Julie A. Wallace

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Mission 2023 February

A woman stares at a paper map. She is sitting on a suitcase. The suitcase is in the middle of a deserted country road. The woman is contemplating where she will go next.

In 2022 I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I supposed I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.

It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So in 2023 there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.

On to this year’s mission!

Move More Sit Less

I sit all day for work, then I stand and make dinner. Then I sit to eat dinner and I sit to read books. And sometimes I putter around my yard and call it gardening, but most of the time I sit.

In January I moved more and sat less. The FitBit Charge tells me that over the last twenty-eight days I walked a minimum of 3000 steps per day. My average number of steps was 3,472.

The most steps I’ve walked was 6,134. The “lifetime” number of steps walked since I bought the FitBit in January is 124,600.

Given that I started January with no idea how much I did or did not move, I’m delighted!

Mill Pond Park in Mount Pleasant, Michigan – January 2023

Last month said that I’d signed up for three different Conqueror Virtual Challenges on a total whim; I’ll tell you more about how the virtual challenges work later this month. Essentially to “win” the year-long event, I have 175 miles in those three different challenges.

The good news?? I finished one of those challenges and am nearly done with challenge number two!

All this movement will surely help when I get on the plane for a top secret thingie happening in April.

All Things Writing

Last year I finished the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.

  • That second draft is starting to pester me, so I’ve started to take notes. The thing is warping into something completely different than the first draft. Sigh. That’s how writing works.
  • I did add two posts in January: Mission 2023 and I announced that I’m an affiliate at Bookshop in Year In Books 2023
  • I published my first newsletter in years. It included a couple of things that are not on this blog, and it’s where I announced the Bookshop affiliation. Not a subscriber? Jump on that mailing list.

Finish All The Projects

If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never end. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.

This part of the mission is more about consistently making an effort to do the things…all the things…even the little things like take that pile of things to the thrift store or break down the boxes and put them in the car and haul them off to the recycling center.

In January I got a load of stuff taken to the thrift store. I’ve been creating another pile of things for yet another load.

Secret Things

There are a handful of other things I’m hoping will happen. I mean, one of them is definitely going to happen in April.

The plane tickets and hotel are already booked. I’m thinking about what to do while in that city, and what to wear in the parade (for real.)

Year In Books

This year I’m a Bookshop affiliate. Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop!

I’m making an effort to buy some books from Bookshop, and others from Sleepy Dog Books, my local independent bookstore.

(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)

In January I read

Word of the Year

Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen.

That’s definitely how January felt.

To keep taking action, I ask myself what little tiny baby step can I take to move forward.

That seems to work… otherwise I get overwhelmed with “how can I make this major thing happen right now.”

Baby steps are where the action is for me!

How do you keep moving forward? What little tricks do you use?

Downtown Mount Pleasant, Michigan – December 2022

Guiding Thought

As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!

I remember life before the internet. It was so very, very different, and more simple. But with AI coming on full force (have you heard about the capabilities of ChatGPT?) it seems like the time to be less on a computer and more, well, away from the computer.

Before the internet I was outside more. So in January, I actually got outside and walked at a nearby park. I walked with a friend outside once a week, too.

I got outside in January and that kept me away from the computer.

Just For Fun: Colorwise.Me

Back in the 80s the Color Me Beautiful book was all the rage. I learned that – in that color system – I am considered a “winter.” Being a winter means I look best in deep jewel tones, and it’s why I wear so much black, navy, and red.

In January I stumbled upon Colorwise.me which analyzes your personal colors.

You take a selfie either by a window or outside. Then upload to the site and it tells you your best colors. You may have to do it a couple of times: it initially thought I was a Spring.

Eventually it confirmed that I’m a deep winter and spit out recommended colors — my favorites 🙂

Quote of the Month

Did you know there is a collection of thought-provoking quotes up at the top of the blog? Once that page displays and you’ve absorbed the words, click “Next Quote” to see another and another and another.

“Watch out for the intellect, because it knows so much it knows nothing and leaves you hanging upside down, mouthing knowledge as your heart falls out of your mouth.”

Anne Sexton

Your Turn

Tell me how your “missions” are going this year. Read any good books lately?

Mission 2023

A woman stares at a paper map. She is sitting on a suitcase. The suitcase is in the middle of a deserted country road. The woman is contemplating where she will go next.

A year ago, I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I supposed I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.

It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So this year, there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.

On to this year’s mission!

Move More Sit Less

I sit all day for work, then I stand and make dinner. Then I sit to eat dinner and I sit to read books. And sometimes I putter around my yard and call it gardening, but most of the time I sit.

This year I will move more and sit less. I got myself a FitBit Charge 5 and -to keep myself motivated – I signed up for three different Conqueror Virtual Challenges on a total whim. If I’m going to complete all 175 miles of these challenges by the end of the year, I’d better get moving!

