by Dana Jerman

2018- Chicago // 2019- Las Vegas

OCTOBER 2018-

3-

The sun escorts me all around the hood, collecting boxes for the move and other goodies. First babysitting gig since a long long time later tonight.

9-

Chatted with mom on a run of 82 degree days. Just gorgeous as I hit errands and reopen my windows. A spicy bloody mary at 2pm.

10-

A short day. Started late and covered in soaking lazy rain. One gig and a birthday for a friend. Heartbeats the sound of a love drum.

11-

Brisk walking with stuffed pockets. One poetry submission leads to another and some editing too. No haircut yet.

16-

Packing day. Sun is bright but it won’t get past 55 degrees. I’m up and dressed with a good book after a night with a personal trainer.

17-

Warm in the sun and wind at bay. I have the “turning while standing still" feeling and go have breakfast at a cafe. Book reading means unsuccessful people-watching.

20-

Nephew-in-law’s birthday. Cleaning up a bit around the house and darting into shops. Drinking tea and making notes on the future wardrobe. I love my old records so much.

23-

Submitted to a lit mag over toast and coffee. Hands dry from the shower and my long poets shirt covering my chilly sun-lit knees.

26-

Light inscense and start a book. When he came home it was time for lip gloss and the first in a string of a thousand “i love yous”.

31-

Grooving to give away CD’s I’ll share with my bandmates at practice tonight. Gotta warm up my voice here and there today. A grey laundry-filled day.

——

OCTOBER 2019-

2-

Here today, toward the end of the year of travel and moving, I’ve visited 4 states exclusively among 2 coasts and many in between. I prepare to start work for an entertainment company for 1 month.

3-

Work cancels. I can never spell “cancel” right the first time. I get gas, come home, change the sheets and head for the pool. There’s always something else to be done that refuses to be recalled to do. Held in the mind for a tiny flash.

4-

Average clear off opening up and spilling a rhombus right over my bedspread. A good vantage to lay back, listening to the neighbors fuck from their high window across the way. Destroying my focus on both writing and reading poems.

9-

Billy Idol Day! Tonight at the Pearl theater at the Palms.

Check out the gym with my honey. Broke a good sweat, then found a lighter. Looks like last year at this time I was just as excited to go boozing.

15-

Breakfast at the gate. I wake up with the trauma of art there, like a monkey always needing a ride. The plague of tomorrows insisting on existing. Knowing how it craves letters and reworked thoughts and garbage traffic. The sounds of another neighbor’s voice on the phone.

17-

Mid-day drink before work. There’s something about having a day in between logs that makes this particular exercise feel worthwhile. Hot on the trail of some gigs and a hot lunch. Perfume on me and my ankles and my newfound junk drawer!

24-

Earrings in, clothes on. Over coffee I turn the plant and knock the dust off of things while contemplating calling off/out. My state anomic, but happy to apply beauty serum onto an unscrubbed visage.

27-

Makin’ muffins (pumpkin spice) from a great mix. In my robe. No last -page-blues here. Breezy, ringing my gong on the side patio matching my head turning, jangling earrings free as chimes. 10a, I pull foil strips to individually wrap while Don bends my ear about a spooky documentary.