cary head waking at 5:30
The history of writers waking in the middle of the night is long: A blissful sleep and then suddenly waking with the thought I must ... must ... what? write an e-mail? is 5:30 the middle of the night or just very early? Even the dogs are sleeping, those wary, midnight scavengers and moon-watchers. Ricky sleeps all night watching out the front window. For whom?
cary head I'm late! I'm late!

I'm late! I'm late! says the rabbit. And that's how I awoke. Late to this, late to that. Late to say that this Saturday is a little party after the workshop. Late to write the daily letter which is not quite daily. Late to make appointments. Late to create. Late to check in on friends. Late to write the column.
"Late" used to be a word of dark sardonic humor for my father and also my mother. Death was always looming. Now they are indeed both late. Do we wait for those who are late or do we go on without them? Ricky the poodle stares all night out the front window down the steps. Is he waiting for those who are late to walk up the steps, wondering where is the party?
Even as a child I sensed something dark in that rabbit's consternation: I'm late! I'm late! And now I awaken out of a sound sleep thinking, "I'm late! I'm late!"
cary head so, stop worrying and just create

I should mention at the end of January we'll be having our wonderful creative getaway up at Marconi Conference Center on Tomales Bay. I really should be checking in with folks to see who's coming. So another thing I'm late on. Are you coming? Would you like to? If you're the kind who worries, I can recommend this. For four days you do not worry, you just write, talk and eat, laugh, look at trees, journey inward, write, read aloud, listen to others read aloud, meditate if you like, walk around under the trees, eat, laugh, read, write, etc.
cary head workshop and party note

Saturday, Dec. 4, (that's this Saturday; see what I mean?) the last workshop of the series is from 3-6 p.m. Then about 6:30 after the workshop we will have a nice potluck and party. It is always nice to see people so do feel free to drop by anytime after 6:30. If you play music, I will be happy to follow along. In fact, I may find myself providing my own version of cocktail background music, as it seems to soothe my nerves, which are unaccountably frayed. It's the holidays, right? It's always like this. What should I have to worry about? I just fret. There's another word with a double meaning for guitarists.
And then the workshops are going to take a winter break and come back Sat., Jan. 8.