Thursday, July 12, 2012

Notice: It's Really Happening

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Last Tuesday, I took a giant leap. Nick and I decided the night before that we are ready.

When I woke up in the morning, I felt sick. I was shaky and pale and almost lost my breakfast. I came into work, called my supervisor into a meeting, and gave my two weeks notice. He asked me if I had really thought it over, if I was sure that this is what I wanted. My nerves turned to excitement and I had to try to not laugh.

From the moment I walked out of the meeting room, I felt different. I felt confident. I knew I made the right decision.

So many times I have written on here about feeling like I was ready for change, that something exciting was right around the corner. After patiently waiting and planning for the right moment, it has finally arrived.

I have spent so much time thinking about what I really want. Some of the answers are more obvious than others. Some answers never change.

Nick is an engineer and so he and I have made plans to make this work. We made charts and graphs and lists and once there was nothing left to decide, we were ready.

I am going to pursue a dream.

As of July 21st, my job title is writer.

Duke and Toby will be my coworkers. My office is my new work space. I will toil away at a computer screen. I will put words on a page and try to make something out of it.

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To answer the FAQs:

1. Yes, I have something lined up but not as much as you might think.
  • I have an unpaid internship writing for a furniture company.
    • It is marketing writing for a company that cares a lot about sustainability and being eco-friendly.
  • I am working on a novel.
    • I am terrible at giving a synopsis of my novel. Suffice it to say, it is fiction and I still have a lot left to write.
  • I am applying for other writing jobs and freelance opportunities.
    • Yes, I would love if you knew of any opportunities and shared them with me.
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2. I write primarily fiction but I am also interested in copy editing, marketing writing, and short non-fiction. At this stage in the writing game, I am not picky and will be happy to write about horses or umbrellas. I love writing about pop-culture, people, and travel.

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3. I am able to do this because my husband is amazing. He has been pushing me harder than I have been pushing myself. He believes in my talent and encourages my passion. He is also really smart and works as an engineer in the neuromodulation department so he can support us for a bit. (** This does mean though that we will be significantly tightening our belts in the upcoming months.)

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4. Yes, I am very aware of the challenges that I (we) face. I hear it in the lack of words of some of the older and more traditional people in my life. Ultimately, this is something that if I did not try, I would always wonder what if and so whatever the outcome may be, I believe in my decision and I cannot wait to see what this time brings...

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Monday, July 2, 2012

Welcome July: Remember the Day

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It is the start of my favorite month. July is what I wait for all year. I love summer and long days and warm nights.

July also holds a lot of memories for me and the way I remember those moments is to remember the dates. For example, I remember that Nick and I got engaged the Friday of Fourth of July weekend. The night after we got engaged, we went to a Holdsteady concert and it was my friend Sarah's birthday, July 3rd. The Fourth of July was the following day. Therefore, Nick and I got engaged on July 2nd and now I remember that night and the weekend that followed.

Nick teases me because as a result of this, I remind him of multiple anniversaries.
  • July 5th: I left for Australia.
  • July 6th: I spent the day securing a new passport. See more about that here.
  • July 7th: disappeared as I flew across the globe.
  • July 8th, 2004: I met Nick (and Kris and Carlos and Adam and Kat and Ketlynne etc)
  • July 23rd: Nick and I kissed for the first time. I have written in a journal. Also the night was eventful as we had been out with friends and claimed the night to be Kris' unbirthday. That is a story I should write at a later time.
For the past seven years, we have held the 23rd as our anniversary. Last year we got married on August 20th and as tradition has it, that anniversary overrides the old one. The issue is that July 23rd will mark eight years of being together, August 20th will only mark one. I am not asking for jewely or fancy dinners but I am going to continue pushing for at least two anniversaries, maybe three. It is an excuse to spend time together, it is a reminder of what is important, and as time moves forward, it will help us remember.

Speaking of dates, June 28th is Nick's birthday. He turned 30 and we celebrated the whole weekend. He is feeling old but he's just as cute now as he was when I spotted him on the bus eight years ago.