June is Looking Rainbow Bright

It seems only two seconds ago that I was publishing my May newsletter. Granted, I was late in publishing it last month but in my defense time is passing quicker than it takes me to blink.

May was a whirlwind. I feel the most clear and focused than I have in a while, at least as far as some of my goals are concerned.

I tried my hand at living alone this month. My roommate was gone for three whole weeks. I’ve discovered that it would probably not be best for me to live by myself. Within a few days my projects were all over the house and my stuff was everywhere. But also in a way that allowed me to be creative in a way I haven’t been able to be in a good long while. When I’m not concerned with the clean up of my creations it becomes a lot easier to make myself create. I got a good chunk done with my blanket. Next month when I go home to Georgia I will go through the attic in search of more of my sentimental t shirts and old pillowcases to line my blanket with. I won’t pretend that means I’m almost done. It’s more than a few steps left to finish this masterpiece. Assembling the panels has been rather easy, thé artistic part of arranging the cut designs onto the panels is much more time consuming. I’m fully aware that I’m in the process of making the world’s shittiest looking blanket but I feel so very proud of it at the same time.

I also “took a break” from seeing as many shows this month. In truth, I still saw an average of one show a week, but it feels like I restricted myself a bit somehow. That worries me. I fear there has been a theatre inflation in my life. I told myself I wouldn’t buy more tickets to shows until I have produced more than I’ve consumed. I’m still hoping to see Mexodus once or twice more so I haven’t quite kept that end of the bargain, and I did buy a couple tickets for future Kiana to enjoy months from now but having something to look forward to is a vital currency in the economy of my will to live.

Still, this perceived parameter has been helpful to me. I’ve painted a bit more, postcards here and there. I even bought a new acrylic paint set of markers to experiment with. I worked on my blanket, as I mentioned earlier, and I actually factually started working on my memoir again. 5 hours a week has been a standard that has served me well. I purchased a webinar about structuring memoirs led by GG Renée Hill and have found it to be invaluable thus far to formulating a writing plan and crafting the themes of my book.

Next month, when I go home for a lightning quick visit and spend several hours with my mom in the car on a wedding road trip, I will spend some time talking to her about my book and asking questions that will help me to get further along with telling my story accurately. When I have more facts in place I will hopefully be able to write the first two chapters entirely so that I can have a working writing sample to send out to agents that I am querying. Until then, I am working on outlining my book and writing thé introduction paragraphs to each of my chapters. I’ll be sharing more on Patreon shortly because there has been such a transformation not only in how well I write but also in the format of what I’m writing.

When I was working on my first book I attended a class where someone presenting said “your first book is gonna suck, regardless”. That assessment really discouraged me but now I see what they mean. My first book did suck in comparison to what I’m working on now. I am so glad that first iteration of my memoir never truly got to see the light of day because I am a much better writer now. To that end, I’ve decided that, for now, I don’t need to get a Bachelors degree. I spoke to an ASU associate about what they offer and have come to the conclusion that it is expensive no matter what I do. With the Dept of Education being gutted by this administration I have zero confidence that I’ll be able to get even two nickels to rub together to pay tuition. I’ve decided to pivot my focus and find local writing classes and integrate myself within my local and online writing communities. I’ve taken to Substack more readily, where the writing community resides and even met someone at a play who is starting a film making school and will be teaching screenwriting at affordable rates.

I did bake my rum cakes, experimenting with recipes and I think it’s coming along. Both cakes I made were yummy but the first was a touch too dry and the second a bit too moist. I might leave out pudding mix the next time I make one but I’m done experimenting w rum cake for now. I have halves of both the cakes I made stored up in the freezer to see me through the summer where it will be entirely too hot to bake. Hoping I can get my macarons made this month before the 80+° weather is here to stay.

My Shrek party was fun, though halfway through the film everyone wanted to just watch it instead of perform it which disappointed me. The Shrek themed foods were delicious and I ate them throughout the week because my guests weren’t hungry. The whole thing made me really miss my sisters and they told me we could recreate Lilo and Stitch for my birthday trip when we’re all together. I’m crossing my fingers that will actually come to pass.

I also finally have set up a Google workspace for my website and am going to be switching my mailing list over to Squarespace which doesn’t have any function to collect or save addresses or birthdays so I think the birthday card system that I have is going to change soon, if it’s able to continue at all.

I hope you have a phenomenal June full of rainbows and pride and sunshine!