Daily Word Count: 2,278
Cumulative Words Written: 47,988
Total Words Discarded: 13,850
Total Chapters Drafted: 20
Time Spent Writing Today: 3 hours
You can kiss the badass cook. That would be me. The shrimp-and-grits whisperer. Who sucks at everything kitchen-related.
Residencies are cultural exchanges.
Even if I’m sharing a distinct pot of Southern Americana with my fellow American residents. Plus one Norwegian. Jen, from Nebraska, had only consumed cheese grits. Sarah, a San Franciscan, had never eaten grits. Tone, the Norwegian, said, “WHAT ARE THESE THINGS, GRITS?”
Still, our shrimp and grits were a collaborative effort.
We couldn’t find heavy cream at the Aljustrel grocery store. Sweetened condensed milk was the best they could do. (And grits are tasteless wallpaper paste without fatty milk, heavy cream, and a generous blob of butter.) But Jen didn’t give up. She scoured the shelves and found heavy cream boxes, unrefrigerated perfection we snapped right up. When it oozed from its cardboard container, I whispered, “Oh yeah.”
Sarah managed to light the gas stove without blowing up the Fab Lab. I sauteed the bacon, cooked the grits, and seared the shrimp to perfection. Jen made a beautiful green salad from lettuce we bought from the vegetable van. And I spooned grits and soupy, buttery shrimp and bacon into our bowls.
Kiss the badass cook, y’all.
I didn’t text MTM ONCE to say I was failing. Between all of us, we made everything come together, and the meal was an exquisite communion of souls on the same path.
I didn’t write as much as I wanted. But I made a memory with these gorgeous artists. We lingered at the table, sharing secrets, telling tales, and commiserating long after the last bite was consumed.
And that’s one of my favorite things about residencies.
We come together. Equals. Without pomp and fru-fru-ery. And we feed each other’s creativity.
I am SO LUCKY to be here.
To follow my residency at Buinho Creative Hub from the beginning, CLICK HERE and read forward.
7 Comments
The good stuff, yew betcha.
I ate TOO MUCH.
I am thinking of spending a week in Paris next year at a writing workshop. Terrified, afraid I’m too flaky and will get lost, lonely, or not write at all. But your trip, albeit different, is an inspiration. What have I got to lose?
Claudia, residencies are the best soul food. If you get lost, YOU’RE IN PARIS. It’s gorgeous. If you don’t write at all, SO WHAT? You’ll meet lovely people, make new friends, have new experiences, and garner all kinds of creative inspiration. You will ABSOLUTELY NOT REGRET it. And I hope you’ll share your experience.
How lucky in so many ways! And your meal sounds wonderful
And I’m making risotto tonight. ?
Yummmm
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