Skip to main content

Compost

Today I am starting a compost pile, my first ever, and it seems oddly appropriate to also begin this journal on the same day: tossing chopped up veggies and old history and scraps of paper into these two heaps. Of course, I am insane to start any new project right now. I am sixteen days away from heading off to Odyssey and nine weeks away from the start of Scrabble Nationals. I should be studying or writing or cleaning closets.

Before leaving for Odyssey, I need to complete one more story (I've sent two so far). I'm a little reluctant to just grab one from my rough drafts folder. It's not that I don't have plenty to work with. I suppose I want to just start fresh. Odyssey is in many ways a true start for me. I've done a lot of writing. Editors have liked and bought my work. Writing is important, even vital. But I keep holding back from truly going for it, from saying "This is what I do, who I am."

So I say it.

This is what I do. This is who I am.

Before Nationals, I just need to learn all the rest of the words. That's all.

I'm working my way through a stack of flashcards -- actually I'm not quite finished making the flashcards, but will be by the time I leave for Odyssey -- of all the eights that have no sevens in them. I'm alternating this study with my study of stems. Stems are great and useful, but these eights with no sevens are a blast. Sannyasi, papyrian, apoapsis, kalyptra, santalol... I love this list!

Actually, I do want to know all the words. For Nationals, I will be pleased if I manage to get through the event without humiliating myself. (As I'm defining that myself, I will be the one to judge whether or not I succeed.) Oh, and I'd like to avoid having my picture taken much. Simple goals.

On the home front, Daniel and Aaron both got their driver's licenses yesterday. I'm not too nervous yet. I think I'm in denial.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This has been a very long week -- perhaps 16 or 17 days, at least. I have been offered -- and accepted -- my younger sister’s finished basement for the next year and a half. This will be a major cost-saver for me and a big help for her (she has two toddlers and is expecting a baby in August.) So that was a humongous start to the week. My other sister and her teenaged son have had to make some really hard decisions. She gave me permission to quote her: “spent yesterday at the hospital with my son. about eleven hours. sitting here writing and rewriting this entry trying to find just the right words. how to explain-- he is not healthy. he is mentally ill. he is not safe at home. none of this really covers it. so here's one image from the day. we walk into the east wing at maine med escorted by security. the very nice guard LOOKS like a skinhead but actually has incredible kindness and compassion for my snarly boy. he tells us gently that he has to check ian for weapons and sharp o...
3 comments
Read more
Life is a little tough these days. Taking a break. I will be back with more tales of grasshoppers and compost heaps and scrabble games soon.
17 comments
Read more
From the warnings in the back of the Life textbook: If one sleeps over at one’s old house to take care of one’s own kids while their dad is on a business trip, and if one is pleased with how calmly and smoothly everything is going and has gone and seems to be likely to go in the future, one should not be surprised when one’s silly dog decides to have -- oh, what should we call it? diarrhea? -- in the master bedroom on the white carpet. One should be careful not to say anything too terribly vile to the dog while scrubbing away at germy spattery spots with old white gym towels. Note: one should be especially alert to the smirking meanness of the universe. The universe has been known to send along vicious wasps to sting one on the ring finger of the left hand, causing one to nearly faint from anxiety.
1 comment
Read more