Dreary in Mid-January, Interview with Water~Stone Review, Distracting Myself with PR Research, Submissions, and Organizing Projects, Birdwatching w/Towhees and Wood Ducks

Sunset with Cormorants, Kirkland

Dreary in Mid-January

It’s been a cold, dreary January here in Seattle, and Omicron is peaking across the US. Our state’s National Guard has been called up to aid hospitals and testing sites. Schools in my neighborhoods are mostly going virtual. I have to say my anxiety is worse than it has been during most of the pandemic; it’s been hard to get out of the house to get fresh air or exercise, I’ve seen lots of vaccinated friends and some family get covid and even get hospitalized.  It’s not been fun.

So one day, when the rain and snow gave us a break, we went out in the fog to birdwatch, and got these shots of sunset with fog and cormorants, and a few Wood Ducks. It was good to get some exercise, even in the chilly gray day. Being immersed in nature is excellent for anxiety, even if I needed a lot of hot tea and a shower to get warm when I got home. I also taught an online speculative poetry class yesterday; it was a lot of fun – thanks to everyone who came out for that!

It’s been tough to keep my spirits up. I try to be optimistic; I try to be pro-active, I meditate and do breathing exercises, and I’m trying to distract myself with positive things (see my last section below) but I saw a quote: “You can’t self-care your way out of a pandemic.” You also can’t ignore the deaths of 850,000 in your own country. In February, it will be two years since the first US cases of covid appeared in Kirkland, a few miles from my house. So I’m submitting more, researching PR, reading, organizing. Waiting for spring…and hopefully more good news.

Interview in Water~Stone Review

Very thankful for this thoughtful interview with Water~Stone Review on their blog. Check it out below at this link:

https://waterstonereview.com/in-the-field-conversations-with-our-contributors-jeannine-hall-gailey/

A sneak peek below:

Screen shot from my interview

Male Spotted Towhee in the Snow, my porch

Winter Distractions – PR investigations, and more submissions

I’ve been trying to keep myself distracted/productive in multiple ways. I’ve been trying (with a group of friends) to submit poems every day in January. I’ve interviewed two PR professionals so far (for the next iteration of my PR for Poets book, and also maybe for me?)

It’s interesting to think about how promoting books has changed during the pandemic, more virtual, less in-person, and trying to be heard above the noise of the virtual crowd. Are people reading more, or less, do you think? Are they buying books online or in person, or not? I am also trying to learn how to use Instagram more, which has been dicey (but thanks to a class AND a personal training session with Kelli Agodon on stories, not hopeless.) (If you want to follow me, I’m @webbish6 on Instagram.) I’m also continuing to try to learn Japanese (still not fast) and I’m cleaning out my closets (needed) and bookshelves (even more needed.) I told you I was trying to distract myself! What rituals do you find yourself needing in the wintertime you don’t need in the spring or fall? I am hoping for an early spring, and a merciful 2022 in terms of this plague. Stay safe, warm, and as un-anxious as possible!