April is just around the corner, bringing with it more springy spring weather. Hopefully it won’t be too summery. I’m in no rush for the arrival of Louisiana’s warmer weather. Just thinking about it makes me sweat. The rain and cool breezes should feel free to stay as far as I’m concerned.
Visa Saga Update: I’ve posted all of my required documents for the family visa. They did make a point to say on the website that posting more is not always better because they have to go through every document, so I only provided what they asked for though my inclination was to throw everything at them in hopes of moving sooner rather than later. Patience. The few documents I must have in person at my interview tomorrow are my passport, document checklist, and the official letter of confirmation for my appointment. I know that I will be photographed and fingerprinted, but I’m not sure what else will take place. I’ll update tomorrow or Tuesday about how that meeting goes.
While I certainly have things to keep my occupied (the gym, my storage unit, wedding arrangements, saying goodbye to my car), I’ve decided to add a creative endeavor to the mix in April. Camp NaNoWriMo takes place this month. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month (which is actually November, but they have “camps” in April and July) and is a time when writers of all sorts work on new books, specifically novels of at least 50,000 words. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo quite a few times over the past years, even winning thrice. It should be a great way to get back to writing and keep from stressing about my visa application while it is being processed.
Speaking of happy distractions… Here are April’s suggestions for little ways to enrich your life:
- Reading for Fun: Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley. You can find it on Amazon, and here is a free reading on YouTube. I will have to listen to Ben’s other readings because I like several of the books he shares.
- For a Challenge: Odyssey by Homer. It follows the events of the Iliad, which I recommended last month. You can find it free online from MIT or on Amazon, and here is a free reading on YouTube.
- Artist: Angelica Kauffmann (1741-1807). Look below for an example of her art.
- Composer: Johann Sabastian Bach. Here is a sampling of his work.
- Movement: Walk or run. I’m not posting instructions here because I feel it’s fairly self-explanatory. Go at whatever pace feels right for you. Running hurts my knees, so I like to walk on a treadmill on full incline.
- Game: King’s Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella, an adventure game by Sierra. You can find it on GOG along with games 5 and 6 of the series. This one did not get a remake by AGD, so you have deal with typing the commands for Rosella. Save often and in separate files because there are a few unforgiving parts.
- Snacks: Blueberry. Here are some nutritional facts about this berry.
- Scent: Peppermint. This is easily my favorite scent by far.
- Meditation: Headspace. Here is a video that guides you through releasing stress and anxiety.
- Journaling Theme: In your journal, doodle clouds and raindrops. Neither image has a definite shape, so make your drips and blobs however best pleases you.
Try to incorporate as many of these into your life as possible over the course of March. Keep what you like. Nix what you don’t.
Have you ever considered writing a book? Why not give Camp NaNoWriMo a shot?
Magical Musings 