Hiatus Four

Hiatus Day Four

Haiku of the Day:

Climbing Mont Royal

switchbacks in the northern sun

Sweat satisfaction

Hiatus Three

Hiatus Day Three

Haiku of the Day:

Smiles are all around
as we imbibe by the street
and game for five hours

Hiatus Two

Hiatus Day Two:

Long bus ride with a trip through customs sandwiched in. Then in Montreal, the French gets overwhelming. Thank God for Wales and his fluency.

Haiku of the Day:

An eight hour bus ride

to the enchanting Montreal

Je suis fatigue

Hiatus One

Hiatus Day One:

Taking a hiatus for myself and my wife as she just got permission to write for her PhD, which means we're very close to her graduating. Only Haikus for the next four days so I can maintain my sanity. Also we're in Montreal so we won't have access to all the regular things.

Haiku of the Day:

Congratulations!

You are on the final lap

We're all behind you

Going down...

Day Three for Imaginary Life Six, Voice Actor:

I spoke into the mic a few times but nothing seemed viable. I'm coming to terms with some of these goals being quite ambitious...I need to slow down

Haiku of the Day:

The legs, they squabble
over a light evening juant
It's what's best for them

Today's Drawing

Doff

1 a : to remove (an article of wear) from the body
b : to take off (the hat) in greeting or as a sign of respect
2 : to rid oneself of : put aside

Harmony Attempt

Day Three for Imaginary Life Nine, Drag Queen:

Rehearsal day. Mostly singing and nostalgia for music drills in high school. It's difficult to be in whole new groups of people when I know I'll be gone soon. Befriend and defriend fast. It's lonely.

Haiku of the Day:

Tropical orange
with hints of pale lavender
Our summer sunset

Today's Drawing

Pidgin - a simplified speech used for communication between people with different languages

Short Livin'

Day Three for Imaginary Life Seven, Survivalist:

Really enjoying the zombie book and the spare time. Things are slow and I'm in dormancy.

Already a month in. Wicked how the time flies.

Haiku of the Day:

Made sick by the feed

I can't shake hate in the heat

May the race end soon

Today's Drawing

Berate - to scold or condemn vehemently and at length

Check Check It

Fourth Check-in (and a month out)!

The show threw some big fat wrenches in my plans. But that's life...you learn how to fail and then fail big. I'm still a touch behind on a few of my goals and plan to reconcile that in the next few days.

It also didn't help that I was pitifully hungover most of the day.

Plans:

Mon - Survivalist - Read more of Zombie book
Tues - Drag Queen - Rehearsal
Wed - Voice Actor - Test out Microphone
Thurs - Board Game Designer - Do some more game research
Fri - Poet - Write some travel poetry (we'll be on a bus all day)
Sat - Spiritual Counselor - Have a heart to heart with a friend

Stats so far:

Days of My Lives:
1. Dancer - 3
2. Board Game Designer - 2
3. History Teacher - 3
4. Poet - 2
5. Carpenter - 2
6. Voice Actor - 2
7. Survivalist - 2
8. Playwright - 2
9. Drag Queen - 2
10. Spiritual Counselor - 2

Haiku of the Day:

Perpetually prone
as body systems process
last night's foul poison

Today's Drawing

Simulacrum 

1 : image, representation
2 : an insubstantial form or semblance of something : trace

Sweat Show

Day Three for Imaginary Life One, Dancer:

Looked up a couple of new dance moves to try. Didn't have time to actually employ them, but will on the next dance day!

Haiku of the Day:

Sweat in the crannies
A product of evolution
Plasma on the skin

Today's Drawing

Vatic - prophetic, oracular

Shoes and Dudes

Day Two for Imaginary Life Nine, Drag Queen:

Did some research on shoes and ordered a pair for the Dolls As Guys performance. Not much else to say as I have a show tonight and won't have much extra time.

Haiku of the Day:

A pretty big dude
tries to sprint across the street
wearing a Rush shirt

Today's Drawing

Usufruct

1 : the legal right of using and enjoying the fruits or profits of something belonging to another

2 : the right to use or enjoy something

Gulls in the Mind

Day Two for Imaginary Life Eight, Playwright:

Instead of writing a dialogue exercise as I proposed, I've gone ahead and started a database of exercises so I can be best prepared to do pop out a few of them on any given day. Especially since I still have show stuff to do the next four days or so.

