Pages

Friday, June 20, 2014

Friendship

Two separate conversations this week.

1. My phone went off, letting me know I had text. This is what I found:

Don't look at my (facebook) post for a day or so. I put a spider on there. ... I'll tell you when it's safe.

2. An actually phone call this time, about how patient he feels I am with Feminism 101 ~ until I'm not ~ at which point, he goes underground until I'm done, because it will not be pretty. Followed by this link, with the sentence "Made me think of you. Bill is me."





It's nice to be known, loved, looked after, and respected. And who wouldn't be honored to be compared to Claire Huxtable?????

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Monday, June 16, 2014

What Would It Take?

What would it take is a game Lithus and I play as we bounce from little tiny town to little tiny town. What would it take to make you live in...Coolin...Colville...Galena...Richfield...Tooele...Deadhorse...
Alamagordo...Nephi...Clear...
any number of other long-forgotten small towns.

For how long?
With or without you?
Can I be a hermit?
Must I get a job out in the world?
Are friends allowed to visit?
Am I allowed to leave for vacation?

It's a weird version of 20 Questions. Usually, in order to get a yes, there needs to be a time limit, a guarantee of several million dollars at the end of it, a way to pay bills that doesn't involve interacting with the local denizens, the ability to have friends visit, and vacations. Otherwise, the answer has always been a nope, can't do it.

Until Cedar City. Now, I don't want to move to Cedar City. Let's not get crazy. But the answer to What would it take is...

Not being able to live in a city or on the east coast. That's it. If we ever have to move to a small town that's not in New England (which made me shiver, just writing it, but hypothetically...), it could very easily be here in Cedar City. It's a pretty cool little town.

There's a Tony Award winning regional theatre in the Utah Shakespeare Festival. There's Ashcroft Observatory ~ and some amazing night skies. There's a college that is vibrant and alive and keeps the town young, in Southern Utah University. There are 2 movie theatres, interesting restaurants, and places to shop that aren't Wal-Mart. There are peaceful, happy, gentle people, who seem genuinely friendly.

Since leaving Washington 5 years ago, we have spent time in countless small towns. Cedar City is the first one that has been, well, a good place to be. Of course, we're leaving today. Heading out of town, having finished the job. Maybe we'll be back come fall ~ but maybe not. Regardless, it's been one of the best tours we've had in a long time. In the best small town I've ever spent time in.

If you happen to be in the area, spend a night or two. Check out the goings on. It's worth a visit.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Will Wonders Never Cease

For the first time ever, today I caught a spider and released it. It was a small spider, mind you, but it was a spider, nonetheless. And it was IN my BED. Now, it's outside, happy and lively ~ one assumes, anyway. Regardless, it isn't dead, squished in a tissue in my trash can.

It's a goddamn miracle.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Busy, Busy, Busy

Oooo....I just love being busy. Unfortunately, it means the updates here at Pobble Thoughts get a little sporadic. Thanks for hanging in with me.

I don't write about work often ~ a hold-over to my human services days when everything was confidential, I guess ~ but it is definitely a large part of what has me busy. A couple weeks ago, my editor gave notice. A year ago, she was given the task of creating a brand new way of marketing the company product: a blog. She hired a writer, who was willing to figure it out with her, as they went along. We have literally built this thing from the ground up, having no clue what we were doing, and now the products we write about sell out regularly. I say this not to brag (although I am not against tooting my own horn), but to explain how unique the situation is. She and I are literally the only ones in the company who know what we're doing and how we're doing it.  Since we're as successful as we are, messing with the formula is a little nerve wracking. Add to that the fact that the writer-editor relationship can be symbiotic under any circumstance when the two have worked together for as long as we have, it's a double whammy. 

Luckily, for me, her boss is still completely committed to the blog. So often, when an editor leaves, the projects he or she cared for get thrown out. I've had that happen more than once. Not the case here. What it does mean is that there has been a scramble for the last two weeks to get as much done as we can, clear as many outstanding edits as we can, and get the new editor up and running as smoothly as possible.

But we're not done yet! During these same two weeks, they also offered me more work, with more pay. Oh hell yes. Still, as exciting and validating as that is, it's more work. A total of three blogs, each updated twice a week. 

Can I tell you a secret?

I am now making as much money writing as I ever did working human services. I'm making more than I have on any book. More than I have in any desk job. I am actually and for real making a living as a writer. Talk about living the dream.

So that's where I've been. How are you doing?

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Saturday, June 07, 2014

Operation Sunblock

It's easy to forget that we still have military personnel deployed, but the truth of the matter is we always have military personnel deployed somewhere. For those men and women, sometimes little things mean a whole hell of a lot. For those of us who support them, sometimes it's tough knowing how to turn that emotional support into tangible support.

I have a solution for you: Operation Sunblock!

What is Operation Sunblock? It's a way to support our deployed troops for $25. That's it. Twenty-five bucks. And I promise you ~ promise ~ that every cent goes exactly where she says it will go. Want to learn more? Check it out here:

Operation Sunblock.

After all, it's the little things.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ but $25 will get you some good karma.

Friday, June 06, 2014

One Year

A year ago today, I had heart surgery. It has been a year since I've had what I used to call "an episode." Since I was 19 years old, I have never made that statement. Never. I have never gone an entire year without those moments of wondering if I was going to die, in spite of every assurance that it was all in my head. It wasn't in my head, and I knew it. It was in my heart. And now? Now, it's not. Now, I'm good. For an entire year.

Pre-surgery

Those are healthy, happy Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Travel Day

We're heading to Cedar City, Utah today. At 5:00 AM. We don't have to leave the house at five. Our flight leaves at five. Which means leaving the house at 3:00. Which means getting up at 2:00. Yes, this post was previously scheduled.

Want to take bets on if we even went to sleep last night?

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you oh so necessary coffee.