Check in, Week 5

1. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? How was this experience for you?
I wrote my morning pages every day this week! I didn't always do them in the actual morning but i did them and I am better for it. I have found the pages to be very useful and calming. It is absolutely a part of my day and if I haven't gotten to them yet, it nags at me until I do.

2. Did you do your artist's date this week? What did you do? How did it feel?
Yesterday I went to the Pierson holiday shop to look at all of the Christmas ornaments and decorations as well as all of the local foods and gifts for people like me who put together special local foods gift baskets. I spent at least half an hour looking over every individual item and enjoying all the bright colors and delicious looking foods. I wandered through their outdoor nursery and looked at trees and potted plants. I enjoyed the little pond and the landscaping that went into making the nursery look inviting. In the end, I bought a Christmas tree ornament that looks like a potato. I enjoyed seeing all of the people, excited for the holidays and anticipating the gifts they were going to give and receive. This far in advance, the only people looking at christmas things are those who are truly excited about the holidays. It's a sweet and uplifting feeling. Also, it is pre-Black Friday so the employees are not too exhausted yet. This is why I like to get my holiday shopping early. I like for it to be a good experience for those working as well as for myself.

3. Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
I've been looking for a writing project that will captivate my attention and I found two! One is a science fiction story about a robot wife who does not realize she is a robot and so is somewhat bewildered by the way her husband treats her and her lack of memories. Secondly, the Red Panda Masala at our local zoo escaped and was missing for nearly three days. The zookeepers are unsure what she was up to over the course of those three days and I thought it would be such fun to write a children's book about Masala's adventures over the time she was missing.

4. Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them. 
I realized that I am very sensitive emotionally while I am writing. Empathetic stress can cause me to shut down and not be able to focus on my writing. It's like that part of my brain gets switched off. It's a problem.