Let's start with the not-so-great. My poetry support group has voted 3 to 1 to start holding "virtual" meetings in place of our monthly social gatherings (guess who the 1 was). Of course I understand that we all have very little "free" time and that talking of poetry/writing is not holding the importance to some as it is to me, but I am rather frustrated by this decision. There is too much that has gone this way in the world -- the pulling back into the shell, the disconnected communication. I looked forward to getting in my car and taking that drive, having the chance to breathe in a different place and talk to friends about writing. Now I get to check my e-mail for poetry event updates and the latest submission posting. (I've tried this before, the online groups and classes, and I just can't seem to make it work. There's something about being held accountable by a computer screen and not a live person that makes me lose interest.) I really like these guys, don't get me wrong, but I thought we were all different. How disappointing.

As far as the writing, that has not gone anywhere. The thinking about writing is okay ... I've decided on a plot for the crappy romance novel, should I choose to accept the assignment. I read some poetry over the holiday weekend, but not enough to inspire me to write. I ended up working instead, with a break for a damn good cheese omelette at a new diner.

I've got plenty of work, which will take me into March. Then I'll have to stop for a while until I've taken care of a few other things. I've been working hard on the "goal, plan, date" loop, and I'm happy to report I've really taken care of quite a bit this past week. Exciting.

Today my friends at work told me to take the Belief-O-Matic when I got home (http://www.belief.net quiz) so I did, and here are the top 8 that my beliefs apparently align with:

1. Liberal Quakers (100%)
2. Neo-Pagan (94%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (92%)
4. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (92%)
5. New Age (90%)
6. Mahayana Buddhism (81%)
7. Secular Humanism (80%)
8. Taoism (80%)

I think that 1 and 2 should be reversed, but it is interesting. I think I'll get a bumper sticker that says "Neo-Pagan and Lovin' It." I'm surprised that Buddhism is 6. With all going on in the world I don't know what to believe half the time.

Oh, I'm finally finishing The DaVinci Code, even though it is hitting me less impressively than it would have had I not read Angels & Demons. And I've been so busy that I decided not to see that Oscar-nominated flicks this year. I haven't even made plans to see the saffron Gates in the park. But there is a Tibet exhibit coming to NYC, and I've already written a note to see the On the Road manuscript in the fall of 2007 when it comes to the city. I hope they sell cheezy T-shirts to commemorate.

Well it's been odd recently. Nothing happening on the poetry/writing front except that I've been writing to some group members about small poetry publishers and getting depressed while reading www.foetry.com It's all rather sad, this creative writing business. I can keep hacking away at it, I suppose. What else can one do?

I'm still working on my Goal, Plan, Date agenda of last year, but it is much slower going that I had anticipated. Wow. I underestimated the amount of time it would take to have the Date part set. In any case, the Goal and Plan are there, so that's something.

I've planned a beachy summer vacation for once, so I am hoping that will spark some poems -- new places and sights and smells.

Time to check in on pregnant K and see if there's a new little one ....