Best American Short Stories" Anthology, to find out it doesn't matter, and then I became overwhelmed by reading the list of addresses of the journals in the back, and I was about to research those, but I realized I don't have anything written yet, and I started to think too much - I become inundated with the bios in the back of the anthology, with all the books i want to read, with everything i want to know, and how i want to practice. So, of course, in normal fashion, I took a 20 minute nap to gear up for the actual writing. While staring at the ceiling I came up with the first line. And then I set my cell phone alarm for an hour - I refuse to look at the clock while I write, I would rather have a little buzzer go off like a meditation bell to inform me I can stop if I want.

The hour flew by. Seriously. This isn't so bad! Why is writing so scary????

I have a page and a half written. I am going to try to simply write and then edit later. I've never edited in my entire life, but I think I will enjoy the process. I look at it as being sloppy the first go around, just to get the paint on the floor, and then go around with turpentine and clean up the mess afterwards. So, if I think about it like that - I love to be sloppy! No problem! I don't really care if it is good or not. At least I started.

My goal is to write for an hour in the morning, with tea and nibbling something small, and then make breakfast and write for another hour. Then apply for jobs. Then, after writing and jobs are taken care of - tackle The July List. What a luxury time is - what a simple decadence to arise with only oneself to keep occupied.

The July List:

CAREER:
- AK teaching license
- OR teaching license
- Apply to all nearby districts
- e-mail Josh and Janice re: references
- read "When Kids Can't Read"
- volunteer: bilingual ed.
- e-mail figure drawing professors

CATCH UP:
- e-mail manual to camera lady
- sew patches on backpack
- make jean bag
- scrapbook old vacation stuff
- put Europe photos on hard drive
- call O'Hare TSA
- zip tie milk crate
- look up tote bags and matches
- make Laura version video
- upload photos to facebook
- facebook CHI peeps + D
- vacuum bathroom floor
- oil change for Angela

PERSONAL:
- go swimming
- Sarah's birthday present
- write Renee + Kipp's wedding card
- re-do garden and window box
- cook WW recipies
- outline story cycle and write first draft
- write 2 year goals and frame
- apartment search
- finish "Drop City" and "The Bell Jar" and "Winesburg, OH" and update goodreads
- work on the vineyard
- Zoo Bomb!
- hang with Megan, Erin, and Bobby
- go to Washington Park
- Mary + Steve (18th and 19th)
- contact Matt + Jordo
- look at finances and see what income I need
- dig out JMS project and correct spelling and grammar
- organize the pantry
- hang Mike's painting
- explore Reed
- concert in the park
- move furniture
- research Chevak photo show
- guerilla gardening
- Thao tickets (find a friend to go)
- order ____ for B
- Lily $5
- Central Library: CDs!
- investing class
- get everything off Taskstream
- send "The Bell Jar" to Jules
- Sunday night temple
- find PDX map
- Powell's buy Winesburg, OH