where did summer go?

It's September. How did that happen? The summer flew by and I feel like I missed it ... I guess that's what happens when you are re-aclimating to working and getting used to a new job.

I do remember talking about my new job over a lot of breakfasts/lunches/dinners/drinks with friends. I also remember a 4th of July BBQ and hosting some grilling nights complete with super messy s'mores. I hosted my first afternoon tea complete with scones and finger sandwiches. Oh, and I went to a lovely wedding in the garden of the British Consul-General's residence and a fun, internationally-themed baby shower, both with really good food.

I went to some concerts -- Opening Night at the Bowl, Heart, John Williams. I bought a lot of concert tickets for this fall. I did not buy tickets for Bon Jovi at Staples Center in October because Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Giant Ego are still fighting and not on tour together as they should be. That will be the first Los Angeles-area Bon Jovi concert since 1989 I am not at. Sad.

I went to the Arclight Sherman Oaks for a bunch of movies, only a few of which were memorable. Although right now I can't remember which those were.

I went to Pop Physique a LOT and have super-strong calf muscles to prove it.

I did not read past page 22 of Pride and Prejudice... yet. I will do this. I must.

I also did not write a lot. Going back to work has tired me out. This makes also makes me sad. I feel like I've been sucked back into the evil corporate void, where creativity does not exist. I need to start writing more and finding small joys in normal things like I was able to do on my "sabbatical."

I saw this article on twitter a few weeks ago. I have a journal I haven't touched in years. I usually just go to it to vent about things I dare not say to another human being. I think I am going to dig it out and turn it into something positive using that list as a guide.

I am also going to start re-reading some of my creative writing books from college -- Wild Mind, The Artist's Way -- that assign things to write about and get the juices flowing.

The Artist's Way makes you write morning pages... I remember that. I am so not a morning person.

Maybe I'll go read Pride and Prejudice instead.

good evening mr. darcy

Okay, I'm doing this. I've had reading it on my "to-do" list for two-plus years now and it's been sitting on my bookshelf at least five times longer than that (my copy cost $4.95; current Amazon price: $8.54). So no more excuses. Even though I'd much rather watch either the Colin Firth (cuz he's the perfect Mr. Darcy) or Keira Knightley (seven words: the walk through the morning fog scene) versions, I'm going to read this book... all 334 tiny pages, written in 19th Century English that hurts my brain, of it.

Would you like to know how I know I'm going to read this now versus the three or four times I've started and never finished it before?

The reason is simple.

What I really would like to be reading right now is a new book by Meg Wolitzer titled The Intertestings: A Novel, which is getting rave reviews from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and my writing idol Judy Blume, who has tweeted that she's "reading and enjoying it so much right now."

But I'm not allowing myself to buy that until I get to page 300 of Pride & Prejudice. And I'm not allowed to open it when it arrives from Amazon Prime until page 334 is read. Yes, I'm basically bribing myself.

I'm currently on Chapter 7, page 22. Only 54 chapters and 312 pages more to go!