Hurry up and wait

This has been the story of my life here the last few days. Hurry up and pack. Hurry up and wait. Hurry up and sit on your thumbs because the closing keeps getting pushed back and pushed back and pushed back. Tempted to charge them for my time every time they push the closing back again.

Now I'm labeling boxes as to what can go immediately to the new place and what needs to stay put until the final move this weekend. It's very unsettling for someone with anxiety to move. But hopefully this will be the last time for the move. I know I really don't want to have to move my parents again. Last time it took somewhere around 30 boxes to move all the books alone. I'm dreading clearing their living room to redo the floor in there. They have a floor to ceiling book case that is about 7 feet long and goes about 9 feet up. Slam packed full of books. It's ridiculous.

But we love books in my family. I write them, my dad writes them (as T.E. Christopher), and believe it or not, my grandpa wrote a book that was published and is listed in the library of congress. Something of a family affair.

Speaking of which, I need to get back to work on my next novel, which is really close to being ready to submit to the publisher.

Toodles!!

Family is.... ummm

I love my family. I really do. They are supportive, and helpful and well, usually kind. They tend to take things to extremes though. I know I have a horrible memory. I really do. You think I would know by now that I have to do this blog thing every day to get into the habit of writing every day and it would just after a while, I don't know, click, be automatic, something I look forward to. It should be like brushing my teeth, or taking a shower. You know, a regular routine thing that happens every day. But no.

I can't seem to remember to do it. I'll do great for a few days and then the well of creativity dries up and I'm stuck Completely at a loss for things to write about. And my family, God bless them, they get that I need to write it every day, but I don't know that they completely understand why it's just so dang hard for me to come up with a new or even continuing topic to write about every day. My life isn't really all that interesting. I get up, I take a shower, I brush my teeth, I sometimes remember to brush my hair. I get dressed, I go to work. I eat. I sleep. I repeat it.

Who am I kidding. I sometimes remember to rinse the shampoo out of my hair before I get out of the shower. And the dog has to remind me to feed her, which is rather comical.

So really my day isn't much different from anyone else's. Where am I supposed to find something to write about in that muddle of humdrum boredom? I have no idea.

But its a good thing my family's here for me. Otherwise I might be walking around with soapy hair and a dog that is inexplicably biting my toes trying to eat.

Microsoft help is awesome

As you know, my computer died on me last year and I had to get a new one. I ran as long as I could on my free trial of Microsoft 360. It expired this last week and I had to actually go out and buy a copy. I shopped around, found a good deal and bought it. And as you could suspect, ran into a problem getting it to install and verify.

So, on a nice cool sunny Saturday afternoon, my non-technology inclined self called Microsoft. Normally anything technology will stress me out. I was expecting to need a super sized shot of something to get me through this. Instead I got two great people, Angela and King, who made installing and verifying my software purchase a BREEZE!! It had to be the most painless installation I have EVER done. Kudos and kisses to them.

Now, the happy camper writer can get back to work, bringing you more adventures and mayhem for the Johnston family and friends as they try to find love in this crazy mixed up world we live in.

Toodles for now!!

Kat

Of Builders and Closing and Delays

Someone once told me that if you buy a house and they say the closing will be on Friday, to plan to close the following Wednesday. Mortgage lenders, builders and their running mates are notorious for never being ready to close when they say they will. Prime example: my sister and her husband were supposed to close today on their house. It's now been delayed again until Monday.

Why do they get away with it? Possibly because we let them. In any other aspect of life, we expect people to be on time. If you set a deadline, you are expected to meet it. No extensions, no exceptions. Meet the deadline or pay a penalty.

It creates all kinds of issues for the buyers when it gets delayed. Utilities being changed over, moving truck rentals, time off from work, helpers being available, all this is affected by the delay. It's a major headache for the people who planned to be there to help you and now can't be because you screwed with the schedule and pushed it all back. I guess I'm not that tolerant and accepting, since I would have told them that if they were going to cause me a delay, then they would have to pay me an inconvenience tax of at least $500. Because that's what it was going to cost me to now have to pay someone to help me move instead of being able to just do it with friends for free.

