Heromaker.net

It Was a Good Week

"It was a good week."

I haven't been able to say that in over a year and a half. In fact, it was a spectacular week.  Here's a few of the highlights:

1) My first week of full-time, paid work in 18(ish) months. The job at Ivy Publications seems pretty good so far. They were in need of an editor that could grow into a leader, and I fit the bill. (i.e., lots of experience in publishing, but never actually been given the reins.)

2) Kerri's Dad survived a heart surgery. It's still rough-going, and we're not sure what it means for the long-haul, but with these sorts of things, you take it one procedure at a time.

3) Room became available for Bridget at Autumn's daycare, which means we don't have to worry about where she'll be going or who is watching her. (And: Less driving for me!)

4) Some really good news came in, which I can't really talk about yet. But it involves money. Lots of it. It made Kerri and I extremely happy. It'll make our lives a bit easier. (Another thing I haven't been able to say in a while.)

5) My cousin, Kelly, was picked to become part of the Chicago Bulls' dance squad, The Luvabulls. Photo of the 2010-11 team is here. (She's in the middle row, left side, second from the end: blond hair, blue top.) I almost didn't recognize her!

6) Absolutely no writing done at all this week. However, I've gone to the gym twice and I've slept better than I have in a year. Once school starts up for Abigail and we get into more of a routine, I'll carve out some time for The Words. (Hopefully.)

How was your week?

Our Long National Nightmare Is Over

Imagine Janine Melnitz, the dry and sardonic secretary from Ghostbusters, quietly placing the phone receiver on its cradle. Now she stands up and moves her hand over a large, red alarm button. She pauses for a moment, enjoying the moment. The calm before the joy. With a smile she slams her hand down and the alarm rings loud and true. 

"WE GOT ONE!" she yells.

That's kind of what happened over here this morning.

I got a job.

Let me repeat that.

I. Got. A. Job.

Eighteen months of uncertainty and pain and frustration and rejection and too, too many notes that started with a "We're sorry, but ..." and ended with me cursing and Kerri eating ice cream straight out of the container.

Today's my 9th wedding anniversary and I got a job. What a great day. Kerri cried. My mom cried. My brother cheered. Not sure what dad's reaction was because mom took the phone away from him too fast. Kerri Facebooked the news and I was receiving "Congrats!" emails even before I hung up the phone with Mom.

So, what job did I get?

I'm the new editor at Ivy Publications. They publish the print magazine and website Albemarle Family Living, a family/community resource covering all things local. They also publish the Charlottesville Welcome Book and its accompanying website. And a few other odds and ends.

I'm a bit nervous, mostly because it's not what I imagined when daydreaming about where I'd end up. But I think it's a really good fit. Unexpected, for sure, but a good fit. It's time for me to move from "assistant" into a more managerial role and I think Ivy is a great place for this to happen.

Thanks to everyone who supported me with words or deeds these past 18 months. I never would have made it without you.

A Shift in Gears to "Nothing"

Faced with the herculean task of selling the screenplay, I thought I'd shift gears for efficiency's sake. I'm going to finish a short story called (tentatively) "Nothing is Ever Truly Lost." When this is finished and out on the market I'll move back to the screenplay.

Galway '96 hit a bit of a roadblock, both mentally and physically. I might have lost some confidence in it. Not totally, but for the time being. The criticism from friends and wife was great but it was hard not to notice that, while they were willing to help me make the script better, none of them were terribly excited about the story itself. No one really made an effort to tell me they "liked" it or how awesome it was, only how to make it better. No one said, "Man, that scene where X happens and Y says that cool line, I loved that!" And that's discouraging. This isn't a bash on those who criticized the script. Not at all. They were honest and helpful. And tactful. Maybe I needed some handholding and encouragement. But that wasn't their job. They weren't reading it to tell me how awesome I am. (Unless, of course, it was true. Which, it wasn't.)

When I stare down the reality of selling it I get depressed.

When I receive multiple job-rejections in one 24-hour period, it's difficult to muster the energy to build something which might ultimately suck eggs, no matter how much time I invest. 

When I'm trying to juggle wife, kids, chores, finances, worry, and possible drastic career changes ... The Call of Writing stresses me out. I go to bed every night—every night—regretting the words left unwritten, the stories that are held captive in my head. Every. Single. Night.

So, I'm taking a break from Galway '96 and moving on to "Nothing is Ever Truly Lost," a story about job loss (shocker!), children, war, and rediscovering the things we've discarded (intentionally or not) from our lives. Well, at least that's what I intend to write. The final product may be far afield from those intentions. I'd like to finish "Nothing," ideally, in the next month. At least an initial draft. That may be extremely optimistic, considering my track record for producing words.