All Things Writing

Last year I managed to finish the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.

Finish All The Projects

If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never end. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.

This mission has things like paint the bathroom, take the cardboard boxes in the garage to the recycling center, garage, work on Wallace genealogy, replace the shade in the kitchen window, and more.

Where I’ll find the time to finish the projects between working full time and writing a second draft and walking 175 miles and doing these secret things, I don’t know. But I sure would like to finish some of these projects.

Secret Things

There are a handful of other things I’m hoping will happen. I mean, one of them is definitely going to happen in April, but the others – I’m not too sure. So for right now, these stay secret.

Year In Books

I have enjoyed doing the Good Reads Reading Challenges, but this year, I just want to take it easy and report to you all what I’m reading. More on this in another post later this month.

Word of the Year

Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen. At least I want to do those things here on December 31, 2022. We’ll see how I feel in a few months on all that action.

Guiding Thought

As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!

I remember life before the internet. It was so very, very different, and more simple. But with AI coming on full force (have you heard about the capabilities of ChatGPT?) it seems like the time to be less on a computer and more, well, away from the computer.

Of course, I’m also the person who will be writing the second draft of a novel this year, working in a tech job, and using apps to track walking 175 miles…

Quote of the Year

The important thing is to tell yourself a life story in which you, the hero, are primarily a problem solver rather than a helpless victim. This is well within your power, whatever fate might have dealt you.”

Martha Beck

Have You Hear of The 20 Things 23 Times Challenge?

I only just learned about this “challenge” today – January 1, 2023. I’m adding it here to remind myself that there are other ways to do yearly missions. Here’s how this works:

  • Make a list of 20 things you want to do.
  • Do those things 23 times.
  • Think of things like make 23 new recipes, visit 23 new places in my city, write 23 poems, listen to 23 new podcasts, read 23 novels, try 23 new things, write 23 letters, bake 23 loaves of bread, play the piano 23 times, contact 23 genealogy DNA matches, eat at 23 new restaurants, say one kind thing to 23 strangers, 23 new drawings, and so on.
  • Next year make it 20 things 24 times.
  • And carry on through the years: 20 things 25 times, 20 things 26 times, 20 things 27 times.

Can’t say I’ll be doing 20 things 23 time times this year, but I love the idea and wanted to share.

Your Turn

What’s on your mission list this year?

Mission 2022 December

In 2022 I combined lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so this year has been a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

So how was the year?

Tarot Cards for November and December

I did a tarot spread for the full year and November’s card was Detail Details reminding me to look at the fine print of anything and everything plus accept things as they are. December’s card was Rock Bottom which encouraged me to surrender and a way will appear asking the question: are you willing to change.

I heard on TikTok that there are three key ages where your body changes. I forget the first one (maybe in your 30s?) but remember the other two were 60 and 78. It’s said that at these ages, your body has noticeable changes, and I have to agree.

I turned 60 last February and gobbled up the chocolate and sweets and tea. By the end of March I’d let go of most sweets and tea and feel better the majority of the time. I still dip my toe into both; err, as I write this on a Sunday, I’ve guzzled down one mug of caffeinated tea and love it. But I can’t subsist on sugar and caffeine alone anymore (and believe me, I’ve done that for a LONG time.)

My body takes longer to recover now, and is more easily injured. Sigh.

So yes, I’m willing to change and learning to change and practicing changing and changing and embracing change and loving change. I’m listening for clues from spirit and and reading the fine print where appropriate.

I liked doing the tarot cards for the year, liked doing the monthly missions so I’m already thinking about 2023. How about you?

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

Not happening. I wrote the first draft of a novel and went to the Lost Lake Writer’s Retreat instead.

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not happening. I lowered the price instead

Post Twice A Month On This Website

I did well with this mission and did post twice a month most months. I’ll carry on with this in 2023.

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

For most of the year, I used my Linux machine most of the time for personal use: checking personal email, watching YouTube videos, checking social media. I’ll carry on with this in 2023.

Have Fun

November and December have been fun-ish. At the beginning of November I was out sick for a bit and grieving the loss of a dear friend.

  • In Spirit Zoom calls have been refreshing. It’s so nice to talk and meditate with friends.
  • Same thing is true for the regular phone calls with the same people.
  • My hair is still colored purple, teal, and dark blue. Every so often while out and about, someone will say, “I love your hair” and that makes me smile.
  • I’ve had several craniosacral massages. Man, I love those so much!
  • I went to the annual Christmas lighted parade. I stood close to a very vocal group of kids who shouted, “Merry Christmas” at the top of their lungs to every passing float. The kids were rewarded with a lot of candy. My reward was laughing a lot and enjoying the lights.
  • It’s not necessarily “fun,” but I was happy to have an easy dental checkup and no cavities.
  • There was Thanksgiving, right? That was a lovely day spent with family.
  • It was fun to hear mom describe the beautiful bouquet I sent for her birthday.

