Transformations & Parfum

So I'm writing again. Not here. Not blog writing, though I am doing that, clearly -- you're reading it. I'm writing writing again, full on, as I did years ago when I was being published in little rags all over the country, long before blogging and internet writing took over. I'm writing stories, and I've begun a book about perfume, specifically my experience with perfume, and teaching perfumery to eager students. And I'm going back to school. I want to finish my degree in English (Composition), no matter how long it takes.

When I began the perfume book project I was really having a hard time sorting out what I wanted it to be about -- a perfume story, an instructional, a text, and that sorting took a couple of years to get through (headspace was foggy and out of focus) but I've got it now. I'm also working on a piece of fiction, but we don't need to go into that now.

My point is, the stagnation has ended. The creative juices are flowing, and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, for the first time in a long, long time.

While at work yesterday, I allowed myself a bit of indulgence by dropping the final drop of jus from vial #3 of the PLAP project onto my wrist and sat there while the little puddle of amber fluid slowly (very, very slowly) dissipated. It took nearly my entire break time, but it turned out to be a nice bit of meditation because it brought back all the love and excitement and feelings of community that the PLAP project embodied. Now if I could just find my notes on #3 so I can figure out who made it and what it was . . .

Moved the computer equipment from the studio so there are no distractions -- it's all about perfume now. And laundry, apparently, as someone saw the empty chairs and thought, "Ah ha! That's where I can stash the laundry I don't want to fold right now!" Getting the electronics out of the studio has made a huge difference in both the appearance and 'feel' of the studio -- people aren't coming in and out all of the time and the 'hum' is gone. It's calm. Peaceful. Ready for guests.