I keep on doing these mini-tests to see how retirement might be like. And this is, of course, retirement from accounting, not from working or doing things altogether.
I have more vacation days than I've had (went from 12 days to 15 a year) and I've tried to take advantage of them, even though we haven't had the resources to go many places (saving for a big trip next June). This means staycations, or as I've called them, writecations. Right now, I've been off since Thursday and don't go back until tomorrow.
How do I like it? Well....it's like...thank you, may I please have another?
Someone my age told me they couldn't retire because they wouldn't know what to do with themselves. I said I thought I could figure it out. They then said, "Well, you've got all those 'hobbies'."
Hobbies? Hobbies? The things I loved to do were reduced to mere hobbies? Like I'm a three year old delighting in making mud-pies?
Am I struggling to make money off the things I love doing? Yes, I am. But that doesn't mean I would call them mere hobbies. I'll figure it out. Whatever it takes, I'll figure it out.
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Speaking of that, I've got a new load of History of the Trap books to sell locally or at events. I went to our church's bazaar and sold no new copies. I did sell a few other things, including a new religious collection, but not the novel. Some people took my card and said they would order it on Kindle. If they do, I should be able to tell, as my sales for both the book and the eshorts have plummeted to goose eggs.
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Other than preparing and presenting at the Bazaar, I've spent most of my "hobby" time re-editing Crowley Stories. I did my own editing (and extensive reformatting), and another edit thanks to Cristina Relyea, a friend from the Writer's guild who read and commented on the entire book, noting places to correct.
Once the editing is complete, I have to decide what to do with it. Do I self publish again, or pursue a literary agent? I don't know. Crowley Stories is less genre specific than History of the Trap. I don't know if that makes it easier or harder to locate an agent.
Two years into this stage, and I'm still Hamletting it.
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The Michigan Wolverines are now ranked No. 2 in the country! Ahead of them is my work compatriot's perennial poll leader - Alabama Red Tide (is that their name? - I forget what they're called). Should make for an interesting season.
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The Walking Dead left us shattered and sad. I think it hit Alison harder. I had made an educated guess as to what was going to happen, and so was less shocked when it did. One of the characters that was taken out by Lucille, surprise or not, was not something I wanted to see, as that character seemed to be almost more a core of the show than the lead. Where's a good dumpster when you need it?
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We saw the One Act that Benjamin was assisting with. It's a great team effort, and I wish them well in the Region and, if they win that, the State as well.
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Our OHC writing contest entries are now in the hands of the judges. We had 59 entries this year, which I believe is a record. Woohoo!
Until next time,
T. M .Strait
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