Tag: coffee

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reading, writing and resumes

Oops, I haven’t posted in a while!  Sorry about that.  I don’t even have a good excuse!  Life has been busy, but that’s almost always true.  So, what’s been happening?  Well, next week is Sirens is happening next week and our benefit anthology is out now!

heroes and hellions cover

Heroes and Hellions is a collection of short stories and poetry that explores what it is to be a hero and where the line blurs.

Your purchase goes to support the Sirens conference.  If you appreciate some badass speculative fiction from some badass folks you should pick it up.

In other news, I got email recently from someone who will be recording my first novel, Forever!  Audio book incoming, for all of you Readers who have been asking.

I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get back into a writing habit with the conference next week.  I think I’ve been a bit stymied because I have too many stories in my head competing for attention.

 

Aside from all of that, and bouncing between three different novels in progress, I’m still sending out resumes, looking for that company who needs me and all I have to offer.  For now, I’m slugging my way through a contract position that is not my favorite, but is paying the bills.

Speaking of which, I should get to it.  Lots of editing to do!  And my coffee is getting cold.  Happy Wednesday, Readers.  Go out and be recklessly kind!

 

Photo by João Silas on Unsplash

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finding space to be me

I’ve been thinking a lot about community and what that looks like for someone like me who seldom feels at home in groups of people.  For a time in my life, I found community in various fandoms, but as time progressed, they became contentious and clicky and I backed away.

For a time, I found community in the Pagan community, which here in the SF Bay area is vibrant and diverse and can be amazing.  However, here too there is division and in-fighting, and I’ve backed off in recent years.

My current attempt at giving to community is within the LGBTQA+ space, but I find myself limiting my interaction to what I do for the Pride organization, and I don’t go out seeking friends within the community, and I don’t really engage in any events or discussions.  I guess, in a way, I give community, but don’t receive it in return.

Even among fellow authors and editors, I tend to feel unseen, unnoticed, and markedly of different opinions than many, so I feel as though here too is a community that I belong in, but do not belong to.

Mostly, I’m okay with that.  I’m better on my own in most things.  I have a number of very good friends that I can spend time with and not feel as though I’ve burned my candle down to nothing, not feel as though I give and give and get nothing in return.

Having just spent two weeks with one such friend, my socialization/support needs are well met and community feels more like work than it is worth.  I have a cautious toe dipping back into fandom having found a Star Wars fandom group for geeky women and I see the enthusiasm and love others have, and I miss sharing that.  I’ve kept my geeky joy for just my friends who share it for a long time.

Not sure yet how deep I’ll wade into it again, for now it’s mostly toe dipping, but my recent trip to Disney and Galaxy’s Edge has reignited my love of all things Star Wars, so we’ll see.

In the meantime, I have a day job to get busy on, and so much to do!  I wish you good coffee and random acts of kindness today, Readers!

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nebulous nebulas and other space oddities…

I’m not going to lie, this new job is killing me.  I haven’t written more than a few words (of course, not on any of the things I have been writing, no, Brain decided that we needed more sci-fi in our writing and has offered me space!vampire!pirates…I don’t know sometimes…) and my stress level is mighty.

Still, I have a week’s vacation looming, it’s starting to feel like fall, and this time next week I’ll be somewhere in LA.  Our Wednesday isn’t fully decided, but Tuesday we’ll be at Universal Studios Hollywood, and Thursday and Friday we’ll be at Disney.  This is the second year in a row that I’ll be at a Disney property for/around my birthday.  A year ago today, I was on a plane for Paris.

I do love to travel and I am very fortunate to make enough money to support it.  I wish that money was coming from book sales, but I’ll get there one day.  In the meantime, I’ll just write when I can and keep plugging along.

I really should get to the day-job work.  I have my coffee, I’ve had breakfast, and once I get through today, it’s only two more until vacation.  Happy Wednesday, Readers.  I hope it is kind and filled with love.

