July 7th, too late for comfort

My life is beginning to read like a child's reader.

I need to run.

I can run.

See me run fast.

I had 20 minutes after the photo shoot (and grabbing Amy from walking down the road to stand in for Scarlet) to download them. And of course today was the day my computer wouldn't recognize the camera chip. So we downloaded them to grandma's computer and I worked on putting them in my web album to transfer them to my computer. Then ran out the door for the meeting. Literally ran. I met the girls who are doing the dancing. They're nineteen and seem like they'll be really fun. It's Mariel and Jill. Then we ran by Kholes where I bought a polo shirt and passed it off to the others in the store to get embroidered for the CYT program. Returned home and again worked to get the pictures to my computer. I at a TV dinner. Bleh. Then left the album uploading to go to rehearsal where they were moving a huge Pharaoh head onstage. They spray painted it gold so everyone was nice and high before the show started. We ran through the scene changes of the second act. Then ran through the first act where I discovered I can indeed gogo dance in my brown boots with little heels.

I'm worried because Joseph our director again wasn't there. This is the third day and no one's saying how he is after the wreck. I'm going to text him in the morning and ask how he's feeling. Even if he's hurt, it's really not nice for them to not tell us what's going on and I CAN'T believe that they honestly haven't heard from him or don't know.

I hate cars.

And I didn't get to write a word today which saddens me because I was excited too.

My brother insisted if I got up at 6:00, I'd have time to watch a movie tomorrow before he returns it.

I just laughed.

I can't wait for a real day off where I can do nothing but read and write if I feel like it.

And I don't even have a "real" job....

July 7th

It really wasn't fair.

One moment I was thinking about Malcomb. The next I was dreaming about rehearsal and asking Chance who was moving something on set.

The a buzzing invaded the dream and I woke up, hoping it was a random midnight text.

But it was 6:00. I actually hit snooze. Then thought of all the things I needed to do an managed to get myself up. I walked 1.70 miles, feeling as sleepy at the end as I did at the beginning. Then made breakfast and put away the dishes to reload the washer.

Then broke down and had half a cup of coffee to see if it really did wake a person up. Read my Bible - the story of Joseph.

I'm still not sure. But I went to reply to Jess and needed to check on a pervious conversation in the story- ended up reading through quite a bit without finding what I was looking for. So I replied. Then decided to "restart" my morning like I hadn't gotten up yet. I dressed in semi-professional clothing, put on a necklace and make up and got my hair done. Then caught up on my blog. Now I'm going to go downstairs and get those pictures for the front of the cover. Hoping I don't look as sleepy as I feel.

After that, I'll work on CYT stuff while waiting for Sandy to be done with her meeting. Go to mine. Come home and hopefully write until rehearsal. Then get in bed before 11....

July 6th, 2011 - night

It's late. I'm already behind going to bed and about to fall asleep over the keyboard. Today was great. I went to a CYT meeting to work out details for the camp. Then wrote the ending to an Erish wedding. Then wrote the beginning of the story of 15 year old Margaret before she's queen of Eirlerre. Then downloaded the text, reading snatches of a "Shadow over Kiriath" between. It's a great book. I wish I had a day to just sit down and savor it - but that won't come till August. I worked on typing out daily plans for the camp, then bolted out the door for rehearsal. Only AFTER I got there and the theater began to spin and I felt a little drunk, did I realize I forgot to eat supper.

So I drank water instead and put on two layers of costumes over my shorts that really aren't much more modest than going without. Tonight was great. The understudy practiced and when they threw him in jail, he looked like a pathetic little puppy. Which is funny because I mentally cast him as "Dave" from Swing - if I had to use people from that cast.

The weirdest part was when the guys were changing. Ahem. Onstage. In the back foyer. All those little places you're not really expecting to walk in and find dudes in their boxers stripping off the skirt thingies the Egyptians wore. I do find it interesting that throughout history, some of the toughest guys wear skirts....

It was almost as awkward as feeling up the 30 something year old last night. Who'd have thought my most naughty roles would come in the Bible story?

So I returned home starving and ate in the kitchen, watching a show my brother had on until it had a ghost in it that drowned a girl. Then I decided to take my imagination to more profitable and less scary things like reading emails and blogging. And the time keeps creeping on.

But Jess sent me back a reply to a piece of work I sent her with comments and it completely made the ending of this night just perfect.

July 6th, 2011

"You may ask, when do I write then? Well, so far I haven't mentioned sleep, or meals - which many people allow to consume as much time as sleep itself - and in fact the only time I ever get to myself is what I steal from sleep and meals. There isn't very much of it..." Sir Thomas Moore - Utopia

Despite the momentary hesitation on the year date - (is it 2010 or 2011) - I'm starting off today with a bang! I dreamed that Val was here with me - and we both woke up about 8:00 and realized we overslept. So I was a bit confused when my alarm went off and it was 6:00. I got up, got dressed and called Val. My walk was about 1.20 of a mile. I didn't have a pocket for the pedometer. Breakfast was easy as we had left over biscuits so I warmed those up and put sausage on the George Foreman. So it's 7:46 and I'm ready to make my bed, throw a load of laundry in and start my writing workday. I'm sleepy and warring with my eyes (perhaps a shower will fix that) but in a much better state of mood than I was when I went to bed. Mentally - I'm ready to tackle the day. Now if I can only get my body in with the plan.