Big Secret Goal #1: Finish the first draft of a novel.

I turned in the first draft of my novel into The Write Practice over Labor day weekend. My reward was attending the Lost Lake Writers Retreat in October.

Big Secret Goal #2: Backyard Landscaping.

This goal is done and dusted! Check out the big secret goal reveal that goes into a lot more detail about what was completed in the back yard this year. I added two pear trees and one dwarf mulberry. At the end of the year I had the same company come back and plant a bunch of Allium, Tulips, and Hyacinths – all which will explode come spring.

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. I have two more books to go and really, with two weeks, I’ll crush this goal!

  • Living to Tell The Tale by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  • The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
  • Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper
  • The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
  • The INFJ Writer: Cracking the Creative Genius of the World’s Rarest Type by Lauren Sapala.

How About You?

How was your year? What big dreams and projects did you accomplish?

Farewell Michelle

On October 15, 2022, my dear friend Michelle Mather passed away. My world is a little more lonely without her. It was comforting to know that she was out there, living her life, and never more than a phone call away.

Beginnings

We met in the 1990’s in Athens, Georgia at the Pathfinder Bookstore. Pathfinder was a hub for new age activity in Athens and it was run by Gayle Clayton. I suppose new age isn’t the best term anymore, but in the 90s, that’s what it was. You could pick up a copy of a book on meditation or a book on earth changes or have a tarot reading.

There were classes, too, and that’s where where I met Michelle. We were both in Psychic Arts I and II, and then in workshops and more going forward. We were both in workshops with Ron Mangravite, and even now I can hear Michelle asking questions on the recordings of those workshops.

At the time Michelle was finishing up a master’s in social work at the University of Georgia and going through a divorce. We bonded over meditation and music and food and shopping.

Between the divorce and finishing the masters and moving on to her first social work job, she even lived on my couch for a time. We became very good friends. Heck, she and my sister shared the same birth date and year.

Tarot

As I said, we both took several classes at the time that helped us explore and learn about “new age” stuff. In one of the classes that Gayle taught we learned about the major arcana of the tarot. Being a pack rat, I’ve kept notes from that class, so I know that Michelle had the High Priestess and the Hermit cards to explore and explain to the group.

The High Priestess represents intuition, mystery, and sensuality combined with common sense. Michelle was earthy and mysterious and had a load of common sense: she did the right thing even when it was the hardest choice.

The Hermit represents a period of soul searching, self-reflection, and spiritual enlightenment; it can mean seeking (or offering) the services of a counsellor or psychiatrist. Michelle was a social worker and she spent a lot of time alone searching for – well, searching.

Travels

Over the years we kept in touch on the phone and through visits. I visited her in Albany, Georgia, Huron and Lorain, Ohio, and finally in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I never did get to her home in Anderson, South Carolina.

At her apartment in Albany, Georgia, we hit the local thrift store. I found one of my most cherished vintage jackets that day.

Michelle came to my home here in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and visited when I lived in Knoxville, Tennessee, too. She was at my wedding and was a friend through the subsequent divorce and bankruptcy. We met up one time in Ann Arbor, Michigan, too, and we ate and shopped our way around town.

On two occasions I visited with Michelle at her family’s home in Florida. I vaguely remember a holiday in a brown brick house and then another visit to a white house that had a sunken living room and a moon light. I really don’t remember the details of the whens or the whys and they truly don’t matter anymore.

On one of these occasions we stopped on the long drive from Athens to Orlando at the Spiritualist community at Casa Dega so Michelle could have a reading – she loved having readings.

Her family was warm and welcoming. I remember we had a delicious dinner at a Mexican restaurant one time. Another time we went to breakfast at the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House at the Ponce DeLeon Springs State Park.

I remember visiting Michelle in Ohio and a dinner with meditation friend Deb; there was another time when most of the Ohio meditation group drove to the college town of Oberlin for a dinner at a Japanese restaurant. One time Michelle and I went into Cleveland to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We always went shopping and out to eat.

Michelle loved clothes. She loved matching her nail polish to the color of her outfit. She took great care to be well presented at all times and she loved shopping…

No, It’s better to speak the truth and say that she was obsessed with shopping. I should know, I’m obsessed with shopping, too. And that’s another reason why we were good friends.

Luna’s Love Loaf

In the 90s we participated in sweat lodges and drumming circles near Athens. These were potlucks and I’d bring a casserole or a salad or some new recipe I’d learned. Michelle always brought beer bread.

Michelle loved food but confessed to being a poor cook. One thing she could whip up at the drop of a hat was a good batch of beer bread. Her nickname in Athens was Luna, so beer bread will forever be known as “Luna’s Love Loaf” to me.

