Sunday Salon for 29 January 2023
Happy Sunday! Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at ReaderBuzz. Check out her post and the links to see what other bloggers have been up to in the last week.
How’s the weather?
We had an amazing day yesterday for January in Missouri — mid-50s and sunny. I’m glad that I enjoyed it while it lasted because today’s high is predicted to be 32 degrees.
What are you reading?
I haven’t read much at all this week. That energy seems to go into my writing, which is good, but I want to see if I can snatch some reading time somewhere. I’ve been watching video during meals. I think I’ll switch back to reading while I eat. That usually works for me.
What are you watching?
Vera, the detective series set in northeast England is what I keep watching when I could be reading. I’m nearing the end of the available shows and I don’t want it to end. So, there’s another motivation to slow it down a bit.
Our favorite movie this week was Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022, Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba). This is a story about the magic of story. I predict that anyone who reads this blog or participates in Sunday Salon will be just as enchanted as we were. We saw it on DVD from Netflix.
What are you writing?
My British Isles Friday post this week was about Colette, a British film about the French author starring Keira Knightley.
I wrote scenes for my novel! Novel-writing takes a lot of work that isn’t scene-writing — research, character development, plot structuring. Those are important but they can also be a way that I procrastinate. The one time that I know I’m not procrastinating is when I’m writing scenes, so I’m pleased that I made that transition.
What are you doing?
I’m figuring out a balance between “work hard” and “play hard.”
At this moment, “work hard” looks like working on my novel for at least eight pomodoros (about four hours) on most weekdays.
“Play hard” is a little trickier. My brother helpfully points out that “play hard” for me looks very different from what that seems to mean in our culture. It’s not going out to parties or bars or dance clubs or sporting events. For me, “play hard” activities are fantasy travel and imagining the future and thoughtfully consuming video and audio and written material. So, those are the activities that I intend to build my weekends around in 2023.
How are you on this fine Sunday?
I’m caught up on the Vera book sereis but have not tried the tv show yet. I have such a list of the British crime shows now and I am pleased our library has them on DVD – yes!
Hadn’t heard of Three Thousand Years of Longing, will check that one too.
Good luck findng a balance with your work and play. That’s hard sometimes. Looking forward to your novel.
Your activities sound ambitioys.
I’ve only read one of the Vera books, and watched a couple of the dramas on Netflix. I find it just ok, not fabulous.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I’ll have to check out Three Thousand Years of Longing. I haven’t seen it yet.
Balancing between work and play can be difficult. Good luck with it.
I hope you have a great week!
Your play hard activities sound perfect to me.
I, like you, have planned to work on my book this year. I have not yet gotten into a regular daily routine. My energy seems to be going into my reading. I need to set aside part of my reading time for writing. I’m taking a writing class this semester and that usually helps me get into a daily routine.
I think I will look for Three Thousand Years of Longing. It sounds like something I would like.
I think you “play hard” sounds perfect! I hope you have a great week.
Good luck again with the novel. I know it takes a lot of stamina and patience. That’s the work hard part, smile.