Ten.One Hundred & Seventy-Four

1. 4:48 AM.

2. The solstice sunrise is all kinds of electric purples and pinks and oranges seeping through cracks in the clouds.

3. The sound of coffee percolating in the Bialetti. 

4. Morning pages with my feet in front of the fireplace, the yellow glow illuminating my words. I am always so much better prepared for my day when these are done.

5. I make a meal plan for the upcoming days through Christmas. I think I will make a chocolate cake with salted caramel frosting. 

6. The kids have only a half day and so that means I have only 4 hours to do whatever needs to be done. Which doesn't feel like nearly enough time but whatever gets done, gets done. None of it is truly an emergency. 

7. This is what I love about talking with her: we get the work stuff out of the way real fast and then the rest of the hour is about life, our projects, creating a sustainable writing practice (and what does a sustainable writing practice look like anyway?), what are our visions for ourselves as writers, and where will we take the time to be a writer.

8. I'm still trying to make all of it make sense. 

9. Candied walnuts, Gorgonzola, and dried cranberries for my salad. Leftover Pinot and then a glass of Zinfandel. No one really eats the salad but me. Tonight is not one of the nights I feel like pushing veggies.

10. Tomorrow will feel like a long day. I'm mentally preparing myself for the amount of time I will have to be in the car. Trying to wash away the anxiety by thinking of all the podcasts I can listen to on the way to and from the shoot location. Trying to think about how much fun it will be once I am there. Wondering if I can make my work all the way out here without having to go all the way into the city. What would it look like to be able to work efficiently and profitably from where I am?