It's almost August, and the summer is quickly disappearing. What did you plan to do this summer? Write? Edit? Learn a new language? Plant a garden? What did you actually accomplish?  

I'll start. I had planned to edit an old novel for publication, finish writing a new novel, polish a couple stand-up routines, and continue working on my guitar and learning French. What have I accomplished? Hmm. Not much.  I'm forty pages into my edit. I haven't written anything new, except posts. I have rough drafts of a couple stand-up sets, but they DO need work. Lots of work. Pas de French. Also pas de guitar. Not nearly what I'd hoped to accomplish.

So where did the time go?

Granted, the surgery that has had me recuperating on my couch for longer than I'd thought it would - threw me off. As did leaving Rogue Women Writers - which pushed me into revamping my website and rethinking my social media presence and was a distraction in other ways. But still, I'm disappointed in how little I've gotten done versus what I'd planned.

I've spent way too much time watching old movies, watching news, and reading - both novels and articles. I've spent way too much time on Facebook, obsessing over national craziness and personal slights. And, I know if I weren't stuck on this couch, I'd be out walking in the beautiful Vermont summer, and taking photos. Oh, wait, photography. Something else I'd planned to do that I haven't done. (I have way too many interests and hobbies.)

So once again, I wind up disappointed in myself - and blaming myself for not working harder. Not focusing. (I do have ADHD -another topic.) And this is a familiar - and circular - dynamic. I set goals. I don't meet the goals. I'm disgusted at myself for not meeting the goals - which makes it harder to focus on those goals because, after all, what's the point, just going to mess up.

Setting goals for the summer seems a sure fire path to failure.

Is the solution not to have goals? Not to have any goals seems defeatist as well. To have fewer goals? Or maybe trying not to look so far ahead?  Yes, it's very human to try to plan far ahead, but as the Yiddish saying goes, Man plans, God laughs.

So maybe - just set a daily goal. It could be small. It should be specific. Edit ten pages.  Do one rewrite of a stand-up. Write a blog post. Stay the hell off Facebook. And at the end of the summer, maybe I can look back on the small day-by-day accomplishments - and say, hey, that didn't suck.

Or not.

What do you think?

This is my first official post, following my separation from Rogue Women Writers. I bet you're wondering if there's a story behind my leaving. Of course. There's a story behind everything. But nothing in life is free. If you want the details, send me an SASE and twenty bucks and wait six months - and then maybe you'll get something back. Maybe you won't. But it'll be a nice trip down memory lane of the fun of sending out an SASE and waiting for the response, for those of you old enough to have had the pleasure.

Alternatively, buy me a couple drinks at one of the conferences. It'll cost you more than twenty bucks, most likely, given the prices at most of the hotels, and hey, it'll be fun. And I'll tell some jokes as well. Hell, for a couple drinks, I'll do a whole stand-up routine - and I have a whole new set I'm dying to try out.

Then again, maybe we just meet for high tea and scones. I like scones, especially with chocolate chips. Years ago, when I visited England, I loved high tea. Broke up the afternoon. And the teapot and the tea cups were charmingly decorative. But I'm also kind of a klutz, although I've been working on my coordination. So, in the middle of our afternoon scones and classical conversation,  I may spill the tea. By accident. Maybe.

In any event, this will be my new blog space. I will continue to write about writing, about comedy, about Vermont, about life, and generally whatever happens to come to mind. I will continue to make jokes about and explain aspects of Jewish life in America. However, since there's only moi writing this blog, I am not setting a definitive schedule. If my particular writing style and my sense of humor appeals to you, check in from time to time.  For now, just waving hello.