Sunday, July 24, 2011

Uninspired



The trip to NYC was kind of a wash, I am sad to admit. I did have pockets of great fun, especially the first day - having a beer with Prince Charming, walking around the village taking pictures and such. I also had a GREAT conversation with my friend Elizabeth in which we solved all the problems around the health care system.

Cyndy I went to the Cornelia Street Cafe Tuesday night! GREAT music. I wanted to bow down to the bass player and the drummer, they were so good. Wow. The music was a bit beyond my reach; I could only follow it so far, but then I got lost. Cerebral music like that demands a more agile brain than mine, but I still loved the experience.

But I was haunted that night, could not sleep. The next morning I was rattled, couldn't even maneuver my way around Macy's for heaven's sake. I got the hell out of town, thank to the Bolt bus. Sometimes the big apple takes a big ole bite out of me. Oh well.

I'm not a big fan of summer. I know I should like it. Whether I'm hiding from the heat and humidity, or tilting against it, code red air and temps over 100 (as we've had the last two or three days) make it rather impossible to enjoy being outdoors. I find this situation extremely discouraging.

Likewise I'm feeling disenchanted here on the blog. Maybe I need to redesign the page, or take a break, who knows? One of my NYC friends Mary said that my perspective will change once temperatures drop below 90. That might not take place for awhile. August looms: sticky, damp, hot, and stinky. Dang, man.

One encouraging sign of the turning wheel of the seasons is the fact that the days are definitely, palpably, shorter. Tess of the blog Willow Manor assures me fall will come again. She said I can bet my woolly socks on it. If she mentions woolly socks then you know she is sincere. I can not wait.

22 comments:

Tom said...

Tess is right about fall...just don't linger in the noon day sun or you'll cook your noodle and might miss it.
I think some fruity Carribean cocktail(s) might help with the inspiration. Cheers!

steven said...

reya - i've been in the same place with the blog for the past week or so. struggling to find the place where the goodness comes from. i've been watching the clouds in the morning and in the evening and in-between i've been doing lots of biking. when i'm stuck like this, one of the tools i use are brian eno's oblique strategies cards to bail me out but even they aren't helping. i love inner heat. extreme outer heat distracts me. my plan is to keep on keeping on and remain available and hope for hope!! steven

Reya Mellicker said...

GREAT ideas, both of you. I'm unfamiliar with Brian Eno's cards ... they sound really great.

Love to you both.

janis said...

Reya~ I was thinking about how the Fall seems to inspire your photography & writings before I got to the part that Tess reminded you! Funny...although I havent met you or any of my Blogger friends, after a while we seem to know each other well.
I know what can inspire you for now~ Go to your local shelter & pick up an inspiration! It's time♥ Love to you~

tut-tut said...

Even when you feel uninspired, you are still inspiring!

The atmosphere in this country as well as the heat combine to get even the most upbeat person down.

Lynne said...

Reya, love the evil apple in the pic. She's tempted to take it, you just know she is. Is the apple meant to be NYC in your mind? That's what I got from it anyway.

Unfortunately you were here in our heat wave. The past few days have been horribly hot & humid: even more so up where I live because we don't get the ocean breeze. We went into the city yesterday to do a food tour of Chinatown (Fantastic!!) and it was slightly cooler--only high 90s. It's not pleasant being outside when it's like that.

You'll find the inspiration, I know you will. Hang in there.

Reya Mellicker said...

Yes Lynne - the pics are meant to convey the kind of "vacay" my one day trip turned out to be. I actually left before the worst of the worst heat.

Janis - maybe.

And Beth - YES - I know that the looming default on our national debt is definitely bringing me down. Thanks to all for the encouragement!

ellen abbott said...

This has been the year of uber summer for everyone it seems, well, everyone except for the pacific northwest which seems to be lingering in eternal rainy fall. We started out the summer with August temps. Ugh. A whole summer of August. With a hot dry wind no less. The only upside that I can see is much lower humidity than usual. My hair is barely curling.

Jo said...

Wow, Reya. Those pictures are worth two thousand words today. They tell the whole story, don't they?

I'm so glad to find that I'm in such good company in feeling wiped out and unmotivated lately. I'm not a summer person, either, so I'm hoping that this extreme external heat is the reason for the lethargy.

