You know, it’s funny. The last thing I posted to my blog was a poem about all the things I hadn’t accomplished yet this summer. A poem about letting the to-do lists go and enjoying the moment for what it was. A poem that exuded relaxation and an appreciation for “slow and steady.”
Then, about an hour after posting it, I began the longest, most energetic, creative binge I’ve had in a long time.
Maybe writing the poem unlocked something. Maybe accepting the fact that I couldn’t do everything allowed me to do something. Maybe the summer solstice got into my blood. Whatever the reason, during the past six days I gave my website a complete makeover, opened an Etsy shop, started several projects for my shop, and rearranged my office. (Well, actually, I’m halfway through rearranging my office. Meaning my office is a mess. Meaning I had to find my computer in order to type this.)
This week, I spent several nights staying up until 3am, flitting like a hummingbird between projects until I eventually fell asleep and dreamed of things like photo layouts and fonts. This morning when I made my bed (for the first time in days), I found a pen in it, nestled between the sheet and the comforter. The last time I remember writing anything in bed was Tuesday, which means this pen and I have been bedmates for several nights. At least the cap was on.
These summer creative binges are fun, and very productive. But they can also make a person feel a little unstable. Waking up and wondering if it’s four in the afternoon or four in the morning can be disorienting, and shopping for craft supplies on Amazon after midnight should not even be legal.
Luckily, I balanced my nighttime-crafty-hermit tendencies with daytime social events out in the real world. To all the friends I hung out with this week, I want to say thank you. You may have thought you were just having coffee or a beer with me, but really you were helping to keep me sane. (And making sure I got some vitamin D.)
It must have been a good combination because I’m pretty happy with what I accomplished.
When you get a chance, take a look around my new website. I added some color and more photos, updated my About and Favorites pages, and tried to make my Published Work easier to navigate. I also added a Shop page where you can access my new Etsy store, as well as links where you can purchase some of the books that include my writing. Let me know if you come across anything that doesn’t work or if you find that one typo I always miss.
In the meantime, I’m going to finish rearranging my office. When I’m done, I think I might sleep for a day or two.
Happy Summer. 🙂
Carie Juettner 
I love it, Carie. So fresh and fun!
Thanks so much!