Back to Business

Had quite the road trip yesterday--2 planes, 1 mini-van, 2456.85 miles. Seriously, I blew out my taste buds by eating half a bag of Salt & Vinegar Cape Cod chips...it was worth it, but my tongue is still numb!

Went through Vegas (baby!). I swear, I heard so many jokes and variations of "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"--I just couldn't take anymore. Hopefully, some genius marketing guy was able to retire off that gem. I got to show Ryan how to gamble (we watched someone as they played slot machines), and I narrated:

"See Ryan, that '145' means that she has 145 quarters--she pays 3 quarters to turn the wheel, and if turns up with a winning pattern, she gets a bunch of free quarters".

"Oh, like a video game!"

"Yes, a lot like a video game. Oh, see, she just won 5 quarters back. That's good. Sometimes people win a lot of money."

"Then what do they do to get their money?"

"The push a different button and it comes out, or they go to the man and he gives it to them."

"She only has 130 quarters now."

"...115."

"95..."

"Yes, that's what happens sometimes. Keep your voice down--I don't want her to hear us talking."

"Why not?"

"It might make her mad since she's losing her money."

I went out of town for a few days with my little boy--we had a very nice, relaxing time, which is saying a lot for 6 days with a 6-year-old. I took my book, all printed out and optimistically alligator-clipped together, with me to review and edit. I just keep getting this "If I only knew then what I know now" feeling which made me want to just start over.

Too many choices. Omniscient author? I hate 1st person. Framing characters. It's kinda like taking something fun and turning it into work.

I have this trick that I play on myself when I go on vacation--I bring stuff that I would really like to work on, read, or do. I NEVER get to it--it's almost like insurance that you're going to have an interesting, fun-filled trip. So I never managed to wholeheartedly attack my book.

Kinda funny--I was reading some of my old blog entries, especially the one about why I wanted to write--the real reason is more complicated than "I want to write by the lake in a flannel shirt (thank God)." In fact, I don't think I own any flannel shirts, so maybe that explains some stuff. One thing I've identified--I don't want to have to write in order to live. I want to do it when I want to and for my own reasons and according to my own schedule. So I'm going to keep my day job :). See, now you guys don't have to say it out loud...

So I had a little bit of an epiphany on my trip. See where a bunch of things have run a course toward resolution, whether good or bad. I've made up my mind to be a better person. I want to have a much more positive attitude. Forgive the people that have been pissing me off (although I'm not sure what to do to resolve all of those situations...). Be a better employee. I'm going to finally work harder at managing money, which I've been putting on the back burner for the last couple years while I focus on work and family and because it's such a boring pain in the ass. I went and met with a professional accountant who looked at my whole situation and gave me some great advice, so I'm jazzed up about it. He wasn't even trying to sell me something, which is what most of those bastards are after...

A year ago I was looking for peace about a bunch of things. I just have to say that I feel like I'm there now and it's getting better and better every day! That doesn't mean that everything's solved--and more stuff keeps coming up, but I feel recharged and ready to go!

So hold me to it.