JULY 2019
STARS & CARDS. Over the past few years I’ve studied in Oracle School with Colette Baron-Reid and Applied Astrology with Debra Silverman. I’ve found these new lexicons fascinating – and far more accurate the more real I get about myself and my surroundings. I am thrilled that these two women are teaming up to teach a whole workshop to combine the two! So fun – more tools in my magical tool belt.
PICTURE BOOKS. In order to obtain my Certificate in Creative Writing I must take two courses that are outside my main focus: novel writing. Writing picture books is about as far out of my comfort zone as I can imagine! Spending my days at the downtown campus will be interesting, too. I’ll feel like a real commuter.
MERCURY Rx. One of my most favourite periods of the year. Many complain about it, but I’ve never had trouble with it. Judging from the number of “survival guides” online, clearly many people find this to be a difficult time to navigate. Maybe it’s because Mercury has always been my friend – communications and very Virgo energy. I look at all of the positives of this time: a chance to slow down and evaluate all aspects of life. It’s time to RE everything: RElationships, REad, REjoice, REorganize, REview, REflect, REject, RElax and REcharge. You get the idea. I’m hoping to use this time to slow down and focus on my novel – there has been a ton of work done on it and REvisions are definitely required!
DOG SITTING. While my sister and her family are away on their holiday, I’ll be at home with my two labradoodles, Tucker and Finn as well as her Portie. I’m glad they all get along! Croft is a big fan of the bubbler water feature I have in the back yard. It’ll be a fun few weeks.
Here’s the accountability piece:
JUNE 2019
GARDEN WORK. It’s still soggy around here and it’s predicted to be this way throughout the summer. At any rate, we have looked at what plant material survived over the winter and what needs to be replaced and added. The turf is a disaster as my boys still squat to pee! Getting a quote for astroturf. And, there are a few electrical issues to address, too. I’m thinking it’s also time to take a look at the front garden and replace and re-do some things. I’d better book in the team for either autumn or next spring – then put plans together. The soggy weather continued through the month so gardening issues are not being addressed as quickly as I might like. The electrical and bubbler issues have been fixed. The lighting and plantings are still waiting for some attention. I did manage to contact my landscape company and plans are being made for the front garden now! The rain has to stop sometime, right?
ORACLEPALOOZA. I’m off to San Diego for this annual event with Colette Baron-Reid. I’m looking forward to seeing friends and learning new things. I am hoping for some clarity on whether or not I’ll join in the Intensive program she offers for next year. Our little group formed a tight supportive and generous bond and it has been a joy to get to know everyone and we will continue to meet on zoom through the year – at least I have it as a repeat event in my calendar with no end date! I know that this situation cannot be recreated and therein lies my hesitation about doing it again. Though, I learned so much and it was great for accountability and practice building. By the end of the month a decision will have to be made. Not much beats being in a room overflowing with like-minded people. It was lovely to catch up with people I know and meet some who are new to me. And being on a panel on stage? Crazy. I have no idea what I said!
CRUISE PREP. I’m late getting to this and the Baltic cruise excursions have to be booked – especially those in Russia. The delay? Caden needed a new passport that was valid for more than 6-months upon our return since his old one wasn’t. What a process! Anyway, it’s done and we can book our sightseeing and fun time now. I wonder what he’ll want to do? I decided that we’ll take the “appetizer” version of each destination since neither Caden nor I have been to any of the destinations: Oslo, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; Berlin, Germany; Visby, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; and, Stockholm, Sweden. If we decide to return to any or all of our destinations we’ll know what we want to see in more detail. I’m counting the days to departure!
COURSES. I’m in the middle of a few online courses (no surprise there) that I want to be completed, in their entirety, by the end of the month: Martha Beck’s Write Into Light; Patti Digh’s VerbTribe; Marie Forleo’s Copy Cure; and, Danielle LaPorte’s The Desire Map on Commune. At the end of the month, I’m attending the UofT Continuing Studies intensive course in Mapping Your Story with Barbara Radecki. There is so much brilliant content. I know it’s adding to my procrastination over writing my novel-in-progress but I just can’t seem to stop my compulsion to sign up for more courses! I am beyond thrilled with all of my courses, especially Mapping Your Story – it was exactly the kick in the pants I needed. After a week of “sipping water from a fire hose” I spent 8 solid hours remapping my novel and changing character names!
