My February defies summary. Best I can do is to say that it was seriously overbooked with worthwhile things. Each of these events and tasks is worthy of a leisurely unpacking via descriptive blogging. I would love to tell all the stories of LTUE, and of Storycon, and of how prepping for the Locus fundraiser jumped in levels of difficulty because of software updates. I didn’t have time in February, and I’m still playing catch up now that I’m already a week into March. This weekend is the first time I’ve had time to do any thinking that wasn’t directly in service to getting things done. I finally have time to begin addressing tasks and memories that aren’t immediately urgent.
In unpacking my February, I could treat it like a storage chest where I pull out the most recent thoughts first, unpacking as I go. I could also reach back to the beginning of the February calendar and recall everything in chronological order. I’ve decided to do neither of those things (for now). I don’t want to describe the details and shape of how I was busy all through the month, largely in service to other people’s priorities. (I spent ninety hours on Storycon, fifty hours on Locus, and forty hours on LTUE, those hours combine to be more hours than a full time job). Instead I want to reach into the middle and pull the quiet threads that are connected to mine.
I held Story Time each Tuesday at 10am. I kept that space for myself and others even on the weeks when I could feel how my ability to think was thick with fatigue. In the hour before Story Time I would go to my shelves and contemplate stories and poetry so I could choose what to share. Then I would launch the meeting and remember that my whole existence was not all about logistics and administration. For two hours a week I preserved a space where I could be a writer and work in service of my own projects. This is a triumph. Through what was probably the most tightly scheduled month of my year (and hopefully the most tightly scheduled month I’ll experience for a long time to come) I remembered to pause. Pause is one of the priorities I set for myself this year and I’m pleased I managed to thread it through my life. I’m looking forward to this thread being thicker in the months to come.
Another thread that saved my emotional stability during the month was Connecting. Each Story Time gave me a chance to listen to other creatives talk about their challenges and to be listened to about mine. I got to teach at both LTUE and Storycon. Dozens of quiet conversations with dozens of people where we mourned or rejoiced with each other. Many of these conversations came to me as a result of people buying or reading my book. That too was a joy. Structuring Life to Support Creativity is helping people and drawing to me the sorts of conversations I love having. I look forward to building on what this book has to offer. I’m going to get to write more material for my Patreon. I have plans for my next project. Because of how many people chose to pick up my book, I feel hope that I can continue to create. In the months to come I get to build on some of the things I did this month.
I am so glad for all the work I did in February. I’ve learned skills in communication and organization. I’m looking forward to refocusing my efforts closer to home in the months to come.