Birthday (29)

Having bitten off
the Birthday

Looking back at the last seven years, I see that I've posted on my birthday five times: a book report (2021), a post about the artist Giorgio Morandi (2019), the poem "Indigo" by Ellen Bass (2017), an account of my sixtieth birthday bash in New Zealand in 2014 (2016), and a goal of reading 61 books to honor my 61st birthday (2015). In this last post, I did muse a bit on the simple fact of having a birthday, but otherwise, it seems, I tend to ignore the event.

Today, as I commented a week ago, I am as close as I've ever been to actively retiring from editing. And I am turning my attention more to writing. This morning, an essay I'm working on was the subject of an online workshop critique—and fortunately, the readers liked it, so I didn't have to pull the sympathy card (be nice to me, it's my birthday!). But generally, I am considering how to make more time and room for both writing and reading quality fiction and nonfiction. (Though you know I'll still be fitting in quality schlock as well.) It's interesting to be facing this transition. It's like a birthday all on its own: a tipping over into a new life. 

As a birthday present to myself, I'm considering signing up for a six-month workshop that I've participated in in the past, with only mixed success. It's called Scribe Lab and it's hosted by the poet Rae Gouirand. The mixed success part was me not committing. But I'd like to think I'm ready to commit this time. (I am trying not to listen to the gremlin on my shoulder sneering, "Yeah, yeah, dream on." Shut up, gremlin!) Rae will be focusing on short forms: flash fiction, the micro-essay, and the prose poem. That's exactly what I've been working on lately, so the timing seems perfect. 

Meanwhile, this afternoon I had a delightful kaffeeklatsch with David and my good friend Nina (who gave me a few hugs and a pretty picture). Then David, Milo, and I went for a walk to the shore. Our goal was to see a whale (right? pilot? some unusual type of whale for these waters) that had died and been left on the shore, but we didn't spot it. Either it has washed back out to sea in storm surge, or it's farther up the beach. 

But I did find a lucky penny, and very shortly thereafter we spotted a western bluebird, followed immediately by a little flock of cedar waxwings! Beautiful birds, both! I did feel lucky! Thank you, penny, for arranging the feathery show.

And when we got home, I took a nap! Something I almost never do, but a Messenger ping woke me at 2:52 a.m. and I couldn't get back to sleep. The 20 minutes of nap time did me good.  I sat (meditated)—a "new year" goal—for 15 minutes and did 8 push-ups. Next week, if I keep this up, I might get to 10. And now here I am doing this.

Shortly, we are off to a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant we've never eaten at. David says the menu is interesting. Sounds good!

All in all a nice birthday. Sixty-eight and counting.