Dear blogging friends,

Paul is away on a rare business trip to San Francisco. He called last night and said, “I LOVE this city.” Apparently he waked around so much that his legs and feet hurt and he had to find a Walgreens to grab a bottle of ibuprophen. I’m so glad he gets to roam about. He so rarely getting nice-y little treats like a week away. He does so adore urban living. If we didn’t have kids, I’m certain we would be living in some little 900 square foot condo in Belltown.

It’s also Spring Break…which means that Paul is gone AND the priestesses are home full time. It’s been a full schedule of the zoo, polly pockets, … {read more…}

“Writting a shitty first draft is very much like watching a Polaroid develop. You can’t — and, in fact, you’re not supposed to — know exactly what the picture is going to look like until it has finished developing.”

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

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Savasana

I rest back against the Creator, who is like a soft-armed, firm-backed reading pillow, supporting me with strength and comfort. Christ rests his head on my chest, cheek turned to one side. I rumple his hair, which is brown and thick in the joints of my fingers. The Spirit, our Muse, curves over us, brushing my hair which is inexplicably long-spun of cornsilk, becoming smooth under the stride of her brushing. Her hair is dark, blue-jetted, … {read more…}

I had a good night tonight. I taught, which I rarely do. I used to be a good teacher, back in the day. But now I stumble and bumble and say things like, “If that’s okay with you, I mean.” …and…”Of course, not everyone has to agree with me or anything.” …and…”So, we’re going to try it that way for awhile, but you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. Only do it if it works for you.” (Hmm, that last sentence sounded sort of naughty. I didn’t mean it to be.) I think all this hemming and hawing has to do with trying to find a new way to lead. Lindell and I were talking about … {read more…}

over at the IdealLab. Check it out here.

P.s. Jim keeps laughing at my head shot. What do y’all think?

4/4/05

Today I called my friend. She sounds sort of perpetually sad lately– low grade functional depression, I call it. She says the priestess’ new book is mellower and wiser now that Anne is 50. She says that leaves the field wide open for someone a neurotic and jesusy as her.

Phew! My pal was being funny. Funny is good. If my pal wasn’t being funny, I’d fly over to her right away to begin force feeding her paxil.

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The house is incredibly quiet. Sharon is giving a massage and the girls are at school. I cannot rouse myself to do anything. I had a level 7 migraine (out of ten) yesterday and now a familiar pervasive stillness has settled in. … {read more…}

Anne Lamott says that there are two important things to remember when you are writing. One is that you only have to write a little bit at a time — as much as you can see say, through a one inch picture frame. One scene, one bit of conversation, etc. You just do it bird by bird.

The second thing to remember is that there is great value in shitty first drafts. Who cares if they are long and jumpy and emotionally overwrought? You can’t get a half way decent second draft, or a pretty good third draft, unless you write the really shitty first draft.

So in honor of the priestess herself, I have started a new category … {read more…}