Echoes from the Wander

03 November 2025

Nov 03, 2025

Time Jumps and November Novels

Never been a fan of daylight savings; never will.

Never been a fan of obligatory writing; never will.

Okay, I admit that’s not what Novel November—or NaNoWriMo—was meant to be. For some, these challenges are about accountability, word counts, and camaraderie. All worthy aims.

I’ve just always bristled at imposed deadlines. I’m retired. Sorta. My days are full—sometimes too full—and every one of those commitments takes priority over writing. That’s the tradeoff I’ve made.

So why am I novel Novembering? Because I can—on my own terms. I may or may not hit a word count, but I will write. In that regard, I meet success nearly every day.

And I’m proud of that. My plate is fuller than it’s ever been, but I’m finally doing the thing I’ve always wanted to do: write.

So bring on November—it’s the write thing.

Before diving ahead, a quick glance back: how did October end for you—a trick or a treat?

Last week…

The week opened with Phaiku No. 16—another nod to the Luddites—and continued with an incited poem, Aloud. I find it hard to stay quiet when something pokes at my curiosity or challenges a view.

If you caught the latest Wednesday Whimsy, I hope you avoided the Muse’s “narrative congestion.” She’s tireless, that one.

It’s a little bittersweet to note that Threlraan: A Character Arc closed out Crafting the Whale’s Tongue. It might be my favorite piece in the series (though I’ve probably said that before).

Crone’s Cairn featured She Hawk from the “Mother” leg of the journey—and even a rare sighting of one of my Zentangles.

And then there’s voice. I found myself unsettled by a few Substacks where “strong voice” felt like something else—closer to bullying. Authority and aggression share a microphone more often than we’d like.

This week…

With Whale’s Tongue wrapped, there’s a bit of a creative void. I’ll probably use that time to reorganize Wander Words. Between another online course and Novel November, I think I’ve got plenty to chew on.

A phaiku will likely surface, and certainly the Muse. There’s also a “Socratic” essay waiting in the wings, and Crone’s Cairn will showcase the crone’s view.

That sounds like a full week—hopefully a fulfilling one.

Until next we meet, be frivolously wanderful.