whew! I feel like a party hostess after the last guest has left, except that all of the dirty dishes and not-quite-empty wine glasses sitting around are my own. Hosting a blog carnival is a lot like throwing a party. It takes some planning and preparation, a bit of creativity, and some nose-to-the-grindstone work in the final hours before the event. There's always room for anxiety: what if no one shows up? what if they notice I forgot to dust off the top shelf? what if, in tasting the appetizers I get some spinach in between my front teeth and everyone sees me like that? what if I am just a socially inept geek? why am I suddenly not capitalizing the first letters of these sentences?

But then the guests arrive, you realize that they are the life of the party, what makes it all happen, and despite all the things you think you could have done better, everyone ends up having a good time.

I'm ready to slow down and try to take it easy for a while, though. On top of the major blogging commitment, I've had a busy schedule at work, doing some physically rigorous tasks, and at home it seems like I'm just struggling to stay two steps behind. I know I need to get things organized and decluttered, but I don't want to blow a sunny September weekend doing it!

The days are sunny with dazzling blue skies, the kind of blue I think only happens in September. The nights are crisp and cool and quiet, except for the occasional wild music of coyotes. I need to be like those coyotes, running free and making some wild music of my own. I need to sit outside with a guitar or mandolin in hand, and sing. I need to dance around a bonfire with my family.

That does it, I'm taking off work early today!