Catch-Up Fast!

I've been busy!  Here's a (hopefully) quick recap:

1. I'm taking a couple classes this semester to improve my likelihood of catching the job I dream of.  I've done a bad job keeping up with the first one because of other, more exciting stuff (see below).  Second class starts today!  I really need to make sure I keep up with this.  Yay, programming!

2. I've got a personal-professional hybrid website underway.  It's taken me a long time to figure out what I wanted it to be (I bought hosting as a Christmas present to myself).  I'm still not sure I've got it decided, but I have a better idea what I need it to do.  There's a *chance* the new site will override this blog.  I might keep it for a strictly personal, family update blog.  I'm kind of attached to it.  It WILL overthrow the Berry Patch House.  But I'll let you know details when I have them!

3. Writing!  Holy hollyberries, the writing!  I've written about 20,000 words this month.  It's not where I *want* to be, but it's so very much more than I've *been* producing.  This is the hardest time I've ever had on a story, and I keep going.  Some days, like yesterday, I get a whopping 300 words done and I want to throttle the entire thing until it dies a slow, agonizing death.  Other days, I get ten times that.  My self-chosen deadline was the 22nd, and it's still not done.  I've got the climax adventure, the falling action, and the denouement left, and thankfully for me, I'm good at those!  Except I have this one scene leading into the climax sequence that is going to kill me.  The project is a novella, which means I'm squashing my usual length and forcing it to fit a tighter structure without changing the structure enough to make it a short story.  DIFFICULT.  But I'm still tremendously EXCITED about the project.  If you want more consistent updates, make sure you check out my Facebook page and my Twitter feed @HL_Henrikson.

4. Berrykin!  He's doing SO much better, now that we're a month-plus out from our hospital fright.  He still won't use the hand he burned, but we're working on it.  A couple days ago, he decided to start up potty training again all on his own!  He uses the sign for "bath" to indicate he wants to go into the bathroom, regardless of why.  I need to find a sign to mean "potty."  He still doesn't use English to talk much, though we're hearing more words buried in his baby language.  He's very attached to Mickey Mouse and his friends, so we hear their names a lot.  More animal sounds, too.  I think the problem might be that he was like me - he's shy.  He doesn't want to talk if somebody's listening unless he's got the word down pat.  He LOVES reading, and will sit and read to himself (out loud) for half an hour without getting distracted.  Makes his bookish mommy happy!

5. Jobs.  Jeremelon still hasn't found anything.  We decided to try something new, since our expenses are limited.  Used to be, we'd find the job we could find, regardless of pay.  Now, we're trying the pickier, more professional way - to find jobs that fit our needs, plural, rather than hopping on the first job that offers some income.  Need #1: Located NOT in Arizona!  That makes it harder and a longer task, because we're not entirely sure where we want to go.  I think our top choices right now are Orlando and Seattle (with a top secret, undisclosed location in the #1 spot).  Completely opposite sides of the US. ^_^  I'm still writing copy for CaptainKYSO.com, and see #3, above!  #3 (fingers crossed!) is going to provide income by summer, so that will take some of the pressure off.

6. Allergies are up.  Like, WAY up.  We were going to the zoo for exercise, but as of last week that's not a viable option for me anymore.  Gotta find a new way to get the blood pumping!  My veins must be going more varicose, because sitting hurts.  A lot.  And my legs swell pretty fast.  Sometimes, genetics are stupid.  But it really means I need to get up and do...things...when not writing.  (Makes my allergies worse to sit, too, I think because all the goo in my deep sinuses can't drain well.  This time of year, it's not rhinitis that causes sneezing and itching and whatnot; this time of year, I feel like a cement truck filled my head with concrete.  And then backed over my neck and dragged me for several blocks.)  I feel like my thyroid either stopped being hypo or switched and went hyper.  I don't know which setting is my normal.  Regardless, those symptoms that make me feel hypo are gone, replaced by anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, and hot flashes.  If it means my metabolism will finally allow me to shed some pounds, I guess I'll cope!

Okay.  So, not so quick.  But quick for me!  This could be six different blog posts.  Hee.

Prioritizing

Here we are in February.  I know, I don't believe it, either.

This month, I'm working on learning to prioritize.  I've been experimenting with it for over a year, off and on, figuring out what doesn't work (a lot of this) and what does (not much of this).  It's a tricky thing, and I feel better about myself knowing that I'm not alone in this struggle.  Just yesterday, a friend on Facebook posted a link to an article about prioritizing one's life, so I know it's not just me!  Unfortunately, while it makes me feel better about myself, it doesn't do a whole lot to, you know, help me actually prioritize.  More's the pity!

So this month, I'm really trying to find a way that works for me.

I'm pretty sure that involves routine.  Straight-up, self-inflicted routine.  Which is good, because the berrykin needs routine rather desperately.  All this flitting about the country, being sick, spending time in hospitals with a constant stream of people coming and going and living with extra people who explode energy constantly...well, it's hard on a toddler world.  One of these days, I'd also like to make some pretty major changes, like getting our own place again.  I'd really like to have a structured routine for him, to make sure he has an anchor when the time comes.  No.  I insist on it.

Anyway.  Routine!  That's the foundation.  We did really well when we were staying with my momberry, and the berrykin was a great deal happier, less prone to tantrums, and he was making verbal and potty training progress.  We've been working on starting that this week, primarily with an outing every morning.  Today and yesterday, we went to the zoo.  I intend to go at least three days every week (we live in an area of the city that isn't conducive to much that I feel safe doing, and I don't know my way around well enough yet to try new things), and spend the other four days running errands, exploring the city, or whatever else shows up.  An hour or two out of the house to burn off steam (berrykin) and get exercise (me and the Jeremelon).  That way, Berrykin is more likely to nap, and I get my time to work.

I've also structured in time to write at night, for myself.  Naptime is for working on school (still need to write a post on that, yes?), or, if there isn't any, getting a head-start on my work writing.  If there isn't any of either, then other, lesser work, like making websites or completing my doula certification.  Today, I'm fudging a little because I'm still fixing my sleep schedule, and mornings are for blogging, but I can't blog if I'm not awake.  So I took my two quizzes, and now I have no more school work until my book arrives.  Woohoo!  It's liberating getting things done with lots of time to spare. :)

And now I'm off to work on my paid writing.  Expect more posts, more often!