What I Am Working On

In second grade, I wrote a story called “A Dinosaur in Town.” My mother saved it and left it for me to discover in my desk back in the Whip, figuring my nieces would get a kick out of it. I was delighted, too, having no recollection of this class project. Clipped to the book was a beautiful letter from my teacher who had taken the story to a conference in the summer of 1989.

Spoiler: the last line of the story is “Even though I never saw him again I still remember him.” Which is the end of most stories I’ve written. It’s time to get a new ending, people.

What I am currently working on right now, as inspired by Austin Kleon:

1. Running, on account of the upcoming Hood to Coast Relay
2. Yoga. I went to a yoga retreat at Sewall House in northern Maine! I want to go back next year!
3. Python. Via CodeAcademy.
4. Journaling. This includes adding pictures. Which I rarely did before, but a convergence of forces (Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic, Lynda Barry, and my second-grade project) made me wonder: why not?
5. Disconnecting from Facebook to focus on other things
6. Therefore reviving older technology to maintain contact with family and friends – notes, e-mails, blog?, meeting IRL??
7. Befriending the New York Public Library
8. To forgive and release the past and move into joy, dammit

I am on vacation. I am starting a new job in September. A memorable, if poorly documented, summer.