The End of Things

I'm not shutting this blog down, but life is getting in the way and I now have two other blogs to manage (and rather a few social media accounts). So instead of making promises to update, I'm going to promise I won't be updating for a while. I might pop in every now and then to share what I'm up to, but mostly you will be able to find me on my other blogs. I'll post the links to those when they are completely up and running (still in the works) and give you a preview of what I've been working on (new business!)

Happy writing, one and all. It's what makes my life worth living and, I hope, fills yours with joy too.

Here comes 2016

The funny thing about New Year's Day is that it comes whether you want it to or not. And the more you don't want it to arrive, the more likely it is to get here sooner. Time works in mysterious ways.

I am both dreading and excited for New Year's Day. Excited for obvious reasons, as the start to a new year is always a good reason to be excited. So much can happen in 12 months and it's all before me.

Dreading because 2016 will start off no different than 2015 ended, and I'm not in a happy place right now. To be fair, I'm not miserable either, but this year is not ending as I hoped it would, and 2016 is not starting as I hoped it would. In fact, is starting very close to how I dreaded it would.

Hense my conflicted feelings on the matter. But 2016 will come, whether I wish it or no, and so, like most things in life, you learn to make the best of it.

On that note, I have certain New Year Resolutions. Though I hate that term 'resolutions'. I resolve to do this, this and this. Resolutions are about intention, not outcome, and by the definition far too easy to break. Like promises. I am resolved is a good turn of phrase, but it does not necessary mean follow-through.

Instead, I make determinations. I am resolved in decision yes, but I am determined in process.

So my New Year Determinations are:

Follow-through on the internship I created for myself. That means six months self.

Go to the gym regularly.

Eat fewer white carbs.

Eat less processed sugar.

See friends at least once a month.

Write a query letter. Send it out. [Freak out.]

Finish the novels that are in progress. To not start anymore.

Edit two novels. [Well, one and a half.]

Travel as much as your bank account will absolutely allow.

Walk camino.

Graduate.

Be excited about 2017.

Blogging Manifesto

I started a new blog. Which, normally, would mean ignoring this one. I don't want to do that, however, so I thought I'd taken a lesson from Miss Pond, and create a manifesto for this blog. Something I can refer back to whenever I get a bit off-track.

What will I use this blog for?

-career pursuits
-reflecting on job hunting
-issues in the museum field
-comments on getting into novelizing and trying to get published
-flagging up blogs of note in the above fields
-social media opinions and suggestions

What I won't use this blog for:

-PhDing (that's what the other blog is for)
-complaining about how bad life is
-personal issues
-funnies
-referencing other blogs (except where they relate to career/novelizing)
-procrastinating from writing entries for my other blog (or working)

Well, that's a start at least. Something I can have to refer back to every time I write a new post. We'll see how that goes for the rest of the year, and maybe I'll come back to this again in January and see how I've been getting on, and revise, where needed. It's a work in progress.