On top of that, I've also started to keep of log of each day in documents labeled for their Lives because it's a lot to keep track of...

Haiku of the Day:

A seagull's crying

echoes through the massive gaps

between skyscrapers

Today's Drawing

Tactile

1 : perceptible by touch : tangible
2 : of, relating to, or being the sense of touch

SURVIVE!

Day Two for Imaginary Life Seven, Survivalist:

Started reading my Zombie/Food survival handbook. So far it leans very heavy on a paranoid doomsday prepper sort of mentality but there's a great deal of valuable info to glean, most of it on the front of growing your own garden for food. As I dig into the Survivalist life more thoroughly, I'm realizing it's more on a "living off the grid/DIY" type and not the "going out into the wildness with a knife and matches" variety. My interest in Aquaponics grows considerably with every waking moment. We must consider this when we move to our next place.

Haiku of the Day:

Terraforming lands

in a maze of complex rules

My wife has patience

Today's Drawing

Winkle

1 : (chiefly British) to displace, remove, or evict from a position
2 : (chiefly British) to obtain or draw out by effort

Book Talk

Day Three for Imaginary Life Six, Voice Actor:

I spent most of my free time today getting my new microphone figured out. It took far longer than I was anticipating  so I didn't get the opportunity to really use it for anything...Though on a side note, I do have a new goal to amend on this Voice Actor Life: Get an audiobook published on LibriVox. Check out LibriVox here. It's pretty interesting and I think I've got a shot at putting something together. I'll have to find some older, more obscure literature from before the 1930's, but that's a challenge I'm willing to undertake to get in the practice and experience. I truly love reading aloud.

Haiku of the Day:

On a direct course

I scale the psychic stairwell

banister in hand

Today's Drawing

Raconteur - a person who excels in telling anecdotes

Many Things

Day Three for Imaginary Life Three, History Teacher:

Today I am bubbling.

The roil, birthed deep among tin mechanisms and ornate gnarled frames, froths - undulate - pure - writhing. The fabric - once a cool glass pool - rips open in gasping perfect mouths, so intense the words only emerge as raspy whistles and pops.

A great deal of flux today. I worked on some game stuff and wrote a touch of poetry...It was a wash. All in all I'm not sure exactly what to call it.

But I did listen to a massive amount of the Presidential Podcast, so I'm going to chalk it up to History Teacher...as I'm sure you've already seen above.

Haiku of the Day:

Those shimmering scales

exuberant in the sun

usher morning forth

Today's Drawing

Astute

1 : having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity

2 : crafty, wily

Check/Wreck Before Self

Third Check-In!

Not much to say. The show has taken over most of my free time so It's been tough to do these first few. My hope is to be able to rest and then dive headlong back into this once the world stops spinning.

Plans:

Mon - Board Game Designer - Keep working up concepts/mechanics
Tues - Voice Actor - Play with new microphone and get some new recordings
Wed - Survivalist - Reread the The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse and Make something from it!
Thurs - Playwright - Do a dialogue exercise.
Fri - Dancer - Practice previously learned moves and try a new one!
Sat - Drag Queen - Find a pair of heels

Stats so far:

Days of My Lives:
1. Dancer - 2
2. Board Game Designer - 2
3. History Teacher - 2
4. Poet - 2
5. Carpenter - 2
6. Voice Actor - 1
7. Survivalist - 1
8. Playwright - 1
9. Drag Queen - 1
10. Spiritual Counselor - 2

Haiku of the Day:

As thick as church paste

We swelter in the attic

skin, weeping plasma

Today's Drawing

Parlay

1 : to bet in a parlay
2 a : to exploit successfully
b : to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value

Double Shows and Nightmares

I had two shows today so I took it off. I'm not entirely sure how many of these I can take and still get through the 30 days for all ten lives...I may need to double up.

Haiku of the Day:

Terrible nightmare

Where I chew glass and lose teeth

I blame the stale heat

Today's Drawing:

Caesura 

1 : a break in the flow of sound usually in the middle of a line of verse
2 : break, interruption
3 : a pause marking a rhythmic point of division in a melody

Strich Cizing

Day Two for Imaginary Life Two, Board Game Designer:


I've got a couple ideas churning around in the ol' skull bubble.

