Wow! Here we are, at year’s end (well, nearly). I think I may try this again next year, because it’s been a good reminder to focus in on fewer things, and to think regularly about how I can work on what I want to get done. I sprung for the 2016 Passion Planner as well, for looking at larger, over-arching goals, on a 1-5 year timeline. Between those two things, I think I can really ramp it up by next summer. I’m feeling hopeful about my future right now. (Touch wood.)
Finals were a hot mess: I stayed up two nights in a row working on my final for Science Fiction and Fantasy Costumes in Film. It was my first time sewing an entire garment from scratch, and I learned a lot and got rather thoroughly frustrated and worked myself into a frenzy, and came out the other end with a decently passable Hogwarts student robe, which I wore to school. I also made a delicious mac and cheese for the potluck and presentations session of my bell hooks class. (No pictures; my mac and cheese doesn’t usually stick around long enough, if I don’t get a shot of it right out of the oven.)
The last 2015 Groundhog Day Resolution Review is below the cut:
Goals:
- Make regular money from writing
- Subgoal: Small press solvency
- Schedule self-care and practice self-love
- Solidify my graduate degree path, and apply to grad school
Month in Review:
What worked? What didn’t?
1) This has basically fallen by the wayside while school is on. 16 credits was ambitious — possible, but certainly not the easiest thing I’ve ever done. The lion’s share of my time and energy has been on keeping afloat in my classes, and working on stuff for my publishing company. But I did read at Poetics Corvallis, and at a fundraiser for a friend, and I made some great connections at both events. There’s so much amazing talent in the writing community here, and I feel blessed for all the other poets I’ve met, and the folks who’ve included me in their readings.
•) Subgoal: My Body Asunder is finally, finally done. There was a delay on the printer’s end, but I’ve just been notified the first batch of copies should be delivered tomorrow. There’s a lot cooking in this realm, and I’ve been doing some marketing work. I’ve also taken some books to be sold in local bookshops here, with more to come.
2) As mentioned above, I screwed up my sleep schedule working on finals. My profs were all super great about me needing a little extra time to get things in. Staying up left me too tired to work on papers; kinda shot myself in the foot on that one. The cold weather has been playing havoc on my pain. I’ve been wearing my heavy sweaters and my pea coat, which I used to only need when we had snow on the ground. I’m super peevish about it, too. But I took all but the most essential stuff out of my backpack, and I’ve been wrapping up warm; my pain hasn’t hit last fall’s levels, and I’m counting that as a win.
3) Nothing done on this front, because of finals and publishing a book and all.
Planning the Next Month:
What am I working on going forward?
1) I’m working on writing more poems and revising my stuff. I’ll be reading in the December Grief Rites reading on Monday (21 Dec.), and I have mostly free time until the start of next term. I’m working an article for a local paper, also; I need to schedule an interview to get some information and quotes, and then I can send that along. And I’ll work up some pitches to send out.
•) Subgoal: I’m really excited to work with the author of My Body Asunder on some great promotional stuff. We’ve had a couple of great conversations, and we’re planning some really interesting and exciting stuff in the new year — check out the press’s blog for updates (coming soon). I’m also planning to work on the business plan; I really want to finish it up asap. Marketing and strategic planning are both vital focus areas right now.
2) I need to get my sleep back on track. I’m also going to cook more during the break, hopefully. And there’s Black Joy self care event this weekend, for Black women and femmes, which I am definitely planning to go to. Going forward, I’m giving myself permission to say no, I’m remembering that “finished is better than perfect,” and I’m asking for help.
3) I’m gonna focus on scholarship apps and securing recommendations this month; I hope to get my apps in as early as possible, so I have one less thing to worry about.
See all of the Groundhog Day Resolutions posts here.
Tessara Dudley, Poet-Publisher-Educator-Activist 