 

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new job, week 2…can I go back to Austin now?

I came back from my amazing trip to Austin to start a new job, in a new industry that I know nothing about and may well be beyond my ability to grasp.  But I’m trying.  Week 2 and I’ve already had to take a sick day because I caught a cold, but hey, I’m pretty sure that wasn’t my fault.

So here I am, learning all about financial markets and derivatives trading and crypto currency.  It’s little things that are keeping my sane right now, like these pics from Austin (it’s good to have a professional photographer follow you around, at least sometimes).

fun with an axe

Also in the happy making column are my temperature sensitive, color changing nails, the tickets to Universal Studios that I just bought (Harry Potter, we’re coming for you!) and the trip to LA that goes with those tickets.  Oh, and not to mention Disneyland, though I haven’t bought those tickets yet…soon…very soon.

I get to be in Star Wars land for my birthday!  And have a tasty adult beverage at the Cantina to celebrate!  I think that’s pretty awesome. Bonus if I can find me a Chewbacca and get a hug!

But yes, the work thing is stressful and weird and I feel a little bit like I’m back in school.  I guess it’s never a bad thing to keep learning!

While I’m thinking about it, and alone in the office, I need to make a phone call about changing a plane reservation.  And coffee.  I need coffee.

Happy Wednesday, Readers!

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axes with friends

Last weekend I was in Austin celebrating a friend’s birthday, and getting to see a cousin I haven’t seen since we graduated high school together.  It was a fabulous long weekend that started on Wednesday.

The mini-vacation included getting to hang in the pool and spend lots of hours catching up with my cousin and her daughter, then music and dinner on Lady Bird lake, Rocky Horror Picture Show with friends, a buffet breakfast, ax throwing craziness (which I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did), dinner and beer at the Family Business Brewing Company, followed by more beer and a concert.

Every time I get to do one of these weekends, I’m reminded why I’m willing to spend the money to do it.  Austin is a beautiful city and I’ve met some awesome people.  And our host’s reaction to my new appearance, after not seeing me in 3 years, was worth every penny too!

I came home to an extra week off before I start my new job on Monday, which has meant that I got a good amount of writing time this week and that has felt really good.  I’m hoping that I can continue getting at least 500 words a day, even as I start my new job, which I am admittedly both nervous and excited for.

It’s a whole new industry for me, and the learning curve is going to be steep.

But hey, we all know I love a challenge!

Well, Readers, the coffee is hot (DeathWish Valhalla Java this morning) and I need to get some words flowing.  I hope to get back to a regular cadence of posting here now that I will be settling in to a new routine.

 

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getting girly

I am, most definitively, a woman.  I have never been a “girly” woman.  The most girly I get is the treat of having someone else color my hair for me, and even then, I have a pretty straightforward cut that is easy to style (or not) to keep it all pretty low maintenance.

I am, however, getting ready to go on vacation, and I was suddenly struck with a deep desire to have my nails done, so yesterday after the gym, I stopped into a nail salon and had a mani/pedi and got my face de-haired.  I originally just asked for my eyebrows, but then decided to let her do my upper and lower lip, chin and cheeks.  Ever since I started using the Nuva ring to help control my out of control menstrual cycle, my facial hair has gone bonkers.

It’s been ages since I did any of that.  Add in the massage chair during the pedicure, and I was feeling pretty pampered.  And today I have an appointment with my amazing hair stylist who is going to re-green my hair for me.

I’m feeling downright girly!

Since today is Saturday, there’s been quite a bit of writing as well, with my focus once more on the Daughters of Morru book.  Toss in some coffee and clothing I haven’t been able to wear in years?  Yeah, it’s a good day.

How about you, Readers?  What’s on your agenda for this final weekend in July?

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the one with a migraine

Yesterday was not a good day.  I was feeling all over aches, bloating, nausea, stiffness in my back….just yuck.  As the day went on, I developed a headache and then, shortly after I had a little dinner, I threw up everything my tiny stomach could possibly hold.

