Summer of reset: New Beginnings

New Beginning #1: Even before my job at Common Ground ended, I’ve been training for the new job. The woman I’m taking over for was in the middle of moving and retiring, so it was paramount that we snatch as many training hours as we could before she left on the 30th. The timing is perfect really…I’ll have the summer to ease myself into the job before the students arrive after Labor Day. My summer hours will be filled with visits to different Job Corps sites, employers who actively look interns or are open to learning disabled employees and various academic programs that help at-risk teens. I’ll also be getting up to speed on the YTP program, the services we offer, as well as the work I’ll be doing for the district. My office/closet needs a lot of help, too. Hoping I can talk them into painting it for me or allowing me to paint it. Because damn. Also, even after training I know nothing. Fake it til you make it?

New Beginning #2: Somehow or another I’ve gained a shit ton of weight and fell off the fitness wagon. So I’m back on said wagon once again and doing the Slim in Six program. I gotta be honest. It’s sort of boring. But I don’t need exciting, I need results and this is a nice low key program with sound nutrition plan and workouts that challenge me without crippling my old fat fanny. It’s a six week program and I’m augmenting the boring workouts with PLIYO and yoga. I have put together a small support group and we’re just trucking along. I need to lose about 42 pounds—though not all this summer, obviously. I do NOT want to go into my dotage being frail, inactive and watching family feud.

New Beginning #3: New school term! This time I am taking an elective and crossing off a bucket list at the same time! I am taking Spanish. It’s confusing and weird and wonderful and I am excited to finally learn another language. I have always wanted to and if I don’t do it now, I never will.

New Beginning #4: I finished the revisions on one book and sent it to my agent. Now I am working on another… a YA this time. I am NOT going to talk about it much because I love it and I am afraid to Jinx it. But I love it and I am glad to be writing something new again.

I knew this summer would be big and important… I just didn’t know how big or important it would be!