As we begin to emerge from quarantine…
On Friday, after the workshop, I got the J&J poke. After hearing about a biker friend who got Covid, I became even more cautious. I was walking pretty well after getting out of the hospital, and decided on Sunday to enter a personal 1-mile marathon, walking ten city-blocks from the bottom of Church Street in Burlington, up to the church and back.
I stopped in at my old, familiar, favorite Crow Bookshop. Somehow after a year, it’s almost still the same, despite the do-not-sit signs now posted on the comfy, stuffed chairs just inside the street window (due to Covid). It was still a joy to step inside that dependable atmosphere; books arranged in known patterns, like being on the Metro in Paris–you know the map and how to efficiently find things. But the sad part was that I had changed. Minus any obvious issues regarding my own change in physical capacity, I was looking forward to slightly cheating on my endurance test by sitting in one of those soft chairs. The devil kept me honest. I remained standing, walking on my feet.
Printed books vs. audiobooks…
After a year of pandemic, I have taken a marked shift away from printed books. Living a one-room life, I am covetous of my physical space, already surrounded by hundreds of printed books. Not only have I shifted from paper to digital with a new Kindle, I have continued sliding away from written words, preferring to hear the words spoken. In 2020, audiobook sales surpassed printed books for the first time ever.
On that note, Rickie Lee Jones reading her memoir, and occasionally giggling, or bursting into song has captured my heart. Made me fall stupidly in love once more.
I started writing a book review, but it must remain a work-in-progress for a while, a coming attraction, as I still have 5 more hours to spend with her…
In my lovelorn state, I signed up for a live, virtual book-launch with her at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, and I got an autographed copy of her book Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of an American Troubadour, which I enshrined in a goddess altar, dedicated to her super-power as a multi-media artist. So there is still a wee bit of space left for printed matter in my hideaway.
FOOTNOTES:
Scrivener 3 for Windows has finally been released.
Scrivener for Windows started life two years after Scrivener for Mac was first released. Four years ago… it was agreed that merging Scrivener for Mac’s 2.0 and 3.0 functionality into a single Windows Scrivener 3.0 would precipitate this desired parity sooner. I have found a discount code (not affiliate linked) The code may expire at any time and without prior notice. If they are active today, use them!)
For 20% off either version, try one of these Scrivener coupon codes: FREEDOM or WORDSWITHJAM. I bought my original version a few years ago with a discount code. Last night, I payed $24.95 for an upgrade. A single license is good for multiple computers, so I have the same copy on my laptop as on my desktop. I haven’t yet had the time to the open Scrivener for Windows 3.0. It is causing me to upgrade my own scrivener closet full of writing as I migrate into techno future.