Month: June 2021

I’m full of exhausted brainfarts as I write this. Exhausted because I spent 1.5 hours actively talking on the phone with people today (which is Thursday …) and another hour+ of morning meetings. This is on top of a week of prep work – I head to Colorado for a work meeting on Monday and I’ve been working on a 2.5 hour presentation with my cohort in proposal management. (A coworker asked me, “can you really talk for 2.5 hours?” Oh yes, my friend, yes … I can talk for 2.5 hours.) I still have a day’s worth of work to do on my end of the presentation and a run through before the weekend starts. It’s deep work that I really appreciate doing, but man … all of the talking and thinking make me feel like I need a nap, a double shot of espresso, or both …

So I am heading to Colorado, which holds this really deep spot of my heart.  Once on a long-ago family vacation, my dad and I were in the front seats of his Monte Carlo and we saw a sign that indicated that Colorado was 16 miles away. We exchanged a look and I probably said “go for it!” And we circled into Colorado and pulled over to pick some wildflowers in a ditch, then turned to car east again – all while mom and my brother were sleeping in the back. We didn’t bother to wake them and it’s still a memory that my dad and I hold dear. My first trip to Colorado was in 2011 and I’ve been back a few times since then. Every time feels magical, even when I’m going for work – so that should tell you the allure of the Rocky Mountains for me. (And no, it’s not just my love for John Denver or the ubiquitous dispensaries on every corner.)

In the midst of PowerPoint presentations and sorting through endless Excel cells of data, I’ve been physically getting ready for a trip. What in my closet actually fits, post-Covid? What of those items do I actually want to wear? Let’s be honest – I’ve already purchased a cute pair of pants and a few shirts for this trip (because I want OPTIONS), but I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard. (Which is why I haven’t sprung for a new pair of jeans yet … my regular ones should be fine, even though they’re so long I need to cuff them, right … RIGHT? Sh*t, I should probably take a closer look at my jeans situation.)

Anyway … there will probably be no Friday Fare next week because I am getting back on Thursday evening. If you’re inclined, find me on social media (Instagram or Twitter) and chances are good that I’ll be posting thirst traps, mountain-style throughout the week.

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Reading: Sooooooooo many books. I’m still working through my Tim Ferriss books and just picked up Michael Easter’s “The Comfort Crisis.” Easter’s book is interesting, the tag line is “Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self.”

Writing: I participated in Jami Attenberg’s #1000wordsofsummer and hit 14,052 words. Ooof, that was good and hard and probably vomitous (in terms of the words themselves). But it was a good practice.

Anyone who’s been following along on my blog for the past few years knows that I embrace my work-travel time as a chance to work on my fiction. I’m not bringing my personal laptop to Colorado, but will be bringing a printout of my short story to edit and will be bringing a notebook to keep my WIP fresh and at the forefront of my mind.

Sending lots of love to you all for the week ahead. Be kind, stay safe and well, friends!

– Shelley

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What is Friday Fare? As a recap, on Fridays I post link love to the various bits of arcane shiz I discover on the Interwebs.  I liken it to a glimpse into my mind, but without the 80s song lyrics or mental cobwebs.

First and foremost … last. day. of. SCHOOL!!!! I don’t know who’s more excited, my kids or my husband and I.  (Spoiler: It’s us … totally us.)

The interwebs were full of article goodness this week. In no particular order:

• Willie Nelson is a national treasure. International treasure. My BFF Anne and I have seen him twice in concert and we vow to go again whenever he comes back to the Midwest.
• Oh, Kate Winslet … ever since she started working, she’s been one of my favorite actresses.

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Random: There is a fantastic meme out there that talks about loving your body … this is the body that helped flatten the curve during the pandemic, it’s the one that kept you and your family safe, etc. It is in response to the other prevalent messaging out there about “hot girl summer” and trying to trim down those pounds that some of us (ahem, me) gained during the pandemic.

Along with my newfound bike riding hobby, I’ve returned to the gym after a year hiatus. Going to the gym inspires me to eat better (although I totally snarfed a donut yesterday and it was delicious.) I don’t know that I’m going to lose my “Covid 19,” but I feel stronger and it’s huge for my mental health.

(PS – if I celebrate “hot girl summer,” it will be because I am outside in 80 degree weather and sweating like hell. Because that’s what I do. Fall is my season, seriously.)

Reading: I have too many books that I’m working through right now. I’m reading a couple by Tim Ferriss – this scratches my “reading about productivity” itch. I need to continue reading the “Legends of the Fall” novellas by Jim Harrison. My TBR list is lush and a little overgrown.

Writing: Some days, I don’t think I get anything done, but this past weekend, I hit the majority of my goals. The main one was to finish a draft of a short story that’s been lurking around my mind for the past couple of years. It still needs work, a lot of it, but it was something I wanted to write before I started my next novel.

Querying | A dear friend of mine suggested buying a subscription to Query Tracker prior to my querying adventure. I kind of scoffed, because as much as I tell everyone I’m fairly disorganized – actually, I am not. I love a good spreadsheet and I had my target list built in Google Docs and figured I’d track my submissions that way. Hoooo boy … I love Query Tracker. I’ve queried multiple people named Sharon or Katie or some variation of Jessica/Judy/etc., and QT has helped keep my agents and queries straight. I think there’s a free version, but I shelled out the $25 for the professional version and it’s fantastic.

Next Book | I’m grateful for my friend Julie for recommending Jami Attenberg’s #1000wordsofsummer. I still think that I’ve forgotten how to write new content, but this has been a good kick in the pants to start working on my new book. (I’m also grateful for my friend Jerry for the continued support and email check-ins to make sure I’m not procrastinating the start of this book. He knows me way too well. 🙂 )

Get outside, get vaxxed, wear a mask. Stay safe and well, friends!

– Shelley

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What is Friday Fare? As a recap, on Fridays I post link love to the various bits of arcane shiz I discover on the Interwebs.  I liken it to a glimpse into my mind, but without the 80s song lyrics or mental cobwebs.