On top of this, I don't handle last minute changes in plans all that well. It has to do with my anxiety. I could really get a note from the doctor to excuse how short I would get with someone. But the most I can do is commiserate with those that are directly impacted and try to help smooth things over. Hats off to all those buying a house or apartment or simply moving that have to wait for someone to give permission to move in. One day, when the place is yours to keep, it will be worth it. I promise.

Trying too Hard to Understand

Some people have a knack for getting along with others. Doesn't matter who they are, or what kinds of issues they might have, some people just get along with everyone. I am NOT one of those people. I have a drive, a curiosity to me that makes me keep going until I understand every little facet of what makes a person tick. I don't always reveal a lot about myself in the process and frankly I can see how it would irritate some people to have me pick them apart and examine the pieces that make up the whole.

Quite contrarily, when I try to take people at face value, they usually play me. Big time. And it's not a nice feeling to know that someone you just simply accepted, didn't question, didn't examine, decided to take advantage of that and play you like a cheap lottery ticket. If I take the time to question, to examine, to get to know you, its a form of flattery. It means I like you and think you are interesting and worth the time an effort it takes to get to know what makes you tick. I value my time, so if I'm taking the time to get to know you, it means something.

Unfortunately, because I can be rather intense (yes I'm aware of it and yes I am trying to reel that part of me in and not come on so strong), most people don't take it in a good way. I don't make friends very often as a result.

 I apologize if I have made anyone feel uncomfortable with my efforts to get to know an understand you. I only did it in the spirit of trying to be friends. :(

Ice cream and Writing

There are times that call for you to go above and beyond. That call for you to make sure you finish your task, no matter what the task may be or the sacrifices that must be made. For me, writing is one such thing. I will sacrifice things for it that I wouldn't sacrifice for just any old job. I sacrifice going out, being with family and friends, being in the moment, tons of things that most people take for granted.

There are other things that call for sacrifice. Like losing weight. I know we all know it's that time of year when everyone makes those infamous New Year's resolutions that last maybe a month, but I really do need to lose weight for my health. I've decided I've got to give up ice cream. Which is something I love. But my health has to take a more important place in my life.

So hang with me folks, I'm going cold turkey. No more ice cream will be bought and brought into this house. I also will not be buying  single serve portion of it and eating it in town. I have to do this. If I can eliminate one bad food from my pantry a month, I will not only have pretty slim pickings, but I might also be able to get pretty slim myself.

Wish me luck!

I love being able to change my mind

Today's post was going to be this deep, bare all, no holds barred, holding nothing back spiel on how I feel about being divorced. But I changed my mind.

And really, it's a great thing to be able to change your mind. The freedom that affords you is so great it's something most of us never contemplate. Seriously, what if we had to stick with our first choices in everything?

Frankly I'd be afraid if I had to go back and go with my first choice on some things I later changed my mind on. Others, I probably would have been better off taking the first choice, but well, life is a lesson, from beginning to end. All the choices we make, good and bad make us who we are. I'm not content where I am, and am working to change to evolve to make myself fit the picture of what I want to be. Is it going to be hard? Damn right. Will it be worth it? Hell yes. And that's what matters. Someone once said that if you change something just because others say you should, you are a sell-out. But if you change because you see that the change is for the better and you hare happy with the end result, then the change was a good thing and you should be proud of it.

On tomorrow's blog, the cold and how to deal with it!

But what if I just need to be lost for a while?

Resolutions and Encouragement

Family and Friends provide some of the best comfort there is. Food provides even better. It doesn't criticize, it doesn't care, it is always there for you. Sometimes it sticks around too long though, in those spare tires some of us carry around our middles. But that's what New Years resolutions are for, right? To promise yourself and the world that you will join the gym and get in shape. So many of us make the pledge but rarely go through with it.

Or maybe you are among the group that actually DOES get off their tush and gets to the gym and joins. You go strong for a couple weeks and then stop because well, it was easier to not go, wasn't it? You had more time to do the things you enjoyed before The Resolution. So you skip a day. The one day turns into two days and then a week and pretty soon you are paying for a membership you don't even use anymore.

Hats off to those of you who manage to make it and actually do it. Those who stick to it, avoid the criticism of our loving friends and family who smirk and go "yeah, I knew he would never stick with it" and laugh at us behind our backs. You know who you are, on both sides of that equation. Kudos to the success stories. Shame on you to the ones who tear down those that even try.