The poem “Luna’s Lending Library” in my book The WordStorm even features Luna’s Love Loaf!

Dessert and Mouth Orgasms

On the night Michelle passed away, I felt pulled to go out to dinner. Before the pandemic, I ate dinner out almost every Thursday. Since the pandemic and the arrival of HelloFresh in my life, I haven’t gone out to eat nearly as much. But that Saturday night, I was compelled to leave the house and drive to Stir – one of the best restaurants in town.

Uncharacteristically, I had steak with forest mushroom demi, Dauphinoise potato, with fresh vegetable. And then there was dessert.

I don’t believe Michelle ever missed a chance to have dessert. From the Chocolate Decadence at the Athens Coffee House (where the phrase “mouth orgasm” first showed up) to a lowly cookie, Michelle loved her sweets.

Mouth orgasm – do I have to explain? It’s when you take that first bite of a dessert and it just sends out of of this world…like an orgasm…except it’s dessert. (But don’t limit yourself to dessert – any food can cause a mouth orgasm.)

So the dessert for me on that Saturday night was one that Michelle would have loved. It’s was called a peanut butter honey tart, but that doesn’t suffice. Just imagine:

Peanut butter mixed with sour cream and sugar. Piped into a flaky pastry crust. Topped with whipped cream. Drizzled with caramel and chocolate and honey. Dusted with crushed peanuts.

Oh, just look at this—

It was remarkable and I’m sure my friend would have loved this dessert. Every bite sent me out of this world.

I’ll have to go back and enjoy the dessert all over again, just to be sure. And I’m sad that we’ll never share dessert again.

Music

We both loved dancing to the legendary one-armed blues harmonica player Neal Patman in Athens. Patman routinely propositioned Michelle; she accepted his compliments and graciously turned him down every time. This video is from somewhere in Athens in the mid-1990s – right around the time Michelle and I would have gone to see him.

Another somewhat obscure band we both enjoyed was October Project. If I remember correctly, Michelle actually got to see the band live in Athens – sometime before we met.

Showing The Way

Because of Michelle’s passing and my subsequent illness, I had plenty of time to think about what I would leave behind. Because Michelle’s passing was unexpected, she’d didn’t have time to make a will or even attempt to give away cherished items.

Right now, I’d leave behind a mess of books, paperwork, clothes, and a whole lot of unfinished stuff. I’d leave behind those little secrets that we all hide in the junk drawers in our hearts. I’d leave behind books not written, excuses, hopes for the future, and the little bites that these things eat from our souls.

One time when Michelle and I were talking, she said that she was working her way through my poetry book by reading one poem at a time. That astonished me.

And now, it makes me want to write more. To stop the little bites from eating away the books I haven’t written and to actually get those books written. It makes me want to get my house (literally) more in order, but that may well be a future never written.

I’m happy to have someone on the other side looking out for me, sending me little whispers. I’m pretty sure Michelle’s job is to help me be sure to eat enough and to eat well. She’ll keep me writing and keep me seeking out new friendships. I’ll carry her memory with me on the best shopping trips.

Michelle wasn’t perfect; none of us are. She was a truly compassionate soul. She struggled with weight loss and gain, with money, and with other health issues, too. Mental health and especially depression followed her everywhere.

Despite these, Michelle was incredible at building community wherever she lived. Yes, she lived on her own, but she always found friends and lovers wherever she went. She’d share about road trips to the beach or a birthday celebration on Kelleys Island or meeting friends after work for dinner and a movie or brunch on Sunday. She’d often recount the annual trips to stay with her cousins in Pennsylvania.

Michelle is responsible for connecting the Athens meditation friends up with the folks in Ohio. She moved to Ohio and promptly found a community. Michelle had Gayle go to Ohio to teach and, from those teachings emerged a tightly knit group that later merged with the Athens group.

That blended group had only just begun meeting again on Zoom and, upon learning of Michelle’s passing, we gathered to celebrate her life. She will be missed, and I thank her for showing the way.

Please Remember Me

One night in the 90’s Michelle, Gayle, and I went to see singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt in Atlanta. Here’s Dante’s Prayer with it’s haunting “please remember me” refrain. I will never forget my friend Michelle.

Mission 2022 November

In 2022, I’m combining lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so it’s a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

So how was October?

October’s Tarot Card

I did a tarot spread for the full year and October’s card was One Ring Circus which celebrated independence and boundaries – and the need to let go of control.

October started with a big bang and lots of fun. There was the fabulous escape to the North of Michigan with the Lost Lake Writer’s Retreat. There was a book sale and the final weeks of the CSA for the year.

