Dear Diary,
It’s been a week. I hadn’t necessarily planned on making this a culinary-themed post, but it’s funny how things often write themselves when the Muse takes over. Isn’t that fun?
Literary Love on the Menu
A highlight of my week was volunteering at The Loft Literary Center. I’ll never forget my introduction to this incredible, supportive community. I had just discovered my passion for writing with the tarot. I came up with the idea of using the Court Cards as archetypal muses (!), having writers assign each Court ‘person’ to a character in their story. This helps the writer not only get to know their character’s personality but also keep it consistent and believable throughout their tale.
In a rash ‘what-the-hell-did-I-just-do’ moment, I reached out to this place that lived in my mind as a fairy-tale writing palace where literary minds wandered the halls carrying way more knowledge and prestige than I ever will. I tenderly asked if they would be interested in adding this to their roster of classes, and to my surprise, my proposal was accepted! I kept telling myself that a place like that would never be interested in something so woo-woo…wow, was I wrong, and I sure am glad the rebel in me went for it anyway. (Hear that, folx? Go for it.)
I’ve taught Creating Compelling Characters with the Tarot four times now, and apparently, I just can’t get enough time in the building because I volunteer for them as well. This Virgo nerd finds calm and respite organizing folders full of forms for each month of their fiscal year and typing up hand-written teacher evaluation forms so that they are all tidy and archived. It doesn’t feel like work, and I’m a little embarrassed when I’m thanked a gazillion times for my time and tasks. They obviously don’t know that I’d practically pay them to hang out there. I always feel like I’m soaking in brilliance just being in the general facility. Turns out the people there are grounded and lovely and question their talent just like the rest of us. Yay.
Whiskey Neat, No ICE
You know how, when you have a cocktail on ice, it’s considered “on the rocks,” and without ice, it’s “neat”?
The other night, my daughter texted me from the South American restaurant where she works. “ICE is here now…they told us they have the building surrounded and won’t leave until we give up our staff…”
My heart was in my throat. I had read that ICE had slithered its way into Minneapolis, and apparently, those snakes think hitting restaurants that may house brown-skinned folks is a great way to make their quota. A man wearing a red sweatshirt, with no official ID and no warrant, showed a blurry photo of a random brown-skinned woman and wanted to go back into the kitchen to find her. The manager truthfully told him that the woman didn’t even work there and would not allow him and his buddy to enter.
Thankfully, the story ends well—the incredible owners, managers, and staff knew their rights, stayed calm, and physically made sure each person at risk made it home safely. The owners cooked and cleaned the rest of the night and will continue to do so until the staff feels safe returning.
I can’t even explain how I feel about it. How I feel about all of it. If I went on a tirade about how wrong everything is, I’d probably get kicked off of Substack for writing too many pages. A post I created on Threads, stating the facts of the incident, has gotten over 10.5 thousand ‘likes,’ which I suppose is something. It gets the word out. The biggest surprise is that out of 256+ comments, only a handful have been disgusting.
I don’t know what to do with my anger, my sadness, my disbelief that this is where we are. I suppose, like most of us, I will go on smiling on social media with shadows in my eyes and in my heart. And keep getting word out.
I do enjoy a cocktail on the rocks, but sadly, now the innocent word ‘ice’ will always and forever be tainted for me. Only without it are we ‘neat.’
A Simmering Cauldron of Creativity
And back to some happy news…my cauldron of creativity has been bubbling nicely. A publisher I queried requested the entire manuscript of my fantasy novel, Truth Mercurial—wait, wha???—and I’m reading from it at a local wine bar at The First Draft Minneapolis’s first open mic event! So exciting! I’d love to see/meet any locals that can find the time and interest to join me at the Troubadour Wine Bar for a glass of wine, a bite of my charcuterie board, and a listen. (Yes, not only do we readers get the honor of sharing our work, but we also receive a meat-and-cheese platter for doing so.) Wait, wha???) Writers, you can still sign up to read!
I’m also in conversation with another publisher about another project I’m working on…I don’t want to share more info until I know more myself. But, Yay.
My Pen & Tarot app is coming along! I meet with my friend/creative partner every week as we finalize everything. The app itself will be ‘done’ by our end-of-the-year goal, but all the other details that come along will still be in progress, making a realistic release date closer to… February or March?
I’m so excited to share this with you. I hope it will keep you motivated to write and create, turning your phone into a tarot deck all your own, chock-full of inspiring prompts and ideas based on those time-honored cards. If you want to stay in the know, please sign up for our waiting list! There will be fun freebies for you, and you’ll get a chance to shape it into exactly what you’d like to see as we get closer to needing a focus group.
Just click on the cute pink button below to read more about it and join! (I promise you will not be inundated with mail…only when there is something to share!)
All of this and new ideas are always simmering, ready to add more spice and flavor to my pot. Many people ask how I can do so many things at once…I really don’t know, I just do. Is this that Virgo thing again?
OK, Diary, I’m writing this on the weekend before I’m off to patronize another holiday market. (twist my arm.) I just love those damn things—there is nothing like supporting a local artist, and who wouldn’t want things (and gifts, of course) that are unique and well-made? I’d love to find another pair of giant pentacle earrings. Aren’t those on everyone’s list?
Stay cool and warm (and keep off the ICE)—
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