Flashbulbs burst.

Usually I can say "at least I did my laundry" on slow days like this one, but when I have to run damp pants through the dryer the next morning - as I will this week - that kind of kills the positive feelings.

Last Saturday when I was hanging out on the Washington Mall and talking shop with deelaundry and recrudescence, we talked a bit about creative productivity. Dee said writing was a struggle for her, due to current personal issues; Yvi said she wrote when she wanted some validation; I said I sat down and produced a thousand words of prose. Some days it's easier, like when I'm already a few thousand words into a project and have the momentum, and some days it's harder, like when I'm working on other things like essays and used up all my word processing juices on that. Right now - since I don't have a big project with momentum going, or a small and firmly visualized project where a total of three hours and 2500 words will finish the whole thing - I'm not doing much of anything. Maybe I should, since it might help me feel better most nights.

I'm trying a new job search strategy, which is to bring nights into the mix as well as days. I write better at night, usually with the main lights off and the desk lamp on to make a little cave, cove, or zone, depending on my surroundings. Tea usually helps too. I like to think I would've done some cover letter composition tonight if I'd had the focus, hadn't gotten a frustrating phone call, and ended up with dry pants.

On the plus side of today, this will be arriving soon. It wasn't what I'd wanted Sunday night, but it gets me some more bang for my buck, and I'll still name it Bixby Canyon. I'm looking forward to it.