Taking control

Let’s let the cat out of the bag, shall we? She’s getting kinda pissy, anyway. (;

I turned in my official resignation on June 2nd. My last day is July 29th. It’s a Thursday, and I’ll get paid the next day. Two weeks later, I’ll get my final paycheck. As scary as this decision is, I feel liberated and exhilarated.

I’m going to begin looking for writing fellowships this weekend. A writing fellowship, for those of you who haven’t heard of it, is a grant awarded to a writer by a group — usually a literary nonprofit. The grant is supposed to cover all of the writer’s living expenses for a specific amount of time, and at the end of that period the writer is supposed to have a finished novel. If I were to win a fellowship, I would use that time to finish and edit Secondhand Mom. I’m also thinking about writing a memoir about my autoimmune disease.

My main source of income will be whatever I make working with my aunt. I want to put all of my work time into our business and into my writing. I’m going to give myself a specific daily schedule, that way work won’t continue to bleed into my social life, and that way I’ll be more productive.

I’m going to request an extension on my student loans repayment, but will try to make payments anyway.

If I find that I’m not making enough income — especially if I can’t get any kind of writing fellowship — I’ll just apply for a job at Barnes and Noble or some other retail store. I can also always lean on my Culinary experience and waitress or cook. I refuse to do web design 24/7, though. I’ve found that I’ve become less productive and more stressed while working two similar jobs.

And so the changes.

I’m taking back control of my life, and it feels so good.

Meanwhile, I’ll continue to update Freaking Bookworm, and have figured out what I want to do with Letters of Love (though I need to figure out what I want to do with I Rocked the 90′s).

But I will figure it out. I always figure out whatever problem is at hand. The important thing is, I am in control.

How are you doing?