Four Horsemen

A 2-4 player game where you see who can cause the most destruction and suffering before the Anti-Christ shows up to end the world. Each player gets to chose a different Horseman, each with different abilities for causing mayhem. (It'd be fun to pull some stuff straight from Revelations for this one.)


LymphoFIGHT

Your a bunch of white blood cells in the human body and you're fending off viruses. I'm not sure if this should be a two player game with one playing the virus and another the body or if it's separate bodies completing to eradicate a cold....

Haiku of the Day:
The Goofball Brigade
Putting on a brand new play
all about mermaids

Today's Drawing

Ostracize

1 : to exile by ostracism
2 : to exclude from a group by common consent

Fly Phase

Day Two for Imaginary Life One, Dancer:

I've attempted another top rock move called hip twists. I'm remember how it was before I knew how to juggle and how the muscles need so much coaxing to get to where it feels familiar enough to stop thinking about. A thousand tiny leaps and missteps along the way. I'm so thankful to live in the time of Youtube...I am not a good beginner when other people are in the room.

Haiku of the Day:

Revolving phases
-the eyes glaze over the screen-
subtle vertigo

Today's Drawing

éclat

1 : ostentatious display : publicity
2 : dazzling effect : brilliance
3 a : brilliant or conspicuous success
b : praise, applause

Grump in Water

Day Two for Imaginary Life Ten, Spiritual Counselor:

Today was about cleansing. I took the day to rest from show woes and take care of a bunch of things at home. I deleted my Pokemon Go app in an attempt to squash distraction. I finished a couple books and listened to some good podcasts.

Lesson learned:

-When complimenting and encouraging people, comment on their process not their final product. This help encourage them to keep DOING things and growing. Growth mindset is the key. Remember to follow the growth.

Haiku of the Day:

All of these widows
gather their husband's papers
legacy at stake

Today's Drawing

Natant - swimming or floating in water

Hysteria and Tornadoes

Day Two for Imaginary Life Three, History Teacher:

Last week I did some research on yeast and its history with humans, bread and beer. Today I'm looking at hysteria. Reading through this hefty chuck of text.

- Ancient people believe the uterus moved around and it made ladies crazy.

- The two main treatments at the time were 1.) "fumigations" localized to parts of the body to scare the uterus straight and 2.) sex with strong young men. *shudder*

- Later it would seem the treatments change to no sex and lots of laudanum, an alcoholic solution containing morphine. Woof.

- Then this chick from the Middle Ages is like "Ladies are ashamed to talk about Lady problems and so they get crazy!"

-Also this: Oh man....

Haiku of the Day:

First step out the door

and a strand of spider silk

catches in my mouth

Today's Drawing

Gust - keen delight

Crafty Craft

Day Two for Imaginary Life Five, Carpenter:

So I want to make something like this for my wife:



She's a scrap-booker needs a space to do it. This design allows for it to be fun and compact. My hope it's to make it portable so we can take it with us wherever we go!

I made a list of potential materials.

Fold-out Desk and Craft Table:

- 1 Pine board (1 inch x 3 foot x 3 foot)
- 1 Additional board (1 inch x 38 inches x 38 inches)
- 148" of 1 x 4 boards (These come in 8 ft lengths so I'd need 2)
- 510-544" of 1 x 2 boards (These come in 8 ft lengths so I'd need 9)
- 105-140" of wood dowel (will have to eyeball the width)
- 2 Magnetic cabinet latches (consult on the potential weight)
- 4 Hinges (also need a consultation on for the weight)
- 4 D-ring hanging brackets
- 2 felt floor protectors
- a bunch of screws (1 inch)
- Screw gun
- Wood glue
- Paint (White? or something more fun?)

I think it's a pretty good first project. It involves some calibration and if i get everything cut at the hardware store and measure everything twice and correctly I won't have to make cuts! Now to find the time...I have no weekends free all the way through August.

Haiku of the Day:

Monday caffiene rush

the mind whirs at top speeds

Time to get it done!

Today's Drawing

Liminal

1 : of or relating to a sensory threshold
2 : barely perceptible
3 : of, relating to, or being an intermediate state, phase, or condition : in-between, transitional

Aggrandizin'

Second Check-In:

We're doing alright.

Entering into full tech for the show has been a setback. Add onto that the relapse into some gaming and a touch more booze than I anticipated....It's tough. Summer is a time for having fun and doing nothing. I have been doing A BUNCH.

