Write More, Read Less?

After shoveling snow for 5 hours (non-stop) on Sunday, the thought occurred to me that I should be writing more and reading less. My schedule in the last few weeks has been out of control and my reading list is all shot to pieces. I wrote last week--to my very surprise--much as I did during the November Madness; it all came easily and smoothly. I made good progress in a couple of scenes that needed retouching. So, the question remains, how to devote equal time to both reading and writing, and meet all the increasing demands from work? While there's no answer to this, I have made the attempt to get my reading done early (5 AM), and then work on the writing at whatever time available. I could also switch the schedule so that some days I am doing the writing first. At any rate, I know I am making a fuss over nothing, but I feel a little stressed right now.

Today is the fourth anniversary of my father's death. I remember that the call came right in the middle of one of my classes. The cell phone rang at my desk, I excused myself from my students and answered. It was my sister with the dreadful news. I remember hanging up the phone and walking slowly up to the podium and telling my students that my father had just died. Then I launched into the remaining part of my lecture (on Wollstonecraft's "Vindication of the Rights of Women). I didn't really feel sad or did I cry until I saw my father at the funeral home four days later. That was a really special class of students, those girls.... they made all the difference during that difficult time. Where would I be without these young minds that teach me so much?

I am reading Virgil's "The Aeneid" as the classics year continues. While I have changed my reading list to include many contemporary titles, I only did so to break the formality of style, etc. Presently, I am only a few pages into it, so I'll report more later.

The song playing now is Alejandro Sanz' "Tu No Tienes Alma," which translates into "You don't have a soul." It's a sad story about a terrible break up. I remember listening to this song during that most difficult December of 2004. It has a special place in my heart.