But then, on October 19, I learned that a dear friend passed away on the 15th – the very night I had felt an overwhelming pull to have a really nice dinner at a local restaurant. It’s fitting, I suppose, because Michelle loved good food. I’m working on a tribute post; I think it will be ready by next Monday.

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

Not happening. I wrote the first draft of a novel and went to the Lost Lake Writers Retreat instead.

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not happening. I lowered the price, though!

Post Twice A Month On This Website

Yes! I did publish two times in October. There’s the October wrap up of September and the post about Lost Lake Writers Retreat.

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

In October I carried on using my Linux machine most of the time for personal use: checking personal email, watching YouTube videos, checking social media.

Have Fun

October started with a bang with the local library’s annual book sale. Then I went on that fantastic writer’s retreat to Lost Lake. I had a fabulous dinner at a local restaurant on my own, met with meditation friends, and caught up with my sister at yet another yummy dinner.

And then, as I said, it went downhill. A close friend tragically passed away and that shook things up. Then I got sick at the very start of November and had to cancel a massage, hair appointment, meditation, and coaching call.

I’m better now but man, the last part of October and first part of November really sucked.

Big Secret Goal #1: Finish the first draft of a novel.

I turned in the first draft of my novel into The Write Practice over Labor day weekend. My reward was attending the Lost Lake Writers Retreat in October.

Big Secret Goal #2: Backyard Landscaping.

This goal is done and dusted! Check out the big secret goal reveal that goes into a lot more detail about what was completed in the back yard this year.

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. Since the last update I’ve read a lot. I was sick so I read and read and read. Some of these were finished more in November than October, but oh well. Here’s what I’ve been reading.

  • The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames.
  • Secrets of the Tides by Hannah Richell.
  • Groupies by Sarah Priscus.
  • Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
  • The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
  • The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
  • The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • Poor Man’s Feast: A Love Story of Comfort, Desire, and the Art of Simple Cooking by Elissa Altman
  • The Little Lady Agency in the Big Apple by Hester Browne
  • The Falcon’s Eyes by Francesca Stanfill
  • Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan
  • Memoir of the Sunday Brunch by Julia Pandl
  • Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wildfire by Colleen Morton Busch

How About You?

How was your October? Heck, do you even remember October now that Thanksgiving is staring you in the face?

Lost Lake Writers Retreat

Image by Lerkrat Tangsri from Pixabay

Having finished the first draft of a novel this summer, I promised myself my reward would be a weekend getaway. On a whim I searched for writer’s retreats in Michigan and found the Lost Lake Writers Retreat. It was the perfect way to nurture my writing soul.

The Lost Lake Writers Retreat is presented annually by Inspiration Alcona and Springfed Arts with grants from the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Art Works. The retreat is held at the Lost Lake Woods Club on the sunrise side of the state of Michigan just north of the small town of Lincoln.

Grab a coffee – this is a longer post with pretty pictures and interesting stories. 🙂

The Past Circles Back Again

In August I attended an event to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the pop-rock band Bay City Rollers appearing in their namesake city of Bay City, Michigan. That weekend was an absolute blast and had me remembering things left and right for weeks. This weekend was no different – but for different reasons.

Like any introvert, I was hesitant to attend an event where I wasn’t going to know anyone and had to do any socializing. I kept browsing both the Inspiration Alcona and Springfed Arts websites until lightening struck. The director of the event, John D. Lamb, was a musician that I’d seen back in the 80’s in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Back then, I was in college and John (going by the moniker Johnny D) was playing solo acoustic at the Foolery (now known as Rubbles) downtown. I’d go with a couple friends and we’d dance to this guy singing Springsteen-y kinds of songs with lots of lyrics and plenty of chutzpah. Here’s a poster from those many years ago.

These days John is the director of Springfed Arts and hosts songwriting and writing retreats and events throughout the year; he has a whole lot of music available, too. He’s also an amazing, gracious host and made this introvert felt loved and appreciated. His music is available at all the normal places, so go buy some today.

Here is the John D. Lamb website and Bandcamp sites. I immediately grabbed all of the CD’s (because I’m old school like that) and they arrived with a hand-written note from John.

Lumberman’s Monument

I promised myself when I moved back to Michigan a decade or more ago that I would get to know the state more. I’ve failed miserably at that, but have really enjoyed watching a load of TikToks by Michigan creators that celebrate the state. For the drive to the Lost Lake Writers Retreat I decided to wander the byways a bit… Err, I drove some roads I’d never been on before.

One of those roads led to the Lumberman’s Monument just west of Oscoda. The fall colors were already popping and the overlook of the Au Sable river was stunning – especially just after rain – look at these clouds!

It had rained on and off as I drove, and the rain let up long enough for me to walk around the monument site. It was quiet, too, with only a few other visitors in the area. I didn’t take the steep walk down to the waterside.

