There are lots of things to share, as my Winter Year structure finally forms up.
The second of my Beautiful Questions for the Year of Asking was what it meant to live seasonally. The simple answer to that was, a little of the summer year had to be in the winter year and visa versa.
That meant my Summer Year needed stillness and some inwards facing time. The good thing about summer is the long days and the early dawns offer plenty of early morning quiet time to read and have tea. Plus time in my journal.
So what does a little bit of Summer look like in Winter?
Visibility, was the simple answer. (Believe me, an eye roll followed!)
In winter I have a terrible habit of going into my cave and not coming out for six months. It’s terrible for my mental health. As much as I love inward facing time, time that’s effectively isolation is not good.
This winter year I am maintaining my quest to do something new every month, with someone I wouldn’t normally hang out with.
This meant that in the first few days of my winter year, when I was absolutely slayed from the end of the summer year list of projects — I still went out to my first ever supper club.
And guess what — it filled me right up.
Huzzah for playdates.
Business-wise I still need visibility as well.
Not to be outdone by the choice of something new each months, I decided to do the thing I will usually avoid at all costs — getting on video.
Anyone who has had a remote reading might think this is weird and strange. Or anyone who has been part of a zoom group.
Sitting talking solo to a screen though — urgh, please no. Not when it’s not part of a wider conversation.
Every Wednesday (day of Mercury) I shall record a short video of me reading the first page of one of the stories from This Once Precious Life. (My beloved legacy collection kind of of overshadowed by other things the Summer year demanded.)
I was inspired by Luke Arnold’s First Page Pajama Party. (I won’t be doing it my PJs, well I maybe — maybe not, that’s not the intention, but it will eventually be proper winter and who is to say there won’t be sleep pants further on?)
Today I recorded “It Could Be”, one of the vignettes.
These videos are intended to be rough and ready. I am struggling with the freeze reflex at the moment and the fewer steps between me and what I want to do, the better.
There’s no make up, I made a vague effort with my hair and I was vaguely articulate.
I’ll be back next Wednesday with another of these, hopefully a little better with this who video gig.
I hope you enjoy.