i spent most of the morning working
on revisions. i’m grateful for my two
wonderful critique groups, because not
only do they offer encouragement and
comments, but they’ve helped me
better deal with post critique depression.
haha!

what usually happenend was i’d send fantastic
pages (so i thought) to the group, and they
would then point out inconsistencies or raise
questions or suggest ways to make the
story / prose stronger. always in the nicest
way–because who wants mean critique friends?
along with positive comments.

but it didn’t matter. when i got home,
i’d feel completely defeated and wonder,
how the heck do i address the valid
points that were raised? it’s impossible.
i never wrote or revised on the same day
after my critique sessions. i was simply too
drained and creatively limp.

with virginia’s edits, i take the time to read all
the pages and percolate over them for one
night. usually, by the next morning, i’m ready
to attack and hack. some small issues are
easily addressed, some others, i mark to ponder
on. virginia has been great for bouncing ideas
off of and i have yet to get the post-crit blues
from her edits. (yay!)

after lunch, i went to indulge in a
ritual which is pretty foreign to me.
i got a french mani and pedicure in
pre-celebration of the scbwi conference
this weekend! 8)
my last (and first!) pedicure was in
san fran five years ago when i turned thirty!
i can’t tell you the last time i got
a manicure. those are girly things that
really don’t usually interest me, tho
it’s fun to feel all done up and pretty.

sweet pea and munchkin started a
new (temporary) childcare this week.
three days for about 5 hours/day.
munchkin has been a bit teary and clingy
due to the new environment and sweet
pea says everyone
already knows one another and she
can’t make any friends. this new place
also provides hot lunches and the
bubs didn’t eat anything the first day.
today, sweet pea continued her fast
but munchkin had some pasta and corn.

as a mom, i’ve got to fight the urge
to make everything right for them.
to be there and matchmake new
friends, to send them in with a lunch
i know they’ll eat and like, but i know
that’d be a huge disservice.
life is about entering new and scary
environments, where you don’t know
anyone and have no idea what to expect.
it’s about having to sit down sometimes
with strangers and have yucky food put
in front of you (like black licorice
and sea cucumbers–usually not both
at once, for who could survive that?).

the bubs are tucked safe in their
bungalow nest with mommy now.
with wild bunnies gnawing on carrots
in the back garden. if i don’t get another
chance to update, wish me luck and
fun at the conference! =D

*flowers in someone’s front garden
in england. i always love admiring
everyone’s gardens and window
designs when i’m visiting.