I'm breaking my typical bi-annual blog posts as I wanted to write a littlun in order to tie up a few loose ends before I unplug from technology – and yes, I could have just waited until my next post to update you, but my OCD tendency to want to wrap things up in a neat little bow wouldn't allow it.
Happy New Year and all that – although, seeing as it's the middle of February, that ship has long since sailed, so we'll swiftly move on. I've actually had a really positive start to the year, all in all. This post has been written during my first official day of unemployment. It is a very strange feeling to not have a job – there is mostly excitement, seeing as this was my choice, but there is also confusion because I can't believe, after three months of telling people that I'm leaving, that it's finally here. But, no matter what, it was definitely the right time to leave. Not only was the commute just too much for me, I also knew the time had come to take a few risks and actually move towards the life and career I want.
Since my last post, I have dabbled in a bit of actual writing and ended up with a finished first draft of a short story that I'm really proud of, which I wrote to and from work between Monday 30th January and Tuesday 14th February 2023 and comes in at a meaty 8,721 words. The quiet zone continued to be a party during that time, and definitely made it difficult to write on certain occasions, but I actually think by the end of it that I'd learned to channel out some of the noise and write regardless. Also, on Sunday 12th February, I worked on and added well over 1,000 words to the first draft of a short story that I think I wrote last year (I’ve definitely talked about it on this blog, but heaven help me trying to find where I'd discussed it amongst all the other waffle I’ve written) which currently comes in at 6,738 words.
OCD tendency fulfilled, all that's left for me to say is that I am now going to be officially signing off for a month to enjoy some real down time where I do nothing – and I mean nothing. One full month off where I try to get my head on straight, recover from some pretty deep trauma, and connect with the path I should have taken a long time ago. I feel like I’ve been walking down the wrong one for literally decades, and I am excited to find my way back to the right one again. I really feel like this is a fresh start, and I know that if I want to actually do the all the things I want to, first, I have to reset, regroup, then come back (peacefully) fighting. I have a feeling my month off will involve lots of yoga, meditation, cooking & baking, walks around town, and the occasional binge of a TV show. But I cannot say for certain what I'll be doing as I haven't lived it yet – exactly as it should be.
And so, until next time,
Cara x
