In Absentia

I've been absent from this blog for long months, but for good reason. Here are some of the trials and tribulations that have kept me away.

- I spent a week helping my grandparents move from their house to an apartment. Goodbye only home I've had an attachment to all my life!

- My boyfriend lost his job for stupid political reasons. Oh the joy of being a teacher one year away from tenure.

- Both of us being unemployed, finding a job became my number one priority. Eventually, I was offered two jobs on the same day. I picked a gig as a math tutor in the local school system (for a truly terrific program: http://www.sps.springfield.ma.us/forward5/) as my boyfriend landed a job that was half a state away. He had to get an apartment for during the week so, you know, fun sort of long distance relationship stuff.

- BF got laid off from his new job right before Thanksgiving, no reasons given as it was within his 90 day probationary period. I'm still furious about this.

- All kinds of stress and relationship strain from all of the above.

- Now trying to reinvent our lives together and also both looking for more work again. No easy feat.

So that's what I've been up to. I hope everyone else I know in the blogosphere is doing well because I feel like life has been in shambles and it's be nice to come somewhere with some stability.

Soon I'll update with some exciting news on the writing front. This is the one really good things going for me right now, so if this post was a bit depressing, stay tuned! Things will get better.

New story blog!

Hi, all. I know I'm awful at the frequent update thing. But part of what has been keeping me away is a new project. I just started a story blog for a "magical girl" project I'm working on... Holyoak Five.

Link to Holyoak Five

A brief summary: 

Ever since the Witches Recognition Act of 1999, modern society has come to accept witches as a part of life. But as most witches continue to lead solitary lives out of the public view, there aren’t many who see them day to day. This isn’t true for the residents of Holyoak, Vermont. Every year over a hundred young witches come to study their craft on the hill overlooking town at the Witches College of Holyoak.

And this year, the college is getting five new students destined to change the craft forever.

If it sounds interesting to you, please check it out! Read it especially if the idea of Sailor Moon meets Kiki’s Delivery Service with a dash of Harry Potter tickles your fancy. I am also running a Tumblr for it (Holyoak Five on Tumblr) so you can try a different format if that's more your style.

I'm pretty excited about this project. It's something fun and easy to write, and hopefully enjoyable to read. It'll get heavier as the series progresses, but the beginning should be fairly light and fluffy. Although even as I say that, the first post is a bit on the downer side.... Ah well! All stories must begin somewhere!

Freedom: Day One

Did I mention that I was quitting my job? Well, yesterday was my last day. After two years of surprisingly physically demanding work with little to no confidence about the amount of hours I'd earn each week, it's finally time for a change.

So today is officially my first day of freedom! Yesterday after work nearly everyone I knew from our project came to celebrate with me at the bar. It was a brilliant evening, and I pretty much wanted to cry the entire way home afterwards. I love my (former) coworkers beyond measure. They are beautiful, wonderful people who made every day I spent with them better. No exaggeration. I couldn't have lasted at that job nearly as long without them. Thankfully, I only live an hour away so it's not impossible for me to see them again.

Plus they got me this awesome present: 

Foxes! They know me so well.

So what have I done with Day One?

Woke up late feeling surprisingly okay considering what I drank at the bar. Lounged around then went and got a huge breakfast with The Boy. Did some shopping because - haven't you heard? - the Frankenstorm is coming. (Yeah right.) We came home and watched some of a Harry Potter movie. Then I made dinner (hahahaha! yeah, I made ramen) and now he's playing D&D and I'm blogging.

Don't I have the best life EVER?

Well, it's about to get a lot better. There will be ongoing reports - unless Frankie, er, Sandy knocks the power out. Ciao, bellas!