Lot of changes over the last year, being laid off B&N after 12 years, then having to move because they wanted to renovate the apartment so they could jack up the rent. That's happened twice now since I've moved to Boulder. I found a job at CU, working for the Village Center, and I get two free meals a day. I prefer the blueberry pie myself for dessert, and have been keeping up on my ab exercises so I don't blimp out. But it might be too late. My hours are 430 am to 1 pm, which is taking some getting used to, and I am trying to figure out how to get into a writing groove again. I am living with a friend who has an extra room, and he isn't charging me a whole lot for rent. So, for the moment, despite the weirdness of late, I'm being taken care of. Count your blessings and all that.
The Halloween Season was fun. I got to see the new Halloween movie, which I thought was was really good for the premise they used. Much better than I thought it was going to be. I spent the month reading lots of Charles L. Grant and Ramsey Campbell, which made me want to write a quiet horror novel of my own, so I am trying to do something now that captures the spirit and feel of October and Halloween the way it's meant to be enjoyed: creepy, fun, and dark. I prefer writing longhand then typing it up. What about you?
Life plunders along. I still write, read, believe in God, hope for the best, hold onto my vision, integrity, and believe someday that maybe some tale will take off and allow me the freedom I long for. But I guess we all have those hopeful buckets to fill. Life is strange, isn't it? All the things going on in the world, in our government, overseas, shootings, inequality, and injustices, and it seems we're all just trying to find a moment's peace, for ourselves, out loved ones, our kids, hoping for the best, or that maybe we can shine a little light in all this darkness. The world is a brutal place, chaotic, and filled with so much tragedy and heartbreak it seems selfish to think only of ourselves and our own anxieties and needs when others have it far worse. But that is often the way. Our trials overwhelm us, take all our energy, and we often have little time to focus on others.
At the Village Center, it is very multi-cultural, with many people who speak a language I can't understand and have names I cannot pronounce, so I have made it my goal to memorize their names, pronounce them correctly, and say hello with a smile at least once a day and learn a few foreign words. That's step one. I have a found a lot of smiles in return as a result. I think that's a good start.
I hope you are well as the holidays approach us. I hope you get the time to relax, meditate, and stop and smell the roses, believe in something bigger and more beautiful than yourself. Get to know someone. Hear their story. Learn something new about who they are and what they love. Where they came from. Most of all, despite the madness, I hope you find some peace, because we are all in this together and could use a little encouragement along the way. Here's to life, creativity, imagination, and the beauty and power of art and story telling. May you find the right tales to inspire you in your journey! Peace!