notes & things | 11/2/2025
So we have landed in November and I barely know what happened to October. The month ended with three theater date nights that would normally would have ended the month on a high note, but amid the world and its doing, were barely a flicker. Yet, I suppose I should take what I can get. The first was Drunk Dracula, which was a bit of properly sloshed fun, even though I was completely sober (a choice born more by trying to save $ after a rather spendy dinner beforehand than a desire to be fully aware of the world without substances to buffer it.) We've been there for the usual Shakespeare a couple times, both times for Macbeth, so this was a nice variation. Thursday was Paranormal Activity at Chicago Shakespeare, which brought up so many thoughts and musings on how horror can be done on stage and how it differs from experiencing many of the same things in film or books. On Halloween, we were finally able to catch Jekyll & Hyde done by Kokandy, one of our favorite companies that does all musicals in the small, intimate spaces of the Chopin Theatre. The last two were *chefs kiss* on sets and lighting, which I may talk more about in a future entry on their importance to creating mystery and horror in front of a live audience.
Last night the festivities continued with J's usual karaoke, this time with costumes, though the bar was mostly filled with rugby guys and most people were long over Halloween at this point. The clock flipped back while we were in the bar, so today, even though we slept in to our usual time, feels slightly off. I am not looking forward to darkness at 5 o'clock amid so much else happening. I am determined to take news and social media at a minimum this week for my own mental health. It's often far too tempting to scoll and click myself into a depressive funk. Today, I avoided my usual social media scroll and spent some time with the AC poems instead over coffee. When I had the urge to scroll, I opted for Pinterest over others. There are other necessary distractions hopefully coming. This week we also have a couple of shows, one a small-ish indie theater up here on the northside doing another horror show in a southern gothic vein called OAK and Revolutions at the Goodman.
I did get some time yesterday to sit down and plan November creative projects and doings. I am hoping to finish the first version of the AMERICAN CYCLORAMA series and then put it aside to edit after the new year. I have sent a few more polished segments of it out into the submission wilds. After that, I may turn to finishing some straggler projects before 2026 hits. I would also like to complete the first draft of the thrifting memoir project, which has been slow going, but since my head has been turned more recently to some essays on horror and poetry that, if things go well, may also be a potential book down the line. For the press and shop, I have a slew of new chaps, some new fun products in the shop like coloring postcards and planners. I also have an idea for an anthology project I would love to do. There are also the prototypes of the Poe cards I posted about the other day, which turned out fabulously. While most of those I order will be going to Patreon bundle subscribers, I do have enough to offer some in the shop as well. Other fun Patreon things coming down the line include some self-guided workshop modules I am building. So needless to say, November will be busy, which is good since it keeps me away from the endless doomscroll I fall prey to when I have to much idle time.
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