For 'twas not into my ear you whispered but into my heart. Twas not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
— Judy Garland
Happy February! I can’t believe it’s already time for a new edition already —
I’m going to have to get used to the rhythm of a monthly newsletter (and stop reminding you how new it is for me). The thing I’ve noticed is that I want to share everything with you. Set aside the fact that this would probably bore you to tears, I simply don’t have time to write it all. But here are some highlights from January.
The big news: I’m in! That’s right. As I mentioned in my January note, I was invited to tentatively join a weekly writing group. I’ve now attended four times, and I feel very welcome and at home. The three core members have been together many years as others have come and gone. I am one of three new members, and I’m amazed at the ability of the three original women to welcome us in a way that makes me feel deeply connected already. Trust is huge in a group where we are sharing our writing and looking for honest and compassionate feedback, I was reminded by the convener of the group. They are trusting us newbies, inviting us into an awesome circle of support.
All six of us are working on very different projects intended for a variety of audiences. In just a few weeks my manuscript, which has already been through multiple readers, is getting a tremendous makeover. These women are fabulous, the process of reading out loud and then receiving their feedback is powerful, and getting to listen to and respond to their writing is an honor.
Some other tidbits: Of course, writing is really just one small part of my life. My freelance rabbi work has picked up and my day job did not get the promised winter lull. And I signed my son up for Little League, our first organized sport.
When I talked about goal setting last month, I didn’t reflect on what makes it possible to achieve the goals, other than that they are written out. Of course, that’s the answer, in part. And so it is that I’ve returned to a system I adapted from my mother to deal with the many little tasks that lead to fulfilled goals, big or small.
It is an incredibly centering process, keeping track of everything I need to do within a few weeks and everything I actually do in a day on a single page, moving unfinished tasks to a new page each day. It helps me visualize what I actually can accomplish in a day because it’s what I actually do accomplish. It also keeps me focused and helps me balance how much I am doing for the many areas of my life — family, writing, professional development, and so forth.
All of this is to say that January is in the books, and I’m on a great path toward fulfilment, accomplishment, and harmony this year. Thanks for being part of it!
In Honor of Valentines Day
I want to share a few of the authors I LOVE.
Currently active writers:
Louise Penny Note the photo of me getting her to sign a book. Forget that she'd signed about 200 in line ahead of me, she was so personal and supportive of me as a writer, not just a reader. This month I read her latest, Kingdom of the Blind. Read my review at Goodreads.
Gigi Pandian, whose fourth in the Alchemist series I also read this month. Like me, Gigi has a background in academic anthropology, but that's a different series of books. This one is just plain fun. Who doesn't love a gargoyle living (yes, living) in Portland, Oregon? But that's the least of it. Damn. Can't believe I've only reviewed the first in the series.
A couple of older favorites:
Richard Bach, spiritually oriented fiction (or is it) and non-fiction. Besides Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which my mother read to me when I was young, the first Richard Bach I encountered was the high school cult classic, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. I turned from these to his barnstorming and other autobiographical piloting adventures.
Elizabeth Peters, mysteries with Egyptologist Amelia Peabody. Peters, actually Barbara Mertz, held advanced degrees in Egyptology and was published in the field. Her paranormal works, published under the name Barbara Michaels, freaked me out - but that didn't stop me from reading them.