The monument commemorates workers in the logging industry early in the history of Michigan.

Lumberman’s Monument is open daily throughout the year and there are walking trails and a camping area, too. The site is maintained and staffed by the USDA Forestry department. There is a small gift shop and bathroom facilities.

Trip To The Beach

No trip to the northeast side of the lower peninsula could be complete without a walk on the beach and so I stopped into a roadside park and wandered out onto the beach. Once again Mother Nature held off on the rain just long enough for me to enjoy the view and the sounds. But once I was back in the car the rain poured down.

Lost Lake Woods Club

Just north of Lincoln, Michigan, the Lost Lake Wood Club boasts more than 10,000 acres of private, members-only grounds for hunting, fishing, shooting, horseback riding, golfing, and more. There are five lakes, ample walking trails, a large lodge, and dining/banquet facilities. Plenty of people have summer homes here and some have year-round homes at the ninety-six year old club.

All retreat activities were held in the Lost Lake Lodge which is a sprawling hive of activity for the entire club.

I walked in and almost immediately got a fabulous bear hug from John. Then I checked into my room and settled in.

Most meals were in the dining room overlooking the lake. Portions were huge and I often felt like I would drown in the dishes.

I mean, look at this is sweet potato fries topped with barbecue pork and coleslaw. It’s not a bad way to drown, mind you, but there was no way I could finish the whole thing. On the other hand, it was so tasty I might have to try to recreate it.

One night, there was a spectacular sunset.

And I went for a long walk part of the way around the lake.

It was hard to get a bad photo, though I did manage to get quite a few with my thumb or finger.

We left the property one night for dinner at Rosa’s Lookout Inn just up the road in Spruce. Voted the best Italian restaurant on the sunrise side of the state for ten years running, the food lived up to that honor.

Writers Retreat

Ultimately, the weekend was about words and writing, and really knowing in my bones how important writing is in my life. I think I’ve run away from words as much as I’ve run towards them.

For the longest time I’ve struggled with feeling like I belong somewhere, with trying to identify who I am as a person living mostly alone in the world.

Even when setting up this website, I tried to follow the marketing law of focus on one thing… Any online business course I’ve ever taken has admonished students to focus on “one thing” that you do well. But I’m not just interested in one thing: I am multitudes.

Do I contradict myself?

Very well then I contradict myself,

(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

Walt Whitman – Song of Myself

(And yeah, Song of Myself is as much about Whitman as it is about America, but that’s a digression I won’t go further into now.)

At the BCR weekend I knew that those Roller fans were my people, my tribe.

I have no doubt that my meditation friends are another part of my tribe, too. That spiritual tribe has ties that quite literally transcend time and space.

My tribal triumvirate is complete with writing friends. These are my people, too.

And metaphysically, I could go into the three in the one and the one in the three, but that’s not what this blog post is about.

Poetry is Life!

Just as the world shut down in the spring of 2020, I self published a collection of poems. (FYI, any link to Amazon is an affiliate link.)

This is a collection of poems written from 1976-2006. Some were published elsewhere, many were read at open mikes over the years. But none had found a permanent home and – to be honest – I hadn’t worked at publishing. I’m happy to have them all gathered in one place.

I recently lowered the price of both the Kindle and the paperback on Amazon. You can also buy the book directly from me and get an autographed copy)

The Kindle eBook is free October 17 to October 21!

This retreat brought home to me how important poetry is… I’d forgotten again. Sigh.

This weekend was about learning new techniques and sharpening up those old skills and this weekend fit like a delicious pair of jeans. This weekend was about talking shop and life and influences. This was a weekend that nourished my writing soul.

In a conversation over dinner at Rosa’s I asked John about future retreats and suggested bringing someone to talk about self-publishing. Through that conversation it became very clear that his focus for the retreat to nurture writers; he does the same thing with songwriting retreats.

The Lost Lake Writers Retreat weekend wasn’t about learning the latest and greatest, but rather about celebrating the heart of the writing life.

This retreat is fertilizer, this retreat is food, this retreat is everything about supporting you right where you are on your writing journey. It was a perfect match for me.

Poetry Game

The poem below appeared through “The Poetry Game” an exercise taught to us by poet Leila Chatti. If I heard the pedigree correctly, it was first taught (created?) by Ruth Stone who taught it to Sharon Olds who taught it to Dorianne Laux, who taught it to Leila Chatti, who taught it to us.

Poets love playing with words and this game began by people offering up random words and then adding additional rules:

  • Include something blue but don’t use the word blue
  • Include a lie or a lie revealed
  • Include your name or the meaning of your name, or a word that sounds like your name
  • Include the phrase “you can feel it now.”

From there we were instructed to set a timer for twenty minutes and use as many of these words and follow the rules as much as you can. It took more than twenty minutes to polish this, but I got it done – and used all the words and rules!

