Cut a Pattern

If you are not happy by yourself, in your home for the day, are you happy overall?

I remember a time when I did not want to be home alone because I would stalk around finding trouble. At different stages of my life, trouble has meant different things. Now, I have found a delightful peace in being alone at home. This is when I write. This is where I can find trouble, throw lighter fluid on it, and watch it burn until I douse it out. I could do that all day. I DO do that all day.

My kids are revving up for school. Crayons and pencils are vanishing from every store shelf. Clothes stores are vying for our dollars. We're hunting down and dusting off backpacks. And I am remembering what it's like to have the house to myself for six hours a day. 

A decade ago, this gaping hole of time and space might intimidate me. I might fill the day with outings and appointments. Or, home alone and aimless, I might find trouble. 

Now? I start to anticipate long days stretching forth. Time to research, revise, and re-visit plot ideas that take some hashing out, or webbing, or even… color-coded notecards. Having time to indulge my creativity is a real luxury. I try to appreciate it by actually working all day. Be it outlining, revising, brainstorming, or querying-- I try to make the most of my dream job. 

Sure, I sit on the couch, with my dog, a cup of coffee, and a view of layered greens outside my bay window. I never thought that an ideal day would be like that for myself. That’s part of me finding my happy. Have you found yours? 

Yes? Good work. 

No? Good luck.

Either way, try to remember that it’s your job to be happy with yourself. Alone. At the home you have chosen for yourself. If you are still stalking around finding trouble, might I suggest a creative outlet of your choice?

Delight,

~gregorific

Where in the world is gregorific?

If you have been asking yourself that for the past days, then I must apologize. Every summer the gregorific clan goes on a holiday. There is usually a sweet spot where I can not only get internet signal, but also have a spare moment to collect my thoughts, and send them out into the ether. But alas, this year I found no sweet spot. I dropped off the radar, went dark, abandoned The Net. 
And...you know what?

The good news…I’m baaaack. 
The bad news: You must guess where I was. 
Here is Clue Number One:

Here is Clue Number Two: 
The American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay describes the location like this:

"All I could see from where I stood
was three long mountains and a wood
I turned and looked the other way
and saw three islands in a bay"

Here is Clue Number Three:

Clue Number Four is my morning view:

Plenty of moxie, 
gregorific

 If you passed my pop quiz then you get the beverage of your choice. Just go to your fridge, open it up, and pick whatever you like. You're welcome.