Pressure Cooker

So I have a lot to do before I take off next week.  I have a weekly to do list that continues to grow.  It is actually starting to be a little scary, especially since I will not be able to work for a month.  I am actually trying to get the big things out of the way before I leave, but there are some things that I don't think I will be able to accomplish...scary.

I have also decided to start "creative updates" so that I can guilt myself into pursuing my creative endeavors more.

Writing:  Haven't written anything on Book 2 in a while, and still need to re-edit Book 1 so that I can send it out to more publishers.  It is kind of frustrating to be trying to do all of this while also trying to get married.  Hopefully I will be able to do some stuff by the end of the year.  Jay and I decided on a manuscript/screenplay switchoff at the end of the year.  I will still shoot for that, with the fully re-edited Book 1.

Photography:  Nothing for a LONG while, though Dains did ask for a picture for her apartment.  (Very bare walls.)  I was going to try and get out and do SF's and my engagement photos this weekend...I know, I know it is sort of strange to be doing that two weeks before the wedding, but I want to frame one and leave it out for everyone to sign instead of a guest book.  I can do the framing no problem, but the picture is a MUST, otherwise it just won't make sense.

Piano:  I was trying to learn some Rachmaninoff, but I haven't touched it in months.  Beautiful piece, though.  I pretty much just stick to Burgmueller when I want to play cathartically, and very rarely practice more stuff.

Visual arts/painting/drawing:  I bought a kids art set when SF and I were stuck in the Houston airport and did some on the fly portraits of the other stuck people.  Some of them were okay.  I would never pursue this for any kind of compensation, but it was strangely releasing to get back to a very tactile art.  There was a guy sitting by that was watching me, and when I saw him I smiled sheepishly and I swear he almost dove onto his knee and proposed.  He looked shocked and awed that I was doing the portraits.  The cool little art set, though, came with colored pencils, crayons, water color, markers, and oil pastels.  I know!  Oil pastels.  I thought that was too cool.

Kung Fu:  I am going to include this in the "creative updates" because it is an "art" and I am very bad at it, so it is also something that I challenge myself with.  I learned the first part of form four on Monday, and it is VERY cool, and of course very difficult.  There are lots of kneeling horses and cross steps. 

Singing:  Just kidding.  :)