Beth puts in a workday

Exhausted; it's 6.30 p.m. and I actually WORKED today, worked hard. At least, hard for someone who's usually messing around at home; even teaching is extremely easy in comparison with what most of the world does every day, I'm embarrassed to say.

I spent the morning warning up my body and voice and turning into a neurotic, hypochondriac actress once again, and this afternoon sitting in a studio for 3 1/2 hours, taping the audiobook. In that time we did less than 60 pages of a 230 page book, and I'm a pretty fluent reader. So, lots more to do.

But how lucky I am to have this studio and its technician, a young U of T graduate with a Master's in music technology called, mysteriously, Cu, who is incredibly skilled. He ensconced me in front of a state-of-the-art microphone, fired up his enormous console and we began. Beside me I had: a thermos of tea with lemon and honey, throat lozenges, snacks, sweater and socks in case it was chilly - which it was, those went on and the tea was drunk and the snacks were eaten. Neurosis, thy name is BK.

But it was great. I used to do a lot of radio and voiceover, though have not for years, and was nervous about going back to this part of my life. I don't like listening to myself, as I over-enunciate, sound prissy, like I'm trying too hard. But once I got started, it was as if I'd been doing this all along. Wonderful Jason was there to get me launched, sympathetic about my concerns - this is not only you going back to acting, it's your own words you're reading, he said. And my own life I'm exposing, I said.

But that's the job.

After we stopped, I watched Cu do his editing magic - taking out hesitancies or mistakes, watching the row of vertical lines that is my voice. We have the day off tomorrow to listen to today's tapes and see what worked and didn't, then Monday and Tuesday we're at it again, and then a break till the following week, as I'm invited to Ruth's cottage Thursday and am determined to go; I really need to get out of town for a bit. Nicole is all set to move in here and look after garden and cat.

But tomorrow, also, I have to go and have a Covid test; understandably, Ruth would like to know I'm safe before I arrive on her island. And given my headache and sore throat - neurosis? Covid? - it'll be good to do that. I feel like my body is disintegrating, so many hours sitting with the computer, writing email blasts and MailChimp announcements, taking another webinar on book marketing for writers - terrific - speaking to the publisher, emailing my kids and friends. Somewhere in there, I try to do some exercise with the computer, and I try to cook. But not much. Not enough.

It's all overwhelming, sometimes. Particularly when I actually have to work.

Tonight, vegging.
PS One funny thing: when you're doing audio work, you should try to avoid dairy which creates phlegm. I realized today how much my diet revolves around dairy - milk for breakfast, yogurt, cheese, mayonnaise. Could hardly imagine how to eat without. Nuts. Meat and potatoes. More nuts. Bread. As soon as I got home after taping, I had slabs of my favourite Quebecois cheese, la Sauvagine. Reward. With, of course, wine. Trying to tune out the Bellowing Boyfriend next door. Definitely need to get out of town.