I just this minute pressed "send" on my proposal, which has now been delivered to my subject and her agent for their review. Now I wait, hoping it passes muster, hoping they don't find it wildly off base. Nelson Mandela's aphorism is echoing in my brain—"It's always impossible until it's done." Once more time, I've managed to pull a thing out the hat. May it be worthy.
In between working intensively and hosting houseguests (we had a young woman and her mother stay with us last week, so the daughter, 17, could attend a precollege program in the city), I've been escaping into the
Outlander series on Netflix. Now I see what all the commotion is about, though the second season isn't quite as absorbing as the first. Still, I'm all in, now, and will definitely watch all four seasons that have been released, and the two more that have just been green lighted. The chemistry between the lead characters, Claire and Jamie (Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan), lovers out of time in the Scottish Highlands of the mid 1700s, is just off the charts. I find myself holding my breath watching them, though be warned, some scenes from the first season are almost unbearably brutal.
What about you? As our nation's ideals and laws and basic human decencies progressively go up in flames, what guilty binge watching or other adventures have you escaped into lately? It's something of a paradox, but I'm learning to disengage the gears of vigilance in order to keep the travesties in view. Most of us have no idea what else to do. We're looking for the moment in which we can truly make a difference. In the meantime, self care is a revolutionary act.
self care is absolutely a priority- put your own mask on before you help others...I took a trip that managed to readjust my works, came home , binge watched documentaries on netflix. I feel stronger now and able to live the cofefe life, more ridiculous as the days go by!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS!!!
ReplyDeleteIn the past three days I have binge watched three complete seasons of The Affair xo
I'm baking and cooking, a lot. And gardening. Yesterday I went over and helped the neighbors with their weeding. They're a young couple with three kids. The husband is a nurse and the wife is chatty. It was nice to just chat while we gardened.
ReplyDeleteI read the Outlander series. That woman can write sex scenes!
Well done! I hope it works out for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your subject and her agent will be pleased. It will be a while before I watch that series after binge reading all 8 books! me, I'm trying to escape into work.
ReplyDeleteMy guilty pleasure is that I already binge watch Netflix. I'm into The Czar right now, love the atmosphere more than the movie. I think it's actually called a docudrama...? For some reason I thought Outlanders was a sci fi. Go figure. But your description is so lovely, I'm putting on my list for next.
ReplyDelete"It's always impossible until it's done." Love that.
You'll get it, just you wait and see. Fingers crossed behind my back.
"It's something of a paradox, but I'm learning to disengage the gears of vigilance in order to keep the travesties in view. Most of us have no idea what else to do. We're looking for the moment in which we can truly make a difference. In the meantime, self care is a revolutionary act."
ReplyDeleteI've not been feeling well (nothing serious) and have been spending time reading in bed during the day. That feels like a great luxury.
Congratulations on completing the proposal! I look forward to reading your book.
Hmmm. Self-care is a revolutionary act? I'm so tired. I'm going to give Outlander a try -- your description sounds interesting. I absolutely loved Fleabag -- both seasons, and I binged Schtisel as well a few months ago. I finished Killing Eve, first season, but it's so brutal and not really my cup of tea. I'm a tad obsessed with Phoebe Waller Bridge, though, and wanted to watch what she created.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your proposal! Must feel so good to push that "send" button. I haven't really binge-watched anything. I may give Outlander a try. I have a hard time with violence, so it may not work. I like stories of love, though.
ReplyDeleteYour line "once more I've managed to pull a thing out of a hat" caught my attention . . . it's exactly how I feel when I finish a poem for Poetry Monday. I know it's not even close to representing the same amount of work as your writing does, but still I have a tiny glimpse of how you must feel. I never know what I'll write, or how I'll get there, but sitting down to do it makes it happen.
ReplyDeleteYou must be feeling a lifting of pressure, temporarily anyway.
I read to cope with the crazy in the world. Novels. Works every time.
I listened to all of the Outlander books on audio versions. They did keep my attention although part of me was appalled that I was spending so much time on such poorly written books. The stories are good, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that YOUR writing will get you this project. You did not pull this out of a hat. You put all of your heart and soul and skills and talent into it, I have no doubt. And experience. I think when we speak of self-care we have to acknowledge our own accomplishments and here I am to remind you- you have many!
I read, and read some more! I watch Netflix/Prime while walking on my treadmill. Stranger Things is up now; can hardly wait. I watched Outlander a bit, and was pleasantly surprised by what a strong character Claire is (I thought she was going to be some ridiculous damsel in distress). But there is a scene that I just couldn't get over; one line, really, that Jamie says to her, that is so ridiculously stupid I had to stop watching it...and you'll know it when you hear it.
ReplyDeleteOutlander! Love it. And I'm sure the books are, um, stupid. But their chemistry is delectable. Just finished 'Madame Secretary', very topical and well written/acted. The episode on migrants at the border had me in tears, if only we had a decent POTUS and a thoughtful, intelligent staff surrounding him/her/they...
ReplyDeleteBTW, my daughter in SF and I watched Outlander together on our phones. We synched up the show and watched from our respective living rooms. Fleabag also excellent.
I know exactly what you mean by self care. I don't do it as much as I should. Right now I am getting back into my blog writing. I stopped for a really long time. I got so burned out on the computer that I just left the darn thing off for weeks that turned into months.
ReplyDeleteI just don't have fascinating things to write about. But I am going to keep blogging. I know that it is good therapy for me.
Have a fantastic day! Beth Reed