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Trying New Things (again)

If you've been following my blog *pauses to listen to the crickets* you know I'm big about doing new things and being 'brave.'

In keeping with this quest of mine, I agreed to read my poetry in front of someone other than my cats and my husband.  And it was fun!  The initial quivers I had over reading my work to strangers with my...unique voice just melted away after the first poem.  I think it might have been the intimate atmosphere that really helped.  If you're a writer and/or poet, I would recommend finding small poetry readings in your area as a testing/proving ground for yourself.

Also in line with 'new things,' I mowed our grass last night.  No big deal, but I haven't mowed a yard in over twenty years.  I think I surprised the heck out of the hubby by stepping up and offering to do it and I did a very mediocre job of it, at best.  But, I tried.  Will I mow again?  Hmm...the hives I'm enjoying today make me say no, but you never know.

Since I've last posted, I've sent out a few short stories and a handful of poems and have gotten two very kind rejections in return.  I'm halfway to my goal of subbing to 10 places this year (stories, not poems) and am scouring the interwebs for more viable markets.  I've gotten one set of remarks from a beta on my collection and have been working on those adjustments while picking away at bigger projects.  OH!  And I made the sane decision to sacrifice one vacation day for each Friday that I am off this summer.  That means I can keep those 2 precious hours of mine AND get a Friday to write.  I envision a very productive and happy summer.  Hope you have the same.



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