Monday Morning Reset [05/22].

Did you ever sit to look back on a week and it all feels like just some blur? Yeah, I’m going through that right now. It wasn’t as if anything too taxing or strange happened, either, I just think last week was a bit of a fluke where I, in a fugue, just sort of went through the motions. Some things got done, some things didn’t, there were some annoyances and some fun as well, but nothing really stood out or even seems very clear. I’m just going to blame the weather changes, because it’s been nuts and the Illinois air runs rampage with my allergies. So that’s entirely a possibility.

I have a cat on my lap now, though, purring up a storm and pouting at me for not paying more attention to him, so that’s a good start to this week. But let’s break it down, with a look forward and back.

Reading: My plan to finish The 7 Secrets of Awakening the Highly Effective Four-Hour Giant, Today was foiled by complete laziness and distraction, and that’s okay. That just means I didn’t finish a book this week, but, as long as I don’t let it happen two weeks in a row, we’ll be okay. The world won’t end. All will be well in the world. I did start reading through Pulp Modern Volume 2, which includes my short story “Lady of the Mask,” and I’m pretty sure that’s going to be a quick read. I’m really excited to read the other stories included, especially Nick Manolillo’s and Calvin Demmer’s.

Writing: I also failed my attempt to finish up a story this week, but my untitled piece that I plan to submit to Ghostlight this year is nearly finished, just wrapping up the ending, so it’ll be done for this week. I got one rejection, putting my current rejection count to 52. Both acceptances and rejections moving at a snail’s pace. But it’s one of those moments where I remind myself that this industry is a very slow industry indeed….I got an email from an editor with edits to a story that I actually forgot was accepted for an anthology because it had been so long since I received the initial email….

Still looking for that Fearless notebook, but, to be fair, I haven’t really made the time to search through all my piles and piles of notebooks yet.

‘Rithmatic: Last week, for all the off-ness, was actually pretty quiet. This week is going to start out nicely with two days off coming up tomorrow, but then things get weird and way too social for comfort, with some long-ass days ahead of me. I’ve got a store meeting early in the morning on Thursday, followed by a closing shift. On Friday, I have a closing shift plus a going-away party for my supervisor afterwards. And on Saturday, I have a closing shift followed by a karaoke birthday party for a friend. I’m bracing for a hazy weekend floating between annoying (work) and fun (parties!). That sort of haziness is the only way I can manage not beating myself up over the fact that I won’t have much time for my usual routine on those days. But it’s important to be able to let that go sometimes, a fact I really struggle with in all my obsessiveness.

So I’m set and determined to really enjoy these next few days until the crunch time hits on Thursday. Hopefully, I’ll emerge on Sunday without being too stressed out or addled, but, hey, then we’re only a day away from another Monday and another fresh new start.

Happy reading!