Lost Lake Writers Retreat, Refrain

Saturday night after dinner each attendee read some of their work. I read two older poems from my book; it’s the first time I’ve read in public in – what – maybe ten years?

It felt like it, too, because I was nervous, shaky, and -let’s be honest- it was kind of hard to read from my book. Thank goodness I knew those two poems (almost) by heart. Even when I was co-hosting the poetry slam back in the day, I never could manage to memorize poems.

And it felt good, too, because by the time I was into the third or fourth stanza, my performance legs were back and functioning. My voice rose and fell. I slowed down to draw out the feelings behind the words and to give the listeners a chance to process the images that “Write A Poem And Call Me In The Morning” and “Starvation” offer.

Sunday morning we did a reading all over again, sharing work written during the weekend. And then, just like that, it was over and I was back in my car, a solitary traveler, on the lonesome highway heading south towards home.

On that long drive, though, I kept thinking about how much I’d enjoyed the weekend – the escape, the camaraderie, the memories. And especially how much I’d enjoyed jumping back into writing.

I’ve already started dreaming about what my “mission” will include for next year. I’m confident there will be writing involved. And I’d like to think I’ll be back to the Lost Lake Writers Retreat, too.

Your Turn

Is it too tacky to say I found myself at Lost Lake? Maybe. But it feels like I definitely reclaimed something I’d lost or set aside. I “re-membered” that writerly part of myself.

What parts of you have been lost along the way? How did you reclaim them?

Mission 2022 October

In 2022, I’m combining lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so it’s a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

So how was September?

September’s Tarot Card

I did a tarot spread for the full year and September’s card was Metamorphosis suggesting that there may be some loss. As a result of that loss, though, I will love who I become. The card said, “even with temporary discomfort, beauty is revealed.”

Sitting here the evening before this post goes live, I’m not sure what the loss or discomfort was in my September. There was finishing up the first draft of a novel, meditating with friends, a craniosacral massage, a book sale, and a good visit to the dentist, too.

One Friday afternoon there was a work party at a nearby park; it’s the first time we’ve all been in one place since before the pandemic nonsense.

I was also on Jury Duty in September; my main responsibility was calling into a phone to see if I needed to appear at the courthouse for anything. And the only thing I physically did have to do was show up for a training on how to be a good juror.

I got my hair cut and colored; it’s now the natural dark brown and sparkly white plus purple, blue, and green. Think a purple teal party and that’s what the top of my head looks like. I even thrifted a pretty fuchsia blazer from the 80’s that -when worn in combination with a blue scarf- got multiple compliments. All that color!

My HelloFresh deliveries continued as did the weekly CSA pickups. The CSA is ending for the season in a couple of weeks, so most likely I’ll increase the number of meals I get in HelloFresh. It’s become an indispensable part of my life now.

See, no loss? Only warm sunny days.

Still, September is the 9th month of the year. It’s the month people return to the school year routine, and the air is definitely crisper hear in central Michigan. I finished bringing in house plants for the winter; they’re always sad to have to come into the house – most would rather be outside, except they’d all die if left outside over the harsh winters. Loss of summer and warmth, perhaps?

The 9 of September has a finality to it, an ending before October. That’s 10th month, the 1 and the 0 combining to create a new level. So I suppose things did ‘close’ or come to an end in September. October is always when I start thinking about the next twelve months.

In fact, the Mission 2022 emerged last year about this time. So you’d better believe I’m already thinking about next year. And I believe I’m gonna need another mission: this was fun, and gave me a sense of purpose.

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

Definitely didn’t happen in the month of September. But it did other months because I finished the first draft of a novel!

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not happening.

Post Twice A Month On This Website

Welp, that didn’t happen in September. But at least there was September’s Mission post!

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

In September I used my Linux machine most of the time for personal use: checking personal email, watching YouTube videos, checking social media.

Have Fun

You did read the summary of things I did in September, right? It was a good month for fun 🙂

Big Secret Goal #1: Finish the first draft of a novel.

I turned the first draft of my novel into The Write Practice over Labor Day weekend. As a reward, I’m going on a writing retreat in October.

Big Secret Goal #2: Backyard Landscaping

This goal is done and dusted! Check out the big secret goal reveal that goes into a lot more detail about what was completed in the back yard this year.

PSST: I added two Asian pear trees and one dwarf mulberry to the back yard.

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. Since the last update I’ve read:

  • The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie. Not her usual sci-fi, but darned good writing. Who knew stones were gods and could talk?
  • Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Even though the main character was more of a Harry Potter (err, Simon Snow) fan, it gave me all the feels given the re-emergence of the BCR into my life.
  • Super Host by Kate Russo. I technically started this in September and finished it on October 1, but anyhow…close enough. Good character study of one man’s journey to finding his way in midlife.