Today my goals are to finish the cover and send off for the proof for Across the Distance to start passing around for editing rounds. Then I'm going to locate the solos for the CYT camp and run through learning the songs I'll be teaching. Then I need to continue hacking away at "The Captive" and write something for the tales of the kingdom for the website. I'm setting a minimum goal of 500 words for both of those.

I can ease back into writing. So there you have it. Building momentum. Getting into gear.

Who needs sleep?

July 5th, 2010 (night)

Today I managed to write Erish vows - deciding they're decidedly more conservative in Eirlerre than in America. I wrote about 350 words for "The Captive" then spent the rest of the day formatting "Across the Distance" to send off for a proof copy. Despite setbacks, I nearly had it done before I had to leave for rehearsal. I danced alone at the beginning until I felt confidant in the song - then discovered I either learned it wrong or simply performed it wrong. We decided to push the show back a week so we have time to polish (and hopefully have dance rehearsals.) Our director was in a car accident. He wrote that they were waiting on the police and then he'd be there - but he never showed up or contacted us again. I'm a little freaked out by that, seeing how a "fine" car accident screwed up my brother's life.

Which means opening night will be the week I'm doing CYT. Sandy wants to meet tomorrow so I worked a bit on the break to find the solo places in the songs. I listened to the songs today but I don't know them. Everyone is stressed, including me but I'm working on just being the little engine that could and chugging along.

Who can publish three books at once, produce a play, perform a play, teach a musical and get ready for another set of auditions all at the same time?

Why, I can, of course!

With all that said. I need to go to bed. It's five minutes till 10:30 and... I'm seriously thinking about working down to getting up at 5:00 every morning. Fifteen hours in the day just aren't enough. Sigh.

July 5th, 2010

Despite climbing into bed around 10:15ish last night, I lay awake until I'm guessing 1 or 2. I discovered things about Remarr's past. He makes a pathetically adorable six year old. Just saying. As much as I wished it was morning - when morning did come, it was not greeted with open arms. I texted Val and dressed. Then headed out and called Val who hadn't responded to the text, waking her up at an hour when only Erish peasants and overworked Americans rise.

The sun was not up and my walk was much shorter than usual, lasting only about 30 minutes and going around 1.20 miles. Still, the wheels are being set in motion for a schedule and I'm sure I'll get back to where I rather look forward to the early mornings - once I've gotten over the pain of waking.

I returned home where I made the most horrible berry smoothy I've ever had. It came out tasting like watered down, half-melted berry ice cream. I didn't finish it. Then Grandpa came in sniffing in the kitchen so I made biscuits and he made omelets - which I cannot make to save my life. I told him we made a good team and he responded, "Like salt and pepper."

We ate, I visited the garden. We're coaxing the plants to stay alive and getting ready to plant the fall garden. Who can believe it's almost fall?

Then I returned inside to unpack my things from the trip and clean the rest of the room. It looks pretty good. It's got a box of book signing stuff on the floor, two piles of laundry waiting to go in the wash when the first pile is done and my rehearsal bag sitting by the door, full of dances to be learned, lyrics to be memorized and lion king songs to be mastered before I teach them to the kiddos.

I'm trying again to come up for the best game plan for writing. I'm using camp Nano to write short stories of Eirlerre to put on the website. I'm on the final read through for "Across the Distance" and "Swing" is waiting to be tweaked. I'm on the last chapter for "The Captive" and it's driving me crazy that it's taking weeks to finish it up. Then there's the Swing play script and all the things to publicize "The Calling" that I haven't done yet.

So there you are, Reader. I'm back on track and lagging way behind.

Summary

In a nutshell.

Day one. Went to bed fine. Woke up sick.

Day

two. Went to bed aching. Woke up feeling li

ke I was dying.

Day 3-4 Repeat.

Day 5-7 Got past the dying mode and into stage two.

Stage Two:

Asthma attacks, struggles to breathe and a hacking cough that interrupts phone calls and keeps one from sleeping.

I was told I was really needed at Joseph rehearsals - and I knew I needed the practice. So I broke my no-medication policy. Breathing is a bit important. Just a bit. And it's awfully hard to do when you're dancing for hours ev

ery night.

So I danced and coughed and danced and drank water.

And danced and went home and c

oughed all night. Then slept half the day. The repeated.

And fretted over getting well because this weekend was a most important weekend when I had ....

This.

And

we all lived happily ever after. Regular schedule resumes at 6:00

tomorrow morning.