I think I alluded to this in my last post, but now that graduation is over, now that we’re back from our miserable trip abroad, the BIG item on the To-Do List for my son and me is getting him relocated.
Out of state.
Far out of state.
For his new job.
Not a part time internship.
A real JOB.
With a paycheck. And benefits. And bills.
Because My Favorite Domer is entering the World of the Employed.
Woo-Hoo, can you see me doing the Happy Dance?!
What is it they say, Parenting is the only job that, once you get really really good at it, you’re unemployed.
Maybe, but I believe I’m a long was from that.
Anyway, relocation means work. Lots of work.
And expenses. Mucho expenses.
- Like an apartment.
- And stuff to go into the apartment — furniture, towels, cooking items, food.
- And a car, since he didn’t have one at college, by his own choice.
- And insurance.
- And a new cell phone (because his is woefully outdated, has an annoying proclivity to shut down willy-nilly, has buttons in the wrong places, and won’t keep a charge).
- And a laptop (because the battery on his overheats, shutting down the entire system without warning).
- And working people clothes (as opposed to T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers).
It’s exciting to be sharing this time in his life. And I’m ever-so-grateful that he’s found gainful employment (and doesn’t have to hang around here being bored).
So don’t ask me if I’m working on my novel.
With this much on my mind, I’m doing good just to keep up with this blog!
And it’s okay. Really.
As my late dad used to say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Nor is a novel.
When LIFE interferes with your writing, you have two options:
- Rail against it, squeeze out time to write when you can, then throw it all out when you realize it sucks, and rail some more at the injustice of it all, or
- Roll with the punches, write when you can, and don’t sweat it when you can’t.
I’m trying the second route. I’ve tried the first one before, and it doesn’t work.
Too much angst.
Rolling with the punches feels better.
I like to think my novel is percolating, that I’m letting the creative juices simmer while I tend to everyday things.
And besides, I’d boxed myself into a terrible corner, one I can only hope time will help me resolve!
But I’m putting my Muse on notice — I’ll be back.
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
Wow. You’ve hardly had time to catch your breath and you’re off again. Sounds like fun and yes expensive, but you kid is gainfully employed at a job that I hope makes him happy and pays his bills. Such good news! I also hope it’s a nice place to visit and he lets you decorate the “guest room” however you want too!
The muse will wait! Keep us posted when you can. . .
Hi Kb, hope I wasn’t misleading anyone, but you’re going to be stuck with me for a while! He has to report in mid-July, so I’ll be here-and-there, but mostly here. I do have a business to run, after all!
Yay, Debbie and Domer! That is amazing to find employment so quickly. You’ve certainly been on one whirlwind tour these days. Best wishes with this new chapter. Love your “roll with the punches” mantra which polices well to both writing and life. Enjoy, dear friend:-)
Auto correct strikes again..that would be applies vs polices!
Don’t you love it when your fingers won’t work as fast as your brain?? Happens to me all the time!
Kathy, the little stinker actually snagged the job before Christmas!! So we’ve known “where” he’s going to be, just not “when.” Some of his friends are still looking; others are summering-off in preparation for grad school in the fall; still others have varying employment start-dates. I’m awfully glad they’re staying in touch through all this!
Percolating is good for the novel!
Congrats to Domer (and you) for entering the working world!
Thanks, Suzi. It will be an eye-opening experience, seeing how much things cost, trying to stretch his salary, etc., won’t it?!
” Parenting is the only job that, once you get really really good at it, you’re unemployed.”
HA! Debbie, I’ve never heard of that saying before, but I LOVE it! And it’s true!
You have been so busy these past few months that I am amazed you got it all done, let alone work on your novel.
“I like to think my novel is percolating, that I’m letting the creative juices simmer while I tend to everyday things.”
Exactly! And I think sometimes it’s good to step away from things a bit because it often sparks creativity.
A HUGE congrats on Domer’s job!
You take care, dear lady. Enjoy! You’re fans will be here when you return!
X
“Stepping away from things a bit” is a wonderful (and necessary) thing, especially for us creative types. I know my jewelry-beading benefits from little breaks now and then; I hope the novel-writing will, too.
