This is a Now page, inspired by Derek Sivers and nownownow.com.

As of Dec. 30th, 2022

I am…

• reflecting on the past year and prepping myself for 2023. There is a lot ahead of me. Good things, some challenges. Usually those go hand in hand.
• loving this beautiful family I have been blessed with. A beautiful little girl joined us this past year and has brought even more joy and sleepless nights. She has just started teething! The boy is nearly three, learning so fast, and testing his boundaries. Storytime is still the best, even more now that he’s starting to learn to read.
• living southwest of Portland, Oregon. We really like it here. There’s been some adjusting, but it’s a welcome change from the traffic, heat, and smog of Los Angeles. I still miss a lot about L.A., though, and I’m excited to visit when we have the chance.
• on holiday break from PSU, where I’m going for my BA in Arts & Letters. I’m also looking into grad schools and need to apply very soon.
• thinking about the release of The Wind on the Blade this past year. It’s free to my mailing list subscribers, but I haven’t pushed it much. I haven’t been marketing my books much at all, apart from joining NIWA and having my books in some craft fairs. I’m thinking about how to approach my writing and publishing in the new year with a full load of college courses and two little ones at home. How do I balance my work and my passion with school and family?

Currently reading…

• Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler. It’s a fascinating read, and I wonder how starting the series on book two will affect my overall experience of it. I was given the book last year at Christmas and didn’t realize it was book two until I started it. I decided to keep reading since I didn’t feel I was missing anything, and because there was no indication whatsoever on the book that it needed to be read in order. Nowhere on my copy does it say “book 2.”
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. I’m listening to this on audiobook, the one read by Rob Inglis, who is fantastic. I’m not sure how many times I’ve read this, but it’s always magical and comforting to return to Middle Earth. I have another excuse this time, too, in that I will be taking a course on Tolkien this winter, which I’m very excited about.

Currently thinking about…

• Jung’s concept of the shadow. I’m just starting to explore this and haven’t gotten very far yet. But I’m intrigued.