I knew this going in. The Month of Conditioning has been lukewarm. I think the idea now is to just keep trying despite setbacks. Keep swimming and all that. I have managed to not watch any TV (though I haven't had the chance...SHH!) and the game has only been this dumb Pokemon thing...which was like throwing an addict into a pharmacy alone with keys to all the cabinets. It was only a matter of time.

But the Lives HAVE been fun the few times I've had the opportunity so it's about capitalizing on that. These next couple weeks will be long and hard and brutal, but I'm going to make a solid go of it. Wish me luck.

Plans:

Mon - Carpenter - Find a simple design and lay out ALL materials and tools needed to complete it
Tues - Voice Actor - Practice voices/lines for the show
Wed - Spiritual Counselor - Continue class on mental health
Thurs - Dancer - Practice Toprock moves and try a new one
Fri - Board Game Designer - Spend an hour at least on research and start logging ideas
Sat - History Teacher - Binge through Presidential Podcast (get one from reading list)

Stats so far (I got a day for each one!):

Days of My Lives:

1. Dancer - 1
2. Board Game Designer - 1
3. History Teacher - 1
4. Poet - 2

5. Carpenter - 1

6. Voice Actor - 1

7. Survivalist - 1
8. Playwright - 1
9. Drag Queen - 1
10. Spiritual Counselor - 1

Haiku of the Day:

Spitty little rain
A day-mist full of not quite
particles in flight

Today's Drawing

Iconoclast

1 : a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration
2 : a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions

We're All Doomed

Day Two for Imaginary Life Four, Poet:

I didn't go on my artist date today. Instead I went on a date with my ten-year-old self.

Wait...

I ended up participating in the massive augmented reality plague the world is calling: Pokemon Go. It is an epidemic of seismic proportions and I'm not sure humanity will survive it.

PokePoem (ugh)

Nighttime catching with the wife,
I post a pink lure and the millennials flock
A couple of bros vexed by an imaginary red fox
A burly neck-beard asks about my loyalty
Everyone is raucous and celebratory for
the future is here,
all the things that were promised to us
have come true.

Haiku of the Day:

Vacationeers flock

with white cannoli boxes

and city ideas

Today's Drawing:

Jovial

1 : (capitalized Jovial) of or relating to Jove
2 : markedly good-humored especially as evidenced by jollity and conviviality

Yaaaas

Day One for Imaginary Life Nine, Drag Queen:

Doing some singing today as a Hot Box Girl in our upcoming Dolls as Guys production. I also was able to get a wig and some tights I had at home. Not sure if we're going to have to provide our own costumes or not for this thing.

Is this weird? I guess it feels a little weird. I think this Life in particular is going to teach me valuable lessons in not giving a crap about what people think. Wave the freak flag!

Haiku of the Day:

Friday office dull
madness creeps in the edges
I'm the only one

Today's Drawing

Lout - an awkward brutish person

Mysteries and Such

Day One for Imaginary Life Eight, Playwright:

I think Playwright would be the closest occupation I was training to be when I was in college. Part of the reason I moved to Montana way back when was to start getting some real life experience under my belt to draw from; an intentional dormancy to let the juices ferment. It wasn't until Boston that I began reemerging from that sleep.

So what does that mean for today? I'm not sure. I'm supposed to write out topics that excite me and I find precious and that need protecting.

Here's what I got:

Sanity
Body Horror
Gender Roles
End of Life Planning
Failure (perception of and coping with)
Medication (Both prescribed and not)
Compromise
Growth
Motivation

This will be the launching point. Already the wheels they're a turnin'...

Haiku of the Day:

Grown man on the train

Holding a baby bottle

But where's the baby?

Today's Drawing

Hoity-Toity

1 : thoughtlessly silly or frivolous : flighty
2 : marked by an air of assumed importance : highfalutin

That Stands for Pool

Day One for Imaginary Life Ten, Spiritual Counselor:

Couple things about today:

It was a bad day. I had the foresight to take it off from work and fought down a number of demons over the course of the day. The heat does not help. But in doing some of this reading and research I've gotten a bit of perspective.

I found an online course that's entitled "Challenging ideas in mental health". It's already had some interesting things to say about mental health and identity, something I struggle with regularly. I'm interested to continue to work with it.

I'm also continuing my creativity practice through The Artist's Way. I'm on week two and already I see the benefits of continuing. More on that as I continue through the process.