Domer and I thank you for your congrats. He’s really getting excited about making (and saving, he hopes!) money, as well as exploring a different part of the Midwest. It will take me nearly twice as long to reach him as it did when he was in South Bend, but he’ll be closer to me than I was to my folks when I took my first job (back in the day before cell phones, e-mail, and texting, ha!)
Have a super week, my friend!
Debbie, As thrilled as I am that my daughter also has a job (she’s already started), I can’t do the happy dance because she’s far away! At least when she was still in college I knew I’d see her during breaks and summer being so nice and long. Sigh.
Anyway, I do applaud you for being so level-headed about yours moving away for his job. The good news is Southwest Airlines just had a sale, and I’ve already purchased my ticket for my first visit to see her this fall. I’m already looking forward to it!
Mercy, you ARE on the ball — already purchasing a plane ticket for the fall, when she hasn’t even graduated yet?! I admire your ability to plan ahead and take advantage of a sale. Sounds just like something Domer would do!! I know just what you mean, though, about enjoying the time when they’re still in college. I was thinking just this morning how I’m going to miss seeing mine on the field with the Band at halftime during football games!
Congratulations to Domer! He’s embarking on such an exciting time in his life and you must be so proud to have raised such a successful son.
It’s a good decision to put your novel on hold until you can really dedicate yourself to it. I’m impressed that you’re writing one at all… I have trouble balancing work, life and my little blog. I’m not sure how you squeeze in novel writing too!
“Squeeze it in” describes it to a tee, Terri. Trying to run a business, taking care of my mom (and Domer for a while) and Dallas is pretty time-consuming. Needless to say, I really intended to be a bit farther into the story by now, but it is what it is (and it’s a long way from being finished).
Wonderful news, that Domer has a job when so many new graduates still don’t. And how exciting for him to experience setting up his new home, making all those choices about how he wants it to be. He’ll have a lot of choices to make over the next year or two – setting up the apartment’s a good place to practice!
I just was thinking back to my first apartment in Kansas City. My goodness. It was a basement apartment, though it had its own entrance and windows along one side. But it also was the place where I learned just how many things you could do with an electric skillet. Handy devices, those!
Helping him get relocated reminds me of my first apartment in Texas, Linda. I was on the second floor and learned so very much that year — how to cook, for one thing, as well as how to be a working person. Fortunately, the mistakes were “learning experiences,” and the successes only served to increase my self-confidence.
Thanks for your congrats. We both know how fortunate he is, to have a good job with a good company, in today’s world. It will be interesting for him, living in a new state (I did the same thing). At least he has friends not too far away, in case he gets lonely! He doesn’t have an electric skillet, though his grandma tried to give him hers recently. Perhaps he’d better accept it after all?!
I just realized something. That electric skillet was so important because there were no microwave ovens at the time. Oh, my gosh. I’m old.
You can bake a cake in one, though! And biscuits and cornbread, and make soup, and fry chicken, and pan grill a steak, and….and….
That’s kind of what my mom tried to tell him — frying fish, too, I believe she said — but he wasn’t buying. He got his mom’s stubborn streak, ha!
Congrats to your son, Debbie. Gainful employment is indeed a blessing these days. And I’m with you on taking the second tack for when writing has to percolate – I’ve stressed and driven myself crazy and ruined what could have been some perfectly enjoyable days when I have been away from my desk only to realize, there’s no one MAKING me do it. And the time away enriches the time back in the seat. I believe the muse travels with us – so yours is probably gaining strength in the journey too.
What heartening words, Barb — thank you! I like to think my Muse is traveling with me, soaking up new experiences that might live again on the page. It’s so easy to obsess over our lack of productive writing time, when you’re so right — nobody is MAKING us do it (and for me, it’s not like anybody is willing to pay me to do it, either, ha!)
Congrats on his new job. I imagine there must be a bit of sadness because he’ll be far away, though. At least being away during college helped you prepare a bit for his permanent flight from the nest. I hope the relocation goes well and I wouldn’t worry too much about the novel right now- sometimes we have to accept that everything we want to do cannot be done. (Yeah, easy for me to say…I’m still working on swallowing that one :))
You’re right, it’s not like he was home every weekend anyway! Still, it’s a new experience knowing he’s doing what I hoped I’d prepared him to do (leave the nest). I don’t imagine only children ever truly “leave” though, do they?? I hope not!