We had a beautiful trip to DC.  Brett is so warm and so funny and so smart.  Kelsey and I had awesome Mommy/Daughter time.  William and Brett got lots of good talking in about all kinds of things.  The two of them were fabulous hosts.  Fun visits with friends, moving and stimulating sites to see downtown, one helluva good dinner at Founding Farmers, near the White House, and some great down time at their apartment.  Thoroughly great weekend.

I'm excited about the week ahead.  My writing has been full speed ahead for a couple of weeks now.  I'm doing lots of work on Voter Id and other election law issues, but have also written some pieces in direct response to specific political events.  This week I will finish an article on the NC State Board of Elections - I snagged a great interview again - this time with one of our elections officials who I had seen appear on Rachel Maddow!  I just had to call her and introduce myself and congratulate her on her appearance - as I told her she was very clear and effective, and communicated a lot of energy,and a focus on fair elections.  Maybe I can find a clip and add it here.

In any case, we ended up talking at length about the voter roll challenges that have occured here - I have my notes but with the trip out of town, haven;t written it up yet.  Seems fun if I could just get organized and get started!!  I'm up late so I'll sleep 8 hours and then coffee, news, hop up and run to the bank, pharmacy, and quick stop at the grocery, then back here to tidy up my office, then I am settling to finish it.  My find of day!!!  I will grab something easy that the guys can throw together and just work and work until it's time for football at 8!

I've been thing more and more about how drastically I want to shift gears after the election.  Many many thoughts about it....  Take a few days off, finish my "What I've learned"-type piece, maybe take Rufus and run down to Topsail for a few days to clear my head and think.  I think I will write a whole separate post with an outline of what I want the time between say, November 6th, before which I will do analysis of where we stand post-election with a 2nd Obama term.  From 11/6 - 12/22 or 23rd I want to do a lot of planning and goal setting - a little retreat for myself.  Then I usually take a few days off for the holidays - maybe hit Topsail again, then I can't wait to plunge back in hard and heavy in January.

I know what my new writing focus is, and I can't wait.  And I'll start putting the book in my sites.  I'm going to be absolutely ruthless about guarding my time - man, I have never felt so little interest in/need for a social life, plans, etc.  I'm not in danger of getting isolated because of close family and a couple of close friends.  And I want to stay balanced with lots of walking as usual, taking snapshots every where I go, cooking, TV nights with William, some craft stuff...  But those things are only going to be here and there because mostly I crave to write write write.

I've never felt better about where my life is and where it's going.

Welcome, October.

Hmmm, did I really need to just go back and reread all the posts on this page???  I was messing around with my tag categories and decided to review. 

I have to assume that it is human nature to cycle through the same questions and problems over time, feel like you have it figured out, then occasionally realize you are at square one.

And maybe square one isn't right.  I've been doing journal entries on this page - since I created it in June - about focus and productivity, that all sort of sound the same.  But I the same time, I do see progress.

I do have my new computer, and that has made a world of difference.  I have rounded out the "feel" of my office - still loving my curtains to candles of course; just "refilled" my incense at World Market; rearranged my desk, created a better filing system, and bought some more handy supplies.  (Yikes, I just realized every time I go to Staples and putting money in Mitt Romney's pocket! lol)  So now when I wake up I can't wait to "get to work". 

And I do think my output is better.  Still have an uncompleted VIVA page on "hide"...  But I'm getting better at coming in here and cranking stuff out. 

I think.

All I can do is keep plugging away.  Reviewing old posts is painful but instructive.  The one year anniversary of Maslow's Peak is October 3rd, and I have a lot to be proud of, I think.

On we go!

Didn't unveil VIVA yet, but I can't complain: I got pulled away by two great decisions that came down yesterday from federal courts re: voting laws in Texas and Florida.  Posted last night about Texas last night, will hit Florida's today, and try to get to SC, although it is still in court, undecided as of yet, so I may wait.

I am beside myself with excitement because I'm getting my new computer today.  Here's what I've been using: