Six Word Saturday

my new job starts this Tuesday

It's a freelance thing that grew out of my last contract and will provide some steady monthly income. I'm not really sure about the day-to-day duties yet so wish me luck and happiness!

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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit.  Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week.  In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

<a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" /></a>

Wait, WHAT?!?!

Last weekend, we received an email from Fred, one of Joe's out-of-town grad school classmates. Another local, Jane, was copied. (No, those aren't their real names. Give me a break.)

"Hi Joe and Jane! I waited until last-minute to book a hotel for the reunion next weekend and I'm having trouble finding one. Any chance either of you could do me a huge favor and let me crash with you for the two nights? I'd be indebted forever!"

Joe checked with me (because he values his life) and I said it was fine so he replied with a yes. At the same time, the other potential host replied with a yes. Fred's response?

"Guess you'll have to arm wrestle and get back to me with the winner!"

Haha, right? So silly, that Fred! Several days went by and Joe emailed Fred again to see if he'd decided where to stay. The response?

"I feel like I'm in an awkward position with the two of you making me choose. Maybe you can sort it out and get back to me."

How in the world did this go from doing him a favor by hosting in our homes to us fighting for the honor of his presence? No, *I* want to clean my house so it's guest-ready! Pick me, pick me!!! I just don't think that's how things are supposed to work. Or am I wrong?

In the end, (based on a bunch of things I didn't bother asking about) he chose to stay with Jane and her husband. Probably just as well since Tonya-cat has started bitch-slapping anyone that dares go upstairs at our place.

In a related story, little old me, along with my creative spirit and fledgling freelance career, will be spending time at Joe's reunion this weekend. It will be a crowd of business school alumni with their fancy degrees and high-powered jobs. I'm totally feeling like I'll fit right in! (notsomuch) Actually, I've gained some confidence recently so I'm looking at it as a challenge rather than an opportunity to freak out.

Plus, I need to congratulate Jane on her "win."

Her Name is Stephanie

I'm going to blame a migraine for this conversation but I do a lot of this sort of thing.

me: Hi, I have an appointment for next week that I'd like to move up if possible. I believe my stylist's name is Stephanie.
chick on phone: We don't have any stylist named Stephanie here.
me: Anyone named something similar to Stephanie?
chick on phone: We have a Shea. And a Simone.
me: Can you look me up? My name is Cate blahblahblah.
chick on phone: Ok, sure. (pause) Your stylist's name is Nicole.
me: Yeah, that's it! Just like Stephanie!

And over the weekend, we were trying to find the packet pick-up location for Joe's race. He was driving, I was navigating (bad idea).

me: It should be up here, on the left. The street starts with a B - I'll recognize it when I see it.
Joe: Ok, let me know.
me: If we reach the memorial, we've gone too far.
Joe: This is the memorial, guess I'll u-turn. What street are we looking for?
me: It starts with a B. Take the first right, that must be it.
Joe: Ok.
me: Yeah, this isn't it. It must be off this street. Keep looking for a street starting with B.
Joe: I think we should pull over and check the map. It shouldn't be this far.
me: Fine!
Joe: (he checks the address in the confirmation email) It's on Mustian Street.
me: Yes, that's it!
Joe: Mustian doesn't start with a B.
me: Whatever. I was close.
Joe: No, not really.

Seriously, me? Lame. Actually, I blame Joe for that one. He should know better than to trust me for directions. And hopefully "Stephanie" is better at remembering my haircut request than I am at remembering her name. Oops.

Returning to the Scene of the Crime

Joe decided rather last-minute, as is often the case with Joe, that he was going to run a half-marathon this weekend. Yeah, you know, just 13.1 miles. No biggy. Even better? He decided to run it in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Which is an undisclosed number of HOURS in the car from our undisclosed location. Drive out Saturday, back Sunday.

As we neared our hotel, I started remembering the last time we were there. It was in September of 2008 and we had rented a beach house for the week, just to relax and get away. I spent the entire week sick due to crippling anxiety ("There's the restaurant we didn't go to because I was too spazzed to eat!"). I was sick the entire drive there. I spent the entire week trying to keep control enough to even leave the house ("There's where I spent a week thinking I was losing my mind and going to die!").

It was that trip that was the breaking point. It was that "vacation" that resulted in admitting I needed help, that something was wrong and I couldn't fix it on my own. Frantic calls to my doctor back home got me a prescription for a week's supply of xanax ("There's the Walgreens where I got my first anxiety meds!"). Agreeing to see a therapist when I we got home ("There's the lighthouse that I stood outside when I made the appointment that put me on daily anxiety meds!").

This trip was much different. I didn't spend the entire night before freaking out. I didn't spend the entire drive waiting for the next opportunity to pull over so I could be sick. We went out, we ate, and I was chill.

I've come a long way since then. I'm not sure what I'd do without Joe's support - I know I'm not easy to live with but he keeps helping me through issues that are issues only to me, despite his black-and-white logical mind not really grasping what's wrong. He's proof that you can be understanding without actually understanding.

Last week I mentioned the bazillion and one things that are now filling my days. I'm the happiest now that I've been in years. My life is busy with projects that I love and work that I enjoy. I may not be making even a fraction of the income I did before leaving my last traditional job but I'm making progress.

And I still find myself slipping into those dark holes of depression and anxiety from time to time. But there's progress there as well - I don't seem to fall in as deep or for as long. Maybe some day I'll be able to cope without relying on medication.

But for now, I cling to the progress I've made in the time since I last visited those beaches. I don't know when I'll be back there again but I feel confident in predicting there will be even more progress by the next time I visit.

Six Word Saturday

world domination - won't be long now

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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit.  Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week.  In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

<a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" /></a>

I'm on Fire!

But don't call 911 (or prescribe an antibiotic cream) - it's the GOOD kind of fire!

I haven't been blogging hardly at all the past few weeks other than Six Word Saturday. In fact, last week's six words were:

failing at blogging but winning elsewhere

So, what have I been up to lately?

In short - much awesomeness.

More specifically? (In no particular order)

• researching and outlining my novel
• working an editing contract
• rocking that contract SO HARD that they not only want me back but have hired me on-going
• making my nephew's birthday gift which he adored
• niece also adored it - so I've been making her one to stop the fighting
• enjoying the outdoors
• fighting off the alien invasion (aka BIL and family at Easter)
• brainstorming and putting into action a plan to self-publish some books you all might enjoy (more info coming soon)

Anyone who has doubted my plan for world domination? Read it and weep. I'm well on my way and fired up to keep going. I'm also fired up to blog a bit more regularly. I'm hoping to have some exciting things coming up. In the meantime, tomorrow is Six Word Saturday, as always, and I'll be back with more regular posts next week!

Six Word Saturday

failing at blogging but winning elsewhere

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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit.  Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week.  In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

<a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" /></a>

Six Word Saturday

visiting family scares Easter bunny away

Brother-in-law, his wife and two kids are visiting. Among other gems today, 12-yo nephew did not want to wait to find a bathroom so they stood around him to block the view while he peed in the street. This in a busy pedestrian mall downtown in my major (undisclosed) city location. I mean, really? Who DOES that?

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Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit.  Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week.  In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

<a href="http://www.showmyface.com/search/label/6WS"><img src="http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp35/showmyface/guts/6wsButton.jpg" /></a>