Little Victories

Eh, my husband explained to her that there was really no point in me looking for eight weeks of work, and that I've been working on a book on teaching, learning, and motivation, so I'm busy enough with my side projects.

Yesterday, I hiked to the top of this:



It's 1.8 miles roundtrip with a 680' elevation change. The views were worth it!

 

Went away this past holiday weekend...to the old hometown.
I was joined by my mother, to reminisce about my Wonder Years...from 3rd grade thru 12th to my first 2 years of college.

The 1st portion, I was looking forward to...the town where I spend my elementary school years at...beautiful, quiet, rich with flavor & culture.
It was here that I got babysat by my grandma in a quaint bookstore...while my mother went to college.
That town is always exactly as I remember it...and it didn't fail me this time. Just wonderful.
(although the bookstore is being renovated...and we don't know who owns it now)
I even finally met the owner of the nearby deli where I got lunches...still the same, still great sandwiches...he remembered everything and more.

It was the 2nd portion, I was dreading...it was the town I graduated HS and beyond a bit.
Last time I was there...it had gone to hell...very down & out...from the blue-collar town it was to a shady place.
Last time I was shocked...and embarrassed...and demoralized.

But victory came through this time. The town had turned itself around...in just barely a decade.
Now, it is a bustling vibrant town...full of the color I remember...the new filling in places...but even the old looked refreshed.
It seems that they invested into it...built a new police station, and repaved all the streets and cleaned the sad buildings.
Even the area when I was there in the past, that was down & out and dangerous then had been reborn...cleaned,
tons of churches and temples have been newly created. (at least since I had been there)
The closed down mall...reopened...the streets alive with life.
And the pizza shop near my HS...still running after 25+ years...the slice I bought, still tastes the same...perfection, you can't get anywhere else.

THIS...invigorated me, put a glint in my eye again, for the memories of where I was raised. There was magic again. Not just one side, but both.
This is a little victory...because it is irrelevant to anyone else...and a memory of my life, not now...but it is good still because you want those not tarnished.

The drive was beautiful and smooth...even new routes turned into something lovely...a drive along side a sparkling river full after the rains.
The conversation with my mom was interesting and easy...both of us, simply being flexible with logistics the whole way, winging it.
My trip was everything I wanted it to be...and then SOME.
I couldn't have asked for more.

And if you want a little superstitious magic...everywhere I went...I kept finding lucky pennies on the ground.
Honest, no lie, no exaggeration.

And now, I've got that check list item complete...and I can move on with even more verve.
Funny how life works...

 

The interior to the first of four books I'm directly responsible for is finally in the bag. Holy shit that took long enough.

Now for the rest!

 

Two interiors in the bag; two to go!

 

It's in, it's in, it's in!

The doorstopper novel I've been substantively editing has been submitted! (Yeah, in addition to the four aforementioned books.)

 

Got two tubs of books unpacked. This means that soon I'll be able to start work on developing content--one of my side hustles. My goal is to have everything that is going to be unpacked unpacked by the end of the week, and from there, I should be able to evaluate what needs to be repacked.

 

I actually showered before 9am.

 

A previous associate and respected manager...who I thought didn't like me, personally...asked to be connected in LinkedIn.
Now, I don't believe he's the type to be manipulative...so I'll take it as a professional compliment.
It's a weird world...