Finally, EVERYONE should listen to this if they have the chance. It is all I've been able to think about since I heard it this weekend.

Haiku of the Day:

Those damned brain hornets

wriggled inside overnight

The buzz is noxious

Today's Drawing

Negotiate

1 : to confer with another so as to arrive at the settlement of some matter; also : to arrange for or bring about by such conferences
2 : to transfer to another by delivery or endorsement in return for equivalent value
3 : to get through, around, or over successfully

The Yeast of Your Worries

Day One for Imaginary Life Three, History Teacher:

So I figured I would look up some potential topics for my stretch goal of a ten minute history presentation. I started with the History of yeast (because beer) and was not disappointed. This guy has it figured out.

Haiku of the Day:

Holding your soft hand

as the plane descends through mist

is all I require

Today's Drawing

Felicitous

1 : very well suited or expressed : apt
2 : pleasant, delightful

Yankee Doodle

A family oriented Fourth. I spent the while sorting through things at home and talking at length with the folks. It was a lovely day, but I didn't do much toward the Survivalist plan so I'm counting this as a free holiday. I think if the math is right I get a few of these in the year. Regardless I'm taking this as a win of a day. Time to get up at 3:30 to catch a flight tomorrow!

Haiku of the Day:

Digging through decades

where very few memories

survive the cleaving

Today's Drawing

Yankee

1 a : a native or inhabitant of New England
b : a native or inhabitant of the northern United States
2 : a native or inhabitant of the United States

Bone Arm and Harmony

Today was a true day of rest. I ended up driving across the state and hanging out with family. Here's the basic plan for the week:

Mon - Voice Actor - Practice voices/lines for the show
Tues - History Teacher - Research and list potential topics
Wed - Spiritual Counselor - Look up potential classes in the Boston area
Thurs - Playwright - Brainstorm/list interests for writing long term
Fri - Drag Queen - I have rehearsal for Dolls as Guys. I will practice my walk and voice.
Sat - Poet - Go on an artist date to write a poem - POST IT!

And the template:

Days of My Lives:

1. Dancer - 1
2. Board Game Designer - 1
3. History Teacher - 0
4. Poet - 1

5. Carpenter - 1

6. Voice Actor - 1

7. Survivalist - 1
8. Playwright - 0
9. Drag Queen - 0
10. Spiritual Counselor - 0

Haiku of the Day:

Family frenzy

laughter and drinks abounding

It's good to be home

Today's Drawing (Guest Spot by My brother Will!)

Ossify

1 : to become or change into bone or bony tissue
2 : to become or make hardened or set in one's ways

Wood and Weddings

Day One for Imaginary Life Five, Carpenter:

I'm at a wedding and on the road most of the day so this will be quick - Three things to make/design in the coming year:

-A Headboard for our bed with built in lights
-A miniture Aquaponics system
-A collapsible gaming table

Those are the stretch ones! Wooo!

Haiku of the Day:

Summer roadtrippin'

cruising across the mitten

Another wedding!

Today's Drawing

Defalcation

1 : the act or an instance of embezzling
2 : a failure to meet a promise or an expectation

Toprock

First day of the Month of Conditioning. Awoke at dawn and felt pretty great. I was able to ran and get in a shower before six. The animals on my route were very active and the trails were open and inviting. I could really get used to it. 

Day One of Imaginary Life One, Dancer:

Today was a treasure trove of stuff. Bboy culture is both hilarious and athletically impressive. Part of my pursuit of the Dancer life is going to be gaining a great deal of upper body strength. So far I've established a regimen of taking the stairs whenever I have to go up to my office. It's on the eighth floor. During the climb, I make sure I get at least 50 push-ups completed between landings. So far it feels great and is a way to get me to look forward to work.

List of stuff I want to learn:

-Basic kick step

-Hip Twists

-Cha-Cha

-Tango

-Front Flip

-Back Flip

-Cheat Gainer

-Flares

-Handstands

-Vogue death drop

That's it for now. Really remarkable stuff. My largest hurdle is going to be finding a space to practice all of these. Will do some brainstorming...

Haiku of the Day:

Plucky marigold

nestled in the gnarled roots

of a curbside oak

Today's Drawing (will be pictures for the time being as I am traveling for the fourth of July weekend.)

Qua - in the capacity or character of : as