Instead, I hope to leave you hungry and wanting, not quite satisfied.
Normal for this week, following a routine I put in place three years ago, would mean drafting and then publishing a 20 minute free-write in which I would list all the things that have brought me happiness in the past 12 months.
And this would be a fine thing to do, for the all the reasons I’ve done it each year for the past three years. It might be an especially fine thing to do in such dark times, when the world turns to Twitter for everything from a spy-novella, written in 140 character increments, to heartbreaking farewell videos from Aleppo.
Yes, it would be a fine thing to make this annual happy things list and remember that darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Happiness is light.
Also, the intellectual – that rational, sensible voice that is so often the bully of my thoughts – is preaching for routine to counteract the world’s imbalance. Do the normal things: Cook dinner; walk the dogs; prepare for Christmas; write the usual posts.
Rational me knows that the way to solve unsolvable problems is by doing the normal work: Send money; volunteer; read the news.
But normal is over, and pretending otherwise is impotent. So, no; no list of happy things. Instead, I am busy in my studio drawing and painting and inventing fictions, mindful that we have art in order not to die of the truth, and that we must grab love fiercely, drunkenly, and never let go.
Food | Week of December 19, 2016
Nope, no recipe links either. I suggest heading to your local bookstore and buying a copy of Soups for Syria.
jenny's lark 
Seems like you’re giving up. Retreating.
I suppose I should tell you what the Black troops used to say in Vietnam, after an especially bad day. “This ain’t no thang. Drive on.”
I’m a lot older n’ you and I got one more fight in me. 🙂
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I got plenty of fight. Retreating only to offline work. For a little while, anyway. To quote the ever-hilarious and insightful Blogess, it’s time to art harder, motherf@cker.
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Good. Just make sure people see whatever work you do. Getting it out of you matters. Letting people see or hear it matters just as much. So what you’re saying is despite our 39 degree weather and very cold rain and wind, I should go to caroling on Jackson Square and make pictures tonight? Is that it? Lordy. I hope so. I need a kick in the…
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Yes! Get your bad self right out there! 😜
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The pen, the sword, you know the drill.
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Indeed
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I suppose the other drill to remember is writing drunk and editing sober. Think what that would do to Twitter….
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Always remember, though, that it was Hemingway who supposedly said that; it didn’t end well.
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Well yes, there’s that.
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Oh, I hope you know I’d love to nudge you and convince you to join in (mine is up), but I so respect the reasons for not doing it. I so respect you, my writing friend. Happy holidays to you and those you love. xox
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