Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Truth Be Told, It Is Time to Transition

It is time to stop doing all of the old and tired things I used to do and move my energy into new things so I can create the life I want to lead. This is the thesis statement, the item I need to prove. Most writers take the entire length of the article to do so but I can prove it within the first paragraph. Why do I say this? Because if the old stuff was working toward me living the life I want I’d pretty much have it by now, don’t you think? And I don’t. Guess its time to move on.

(As a side note…Do me & my thesis amuse you? Those of you who don’t understand the reference should go and buy this album right now.)

And now back to my regularly scheduled rambling on…

Three of my friends -- my drum instructor, mom’s best friend and Trayce -- all got in touch with me in various ways over the past week with links to self publishing houses. All different ones, some local, some authors who’ve done it, some who are attached to big name houses. I’m thinking that maybe it’s a sign.

I’ve been asked if I ever considered self publishing before (and the answer is yes) so it’s not like this light bulb over my head where I thought ‘A-ha the golden ticket to Wonkaville!’ or anything like that. The suggestions to try it were just more scattered, not coming at me in one big rush before, so I had pushed it under the rug. But the pile of dirt under there looks like a mountain now so I strongly need to consider giving it weight. Of course other stuff needs to happen before I even consider doing anything with Ripple the Twine.

First, if I start looking into self publishing, every single thing I’ve ever read suggests that writers still get an agent. So I’ll be starting up that process again. Query, query, query until my little bitty fingers become nubs on the keys…and then I can probably still bang out a few more. But that’s in December (better known to us WriMos as NaNoEdMo).

Second, my very good friends Dianna and Ginger recently suggested that perhaps I should be writing short stories for magazines. It’s a great idea and will keep my creative muscles flexing even when I’m not working on something lengthy like a book. I have an account with HUB Pages and it will be a good start to post stuff there until I can acquire a few magazine subscriptions to various publications where my work might fit in.

(“What am I gonna do with 40 subscriptions to Vibe?” -- You know you were thinking it!)

Something that needs to go, sad as it may be, is any and all distractions that keep me from my goal of being a full time writer. Yes, this quite likely includes my company. I won’t close the doors of Chucka Stone Designs decorative paint treatments, I just won’t be out there pimping it. But what will be closing is my Etsy shop.

I plan to hang onto it through the end of the year but it really isn’t benefiting anyone so its just a time suckage that I don’t need anymore. No one shops there and the rent is getting a little high. Of course with the closing of the shop also comes the withdrawal from the team I’m a member of, EcoEtsy. This will be tough because there are so many awesome people in this bunch but I can still keep up with most of them in Greenpreneurs on Facebook so it won’t be a total loss.

That also means I’ll be giving up writing for their blog. And this is the reason I’ll be sticking it out until the end of the year, I’m committed to writing all the Monday News & Views posts for December because my co-editors were kind enough to give me November off for NaNo (♥LOVE♥).

Things that I will still keep up with are this blog of course and Facebook, sometimes twitter although I can’t always access it, and in writing here I will definitely still read all of my favorite bloggers.

But…and this is a big but…other than all of you awesome people that I read all the time (and you know who you are by now I hope) any new blog reading I take on is going to pretty strictly have to do with writing -- getting published, self publishing, published writer’s inner thoughts, etc. I have to start immersing myself into the life and culture or else I will only flail about even more.

And this brings me to my final, and probably the biggest, transition I plan to initiate. Within the next eight months Matt and I are moving to Arizona. His line of work is huge in the Phoenix area, prices for housing are much cheaper, my sister and friend and his dad and step mom are close by plus there’s the weather…oh the weather!

It isn’t even about the temperatures so much as the constant sunshine. Okay, it’s a lot to do with the temperatures too. I’m really just weary of it here. There is nothing for me here other than my family members that I still see and those people are mobile (and so are we) enough that we can go back and forth to spend time together as often as we can. Not to mention by keeping social networking sites I’m instantly connected.

No, its not the same as being in the same room, I get that, but the room we have here hardly fits half of them inside it anyway and its costing us an arm and a leg to pay for (and getting rid of those pesky appendages is about the only way we could fit more people in here).

