Day 266: Getting My Writer’s Dojo On & Playing Bocce in the Park Blocks

Sunday, June 8

As I had been longing for a full night’s sleep, I was delivered yet another great one.  This time, 9.5 uninterupted hours of glorious sleep.

I got up and got to my routine of warm water in my neti pot with French sea salt, and then 45 drops of my Wellness supplement.  I had two gluten-free buckwheat waffles with raspberries and blueberries, and then I got dressed.

I packed up my novel, my writer’s notebook and my copy of Elizabeth Lyon’s book on writing nonfiction book proposals.  I headed out to the St. Johns neighborhood to work at the Writers Dojo, commencing my membership, only no one was there.  I decided to walk to Starbucks for a green tea latte.

When I returned, the director instructed me to let myself in, I picked out a desk and then got to work on my book.  It was lovely.  I had the place to myself.   It was a perfect day outside, blue skies, sunny.  The windows invited in lots of light and I felt happy.  About an hour into my work, the director and his wife stopped by with their adorable baby girl.

After they left, I was starting to get hungry.  I walked over to vegan market and picked up vegan corn tortilla tacos filled with grilled and curry seasoned vegetables, along with a bottle of Hot Lips blackberry soda – local, seasonal, sustainable, very good!  And all natural.  I brought the food back to the Dojo, and worked on edits.

After, I drove to the Park Blocks and was to meet Susan for bocce.  As I waited, I shot hoops and enjoyed the fact that I had a wonderful day in a writer’s room, feeling like the writer I have been working so hard to become.  Eventually Susan showed up and we played a short game of bocce, about 8 or 10 games, or so.  It was really relaxing and fun.

 

After bocce, we walked up to Andina and shared four small plates, tapas style from the gluten free menu, to include scallops, greens salad, octopus, pimientos stuffed peppers.  I ordered an enchanting pina colada, and later, Susan and I split a gluten free chocolate torte with caramel ice cream.  I finished it with a cup of decaf coffee.  The service, as always, was amazing.  These people are just on it.  I decided to fill out a comment card to let them know how grateful I was for the gluten free menu and for the typical, amazing service.  It made me feel good to write my favorable critique.

It was a gorgeous Sunday.  I was happy and delighted with my Writer’s Dojo time, mostly.  I have a lot of work to do, for my writing.  But I am truly motivated.  I can feel things happening, the wheels turning.   I know I am going to get published.  This is my one true thing right now.  And I couldn’t be more happy for it.

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Day 265: A Day of Recovery & Then Spotting Cute Men in Portland

Saturday, June 7

Well, for once I broke the cycle of poor sleep, coming out of a week of painful, horrible congestion.  I actually got over ten hours of sleep!  I woke up around noon.  I never sleep that late, but I clearly needed restorative sleep.

I spent the day in front of the television and watched Shakespeare in Love.  I just watched this not that long ago, but I didn’t care.  It’s such a sweet, romantic and clever movie.

I relaxed and used my neti pot when my nasal passages opened a little.  I took my Wellness supplement drops.  I did feel better, but mostly from all of the sleep.

I got a phone call from Carolyn and she invited me to go out.  Her high school friend was in from New York City, along with two other co-workers.  I showered and was grateful for the opportunity to have the steam open me up.  I quickly got dressed and Carolyn picked me up while I was still applying my make-up.  She came in and I rushed to get myself together.

I wanted to pick up my prescription, but when we got to Safeway, the pharmacy was already closed, so we went to Starbuck’s and I picked up a box of Breathe Right Nasal Strips to go with my green tea latte.  I figured, I should probably advertise their product on this blog site!

Anyway, we met her friend, Kathy, and her two co-workers, at the Hotel Monaco.  It was fun to hang out with New Yorkers.  We went to Oba in the Pearl District and grabbed a table in the bar area.  I ordered a Maker’s Manhattan and chips with queso con chorizo.  Susan met us soonafter.  We spent about an hour longer there and after a bitching session over the rising gas prices, we decided it was time to change venues.  Kathy’s co-worker generously picked up the tab.

Next, we went to the new Deschutes pub.  There were a lot of cute guys at the bar, in particular a guy who looked like the love child of Rob Lowe and Brad Pitt.  He was hot.  I drank a glass of our Pinot gris.  I flirted a little with the hot Robrad (you know, Bennifer, Tomkat, etc.) model and his friend.  I knew he was a model because I overheard his friend mention it to another girl.  Which was lame, of course.  But, he was too pretty to stop looking at, especially after he removed his jacket and immediately became the poster child for tight, black t-shirt.  WOW. 

I also kept smiling at this very cute guy in a brown argyle sweater with a light beard.  He reminded me of Graham from The Bachelorette.  Yeah, I’ll admit I let that show on when I’m busy doing other stuff.  I sometimes look up just to see the abs on the dudes the bachelorette gets to date.  It’s not fair.

