Last Days of the Decade, Post-Christmas, What to Do with Long Cold Nights, Looking Forward to 2020, and Grateful for Artist Friends

Bellevue Botanical Garden Lights

Glenn and I strike a Christmas pose

The Last Days of the Decade

Can’t believe I’m writing that, in the last days of the year, in the last days on the decade. We’ve made it through the holidays except for New Year’s Eve. For a girl who remembers her halcyon days in the 1990s, it can be strange to think about going into the third decade of the new millennium.

Facebook and Twitter had a thing going around talking about major events/accomplishments/things lost-and-gained during the past ten years.
The last ten years have been…a lot. Here’s mine:

1. We moved from Washington State to California (first San Diego, then Napa,) and back again. This inspired a lot of apocalypse poetry.
2. Caught severe double pneumonia while in CA and almost died. Made a resolution in the hospital that I would not die until I published another poetry book.
3. I published four poetry books (Field Guide to the End of the World, Robot Scientist’s Daughter, Unexplained Fevers, and She Returns to the Floating World) and one non-fiction book for poets (PR for Poets.)
4. I tried adjunct teaching in a graduate program for four years. Decided it was not for me, due to lack of benefits and very low pay.
5. I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, then a different, rarer kind of cancer. Made a funeral playlist. Took in a “re-homed” lucky kitten. Now the tumors in my liver have been deemed “indolent,” at least for now.
6. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
7. I was told I would never walk again, due to the severity of my brain damage, by several different neurologists, but thanks to physical therapy (and some stubbornness on my part), I am walking with a cane.
8. We bought a condo, then sold a condo. Then my husband and I bought a house and – quite the undertaking – made it handicapped-accessible – mostly. (And in a neighborhood I am still loving.)
9. Glenn and I celebrated our 25th anniversary.
10. Just in the last month, had acceptances from several “dream” journals that I had been sending to for more than a decade.

Now I am alive, waiting for my first root canal to be scheduled, and shopping around two more poetry manuscripts. I have learned several things: the Washington State real estate market is bonkers, kittens have healing powers, always get a second opinion on any serious diagnosis, and never give up on things you care about.

Christmas, Lights, and Other Bright Things

We were lucky to have a quiet, happy, uneventful Christmas, FaceTiming with four sets of families and eating Christmas dinner with classic movies on in the background. We even got out briefly to see the Bellevue Botanical Garden Lights (see top of page and the gallery below) and take pictures of some of the local festive scenes in Woodinville.

Festive Woodinville Scenes

Glenn, Michaela Eaves, and Me Clowning Around on Boxing Day

Post-Christmas: Long Dark Winter Nights and Grateful for Artist Friends

One way to feel better during our long dark Northwest winter nights, besides going to see some festive lights, is spending time with your artist-type friends. We were lucky enough to see our artist friend Michaela Eaves on Boxing Day and had a great time catching up over Glenn’s port and chocolate ricotta cheesecake.

I also learned about the tradition from Iceland of the frightful Yule Cat, who terrorizes anyone not wearing new clothing on New Year’s Eve. In an equally delightfully disturbing vein, one of my favorite presents from my husband was this piece of “Calamityware,” which looks like Willowware but depicts apocalyptic scenes of robots, aliens, and capybaras. We’re hoping I can become officially sponsored by them at some point.

Looking Forward to 2020

Today, at almost the end of the year, I’m trying to stay healthy, battling off various bugs, worried about my father in the hospital for pneumonia (a lot of bad germs going around this year, folks, so be careful!) and still awaiting my first root canal, it’s easy to feel anxious about what the next year will bring. My manuscripts are making the rounds. I have 45 active poetry submissions out right now. I’m trying not to worry about what kind of havoc multiple sclerosis might wreak in the coming years, on my life, my body, my work, my marriage, given that we don’t have a lot of good treatment options or a cure. But I try to continue to have hope.

As for politics – as it surely a politically fraught year ahead – I was talking to a young person (21) today who I mentioned the – to her, horrifying – thought that Trump might get re-elected. Yes, I said, Millennials outnumber Boomers, but Boomers are much better at voting. That said, if the young people vote in big numbers, maybe he won’t get re-elected. That’s the hope, anyway. I certainly am tired of seeing environmental destruction and the worst impulses of Americans – greed, hatred, prejudice – being played out into apocalypse scenarios. It would be nice to have a little bit of hope. It would also be nice to have a woman in the office of President for the first time. I am still hoping for one in my lifetime.

On that note, here is my finished version of the Vision Board I made for 2020. Note there are three deer, one fox, one peacock, and several hummingbirds. I’m not sure what the significance of this is but I’m sure some subconscious symbolism is at work. Wishing you all a happy New Year’s and a hopeful, inspired 2020!

Final Version of my 2020 Vision Board