I’m at 30 out of 50 books this year. That tells me working full time and putting hours into writing a novel every night seriously impacted my ability to read and read and read.

I have 20 more books to read to conquer this challenge… That’s 6-7 books a month in the next three months and (at least until snow flies and temps make it unbearable to be outside) I’m not sure I’m gonna make it. Thank goodness there was a library book sale and I bought all the books!

A Spell Is Broken

Going to the 45th Anniversary Celebration of Bay City Roller Day in Bay City, Michigan has me thinking of circles and cycles – endings and -by the same token- beginnings. By attending that event in August, I feel like a spell has been broken.

I feel like I spent forty-five years trying to be “cool” and forget that I ever liked that “uncool” band the Bay City Rollers. I was under a spell cast by society, cast by the pop culture that was unavoidable in my formative years.

Cool is now a state of mind for me, a way of being. If I want to bop to the Rollers I darn well can. In other places and times in this life that would have been (or would have felt) downright impossible.

Feel is everything to me. I feel like I’ve closed a loop and re-united a piece of myself that I tucked away in a dusty corner of a very deep closet in my soul. And now I can get on with what I want.

Which I’ve always done, of course. But knowledge gained from the experience guides my way. That, and spirit / god / the Universes as my co-pilot means it’s gonna keep getting more fun and interesting. October’s tarot card was “One Ring Circus” so whoa boy, what’s gonna happen?

How About You?

How was your September? What big dreams and projects are you working on for this year?

Mission 2022 September

In 2022, I’m combining lessons from the heart with some –cough cough – goals.

But I don’t like the word goals, so it’s a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined.

Let’s start by reviewing last month. How was August?

August’s Tarot Card

I did a tarot spread for the full year and the August card was Unexpected Visitors. This card asked me to expect the unexpected and the synchronicity that that can bring. There’s a reminder to adapt to shifting conditions by flowing, not forcing.

Whelp, that was definitely the theme of August – especially the very last week of August! I swear it was like the heavens aligned or something. I’m so grateful that I got over my reluctance to admit, indulge, and celebrate my teenage boy band: the Bay City Rollers. Attending the Bay City Roller Day celebration seemed to have unlocked a whole new level of excitement in my life, but more about that in the months to come.

August had me canning food, too – something I’ve never done on my own. I’ve canned carrot relish and a carrot cake jam so far. Beets and more carrots are next!

August had the first phase of a multi-phase change in my back yard, too. That’s made a huge difference when it rains: water collects in rain barrels that I can then use to water plants. And I worked in the back yard several times, too. More of that to come in September and October… Hint: because this work is done I can plant more stuff!

August also found me finishing up the first draft of the novel, which frees me up to work on other projects. So August was endings and beginnings…

September’s card is Metamorphosis – some loss but with the loss I will love who I become. To put it another way, even with temporary discomfort beauty is revealed. I wonder what this month holds?

Write 250 Words A Day, 5 Days A Week

This goal is happening thanks to Big Secret Goal #1: write the first draft of a novel. It already has tapered off because I’m not actively working on the book. But it will ramp back up again when cold weather sets in and I start on the second draft.

Revamp WordStorm Casserole Poetry Book

Not happening.

Post Twice A Month On This Website

Nailed this in August. There’s the August Mission Update, a post that revealed backyard changes, and a post all about the Bay City Rollers Day celebration.

DeGoogle, deApple, deMicrosoft – embrace Linux!

Why? Because Google, Apple, and Microsoft all track your every move online and that’s wrong.

In August used my Linux machine most of the time for personal use: checking personal email, watching YouTube videos, checking social media.

Have Fun

Looking at the calendar, most of August wasn’t that different from any other month. I got a couple massages, went to the dentist, meditated with friends. But the BCR Day Celebration was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Go read the blog post and learn why.

Big Secret Goal #1: Finish the first draft of a novel

I turned in the first draft of my novel to The Write Practice over Labor Day weekend! Yeah me! And as a reward I get to go on a weekend writing retreat in October.

Big Secret Goal #2: Backyard Landscaping

This goal is done and dusted! Check out the big secret goal reveal that goes into a lot more detail about what was completed in the back yard this year.

What I’m Reading

On GoodReads, I have a 2022 Reading Challenge goal of at least 50 books. I snuck a couple of books in during August:

  • The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal. This is the third in the Lady Astronaut series and I could gobble more up on a regular basis.
  • Don’t Stop The Music: The Bay City Rollers on Record by Hannes A. Jonsson. Finally a compendium of all of the recordings of the group and various offshoots. There’s far more to this group that S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y. Night! I do wish the author had added a table of contents and index; a slightly different organization would helped, too, but I’m so happy to see this!

How About You?

How was your August? What was the best part of your summer?