Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Yearning to shilly-shally

Remind me next time to work harder earlier in the year, so that I am not finishing a book during the holidays. All the baking and decorating and shilly-shallying I am not able to do right now is paining me. And it's not just the pain of cookies crying out for their right to exist, or the overwhelming sudden need to sew weird little creatures (which I am valiantly resisting), or the need for a Christmas tree, or to knit some gifts, and shop for others. It's also. . . the movies. I really want to go see Atonement, and I Am Legend. As for The Golden Compass, deadline-shmedline. We're seeing it on opening day. Can't wait.

But, mostly I am behaving. I did get a little decorating fun in when Alexandra and I made our annual pilgrimage to my parents' house to decorate my mom's toy cupboard. The toy cupboard is an antique pie safe that gets transformed once a year by a collection of toys and santas and sugar plum garlands and such, and my mom lets Alexandra and I, in the absence of local grandchildren, do the fixing. We're like kids. I'd show you a picture, but Alexandra is as unable as a cat to resist blinking from a camera flash, and she has vetoed the usage of half-lidded zombie-eyed pictures of herself. So I'll just show some toys instead.

This is the evil elf king. He's on top, guarding the sugar plums, of course.




And here, at home and looking like she needs a Santa hat, is Persephone, my knitted alter-ego, with the calendar. I've cut off the December page and posted it up next to my writing bench for an ever-present reminder of D-Day. It is funny, as the day approaches, how the definition of a satisfactory day's work is changing. Usually, a 3,000-word day is A-okay. Not so much now. 6,000-8,000, that's okay -- of course, I must stress, this is not all new writing, but some pilfering from earlier drafts too. Still: exhausting. Yesterday, Magpie did something that made me laugh out loud. That was fun.
Speaking of shilly-shallying, Alexandra has begun sending daily writer's inspirations via email, and the first one, from yesterday, is on that theme:

Alexandra's Daily Inspiration:
"A migrating bird is like an author writing their novel. Both must have faith in their ability to reach their destination. Of course sometimes a random bird eyeballs a Taco Bell down below and swoops down for a quick burrito- and maybe nachos- and decides to give up the flight, and thats okay, just like its okay for an author to eat burritos and nachos if thats what they really want instead of finishing their novel. Everything is okay. The bird is okay, the author is okay, and the world is okay."

p.s. thank you, dear Blue Poppy, for such a lovely review of your reading experience of Blackbringer. This means so much to me!

11 comments:

Alex S said...

Where on earth are the photos of the bird tree and the Laini's Ladies mini tree? You know the list of stuff I am supposed to be cremated with in 3067? Throw in the bird tree too. You can have Pierre, the gondolier, for yourself but the bird tree is all mine. I want to spend all of 2008 in the bird room. I'm going to talk to Patty and your dad right away about that, and btw, those veyr special writing deep thoughts will be delivered daily until you finish Silksinger. In a way, its like I am writing Silksinger because without these writing affirmations, I don't think you could be writing a single syllable. And I CAN'T WAIT for The Golden Compass Friday!!!! 3 DAYS!!! We better get our tickets early just in case.

rilla jaggia said...

all these years i've listened to the dance of the sugar plum fairy and HAD NO IDEA WHAT A SUGAR PLUM WAS! thanks! as always your blog is educational as well as inspirational. now back to shilly-shallying for me, coz i know, thanks to alexandra, that that's OKAY!

lily green said...

What wouldn't I be able to accomplish with daily affirmations like that?? I hope you'll share more of those with us :)

Heather said...

I love how Persephone sits under the deadline glaring at you intently! I may have to look into the Santa hat...

Anonymous said...

oh-- I knew Alexandra was a great friend, but seriously-- that inspiration is to perfect- each time you feel yourself flagging, you read it, think albatross (does that migrate) and the smell of a quesadilla and wow-- I'm going to keep a hold of that one-- so smart.

glad you liked the review-- I just call em like I see em.

~bluepoppy

Anonymous said...

oh-- I knew Alexandra was a great friend, but seriously-- that inspiration is to perfect- each time you feel yourself flagging, you read it, think albatross (does that migrate) and the smell of a quesadilla and wow-- I'm going to keep a hold of that one-- so smart.

glad you liked the review-- I just call em like I see em.

~bluepoppy

Amber said...

Also, when you are done, be sure to see August Rush. I think you would like it. I loved it. Like a romantic modern fairytale.

;)

~Molly~ said...

I'm so glad to read that review, I bet you were too, nicely done! My 12-year-old daughter is getting your book for Christmas!!! I may be sneaking to the garage to read it first though, I loved Madeline L'Engle books when I was a kid.

Molly

Ysabeau Wilce said...

I'm done, and you shall be soon, too!
And we both will be GREAT and will celebrate this Greatness with Much Holiday Cheer, and Eggnog, and Cookies, maybe even Snow. Good luck! There's no way out but through...!

Tinker said...

Congrats on such a great review. The toy cupboard looks fantastic. 8,000 words a day?!? When I tried doing more than 3,000 on a couple of the NaNoWriMo days, I was wiped out! But then you are young and strong and incredibly talented -Persephone looks confident you can do it - I am, too. Plus with such inspirational words being delivered daily to your mailbox, how could you not be inspired to write?
Can't wait to read it. Can't wait to see the Golden Compass, too...what a great way to shilly-shally - enjoy!

Sustenance Scout said...

Persephone is perfect!! K.