Hi ,

Thank you for the feedback on the snippet I sent last week! 

This week, I'm in a bit of a funk. I can't figure out why. Life is good. My health is fine. My only challenge is that I've been having difficulty sleeping the last few nights. It's really frustrating. I toss and turn. I stop looking at the clock at about 3 a.m.

Since I work at home for myself, I don't have to get up early, but to be productive, I like to be at my desk by 8, 9 the latest, with an hour or so for my coffee (I like to be up by 7). But that's been tough.

Last night I took some NyQuil, knowing I might be groggy in the morning, but at least I'd sleep. And it worked, I slept. And yes, I was a little groggy, but at least I was a bit more productive today. 

Do you ever have days/weeks in which you're lacking energy and motivation? What do you do to jumpstart out of a slump?

Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy

One fun thing I did this weekend was go to the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy show with my mom. They served 4 cocktails to go with 4 Poe stories presented as a monologue by various actors. 

It was fun, although 4 cocktails in an hour and a half is a lot! I drank 2, and just had a sip or two of the others. I was the designated driver after all (we had a late lunch after before driving home).

Drinks were:

• Pale Blue Eye (a twist on a traditional Collins) to go with The Tell-Tale Heart
• The Cat's Meow (a version of Poe's favorite Brandy Milk Punch) to go with The Black Cat
• Nevermore (lime, peach/orange vodka, and crushed charcoal) to go with The Raven
• Cocktail of Red Death (raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, 100 proof vanilla vodka, and lime juice) to go with The Masque of the Red Death

Along with the stories, we had a summary of Poe's life, which was filled with tragedy. 

While this show tours the country, it was fun to see it in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Poe spent a short time when he attended the University of Virginia. He lived in room 13! You can visit it if you ever come to Charlottesville. 

Here is the website if you'd like to find a show near you: Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy