So here I am after so many months, and what have I got to say for myself?
Well, as earlier posts have indicated, I've been rethinking a few things. (For a clear evocation of that, visit "A Necessary Change".) In the last year I've written some stories, but I haven't been sending them out. Priorities, after Dad died, shifted. Hanging around polishing off edits seemed less important than having the nephew over for a visit, hanging with Mum in Winnipeg, cleaning up my house and health and noticing the world whirling by. With the limits on my energy being what they are, I chose life over writing.
My impatience with social media has been climbing, too. Beyond the expectations of self-promotion, there is the endless wheel of email and chitchat, and with constant weariness, answering missives often ends up being all I have energy for. I'd rather see a handful of real people, I've decided, than send scattershot Facebook messages to three hundred and have perhaps one notice that I've written, or type in quickie answers to a hundred brief posts. So I've deleted my Facebook account, and I'm thinking of cutting out all but the business email, too. Imagine! Can it even be done?
I've also (for example): deleted 2 YouTube accounts, made private my MySpace account (once it's reorganized, I'll open it up again, but for now that untended field is irritating), deleted accounts in many sites, unsubscribed to several discussion lists, deleted one Twitter account, leaving one--@CaseyJWolf--my remaining ongoing social media link.
I have, actually, been doing some writing. But it is nonfiction--reviews--as my alter ego. This is limping along rather slowly, due to the fatigue and fog cocktail, but it is progressing.
In terms of health I have been diligently using what little energy I have to get to yoga several times a week, and to a mindfulness meditation group (a la Thich Nhat Hanh*, who is coming to Vancouver in August--space is still available in the Public Talk only) on Friday nights, as well as pinning myself to the cushion or doing walking meditations more and less regularly on my own. I got to attend Snatam Kaur's wonderful kirtan in North Vancouver last week, which was a balm for the heart (and a bit of a kundalini workout!). I have been enjoying the company of my sister's children, and reading good novels. And being. And being with. I look forward to writing more. But in the meantime, cutting back to the main trunk seems like a wise way to prune. And getting some of those stories into the mail will be a good test of the waters of writing. But life trumps. If you want me, come to my door. Much better than email--don't you think?
* For some reason my links aren't saving. So I'll try down here:
Thich Nhat Hanh: http://plumvillage.org/thay.html
Thich Nhat Hanh Vancouver Visit: http://www.tnhvancouver2011.org/
Snatam Kaur: http://www.snatamkaur.com/web2.html