Anyway, Susan and I decided we have to come back to this place.  As I had suggested many times before, we have been going to all the wrong places.  The foodie places we love to frequent are corners of Portland where straight men pretty much fear to tread with their buds.  No.  The single men are at dive bars, sports bars and Rogue or Deschutes – the real pubs.

I had a nice conversation with the Neopolitan surgeon from NYC, one of Kathy’s co-workers.  We talked about 9-11, NYC, being Italian, and we even spoke in Italian.  Just some fragments, really.  But it was a fun night.

After Carolyn dropped me off, I ran upstairs.  It was freezing out.  In fact, we had spent much of the evening complaining about the dark, gray sky and cold, cold weather.  It was more like March than June.  Carolyn told me that I must have picked up what she, her husband and kids had – a really bad cold of massive congestion and sore throats.  Mystery solved.  I forgot about hanging out at their house last weekend, and her 18 month old little girl sneezed on me – a chunk of green phlegm splatted on my jeans.  I just got a rag and wiped it up, no big deal.  Most kids have snotty noses, runny eyes and coughing fits, anyway.  That’s normal.  It didn’t occur to me that I would pick up whatever they were passing around.  At least I knew that I wasn’t getting some crazy sinus infection for no reason.

Anyway, I fed my kitties and got ready to go to sleep.  After rinsing my sinuses with my neti pot, I prayed that I would be able to sleep.

 

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Day 264: Good Work, Angry with Oil Companies & Making My Mother Laugh

Friday, June 6

Another night of mediocre sleep.  What’s the deal?  I’m still trying to get over this cold-sinus situation. 

I got to work and we had a consumer direct with marketing department meeting with our buisness coach.  It was a really great session of reviewing the last six months, what was successful, what could be frustrating, and then acknowledging anyone you wanted to thank or cheer on.  It was a very useful, as we looked toward the next six months.  I left the meeting feeling closer to this team and happier to be a part of such an amazing winery.  I don’t get into the details of my place of work when I write on this blog, really to respect the company, but here is one moment when I’ll splurge on just how wonderful it is to do what I do.  My boss gave a very genuine, heart-felt vote of confidence on his team, saying this is the best staff he has ever had and he is having more fun now than any time in his 30+ years of making wine in Oregon.  It was touching, inspiring and made me feel even more like I am a part of something incredible.  You can just feel the energy, that we’re all working toward the same goals, that we’re a well oiled machine starting out on an amazing journey.

I was very tired all day, despite the energizing morning.  Even still, I ended up tackling a lot of projects and worked until 7 p.m. 

Driving home I freaked out a little because gas has now reached $4.15 a gallon and I read on the internet news that the price will go up 15 -20 cents.  This is crazy ridiculous.  It just keeps inching up and everyone just shrugs and accepts it.  It’s about time we start drilling our own oil and stop being dependent on foreign oil.  I called my parents and just ranted.  My dad is so mellow.  Nothing gets that man wiled up.  He’s a stoic St. Francis, advising, “don’t get all upset over something you have no control over.”  Yeah, yeah, yeah – God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.  Thanks St. Francis.  I mean dad.

Still.

Dad handed the phone to my mom and she got stuck listening to my theory: autos prevented rail expansion (esp in the west coast); suburbs developed spread out like weeds; the car industry made it so that everyone was dependent on cars; the oil business had a goldmine – greedy men went seeking oil the way the 49ers sought gold – to make a fortune.  I believe gas should be treated like a utility, since most people need a car, or have been brainwashed to believe they need a car.  Because it is run by corporate capitalists, they are just running the business to continue their projected growth, irrespective of what it will do to citizens.  If gasoline were a utility, prices for gas would be somewhat adjusted so to protect people, to a point.  If oil companies wanted to, they could cut back their profit margins, reduce their previously projected growth, and make the margins more favorable as to not screw the customer. 

I finally got home and the tone of the conversation turned when I started telling my mom I was dating this ridiculous guy, a character I made up.  I don’t know what prompted the humorous dialog, but I felt like Ellen Degeneres doing stand up.  Each sentence led into one more drastic and ridiculously over-the-top statement about this pretend boyfriend and his crazy life and family.  My mom and I were cracking up.  She asked me where I got the knack for telling such crazy tall tales.  I simply said, I’m a storyteller.  That’s what I do.  That’s why I must write! 

It was fun to entertain her to breathless hilarity.  I’m not always funny.  But sometimes it comes to me like greased lightening.

I needed to stay in, to relax and get a good night’s sleep.  I brought home some chicken pho for dinner.  And later I had a cup of Yogi tea with the following fortune:  Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give. 

I loved this message.  I spend so much time worrying about not having all the things I want in life.  But, I think what I have to give to others is so much greater than what my gifts or possessions provide for me.  I am far from perfect, and I don’t have all the answers, but I do know how to connect with people, how to make others feel good and comfortable, and how to give my best to others.    But, I also think my writing is truly my greatest gift.  I just have to figure out how to take my gift and use it to make this world a better place.  That is my work, to figure it all out.

And I’m working on it!

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