What skills or lessons have I learned recently?
Right now, I’m learning how to read Shakespeare—really read Shakespeare. I have training already, but mostly on the performance side of things which, granted, involves hefty reading. But it’s with a different aim: as a performer, you’re reading to memorize, to analyze the rhetoric, certainly, but for your character, primarily, and ultimately to then perform and embody, leaving the text behind. It’s different reading to understand from the writing point of view. It’s not so piecemeal. It needs to be more wholistic, more total, and deeper. The poetry, rhetoric, artistry is all a structure to be understood rather than more so enjoyed or impressed as it comes out of one’s mouth.
I’m only two plays in. I’ve had to halt my afternoon study sessions in favor of other work these past couple weeks. A casualty of working full time. Someday soon, I’d like to be able to leave the full-time job behind. I’d study more Shakespeare if I could figure that out. I really would. This time, I would. I’ve learned how to structure my days. But, in the meantime, the flexibility of my job means that I can usually find pockets here or there to sit down and read for craft. Or take a nap.
That’s not the only skills I’ve learned—or am learning—recently, but that is the first thing that comes to mind. If I want to get better at writing, I have to put in the work to get there. It’s really that simple. That means hands-on with my craft, both within the books I’m writing and other skill-stretching exercises, and it means reading.
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I didn’t get any of the finances done today, BUT…I got caught back up with work on the other project I needed to be working on last week, but got steam-rolled by the other project. Tomorrow, for real…tomorrow I get at least half of the finances done. I can do it! I can do it.
It was a really good day, though. I was very focused, very productive. And I got rolling on this latest work project, figuring out my workflow. That’s big for me, always: how am I going to get this done? Once I have those answers, it’s far less intimidating.
Pups are great. Liz had a nice day. It’s cool outside, but it’s not too cold. Mostly, its not windy. Love that for us. Kitties are good. Very thick fur now that their winter coats have come in. It’s very luxurious. Everybody is good.
Night night.