Wednesday, June 08, 2011

The Bruised Muse

A quick heads-up for anyone thinking of mailing something to me via the postal service, UPS, FedEx or any other snail mail avenue: for the time being, please don't. The service that provided the mail-drop I've been using suddenly went out of business, and I am still in the process of making new arrangements. Sorry for any inconvenience this might cause.



This is a peek at bluebird babies batch #2, as the parents of the quadruplets born back in April came back to nest again in the same house. This time they had triplets (at least I think there are three; I'm only seeing a trio of little faces whenever I take pictures.)

I'm impressed by this species, which is not only way fertile but very focused on care giving. Both parents go back and forth all day every day to the nest to bring bugs, check on the youngsters and clean the nest (in my opinion you have not lived until you've watched a father bluebird fly off with a big white pellet of baby bird poop in his beak.)

This is the first deadline week I've had all year where I haven't felt as if I'm trying to keep up with the bluebirds. In part the extra work I did in April and May is responsible for unloading a lot off my schedule, but I'm also making a renewed effort to simplify as much as possible, not sweat the small stuff, etc. It does make a difference in my attitude every time I go to work, although I could use a couple days off to recharge the batteries.

Until I have the chance for some downtime, I've grabbed my first edition copy of Judy Reeves's The Writer's Book of Days to re-read a little each morning. This book always sprinkles a little writing fairy dust on my muse when it's bruised. I know the minute I stomp this final spring deadline I am also heading for the sewing machine, too. I am in great need of doing some serious needlework.

How do you deal with a bruised muse? Got a secret source of writing fairy dust you want to share? Let us know in comments.

8 comments:

  1. Oh, to sew again! I have been itching for my sewing machine for weeks...

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  2. My muses always seem to sprinkle fairy dust on me when I'm in the shower, so that's my go-to cure.

    I don't work at your pace, however, so I probably don't need that much intervention.

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  3. Reading helps! I also like coloring or watching inspirational movies.

    Hope your muse heals soon!

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  4. Peanut butter. Straight outta the jar with a big-ass spoon. Works every time.

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  5. I don't have any hints or techniques. Lately I'm thinking my muse is more than bruised. Bashed, maybe.

    Love the bluebirds!

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  6. Love the baby birdies! I need to pick up that book, more fairy dust is always welcome. For inspiration, I usually walk along the water or sometimes just stand there and breathe the sea air and listen to it shhush against the shore, watch a seal or otter. It always does me good.

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  7. My muse is a Scot who always manages to get into swordfights. Then he comes home, and I have to dress his wounds while he empties my Whisky bottles. When he's getting tipsy, he'll throw subplots at me and turn my standalone ideas into trilogies.

    Why can't I get a nice little fairy muse like everyone else? :)

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  8. My muse seems to have decided that since I'm working, it no longer has to *sigh* I'm writing through it, but some days, it just all seems so lousy, my finger hovers over the delete button and it's so tempting to just push that button...

    Bluebirds are gorgeous, aren't they? Now that would be muse inspiring for me.

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