I’m just seriously coming to the realization that Matt and I do not fit here anymore, in the physical or spiritual sense, we’ve moved into a different phase of life than everyone we know. Truth be told, I really have nothing in common with my friends anymore except a very rich past. Not having kids puts us in a completely different place than most of them but I stand by my choice not to bring more babies into this world. That’s me. But without that to schedule play dates around or whatever its just more and more difficult to see the parents of those wonderful kids because they get involved in the activities their children take on as they get older.

And yea for them, its encouraging to see that some people still take an active role in raising their children, its just that I do not fit into that world. Being an Auntie only takes you so far and then its best to give up being a hanger-on. Ya know?

Anyway, I’m just babbling as usual but suffice to say the next year will be producing a whole lot of interesting changes in my life and I’m fully ready to embrace all of them. I’ll be sure to share the links to my short stories when they’re up over at HUB pages.

Thanks for sticking it out with me, leaving comments and showing your love and support all this time everyone. I hope that I’ve been even half as supportive for all of you!

12 comments:

Judi FitzPatrick said...

I wish you all the best, remember to look inside, too, for where you "belong".
Love, Mum

disabled account said...

Arizona is so much closer to Colorado than Boston!!!!

okay, now that i got that out... ;)

I promise to not start any more blogs and to not be hurt when you are too busy to read or comment and also to post your links on my own facebook and twitter feeds. and i totally get that feeling of needing to move on.

love you xoxo

pastrywitch said...

Even though I think that living in Arizona is similar to living in an easybake oven, I totally support your choice. And, it IS closer to Colorado.

I understand about the shifts in relationships when your friends have kids and you don't; it's hard.

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to reading your stories on HUB. Yay for warm weather and sunshine!

Almost Precious said...

Talk about putting things into perspective and finding balance in your life, looks like you're well on your way and are back on track.

I wish you all the luck possible and look forward to reading the updates here on your blog.
Ah yes, the weather in Arizona is much nicer in the winter than the frozen Northeast. Of course the summers are hotter and longer but hey, you can always head up to the mountains where the temperature drops at least 20 degrees and also enjoy a lovely change of scenery.

#1Nana said...

I just travelled through a blizzard to spend Thanksgiving with my granddaughters in Texas, and the 80 degree temperature in Austin didn't hurt! Arizona sounds lovely. Lots of changes coming...I wish you all the best.
Jann

Chris Stone said...

sorry to hear you are closing your etsy shop! self publishing does sound like a viable alternative... can't wait to see the book! and also. moving sounds great. wish i could do it also.

thanks so much for stopping by and not giving up on me! lol. blogging is important to me. since very young i wanted to be a writer also. but have found my self to be more of a visual sort. blogging has been a way that i can at least keep some sort of reference to those earlier dreams.

Tabitha Bird said...

Wow, that is a lot of changes. I hope they bring you what it is you are looking for. The move sounds very fun! Enjoy.

Suldog said...

Howdy. Finally getting around to catching up on some reading after my Thanksgiving vacation.

So, Arizona, huh? I can see that. As I've sat on the back porch smoking during the past couple of weeks, I've found myself with no desire whatsoever to go through another northerly winter. A couple of inches of snow at Christmas would be nice, I suppose, but that's about all I ever want to see of it for the rest of my life. I've had more than enough shoveling to last me, thanks.

Glad to hear you'll still be blogging, at least for the near future. You're an enjoyable read, of course, otherwise you wouldn't be able to make any headway towards a career at it :-)

Rosebud Collection said...

I thought it was California..but it is Arizona..Wonderful..It sounds like you are ready for your next stage in life. Do what makes you both happy..I have outgrown Maine, but can't get out..haha..
Of course our children are here, but they like it..Like you, it is the weather that bothers me.
Funny how we outgrow things. You know, many people outgrow places, but are afraid to make the move..then they are so unhappy. Like you, I have never been afraid to pack up and go..
Wishing you the best..but as you know I will be following your steps all the way..Love/Carolyn

Karen said...

Arizona is my favorite state, ever! Love it, love it, love it. Which part of the state are you looking at? It's all beautiful. I wish you and Matt the best with your plans and hope everything goes just the way you want it to!

Bridgete said...

Finally catching up after my own move. It looks like we're just going to have to fit in as much hang time as we can before you head off to AZ. And then I'll have one more reason to visit that area. :)

♥ ya girlie!

WV: coccerub. I'm hoping my mind is not the only one that went straight to the gutter with that.