Too Busy - Delirium

         It’s the last blog post of the month, and that means it’s time for Words of the Month!  Or at least, it would be, if I actually had time for anything.  This coming weekend is super busy with not one but two major events, involving SO MANY moving pieces I have to organize and take care of.  So in my current state of (hopefully temporary) disordered mind, I offer you a single fun word of the month: delirium.  Entering English towards the end of the sixteenth century, delirium is from Latin “madness.”  Its Latin origin, however, is a metaphor.  It literally means “off or away from the furrow.”  You can imagine someone plowing their field into nice, straight, ordered furrows, back and forth… and then 

suddenly, nyeeeeooowww, they go swerving off in some random direction, through the previously sowed rows, over the wildflowers at the edge of the field, down into the ditch, up into the next farmer’s field, zig-zagging all over the place…  Delirium.

        And what is the cause of my current delirium?  On Saturday, December 2 I will be participating in the Strong Women-Strange Worlds Holiday Extravaganza.  As one of the organizers I’ll be working pretty much all day for this 8 hour festival of fun, mostly behind the scenes.  Over 45 authors of sci fi, fantasy, and horror are involved in a parade of readings, games, and literary frolics, and I encourage you to join us.  It’s free, it’s on-line, and you can drop in and out all day as your schedule allows.  Preregister HERE!  And if you want to see me, 

I’ll be playing “Bluff the Audience” at noon (US/Canada Eastern time) in which 5 authors have written fake endings to excerpts from each others’ work, and the audience gets to guess which endings are real.  It should be a hoot!  (Info on the full event schedule is here.)

        Despite being busy all day Saturday, I hope to be able to find a few hours to load my car, because on Sunday, December 3 I will be participating in the Celebrate Newton Holiday Craft Fair.  There will be live music by a variety of Newton ensembles for a festive atmosphere, and more than 50 artists and crafters showing a variety of work suitable for gift shopping.  (More info here.)  It’s my last in-person show of the year, but if you can’t make it, don’t worry - you can always contact me directly if you need 

to procure that perfect block print or book.

        While I’m running through the promotions, I’ll mention one more show at which my work will be represented in 2023: the annual “Illumination” show at Gallery Twist in Lexington.  It’s always beautiful, and this year the opening reception will be on Saturday, December 2.  I, alas, will not be there, what with the delirium of other events, but I do encourage anyone in the area to check it out as it’s always delightful.

        Now, wish me luck to make it through!