I do have a busy week ahead of me, but I am feeling more energized than anything. I keep thinking of the palm trees and balmy temps as I sit here wearing layer upon layer, staring at the snow outside the windows.
This move is so important - not just because I'm going some place warm, but because I'm at long last pursuing something instead of just running away (oh, the vagaries of youth). I am so grateful that I've been given this opportunity to move forward.
I think I might have a buyer for the car (will know by noon), and I've perused online enough to feel confident that I can get something in L.A. in my price range that won't be a complete jalopy.
She ain't much to look at, but she'll make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.Thanks to http://lgreport.blogspot.com/ for the photo
Between now and next Thursday, of course, will be the New Year. I usually write up a post about the year ending and the year to come. Usually this comes in the form of bulleted lists, but I'll try something different this time:
The year was 2011. I spent much of January at the Saltonstall Arts Colony for a prolonged writing retreat, which I have done every year for the last three or four. Made some serious headway on my Space: 1999 novel, sketched out an outline for a reboot with writer William Latham, and got a near-final draft of my paranormal comedy script completed.I don't know how much time I will have for blogging in the next few days, so for now, I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!
When spring semester rolled in, I again tutored at a local community college for 26 hours a week, and by spring, felt myself totally burned out on academia. I knew then that it was time for a change, but I didn't know what, exactly.
In March, things at home devolved and dissolved to the point where neither of us knew quite what to do. By the end of July, we decided on a separation. 6 months later, we are finally separating, with an eye to individual self-improvement. It is sad, but it is also liberating, and we do still love each other. The future has yet to be written.
As soon as the semester was over, I took off to the South Shore of Boston to visit my friends and family in the area where I grew up. It's always nurturing and happy to see them, and to spend time at Nantasket Beach.
From June to August, I taught a delightful class of Chinese high schoolers at Cornell how to write an academic paper in English, spurring them to use creative, inquisitive, critical thinking. It was a pleasant summer on campus, and I became reacquainted with the Tibetans who run Cafe Zeus. They remembered me from the last time I'd taught a summer college class at Cornell in '08.
When that program was finished, I took another trip to my homeland in August, and got my oldest grand nephew Owen hooked on Tron. Mission accomplished. Also spent as much time in the Atlantic Ocean as possible. Some great body surfing on a sunny day - will never forget it.
Fall came, and by this time I knew I had to try L.A. on for size. Spent some time there in September and October, fell in love head over heels with the city, and started making my plans before I even came back to Ithaca. I didn't want to come back, but I knew I had to - many loose ends, projects to finish, people to see, and of course, there was Spaz.
Spent a lot of time with Spaz in the Great Outdoors in the fall, enabled by marvelous temperatures and blue skies.
Somewhere in there, I learned a hard lesson about trust, faced things about certain people I didn't want to admit were true, and learned how absolutely slimy, underhanded and abhorrent some women can be.
I moved through the rest of the season - Halloween and Thanksgiving - with as much grace as possible, intent on spending time with friends and enjoying life as much as possible. I went on unemployment, did some temping, and worked diligently on my cover letter and resume dynamic duo. By Christmastime, I was feeling more ready and less nervous about my move date: January 5th.
A week out, and I have completed my projects, I've spent time with friends and family, I've polished my job app materials, and I've learned that I can bring my Spaz with me to L.A. to start a new life together.
Looking to 2012 I will start my new year off with a gigantic move, but I have people waiting for me on the other end, ready to help me take off and fly. So here's to flying in 2012. No idea what is to come, but one thing's for sure - it won't be boring.
New Year Intentions (I prefer that to "resolutions"): Everything's an opportunity, believe in myself, be gentle. That's it, really. I'm about to enter into a massive change of lifestyle and outlook, so the rest will have to come day by day.