I went to bed knowing that I would wake up with a migraine, and sure enough I did.  I have medicated and had some coffee and it’s dialed back a bit, but my stomach is still not very happy with me and I don’t dare venture out into the sun or head to the gym.

That means keeping myself in my nice dark office to get some work and some writing done.  I’m enjoying this part time work lifestyle, even if it means I don’t have quite as much money.

It also means I have time in my schedule for more freelance work, so if you’re looking for a writer or an editor, hit me up.  I’ll give you a good deal.

 

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plot holes and other dangers

I was up early this morning because I forgot to turn off my alarm last night.  I slept hard though, and woke up knowing I had stuff to do.  I’m heading out to my mother’s house today, so I got up and hit the gym first thing.  So first thing that I got there before the doors opened.

I have plans to do some writing tomorrow, but today is all about physical pursuits.  My Daughters of Morru story is coming along, now that I’ve filled in a plot hole that’s been bugging me.

Someone told me recently, when they saw me writing, that it is possible to correct a typo without backspacing the whole word (or however much of the sentence you’ve finished writing)…not sure it’s true.  LOL.  I have to take my hands off the keyboard to just fix a single letter, but backspacing means my hands never leave the keys.

Anyway, my coffee’s getting cold, Readers, and we can’t have that!  I hope you have a wonderful Saturday, whatever you’re up to.

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and so it is…

Pride week. Second week on the new job.  Deadlines for writing and editing.

Yeah, it’s been a week.  And it’s only Wednesday!

I turned over my writing and editing stuff to all the various people who I needed to get it to early this morning, seeing as I was awake at 5 am, even though I’m pretty sure I meant to sleep a few more hours.  Might as well make use of the time, am I right?

I have to work the day job for a few hours this morning (it’s amazing how quickly you can burn through an allotted 20 hours!!), before turning my attention to the rest of my Pride prep, which at this point of the week includes doing laundry, sorting out my meds for the weekend, making sure the laptop is set up for sign ins over the weekend and making some hard boiled eggs.  Because Protein.

There is probably going to be some house cleaning and sorting through the piles of clothing I’ve pulled out of places to decide whether it stays or goes…and if it goes, where is it going to?  Having lost 122 pounds since my heaviest weight is great, but it does make clothing occasionally problematic.  I picked up two pairs of size 18W capri pants the other day…they’re already a bit baggy, and yesterday I put on a pair of size 16W that were too tight for comfort, but I could zip them up and everything.  Won’t be too long before I’m in those.  But that means the piles of 20Ws need to find new homes.

I should probably get on with the day job work.  More deadlines, you know?  And that cup of coffee I set down somewhere and is probably getting cold…I should go find that too.  Happy Wednesday, Readers!  And Happy Pride!

 

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disappearing act, work and pride

Oops!  I seem to have missed a couple of posts there last week!  Sorry about that.  Truth is, job hunting and Pride have eaten up all of my time lately.  The good news is that I’ve landed a job that is paying me well, and not taking up all my time, and once I’ve gotten my feet good and wet will let me work from home as much as I need to.

And how are we almost to SF Pride?  We’re under two weeks away!  I’m giving my first Supervisor’s training this Thursday!  It’s crazy!  I still have a little bit of work to do to be ready for that, so I anticipate this afternoon after work I will be deep into that.  It’s not like I haven’t given at least part of this training for more than 10 years!  I could probably do it in my sleep, but I still get anxious about getting ready.

As writing goes, I’m still kind of in limbo land, in part due to stress related writer’s block and in part due to editing commitments. Doesn’t keep my head from filling with ideas though…and I’m contemplating an anthology of short stories to get the juices flowing again…after Pride and the editing of the anthology for Sirens.

For now, I should get back to my coffee and my getting ready for work.  Happy Tuesday, Readers!