The End

I recently published my first edited book,  Labor of Love: A Literary Mama Staff Anthology ,  with  Small Harbor Publishing . It's an anthology of writing from  Literary Mama  staff over the past 20 years. It's a beautiful collection and I am proud of the writers and proud to share the book.  It seems a fitting moment, as I pondered sharing about the book here on the blog, to reflect on my life as a blogger, and acknowledge that it is time to officially end this blog.   I started blogging in about 2007, when my baby was learning to toddle, when I was learning how to be a mother and stepmother, when I was just starting to see my way as a writer. I needed it back then. I craved it. I had a variety of blog iterations--family, art, creativity, writing things I delved into. There's a freedom in blogging, a casualness, an easy familiarity that's lacking (for me anyway) in other kinds of writing. I loved blogging and the words came pouring out.  Ove...

balancing act

I'm feeling a bit frantic lately. Trying to keep the writing pace up, networking, working on several projects at once, blogging, reading as much as I can, and going to meetings and critique groups. It's a lot, it's really a full time job, and yet, no one is paying me for it. Then again, no one is paying me for my regular job either, being a mom. And that job is a 24/7 one.
I wonder if someday I got paid to write if it would be easier to put the laundry on hold and stop vacuuming the living room, and just sit down and write? I am not sure. Someone's got to wash the dishes and make dinner, and those activities are in my current job description. So do I have two jobs? Should I schedule out various times each day for each thing and hope it all gets done?

People who work outside the home don't have these troubles. (They have other ones!) They leave in the morning and can't spend their day thinking that instead of working they should be washing the kitchen floor. They are at work. And so they have to put their attention there. Then when they come home they might have piles of laundry and a messy kitchen to deal with, but then their focus is at home.

Well, I sure don't have it figured out, how to balance it all.  But I do know time off to relax from any job is essential.  So with the holiday weekend coming up, and a trip south to visit dad, I get to take a break from the housework and all the chores. Perhaps I can take a break from writing too, and just spend a few days sitting in the hot tub and enjoying some quiet time.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

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