You haven't heard from me because SquareSpace was blocking my entry until I had signed their terms of agreement. I had to get some advice before I signed because I didn't want to lose the copyright on my blogs. Not that my words are deathless, or even worth any money, but they are my words. The new Copyright Law passed by the Harper government has deprived writers of millions of dollars worth of income. The University of Toronto, one of the major users of writers' material for students, used to pay out 1.6 million dollars every year to writers for the use of their words. This year, nada. In individual personal terms, maybe it doesn't sound like much, but this year, I received one thousand dollars less from Payback, run by Access Canada, for use of some of my copyrighted material. It hurts. Maybe it explains why I'm in overdraft right now, and waiting hopefully and patiently for my Public Lending Right payment.

Anyway, I'm back and I'll start cruising soon. Lots to think about.

My dining room table is covered with receipts and papers for me to cull and collate and arrange for my quarterly GST report - by the end of today. So I had to go somewhere else to eat. Not the living room, too cool. Behind my big chair in the bedroom is an entire bookcase full of poetry. Lovely way to start the day, with Gerard Manley Hopkins. Happiness is poetry for breakfast. So gratuitous, don't have to do anything.

Doing something is always fraught. The nicest thing about having an idea of what to write or pitch, or query about is getting the idea and not immediately doing anything about it. You've had the idea and you think it's a good one. While it's still in your mind, all things are possible. Once you've made your move and tendered some sort of application or request, it's in the recipient's court, where hope dwindles and fades and eventually dies of attrition. Back to the drawing board. Where did you file hope - under A for aspiration or D for Disappointment?

Happy thoughts tomorrow, as GMH is my witness. I may even quote a few lines.