I'm an Examiner!

I feel like I'm an official author now. I know I have a long way to go, but I got hired by Examiner.com to be the Seattle Infertility & Miscarriage Examiner. You can check out my page here and leave a comment if you feel so inclined. I've got my first article published, and I'm going to try to write 3-4 a week. I get paid based on how many people read my articles and things like that, so there isn't any guaranteed salary. We'll see how it goes and how I like it. In the meantime, I'm still looking for a part-time or full-time job and excited about NaNoWriMo.

Writing and Facebook and More

I think I'm done with Facebook. However, despite the reasons I want to quit, I kind of feel bad doing so, so maybe I will go back to it. I have a while before they permanently delete my profile (and all I have to do to cancel that request is log in), so I'm doing a lot of internal debate about whether or not I should give it another go. I was *thisclose* to deleting my account a while back, but I think I want to more now.

While at the writers retreat earlier this month, I received some inspiration. After a long day, I returned with my roommates back to our cabin and fell asleep quickly with my headphones in and iPod playing. I woke up not too long after to lots of loud laughter that the music could not drown out. I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but I couldn't, and my curiosity got the best of me. So I eventually got up and learned that a lizard and then a mouse had scampered across the floor of our cabin, alarming some of my roommates (and I don't blame them-- I would've been freaked out if I'd have seen it and probably would've been freaked out anyway if I wasn't so tired). But they were starting to calm down about the time that I decided to get up, so they headed to bed and I tried to go back to sleep myself. But as I stared into the darkness, sleep eluded me. Then ideas started running through my mind. I grabbed my notebook and started writing them down- first in the dark and soon by the light of my cell phone because the ideas wouldn't stop coming.

I felt great and was able to fall asleep after I got all the ideas on paper. This lead to me deciding that I should participate in National Novel Writing Month again this year. However, because I am writing about myself and not fiction, I'm not quite following the rules (which classifies me as a rebel but won't get me kicked out or anything). I'm really excited.

And in other news, I got an email from my ex-best friend. We haven't talked since before I was married and before she was married (I don't remember exactly when the last time was). I'm not one to carry a grudge, and I've found myself often wondering how she's doing. I haven't called her (she included her phone number with the email), but I did send her a short email back and haven't heard from her. Why did she contact me? She didn't really say in the email. So I'm wondering if it's something she wants to talk about only over the phone.

Sick, then sick again, then sick again

I had a great time at the writers retreat. It helped re-motivate me, and while I was there, I was inspired for a book idea. So I am going to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) again and put that idea onto paper. And, unlike last year, I have a solid idea this year. So when the month is up, I'll actually edit the book and (hopefully) end up with something I think I'd like to submit for publication.

I was a little worried about going to the retreat because I was sick for close to a week before the retreat and wasn't sure that I was even better, but I was determined to go, and I felt okay while I was there. I heard from Joe while I was on my way home from the retreat, and he was sick. So I took care of him the next day and ended up sick again. I didn't feel as sick last week as I did the week before, but I was definitely off. I woke up feeling a little nauseous yesterday but decided to go to church anyway and felt okay after I started getting ready. However, today, I'm not feeling so great again. I've had a little bit of nausea, but right now, it's a bad headache and a sore throat mostly. I hope it's not strep!

I have some ideas of things I'd like to do with my blog based on some information we talked about at the retreat, and I would like to put them into action, but I'd like to when I start feeling better.