Trying is good. Trying shows you that you CAN do this. Sometimes you need some encouragement and you just have problems finding it. I know I do sometimes. With as screwed up as my back is, I know I would never be able to join a gym and use the membership to its fullest because I frankly physically can't do most of the stuff there. But I'd love to be able to try.

Support for Authors

I know it may seem like the obvious thing, but authors need support. On the whole, we are rather insecure, needing constant reassurance that what we write is worthy and that people enjoy it. There are few people that write that DON'T care if anyone likes what they put out. I know that yes, I want to make money through writing, but I also want to craft a story that people will like and enjoy.

So what can you do? Write a review, recommend a book you found interesting, suggest a book for the book club to review, attend a book signing or other event that your author will be present for, enter those drawings for free books and swag, follow your author's facebook page, connect with them on instagram. Literally every little thing you can do that shows an interest in your authors is appreciated. Open the news letters sent to you. A lot of time and effort goes into writing them and when no one responds to the offers and hidden special things the author puts in them, well, it hits hard.

Finding the courage to put something so personal out there for everyone to criticize is not easy. If writing were easy and anyone could do it, everyone would do it. Books are the brain child of the author that labors over them. Not saying you have to like every book that has ever been written, because believe me, there are some I hated, but the ones you do like, say so! Learn to skip the ones you don't care for so much but the ones you like, be liberal with your praise. It can mean the difference between a sequel or the author giving up, thinking no one likes what they worked so hard to produce.

And Morpheus still hates me

I don't know what I did as a child to make Morpheus hate me. I really don't. Maybe I flirted with his cousin too much or I called him Somnia by mistake. I don't know. I really don't. But here I am, listening to the rain fall outside and it's going on 3 am, and I can't get to sleep.

Not that not being able to sleep is anything new for me. I rarely can get to sleep without the help of some kind of sleep aid. Most of them only work for a week before I get used to them and they stop working though. Doesn't take ol' Mr. Morpheus long to catch on and eliminate any help I get in that arena. I just wish he hadn't recruited Somnia and Noir to join him in boycotting me. Insomnia sucks.

And it's not just the physical things, like the perpetual raccoon eyes I sport. It's the toll it takes on you physically and mentally. Not being able to sleep also results in short term memory problems, health issues, and umm, dang it I forgot what else. But there are studies done on it all over the place. People ask me how I get so much done. I reply, lists and a lack of sleep.

I do have to admit that it came in hand when I was working on my undergrad. Working full time, taking a full load and living 45 minutes from campus was hard. If it weren't for my insomnia, I don't think I would have made it. Things did get easier when I started on my grad studies and could go online. But getting up at 0200 to be at work at 0245 and not seeing my bed again until 2000 was rough, lemme tell you. I survived. And graduated. :)

I do wish Morphie would lighten up though. I really need some sleep.

Happy New Year

So, we made it. We survived a year that was bound and determined to kill us. So much happened last year but I'm counting it as a win for three reasons. #1 I made it through. #2 I got published. #3 I got divorced (trust me this was an excellent thing). Did you have reasons to be thankful you survived the year? I hope so.

So many people focus too much on the negative. Then they wonder why they have nothing but negative in their lives. I know I'm guilty of it as well at times, but I'm a work in progress, not a finished product, so I'm not going to sweat it. As long at the end of the day I can say I had something positive happen, I'm good with it.

Goal setting is a common thing (sorry the subject change is abrupt, I'm just that way sometimes) this time of year. Yes, there are millions of people who resolve to get in shape and lose weight, yadda yadda. I'm not going to say I'm going to do that but at the same time I would like to see it happen. I'm just not making it a resolution. What I AM going to make as a resolution is that I'm going to finish my second book and send it off to the publisher this week. Then I'm going to finish book three and send it in hopefully by the end of February. With some encouragement I can get it done before then. Meaning feedback from y'all.

Anyway, I'm running out of things to say on this auspicious day and feel the time is to wind this all down and just say simply, Happy New Year. Make it the best you can, because you won't get a second chance to do it.

Love from Alabama!
Kat