multi-hyphenated-me

Sorry for not posting this week.

My post Monday was titled “Flatline” because I had nothing to post.  So much nothing, in fact, I posted nothing, not even the title.  Convinced this crazy detox diet had stolen my writing mojo, instead of posting, I went to bed and read the final two short stories in “The Best American Short Stories 2012,” a book on the “Real Simple 50 Books That Changed My Life.”

“The Best American Short Stories 2012” has taken me more time to read than any other book in my recollection.  There are only 20 stories, yet each are so consuming and incredible, I can only digest one story a night. The last two stories caught me by surprise.  I recognized the references, the locations and images portrayed in this story.  Turns out, the story, “Anything Helps,” is written by Spokane’s homegrown Jess Walter.  Dubbed “A ridiculously talented writer” by the New York Times, Jess Walter wrote “Beautiful Ruins,” a New York Times bestseller that I happened to read during my 2012 mega-read.  I was surprised that a Spokanian story of Spokane reality was contained in these pages.  With failed mojo, I was motivated and inspired my Mr. Walters story as well as the back story that inspired him to write this particular piece.

Then I fell asleep.

I don’t know if the time change was playing tricks on me or if it was the incredible amounts of greens we have been eating, but I woke up at 4 AM on Tuesday ready to take on the world.  Still concerned about my mojo yet not thinking about a recovery plan, I jumped into my daily routine, hours ahead of schedule.

I was awake to witness the snow begin to fall Tuesday morning.  Within 30 minutes, everything was covered and within 6 hours, solid snow accumulation had me concerned about the whereabouts of fall.  I took comfort in my Spokane friends complaining about the early onset of snow season, nobody was ready for snow on November 5.  Too early, too soon were the cries I heard.  Snovember is what my social media Spokane friend called it, and by the look of future forecasts, I have to agree.

The boys were disappointed it wasn’t a snow day but were happy to make snowmen at recess, throw snowballs and slip and slide.

Tuesday was also Election Day.  I was happy and proud to cast my first votes as a resident of Spokane Washington.  Washington is a vote-by-mail state.  Though you may vote in person, ballots are cast, for the majority by mail.  Hurray, I didn’t have to go out in the snow to vote.

The after school activity I had planned for the kids was squashed because of snow play.  The plan was to head downtown to see the Capitol Christmas Tree that was cut in Usk, WA making its way to Washington DC for the holiday festivities.  We learned that every year a different state provides the White House with a Christmas Tree.  Although it is an honor to be the chosen state, I can’t help but think what a waste of energy to transport a tree from Washington to Washington.  I guess ‘buy local’ doesn’t apply to government.  Snow and play were much more fun, though we didn’t partake in history, we made memories instead.

Waking up early messed with my schedule and I was too tired to think Tuesday night, so again, no blog post.  Now Wednesday, the snow is nearly melted and our lives have regained normalcy.  My mojo is still missing, the diet’s effectively progressing, the kids are well, my husband is good, the dog is shedding like a wild beast – black hair all over a white wool rug in the living room, yet I am in a writing rut.  Maybe this post just pulled me out.