Dear Reader, I think about you every day. It feels odd each day that I don't write to you. First, I am never bored. I truly cannot remember ever being bored in my life. Second, I am far from the end of setting down my stories and opinions, my portraits and peculiarities.
What I have discovered in the past month is that certain kinds of ongoing, outward-directed activities preclude my writerly self from feeling the lively-yet-gentle pop, pop, pop of thoughts and memories that precede my sitting down to write a post.
A month ago, my honey got his right knee replaced with an artificial joint. Before the operation (which was entirely successful!), he was a bundle of anxiety, in need of extra TLC from dawn to dusk. And since the operation, as his body does the extraordinary job of healing, until two days ago, he was on a narcotic painkiller. Throughout, of course, I took on full care of him, the kitties, the house, the garden. And I started a new job!
Now my hubby's back from that gnarly, narrow world of Vicodin. And he's walking unassisted! My Best Buddy is a quintuple Aires. For all my sensible readers who haven't dabbled in the symbolism of astrology, having the constellation Aires rising at the horizon at one's moment of birth as well as the Sun and Moon and Mercury and Venus all clustered in that same part of the sky is said to represent a very fiery being, stubborn, creative, determined, and willful. We'll talk about astrology some other time. I just want to say that he has been a champ. He does his exercises. He is prudent in what he attempts. And he's learned to boss me around in ways that are acceptable. Alva is recovering splendidly! It will take time. {If you should be in need of a leg-lifting strap, a commode, or a walker, give me a holler!}
I'm working with a creative education "start-up" that I find quite wonderful, The Society of Young Inklings. Founded and developed by a kind and clever young writer and educator named Naomi, the Inklings are children who are discovering and developing their identities as writers! We work with them mostly in after-school offerings, and also offer one-on-one learning experiences called Mentorships. Naomi has articulated an approach that excites and enlivens writers of all ages. The artful use of play and the practical wisdom that more important to writers young and old than rules are writerly habits! Naomi has written a wonderful book called Writerly Play that I hope will be moving from first draft through all those other steps to publication very soon! I will keep you posted.
I love to work. So much to learn! Getting to know my students, their various schools and school cultures, their excitement for the new class, as well as their resistances, I am challenged, exhausted and exhilarated. This opportunity to help give these youngsters positive experiences and successes they can be proud of feels to me like a privilege. I mean, my family and my elementary school teachers had me falling in love with writing at a young age. If I can be a "Mr. Heinichen" to even one boy or girl, I will be thrilled.
Four years ago, I didn't even know what side was up. Now, we're writing adventure stories!
Dear Reader, I'm still here. Still working on my writerly habits. And thinking of you.