Last night, I slipped outside to mail a package and was met with wind and the beginnings of rain and once again it was the sort of fall evenings, now when the leaves are trending toward yellow and brown and the air smells like fall, that are perfect and yet descending much faster than I'd like. It's still light at 5pm, I tell myself, but know that in merely a month, that will steadily not be the case. Novembers are still unstable months, perhaps that will always be the case now and I will just have to adjust.
I've been locking down to writing business and press business and berry pie and coffee brewed in my new Smeg coffeemaker, which was way beyond my price range, but so pretty I bit the bullet and bought it--coffee being about one of the most important things on any given day--more important perhaps even than everyday electronics. I've used a French press for 20-odd years, but get tired of reheating everything beyond the first cup. It's a little less strong a cup, but warmer is better than strong in this case and I think I just need to adjust a setting I haven't figured out or maybe use a darker roast.
This week, I finished up and placed an order for the first galley of AUTOMAGIC, which according to an e-mail I got this morning, is winging its way toward me now via UPS. I will give it a good, thorough proofing, make any adjustments needed, and make an order for the 1st batch, which at this rate, barring printing delays, will be in hand by Halloween and its official release date. I have a couple more teasers, a longer trailer, and some promo graphics in the works I hope to finish this coming week. I am also thinking about what I want to do for this year's advent project, which of course, will be here sooner than we know. Already stores are pimping Christmas, though I always feel like it rushes fall and Halloween too swiftly out the door and then stays around much past its welcome. (Scraggly , dusty winter-worn decorations past January 10th or so feel extra depressing.)
This week, I got a new covid booster, so spent a couple of days with a sore arm and just kind of worn out feeling, enough to move my scheduled shift at HD to Friday since I really just wanted to not think and write. My arm is a little red, though not as angry and swollen as last time. While I did see about halfsies on masks on my bus ride downtown and the rates are down in the city, I don't know what the next few months will bring in terms of new variants. I am convinced nothing will ever again lockdown or slow down or stop because, ya know, capitalism, but I will continue to mask in risky situations. I am still eyeing case counts, though obviously only a fragment of the picture (home tests and lots of people with "colds" or "flu" in my internet circle that sound a hell of a lot like covid.) We might brave a movie tomorrow or later this week, hopefully, a non-crowded one--probably the newest Halloween. Now that I am making some money from my horror addiction, I feel better about blowing it on theater showings and streaming fees.
It's crunch time for the real estate site so I am working on some non-Chicago neighborhoods to help speed the process for the relaunch of the site, so this week, was writing about Cincinnati, with a couple more Ohio spots on tap. Also deserted houses for HD and LA restaurants for Cozymeal (which will require some more ardent research than the past couple of pieces on Chicago date nights and gift card presentation ideas but I am up for it, great things to know if I ever make it to California myself..)
