I can always tell when I’m “in the zone” creatively. I finished my first graphic novel yesterday and am really pleased with how The Boy in the Lake turned out. I sent it off to an editor friend but feel ready to keep on writing. I generally do write over Xmas and hope I don’t experience a “postpartum” slump now that the graphic novel is done. I had guests over a few nights ago and while giving them a tour of the apartment, I stopped for a moment in front of my 2021 vision board. It was surprising to look at it and realize that a couple of things had moved from the realm of dreams to reality. I wanted to buy a condo in a charming old building in Chicago and did that this fall; I wanted a black room in that new home and I’ve got that, too. I don’t think I’ll do another vision board workshop for 2022, but I might search for a couple of new images to paste over the goals I’ve already achieved. I’m looking forward to Chani Nicholas’s comprehensive horoscope for the year ahead, and will probably do her journal prompts for the winter solstice. But I also want to write something right now, while the world feels sunny and my sensitivity is heightened, mostly in a good way. For the past few days I’ve been tearing up while watching TV—commercials, cartoons, crime dramas—almost any kind of content can set me off. The world seems exceptionally beautiful when I’m in the zone and I hear things I might normally miss. The other day I was at the sink and heard a single bird chirp that was new to me; I peeked out the window and saw a chickadee at the bird feeder. Mostly I have sparrows but sometimes there’s a female downy woodpecker out there, too. I went to the Japanese garden last week for the first time since our cold snap; the lagoon had a thin sheet of ice over the water and I didn’t see any blue herons but I did see a kingfisher for the first time. And a cardinal couple led me along the path, flitting from tree to tree, chirping at each other—or at me. Today I took a long walk along the lake up to Bronzeville to see Santa and his reindeer; I didn’t stay for the trap carolers but got some cake and some Senegalese food before coming back to Hyde Park. My Lyft driver and I talked about how much we love Chicago and as soon as I got home, I turned my Xmas lights on. I’ve had carols playing since Thanksgiving and have started my holiday baking. I think I’ve struck the right balance when it comes to helping the sister living at the bus shelter. I requested a wellness check but the Salvation Army called me to report that she declined assistance. When I asked her myself about going to a shelter, she refused to even look at me so I’m going to leave that alone for now. One agency told me there’s a two-year wait for housing right now…so I’m trying to support her in other ways.

Last week I gave four book talks via Zoom and remembered why I went on hiatus for three months. It’s not the best way to connect with folks but at the end of yesterday’s presentation, a sweetheart named Zoe told me my books were her mirrors. Then her mother emailed me to say that Zoe and her brother sat down to write their own books as soon as our hour together was over. I just read an article on how to use social media to support a book launch—ugh. By industry standards I’m definitely NOT an “influencer” but I’m still sowing seeds…