I'm sorry the trip was an overall bust, too. Dang. Let's hope for a very pleasant autumn.

Elizabeth said...

I do think that this very hot weather melts/fries the brain.
When it is crisp and clear I have bags of energy and creativity --unlike now when I am just pulp.
It was so good to see you though.
Actually Macy's has the same effect on me as very hot weather --I get confused and overwhelmed and have to crawl home --it is TOO MUCH!

Reya Mellicker said...

Elizabeth I keep thinking about indolence - about sitting still and letting NYC swirl around you.

The Bug said...

Even though the mention of woolly socks just now makes my feet sweat, I'm glad to hear that this summer really will end. And I'm a summer person - but what I like is all that fabulous light, NOT the heat. Maybe I should move to Alaska.

I was telling Dr. M that July in blogland is kind of a ghost town - just not that much activity. I was considering taking a break at least until after my surgery, but I probably won't. I might take a poetry break though - I am totally uninspired myself these days.

Reya Mellicker said...

I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one who is uninspired. Misery loves company!

Shelley said...

After reading about the heat and humidity in the rest of the country, I am feeling much better about living in the land that summer forgot - the cool, cloudy, gray and damp-ish Pacific NW.

We've finally had a day or two of 80°, and it's sticky and humid today, but probably cool by DC standards.

Your blog is one of my favorites, inspired or not! If you need to chill out, consider a trip to Seattle or Portland, or the Oregon Coast. Sea breezes always restore and refresh the soul.

Cheryl Cato said...

Yep, fall will roll around soon, er pretty soon, for you. You know it's all perspective. You could live near the great city of Austin, TX and experience triple digit temperatures from May through September.

As for me, I'm hiding out at home... getting a little stir crazy 'cause I don't want to get out in the heat. I just made the birds (and we have lots of them) in our yard happy. I sprayed water on the plants and grass and refilled the bird baths. Oh yes they are so happy. I took a photo of 2 little doves nestled in the damp grass. So sweet.

Keep your eye on the wooly socks!

Reya Mellicker said...

Shelly my sister lives in Eugene and I have great friends in Seattle and Portland. Hmmm maybe it's time to plan a trip.

Cheryl - so THAT's why the birds love the front yard at the chateau so much. Water. Oh yeah. Good luck with your cabin fever. I too am suffering.

Cyndy said...

I'm glad you enjoyed the music. I enjoy hearing music that is a little beyond me because I'm left with no choice but to listen by feel rather than from a perspective of knowing what's going on. I think I probably enjoy NYC the same way, but it can definitely be a bit much, especially in this heat. I guess it was good that you were able to bolt on out of there on the Bolt Bus.

Your posts are far from uninspiring even when you feel that way!

On the other hand, the stuff I've been doing lately is pure drivel - I randomly decided that I would post every day in July on one or the other of my two blogs, just to find out what it's like to post every day. I'm now kind of looking forward to the end of the month so I can get back to being my usual occasional blogger self and quit throwing up a bunch of junk.

Reya Mellicker said...

Cyndy I'm going to have to come check out your blogs. I've been terribly lazy about it lately - a sign of malaise.

I do everything by feel, especially listening to music. But I couldn't follow the music last Tuesday, even with my intuition. I got lost in the woods. Fun trying, though.

cs said...

I was in DC this past weekend. Oppressive heat but somehow it made me feel good. You'll break out of the funk.

C.M. Jackson said...

last week's weather was beastly--I think you should commend yourself for being out and about in such madness--I hope your bus had ac...a busload travelled down from Boston on the BOLT with nada a cool machine or breeze...windows didn't open either...dogs days came early this year and which means that woolly sock season can't be far behind--hang in and don't judge your blog so harshly--the content is amazing and once the temp recedes you will have the energy to create a new look--until then keep writing and please the next time you are up this way stop in for a cuppa of tea or glassa of wine--cheers-c

Nancy said...

I'm feeling the same way. Maybe it's time for a break. After 644 posts, what more can one say?

Pauline said...

Nothing at all wrong with being a when-the-mood-strikes kind of blogger. Summer is for relaxing. Spring with its big push to grow and autumn with its cold is coming, hurry up attitude bracket our two hunker down seasons. Better to post happily when you feel like it than wish you didn't HAVE to say something. Reading here is a treat no matter. Your way of looking at things has opened my eyes.