My 2025 reset might need a reboot…I haven’t blogged in over a month and my writing projects have stalled. I discovered this book on my shelf while searching for something else and finally sat down to draw a wreath earlier today. I’m not doing NaPoWriMo for the first time in years, I haven’t finished my hand puppet and class ends Monday, The Map of Doors needs just two more chapters but I’ve let it gather dust, “The Night Butterfly” isn’t finished but I did work on it a bit this week and I went to NYC in early March to see the “Nordic Utopia” exhibit before it closed. I also went to Springfield to attend a friend’s award ceremony but mostly I’ve been home. A lot.

Mostly I’ve been reading loads of books and watching too much TV. I sent postcards of support to librarians fighting book bans in Utah. I had my annual mammogram and got a referral for physical therapy since my persistent leg pain might be an injury and not menopause musculoskeletal syndrome after all. I can’t see the specialist until July and going off the Pill has left me with more than a week of migraines. But mostly I’m okay. Just sort of stuck and realizing that this slow spring might make summer tricky. I have two gigs later this month and will be participating in the Bay Area Book Festival at the end of May but that leaves me with a lot of open squares on the calendar. I should be writing. I’ve ordered some books to help me finish the Amish novel; I find out in May if I got either (or neither) of the two grants I applied for to cover the cost of travel back to Central PA. Chani says June will be spectacular for my career and September will be even better—I can expect almost a full year of growth and recognition. But you have to “work with” the astrology and that means getting a lot more motivated than I have been recently.

A friend keeps asking how the chaos is affecting me and I keep saying, “Nothing’s changed.” I’m one of the lucky few who’s not directly impacted by the dismantling of the government and endless executive orders. Yet. Will I have trouble crossing the border when I go up to Toronto in May? Who knows…for now, I’m just grateful for my health, and my home, and what might be my last year as a full-time writer. Matthew Winner asked me to record a message of hope for The Children’s Book Podcast; you can find mine here. I’m definitely trying to follow my own advice!