This and That
Last night, Lynn and I went to the 2009-2010 Loft Mentor Series Reading. I won a spot in the Loft Mentor program in 2000, the same year I got married. It was a wonderful experience but they’ve improved the format of the program by leaps and bounds since then. You get to work with six nationally known writers, two fiction, two nonfiction, and two poets, who give you writing assignments to work on and spend one-on-one time with you to develop your work. The participants then do readings and have to answer audience questions towards the end of the program.
Last night, participants Anika Fajardo (nonfiction) and Karlyn Colemand (fiction) read from their work. They were both excellent. One of the fiction mentors, Shannon Olson (far right), read from her books “Welcome to My Planet, Where English is Sometimes Spoken” and “Children of God Go Bowling”. Shannon’s books are very amusing and she’s even funnier in person.
I’ve wasted so much time with my writing and now it feels like it’s too late. And I’m not sure it matters to me enough anymore. It’s difficult to have a full time job, try to write a book in your spare time, and have a relationship too. And I guess I’d rather have a relationship than write a book. It’s the choice I made ten years ago. It’s sad that I ended up with neither the relationship, nor the book. I don’t know if I have enough drive anymore for any of it.
This morning, Java and I went skijoring and once again, there was no one at the park. We started with the loop that we stopped short of yesterday then did part of the loop we’d done before.
Java started out so good! She was running all out, staying straight, and not stopping to sniff at anything. I was having a blast racing along behind her. I can imagine how much fun it must be to be behind a team of sled dogs, although I like the aspect of skiing behind Java rather than just being pulled. And I’m getting much better at the skiing.
But as she tires, Java gets more distracted and I don’t want to push her to the point where it’s not any fun for her anymore. I kind of thought she would want to keep going and going but she does wear out. I guess she needs to condition herself too and will be able to go longer and farther as she builds up muscle and endurance.
There were two more people with a dog getting ready to hit the trail when Java and I were heading back to the car. I had to snowplow to keep Java from running to the other dog but then Java stopped and stood at her “line out” position. Yeah!
Java took a nap when we got home. She’s snuggling with her little rubber chicken.
I had hoped to load a couple bags at a time into the wheelbarrow and wheel them into the barn, but the tire was flat. The tires on everything I use to haul stuff with are flat. I keep fixing them. And they keep going flat. Frustrating.
Looks like you have been pretty busy! Please try to get one of those little plastic sleds to drag your bedding into the barn…it will save your shoulder.
Our wheelbarrow tires were always going flat too, so we went to a tire store and asked if they could special order a solid rubber wheelbarrow tire for us. They did, and we haven’t had any problems since. It’s expensive, but well worth it.
This morning over breakfast my husband was making fun of me for being a poet. My son was being silly and saying that he wanted to grow up to be a hobo. So, my husband said, “Why not a poet? It’s the same thing. You don’t make any money and you are free to do as you please.”
In reality, I haven’t written anything in years thanks to my full-time job that I hate. I’d do anything to be able to go back to being a writer, but I honestly don’t think I have the imagination for it anymore. My technical job has sucked all the creativity out of me.
Lori- I’ve tried two stores looking for that kind of sled and they don’t seem to carry them anymore, only fancy sleds that look like spaceships or something equally racy. They don’t seem to realize that people use the sleds for “practical” purposes.
Nuzzling – I was just thinking of getting new wheels for everything in general, if I could figure out the size. I’d really like some for my 4-wheel cart that hold more stuff and is less tippy.
I’m sorry your husband teases you about your poetry. Been there and done that and it’s part of why I quit writing and quit many other things. And it’s a tough thing to restart. I’m a technical writer so doing anything creative is a mind switch. You sound like me about your job. My job seems so wrong for me but I guess I like figuring things out and then explaining what I’ve discovered to other people. I just wish what I was explaining was dog behavior or wildlife studies or a medical discovery; not how to enter a sales order. Sigh… But the imagination and creativity are like anything else, you have to exercise them to strengthen and hone them. The harder part is having the will and drive to do so. It takes a lot of encouragement to undo the discouragement. If you can find fellow writers, I encourage you to do so. And read other people’s poetry that you like – that feeds the imagination and gets your mind cooking.
I hope you find the internal motivation to start writing again. You and Java look like you are have a great weekend. Glad she is doing so well with her “line out”.
We put inner tubes in the wheelbarrow tires..but solid rubber sounds like the way to go to me. Also park your truck as close as you can to unload.
Java looks like she is queen of the sticks! The horses are looking good:)
What a cool experience to have with published authors that must of been. I’m sure you’ll get your mojo back. You always have such a grand time outdoors, it always makes me smile when you get to do that.
Java takes go fetch to a whole other level with half a tree doesn’t he?
You have the best Sunday and gear up for the rest of the week. God bless!!!
I’ll bet if you could train her, Java would LOVE to haul the animal bedding…she’s really cut out for helping Mom.