Well, this is a pickle. My kids are disappointed because I am not going trick-or-treating with them. But I got called to sub in the Writing Center at CCCCD and I really need the money. Sure they'll probably understand, if they remember, when they are older. But in the meantime....

Posted a new poem, tentatively titled "Packing Up," a couple of days ago. Still working on the essay. I think with some grace I might finish a draft and post it in a few days. Hopefully before the weekend.

Brad came to visit me at work last night and after chatting with him decided that I have to use my "other" work time to read and write. That means I'll have to work twice as hard at work to make sure I don't bring much home. (Of course tonight I need to finish making a test and I'm doing this instead...go figure.)

When I will find time and energy to try to get my work published, I just don't know.

Need to go for now...duty calls.

Typed and posted the two poems I mentioned yesterday. Titled the sonnet "A Maturing Rain" though I said yesterday that I didn't want to use the word rain in the title. The other poem is called "Through The Drizzle." I'm not too fond of that title either, but it is okay for now. Before the shine of newness wears off, I better try to find a place for them this weekend.

Well, I finally finished the sonnet I started two weeks ago. That is, I finished a draft of it. Don't have a title yet. I started it when I was sitting on the porch a couple of weeks ago watching the rain and waiting for my wife to come home from something. It was raining today and some last weekend, so I guess I kept adding lines as I mused on it. I don't want to put "sonnet" or "rain" in the title. I'm afraid the latter word will keep it from being read because it might seem too cliche, and I don't like to announce when I write a sonnet (or any form piece). I prefer to have the reader discover that as she/he goes along, if at all. I figure if I have written well, it won't matter that the poem is anything but what it is.

While waiting for my World Lit students to finish a group project today, I wrote another poem, a short, so far untitled piece. Part of it is about rain also, but some is about the groping and struggling we do in life. I used some rhyme in this, but it is not a form piece. I guess I am hoping it is a bit jazzy, though it may be too short for that. I am hoping that the rhyme will make it musical, like jazz, but without a sing-songy effect.

Would have posted them to my website tonight, but I forgot the bring home the notepad I wrote them on, so they are not typed up yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Still reading the Block novel. Can't get as much reading done during the week, but if I have to work this weekend, I'm sure I'll finish it then. Trying to keep things I have to grade at work when I can. Maybe that will help me to write a bit more of my own stuff at night. That is, if I can keep away from all the other things that distract me. Go Stars!

We'll see.

Starting to wonder about this writing thing. Been praying that it won't have to be a hobby for the rest of my life. Problem is I can't get to writing consistently. And I am not sure why that is. I could blame it on lots of things: too little energy at the end of the day; too often behind at school; too many hockey games and football games to watch. But the reality is that I just haven't made it enough of a habit as it has been at a few times in my past. Ok, a couple. But it is my life. I need to do this.

Finished reading a pretty good memoir on Monday. It is The Way Home by Henry Dunow. Much of it is about him coaching his son's Little League Baseball team. Much is about his relationship to his own father. I found the story quite interesting and moving in parts. I was struck by the growth he had over the course of the season and by the pain expressed about his father. Maybe I'll write a review of it or maybe just more about it here later.

Started a Lawrence Block book, Eight Million Ways to Die, a Matt Scudder mystery. I'm about 85 or so pages in. Maybe I'll write more about it later.

Back to writing about writing. I have about a half dozen projects in my head and I just can't seem to get going on any of them, even though some are already started. What I need is consistency. That is, I need to consistently write every day. A set amount of time or a set number of words or pages. Something that tells all the doubting little voices in me that this is something I DO, something I AM, not just something I think about and teach when I have the time.

Problem is, I can find the time, but not the same time everyday. And I think that may be what I'll have to do if I want any fruit to come from this.

Have been so behind that I have not been able to do much writing except in my personal journal. And now my home pc is acting up, making it hard to type.

Started a sonnet over 10 days ago. It may take more days to finish than it will have lines.