full week ahead

As you saw from my last post, I had a pretty good New Year's Eve, the spirit of which seemed to continue the whole weekend as I traipsed about the city sleeping on various floors and couches. I managed to bring in the new year with the perfect amount of planning and surprise, leading from one brunch to another, from coffee to pot luck.

The pot luck was more than just random food: people were also supposed to bring random tidbits of good luck. I found out about it a little late and so didn't really get to meditate on this concept, but everyone else had one--I felt a little awkward. Turns out, having had time to think about it, I don't really believe in luck. Or, at least, I don't believe there's anything you can do about it; I'm not superstitious (or obsessive-compulsive). I wish I had realized that then so I could have excused myself from participating because of my belief system.

So then there was some more stuff management at the old apartment. It's getting there. I keep feeling lighter and clearer with each thing I dispose of, sell, or gift--even the stuff that I just store in boxes. If change is inevitable, then let's at least make progress.

So then, last night, under cover of darkness, I arrived at the cottage in record time. It was a Sunday night, and no one seemed to be driving anywhere. I think after a long weekend of ringing in the New Year people were ready for some sleep before starting work again in the morning.

When I got off the highway in Michigan, I could tell that the Lake-Effect Snow fairy had visited and that the authorities did not have the same obsessive-compulsive commitment to snow removal that you find in Chicago (thanks to the blizzard of '79). But I took it slow and made it safely to the house where there were 6-8 inches of fresh powder.

I slept a long, dark sleep that felt so good (but not enough). I foggily started setting up my space (and mind). Recall: "clean space, clean mind." I have since come to think that it goes both ways: a clean space leads to a clean mind, but it takes a clean mind to set up a clean space. Chicken, egg.

So I didn't get the space exactly how I want it, but close. I'll tackle it again tomorrow with a cleaner mind.

So I wasted away hours doing dumb things, took a walk to get milk and cream, got coffee at a corner market, and made bread. The market was cluttered, another obstacle to mental order.

Wasn't feeling up for anything big, so when I started music time (finally, at ~1), I just let the water flow down hill, instead of trying to push the river. Path of least resistance. For me, that means coming up with ideas. Then I managed to do some organizing of something I started last week. Nothing genius today, more just connecting the dots, shaping, tweaking.

And I didn't succeed at planning the future, remembering the past. That takes energy. After a good night sleep, I'll attack it tomorrow.

I think this blog would be more interesting if I didn't write at night. By now, I'm just trying to remember all the things I did, thoughts I had. Like a needle in the hay.

Oh yeah, I worked on learning this song, thinking about maybe arranging it some day.