Hyperboles in Motion

Life the last few weeks has been many things, but the only word that I can come up with that comes close to what I'm feeling right now is, whoa.

There are SO many things that I want to post about, like how school is going so well that I've decided that on top of my Bachelor in Entertainment Business, I've added on an additional year to earn my Master in New Media Journalism, and a Graduate Certificate in Internet Marketing.  

Or, how the internship with the publishing company has been nothing short of amazing. That saying is absolutely true: Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.

Or, how things are finally starting to come together as far as life is concerned, and we couldn't be happier.

However, there's one thing that is overriding my circuitry right now:

I'm published.

Me. Published!

I have a publishing credit to my name, and suddenly I want to scream and dance naked down the street. (Yeah, probably shouldn't do that.)

My short story, "Wayward," is published in Spectacle Publishing's Halloween Anthology entitled, "dis.turb.ing." It involves a lonely bridge, a hearse named "GRAVDGR," and a teenage girl who's about to end the worst night of her life.

I hope you guys get a chance to check it out. The anthology is priced at .99 and has some really great Halloween-y stories. (In addition to Smashwords, I'm told that it will be soon available on B&N.com for the nook and Amazon.com for the kindle.)

So, enough about me ... how are you doing?

My apologies for the lapse in updates. I've been trying to get through the last leg of this month with school, while working to put the pieces of my life back together. Also, in the moments where I have had a chance to breathe, I've spent them panting over rhiannon76 's impending novel. (Seriously. Good. Head-food. OM NOM NOM.) I only wish I had the kind of reading time that I once had, because DAMN, I'm rather obsessed with the world. The characters. The concepts. (In other words, "WOW, RHI!") 

Now, on to the quick and dirty.

Good stuff: 

• I finally got a job.
• Matt may have an opportunity for a position in the field that he is going to school for. Also, he would be working with his best friend from high school, if he gets the job.
• I am still a straight A student.
• Next month I only have one class to worry about. (Whew!)
• Matt and I are still crazy lovebirds.
• The kids are happy and healthy.
• "Busty" the gypsy mobile is still running.
• Summer is almost here. (This means gratuitous amounts of camping, fishing, and hiking!)
• We are staying with my amazingly wonderful sister until August. (Hopefully, we will not have to be here even that long, as I don't feel right invading her life in the way that we have. So, our goal is to be out and in our own place well before August.)
• Matt may also join the Navy Reserves.
• Plot bunnies will not leave me alone.

Not so good stuff:

• My new job has me on call, but they have not called me in to work yet. *is still looking for a job*
• Nomadic life has taken somewhat of a toll on my kids' academics. (To be fair, this has been quite difficult for them, even with Mom and Dad making it an adventure.)
• While "Busty" has not succumbed yet, we think she is having a transmission issue. Which translates to, "SERIOUSLY SCREWED" if she dies on us now.
• Matt tried to join the Navy as an active recruit, but he was told that he has one too many dependents. Damn it.
• Plot bunnies will not leave me alone.

(Boy, I am so glad that that list is much shorter.)

Anyway, things are not quite there yet, but I am starting to see some progress. I am as grateful as ever to have such good friends (and family) in my life, both in RL and online. You guys make all the difference.

Hi Everyone,

First off, I just want to say thank you for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time.  I am so very humbled by your responses.  I may not have any sort of financial status or a place to call home, but the honest truth is that I have everything that matters right here.  It means so very much to me that you all are just ... there.  I really feel like the luckiest person in the world.

Tonight we're staying at an Inn in Concord.  It is far nicer than the Motel 6 and way more comfortable than the minivan.  Matt went to go do laundry, while I caught up on my homework. (My entrepreneurship class is BRUTAL.)  The kids got to catch up on all of their favorite shows during that time.  

Later in the evening, my oldest sat at the computer and wrote the beginnings of a story.  So far, it is about a family of Gypsies who find an old abandoned excavation site with "dino ooze" that transforms one of the kids into a sort of dinosaur super hero.  

We ate a meal of canned raviolis, and played a game of "Would You Rather."  I had the choice of either eating T-Rex boogers or unicorn poop.  I chose the unicorn poop because it was a.) (apparently) sparkly, and b.) the kids just about died when I announced my choice.

I think it was right around that point, amidst the laughter, that I realized how good my life is.  Really good.  

I mean, yes, we are homeless.  Yes, we have very little money left, and essentially zero personal possessions.  But in the grand scheme of Things, they are exactly that. Things.  

What I have is Now.  My kids, my husband.  I can remember back to all those years that my husband missed out on holidays, birthdays, homework, goodnight hugs and kisses, because he had to work long hours to support us.  All of that time missed, time that we will never get back. And for what exactly? 

That is why I can't allow myself to feel defeated by our situation.  Do I wish that we had a roof over our heads? Absolutely.  However, I am beginning to realize that I do not need to spend each day in despair, so long as I remind myself of this "Nowness" that I have been given. 

For that, I'd eat sparkly unicorn poop any day of the week.