Porthole

New Year, 178

34 degrees at 11:17 p.m.

I'll have to close the windows tonight. This week will be cool, cloudy, wet. But that's okay. We've had wonderful weather and this will just feel like spring.

Three NCAA upsets: Oral Roberts (15), North Texas (13) and Oregon State (12). Today will have 2 to 3 more. Quirky year because some teams only had a partial schedule or only played conference teams.

It's my New Year. You'll see my writings show [178.###] now. 177 produced about 370+ numbered pieces. Not super productive but acceptable as 1/day is my usual goal. I entered more contests this past year and that takes more time and effort than merely writing whatever moves me.

37 degrees at noonish with sunshine. This week won't be as warm or nice, but we'll take it as nothing major is forecast.

Won (three-way tie) for:

STATIC

Traveling Teddy  (ASR) The suitcase had survived the storms of the seas, the jostle of rutted roads, the cold... #2245325 by Kåre Enga in Montana

So now I can edit and fix a couple things. A longer story like this one doesn't suit my style and the reviews weren't OMG! so I'm grateful it even placed. That's 3 wins at writing something for children or MG. Mind you, not convinced that that's my future but it does feel nice to leave one's comfort zone, spread one's wings and not fry and fall like Icarus.

I ate succotash for supper. Added dill, garlic, parsley and a bit of cayenne. And lots of butter.

43 degrees at 7:43. Some orange flames in the sky. Sunset.

I explained to Norma Jean:

"I started my new book #66 (green) of my journal which is a letter to a friend that now has 5,175 pages. I only wrote 64 pages in 2020. I've written more than that in many seasons, averaging 300 pages per year. I usually write something special on the first day of the new year. I wrote "This side of Forever" [178.1]. I feel the need to write to prime the pump for the upcoming year.

If I don't number, date, title I cannot find what I wrote. I have started files arranging by title or by number. This past year, most of my writing was on-line; other years it's on paper. I wrote over 1,000 snippets one year. Over the last 20 years probably way over 8,000. Who knows...

If you look at Emily Dickinson (her poems are numbered) you'll notice that she had 'good' years and not so good. Same with any artist. They go through moods, and life has been known to interfere. Sometimes that's good. Sends us off in a different direction. I think of Cher or Picasso."

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