First chapters. Talked to my editor last week about the chapters I sent of the new draft. Now, in the days following, I’m feeling that renewed sense of purpose, that comes from having the manuscript (or at least part of it) reflected back to me. Right now the historical storyline has more direction, and it shows. Regarding the contemporary one, my editor said it seemed like I was the kind of writer who needed to write the whole thing to feel out what the story is, and I haven’t yet done that. I’d say that’s accurate. I’ve planted a lot of seeds; now the work is tending to the ones that have sprouted, whose roots have started to take hold. I’m feeling generally optimistic.
Let there be light. The first floor of the house is wired! I installed a new strike plate for the front door lock and was able to chisel out the door frame mortise under an LED-simulated incandescent glow. I also learned how to sharpen a chisel. The electricians are working on the second floor this week, and expect to be done by Wednesday. I’m trying to get them to install a flood light under a roof eave in the process. Meanwhile, the carpenters have almost finished the interior window trim, and will soon be painting the trim outside.
A new camera. I posted this to my Instagram and figured it was worth including here: Every five or six years I feel an itch to get a non-phone camera, that I use obsessively for a few weeks then sparingly for a few months, and end up selling when I upgrade to a newer model iPhone. This time around I’m trying to be more thoughtful about what I really need, and how it fits with my behaviors around shooting, editing, and sharing.
The result? I picked up a lightly used GF1 (aka The Craig Mod Special) for a little more than the price of the 20mm lens. Here’s my first outing with it: a walk at dusk with Julia and the pup.