Desert Magnolia

These days there is no norm. Which isn't a terrible thing, but tends to be a little disconcerting at times. I watch my fellow students caught in the vortex of their studies, defining their realities by project due dates, quizzes, exams, milestones that are part of this endeavor. I have those things too. What I'm struggling with is how to meet all of the obligations for the long-term effort while striving to be productive on a work level for my former colleagues/now clients. It should be easy, but it's not. Even if it's not supposed to be easy, per se, I don't know if it's supposed to be this damned difficult. I'm not sure if I am just about to break through another one of those stupid walls that keeps showing up in front of me or if I'm missing something obvious here, but I'm looking forward to some kind of clarity, the sooner the better. And it's not about inertia. I'm pretty sure I'll figure it out soon, but in the meantime I...

Happy Fall, everyone! Aren't the cooler days and beginning of changing colors amazing?? I love this time of year...I really do. It's been awhile since I've felt like writing anything. Big changes have been taking place in my life and for some reason the energy to deal with them, their implications, the day-to-day and try to think of something remotely interesting to say has been too much. But it's time to press on and let the thoughts flow again. I'm now a consultant. What does that mean? Well, it means I am on my own to generate enough business so that our financial ship doesn't sink while I tackle the enormity of school. It means I'm no longer an employee in any sense of the word, that I have no benefits, no real ties to speak of professionally, and am floating a little in a sea of possibility that feels a little like it's pulling me under at the moment. But that's how it goes. I've done this before, but many years ago with much less a...