Sunday Thread #11
New starts, thwarted plans, shake ups, green shoots
I feel on the cusp of change. This was supposed to happen on January 1st when I began a new year with intentions of invigorating my creativity with The Artist’s Way, growing my substack, getting the final version of my next non-fiction book into shape, and finishing my children’s fiction. And yet, here we are nearly at the end of Jan and I’ve not really done any of those things. Instead I’ve spent the month focused on one of my kids who decided they didn’t want to be in their school any more. It’s taken all my time and energy and I’ve had nothing left for much else. And tomorrow is my birthday. I’ll be 49.
So maybe that will be the new start instead. The beginning of my 50th year? That number is slightly terrifying, but as I said to my teenage daughter earlier, it’s better than the alternative. Maybe my 50th year will be the one where it all comes together, A team style.
Anyway, I think it’s time for a bit of a shake-up of this Sunday Thread, which is not ‘quite’ working. I’m going to mull it over this week, but I think it might be better if I just use it as a space to send you out news, any good articles or podcasts you might be interested in, round-ups of stuff I’ve been writing or thinking about, that kind of thing? A kind of Mule’s nosebag of bits and bobs that you can scroll through lazily each Sunday - would you like that? And the comments section will still be a place where you can talk both to me and to each other. Truly, I’d love your feedback on what you would like or enjoy more of from me and this substack…
So let me know in the comments.
And don’t forget, Writing for Change starts on Thursday! If you want to come to our first writing group, you need to be a paid subscriber. I’ll be sending out the zoom link for Thursday’s meeting to you all this week.
By the time we get to Thursday, my daughter will hopefully be settling in to a new school, and I’ll be another year older. And, who knows, maybe I’ll be lining up for that mythical ‘new start’ by Imbolc - which comes on 1st February this year and marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara). It’s the beginning of Spring, and it’s just round the corner.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday! Love Milli x
Wishing you a happy birthday, Milli! All the best!
I also hope your daughter’s transition to a new school goes as smoothly as possible. Good for you to take the time and energy to sort that situation…undoubtedly challenging!
I am anticipating my 70th in March (how did that happen?!!?) and find myself reflecting quite a lot. I lost my parents in the last year and will become a grandmother in May. Big changes! Looking forward to Thursday’s session.
Good luck with the new school for your daughter Milli, and many happy returns for your upcoming birthday!
On getting older:
Whenever I feel like I’m getting old I have to remember it’s a privilege to have a body that shows the stories of the good, bad and ugly times that have passed that make me who I am; to have a brain moulded and strengthened by all my experiences and the struggles to overcome the really shit periods of life. Having said that, I’m also mindful of impending peri menopause and have this deep sense of unrelenting approach of an unknown hormonal season coming (in a very game of thrones winter is coming kind of way) that I want to be as strong for, but also be steady enough in my roots to be ready to let us wash over me as a wave and not get swept away by it.