Beginning Again (Again)

She’s baaaaaack! My last post, as 2020 drew to a close, saw me making a valiant effort to make the best of things. “Things” being the fact that we’d been locked down tight since March, with no end in sight, and all the collateral fallout of that circumstance. Given the extremely high risk faced by my roommate, the Celtic Warrior Princess (CWP), our isolation was total. Things had pretty much evened out (meaning most days I was no longer experiencing whiplash from my mood swings), and my new normal left me little to complain about, especially in light of such widespread horror and suffering.

As we rounded the corner into 2021, I decided that my Website needed an update. Which is when I discovered that my previous hosting service just wasn’t the right fit. So I made a note to get some help, and as often happens thanks to my (ahem) distractibility, I dithered. As also often happens, this to-do item that I needed help with was overcome by events: the arrival of vaccines and our temporary “return to normal”; preparations for the CWP’s long-awaited relocation to New Orleans to attend college; preparations to launch a professional organizing business; and later dismantling the CWP’s life in the Big Easy and the business plans when second and successive waves of the virus arrived. Somewhere in there I also resolved to take my writing seriously, which I’m happy to say that I have, and less happy to report that, being who I am, in the early days this meant I was obsessive and rigid and extremely hard on myself. No time for frivolities like blog posts!

So, here we are almost three years later. I’ve migrated to a different platform. Apologies to those of you who commented on earlier posts; those were lost in the migration. Feel free to comment again, or for the first time if you didn’t previously. I like to think I’ve taken a step up, let’s say from boring to basic (having learned the importance of sticking to one’s level of competence).

WHAT’S NEW

-I’m once again living with my personal stylist, in-house pianist, and most fun friend. In addition to the mermaid cottage, we also share a car, many meals, an urge to write, and a delightfully (we think, anyway) twisted sense of humor.

-Despite loving solitude more than ever, these days I’m finding myself far less introverted when I’m out in the world. Could it be because I now have so many fewer f*cks to give?

-Instead of resolutions, I’ve decided to begin each new year by adopting a motto. This year’s? Step it up. A reminder to make that little extra effort in the areas of my life that matter to me. I’m finding it a great momentum builder.

WHAT’S AHEAD

-A book! I’ve been grinding away for the past year, pivoted several times, and think I’m finally on the right track. But who knows? The fabulous thing is that I’ve learned to love the process. Currently, I’m working on a memoir in the form of linked personal essays, sharing what I’ve learned as I’ve healed and rebuilt my life from the ashes.

-More posts! I have so much on my mind and am eager to engage in discussion. To find out what’s on your mind as well. What will I be posting about?

1) Anything related, peripherally or otherwise, to how I woke up , faced up, and finally started to grow up following the nuclear implosion of my life and my self-imposed exile from Stepford a little over eight years ago.

2) All things reading and writing.

3) Women’s issues. There’s so much I want to talk about after waking up! Sorry in advance guys, I fear some of these may be a little snarky.

4) Organizing. It’s always been a passion, which is why I was poised to go into business. Although the lingering pandemic and my aging body changed those plans, I still derive great joy from making my environment meaningful and beautiful and helping others to do the same. Over the years, my focus has shifted from organizing what’s already there, to decluttering before organizing, to more of a philosophy of streamlining and simplifying all aspects of one’s life.

5) Shepherding. The term I’ve decided on for the process of guiding a chronically ill teen toward independence. With eight years now under our belts, I’ve learned some things that I’d love to pass on to others. The prevalence of long Covid (an almost identical post-viral syndrome to that which the CWP suffers) makes this feel more urgent.

6) Anything you want to talk about.

Please share in the comments what’s new, what’s ahead for you, and what you want to talk about.

Since it’s where we left off, my first post will be about the pandemic. How it changed me: the good, the bad, and the unexpected. It’s fascinating to me how people have processed or are still processing this historic event, and I can’t wait to hear about your experience.