Elizabeth Bird

Writing Retreat: How Not to Miss Blogging

And we're back.  I must say, writing retreats live up to their expectations.  Particularly when the retreats are put together by such stellar organizers (who I would name but I'm not sure if they want to remain anonymous or not).  I headed out to Lake Champlain listening to a fine Flight of the Conchords recording ("It's business tiiiiime!") in the world's most ridiculous car.  Observe:

That would be me and my bright red Mustang.  Under normal circumstances, when I rent a car here in Manhattan, I request a compact and get something extravagantly different.  It's usually amusing.  Chrysler vehicles of lamentable size and gas guzzleage.  Purple PT Cruisers.  This time I was feeling a little weepy because two people behind me in line had gotten their cars first.  There is nothing to make a New Yorker more irate than when something seems unfair.  My lower lip was sticking out far enough for a robin to land on, when the rental car fellow pulls up and displays the reddest, lowest car I had ever been privy to drive.  Total number of miles on it?  115.  I kid you not.

After informing me that I could really "let it rip" on the highway (he seemed to purposefully have no idea who it was he was talking to) I hopped in and headed north.  Fun Fact: Lake Champlain is north of New York City.  Just one of the many facts I picked up the day before (geography ain't my strong suit).

Once there I was treated to quite the view, like so:

And since I had purchased a MacBook Air precisely 24 hours before, I was eager to see if it lived up to its promise.  I know that buying a new computer with the intention of writing on it seems silly, but since my old laptop's battery life outside of being plugged in is something like 20 minutes tops, this was lovely.  I could sit on a porch and write.  I could sit on a couch and write.  I could sit on a chair and write.  And not once did I have to worry about where the plugs on the walls were.  Heaven!  It apparently only gets hot when it's working on the Internet anyway (which is to say, it burning my legs up right now).

In any case, it was great.  Wine and cookies.  Brownies and . . . well, more cookies.  Healthy eating was not indulged at this particular gathering.  Just a marvelous time.

Total Chapters Finished at Retreat: 13
Possibility That I'll Have a Book Done Soon: Prognosis is good.

Thanks again to everyone involved and for such a lovely time.

Posted by Elizabeth Bird on July 2, 2009 | Comments (5)