No, your computer/internet are not broken.
Yes, Seth and I have been MIA from Short and Hat for a long time. But now, we’re back, and posting this feels like exhaling after holding it in for a very long time.
Let’s Catch Up
We Moved
…to our friend Allison’s house across town in Grand Junction. We took residence in her basement.
NaNoWriMo
Last year, I got really serious about writing full time. I write children’s and young adult fiction. Pretty much, if I’m in a roomful of adult and kids, I’m in the corner with the kids, talking to them, observing them, playing with them. I find children endlessly fascinating.
So, to help me in my mission, I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo, an organization that challenges you to write 50,000 words (the length of an average novel) in a month. I’ve always wanted to do it, but I’ve always had school or some other distraction. This year, I was free, so I shoved off into the wide waters of writing 1,666 words every day to make my 50,000 word goal. I ended up finishing NaNoWriMo and nearly finishing my very first novel.
Grad School
I applied for grad school at CSU. I was convinced that I wanted to go back for my MFA in Creative Writing. I got my application packet complete with the first two chapters of my novel. I like school. I like it because it gives me a framework for my life, a system that helps me to stay motivated and disciplined. I don’t naturally have that, so I gravitate toward systems that do it for me.
I ended up not getting accepted, and looking over my writing sample I sent them, I can understand why. Looking at my writing over the past year, I am improved by leaps and bounds. Partially, this is due to my kick-arse critique group I have been a part of since January. Partially, it’s due to attending every educational event I possibly can.
I also started auditing a couple writing classes at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. But I learned something in all of this: that to be an adult means to be self-motivated. By going to school, I would be running away from creating my own structure, my own system, which, to me, is much harder than going to school and having someone else do it for me.
Christmas
Seth and I got to spend part of Christmas day with Allison and her kids. Allison recently divorced a man who doesn’t celebrate most major holidays, so the kids had never celebrated Christmas. We got to be with them as their faces lit up that morning and our dry-erase-drawn-on-the-hall-mirror Christmas tree presided over the mountain of presents.
Seth in his element.
My dad likes to draw funny little things on our Christmas presents. That’s me singing “O Sole Mio.”
This is one of the last pictures taken of Seth’s sweet father who passed away in March. He will be missed, but we know he’s in a better place without pain. We’re modeling our Loki coats here.
The kids had always celebrated Hanukkah which Seth and I celebrated for the first time.
Mexico
Seth and I drove down to San Carlos, Mexico for some R&R with my pen pal, Annie Brooks, and a bunch of friends. I was convinced, either on the way there or back, that I would be sold into sex slavery, but I’m very glad to report that I wasn’t. Annie and her husband Jake (from Brumley and Well Photography) did a photo shoot of some of us, and they actually were featured on Inspired By This. Here are a couple snapshots from that photoshoot; I’ve never felt more beautiful in my life. Thanks, Annie and Jake!
While we were there, Seth shot several music videos. Here’s one he did of our friend Cyle Talley–it’s from a new music series we’ve started called “Enjoy Music,” and we hope you’ll enjoy!
We’re Moving across Colorado
We had been in Grand Junction for about eight month, and Seth was starting to travel a lot for his business. All the work is over on the eastern side of Colorado, so he was spending weeks at a time there. As you can imagine, this gets really old in a marriage.
We talked about it and decided that it’s time to move to Fort Collins. For Seth, it makes sense for his business, plus, he’s in a Fort Collins-based band called You Me and Apollo. Most of my writing resources and events are on the Front Range, so it works out well for me as well. We were sad to leave our community, but we both have a suspicion that, at some point, we’ll be back.
Also, notice that huge U-Haul. It’s, once again, time to get rid of stuff.
The Tonettes
After successful Christmas and Valentines seasons, the Tonettes decided to take a break. Two of our members had babies, so we all needed some time. Since Seth and I decided to move to Fort Collins, I officially stepped down from the group. I’ll miss those girls.
As far as Seth goes, he’s been a busy little bee. Here’s a smattering of what he’s done lately:
This is Seth’s new band, You Me and Apollo.
My pen pal, Annie Brooks.
My acting debut with Hoptocopter Films!
I’m in this one too!
Seth asked me one day what I’m passionate about–what makes me just tingle with excitement. I told him it’s listening to people who are passionate about what they do. So, we created the “Enjoy Life” series where we interview people about what they absolutely love to do. This is the first in what we hope to be many, many videos.