It goes up, it goes down

Well, I was feeling rather sad on Thursday morning. I had just been rejected from the Candy Shoppe Festival in CA, and I thought I had *such* a good chance! I've been trying not to think too much about festivals lately (in part b/c I haven't been *writing* lately), but this one I wanted, particularly b/c I sent my play ONE LAST FIGHT (father/son play, pretty dark) to the festival, and Summer, one of the producers, really liked it. She didn't pick the plays, though; the directors did. So that hit hard; I can't get this play produced, and it's one of my favorites. Apparently, dark plays requiring two males, one 45, one 65, is just not that easy to cast. Go figure. ;-) Anyway, Summer has been very gracious in responding to me, noting that she read the play a lot, was sorry it hadn't been chosen, and I should try again last year (which I will). I guess I should have sent WEDNESDAYS (the cafe play), b/c get what: it just got taken again! Black Woman Productions in PA said yes (and also took HIS NAME IS ROB, a monologue I took from my one-woman show and that I like but rarely send out, mostly b/c it's a monologue). Anyway, that was a very pleasant surprise, as I had forgotten about this festival, they took TWO of my pieces, AND Wednesdays now has two productions, two forthcoming, and two honorable mentions. Clearly, it's caught on with festivals; I guess I need to write more plays like this one. ;-)

Work is getting really busy (I just got back from New Student Orientation, and registration is this week, so it's just going to get crazier), and my body is totally failing me. I got sciatica (I think) for the first time last Sunday, after yoga and a bit of walking, and I literally felt as if my legs would burn up; it was THAT bad. Now I can't sit for lengthy periods of time (say more than 15 or 20 minutes), and I had to drive to and from my sister's house in Western MA on Thursday night and Friday night. I had a lot of fun with my nieces, nephew, and sisters (of course, it was chaotic, b/c they are ages 4-10), but the ride could have killed me. I never thought I would have this problem. (I'm 44, not 84.) I am trying to reach my doctor's office to get an appointment with SOMEONE; this is ridiculous, and I'm having trouble walking and have not worked out for nearly a week. I don't know if I will able to do my yoga class tomorrow, and I'm pretty upset about that. I hope I can nip this in the bud. I won't use that as an excuse for not writing, though. Aside from taking a longer play and making it a one-minute play (it might even work better that way!) for a one-minute play festival, I don't want to write. I just am not in the place. As I've said, the nicer the weather, the harder it is to sit down and write, but I would like to *want* to, and I don't right now, but I hope to soon (like in September, when the madness ends and perhaps my body feels halfway decent again). I can't just send out my old plays; I have to write new ones! And I have to want to write new ones. I hope I will. Soon. Very soon.