Me with my boys this fall

DSCF2046
Originally uploaded by shereenflynn

Here's a nice shot of the boys. I'm standing on a higher step, otherwise you'd see that Rowan is much taller than I am, actually - it's ridiculous.

Leads

In the last few days, I sent several letters of introduction to newspapers, magazines, and trade publications in hopes of finding some more steady lines of revenue. I received several thoughtful replies, including two that were interested in pitched stories along with submission guidelines. I also was referred by my friend Deb Robinson to a woman who wants to write two short books and needs a wordsmith to put it all together and get it published. I'm meeting with her in December to start putting together the first of two books on death. The first will be informational, intended to guide families faced with sudden death through the process that follows. Who to call - what to expect at the funeral home - those things that none of us knows until we're faced with it ourselves. The second book will be targeted toward helping children deal with the death of a loved one. It's a good opportunity.
In the meantime, I have three very large, very important papers due in the next two weeks that I'll be working on feverishly.
Oh.....that.....and hoping Congress passes an Unemployment Benefits extension. Otherwise, I do believe I'm going to go to bed and not wake up until next year.

New Website

One of my clients has been asking me to design a website for him, and I've been playing around with a bunch of different programs. I already have my own website, www.theideadiva.net, that I designed on GoDaddy when I bought the domain. I used GoDaddy's website creator, but was less than thrilled with the results.
I did a lot of research and found a site that offers better templates and more options, and the basic membership is free (though I chose to buy a premium account so I could add sound files to promote my voice over business). It's Weebly.com - and so far I'm very happy. I just changed the DNS servers on GoDaddy to point my site to the newly created one - and within 48 hours it should be up and running. Check it out in the next few days and tell me what you think.
In the meantime, I'm beginning to panic about whether or not I can financially make it as a writer. This week, my goal is to submit my resume and writing samples to at least five outlets in hopes of becoming a regular freelance contributor. Clients come and go. October was a stellar month (though I haven't gotten paid for most of it yet) but November has been dry as a bone. I've published several articles, but it's not enough to keep food on the table.
I may have to find a real job. Lord, I hope not.

Mad, Mad, Mad

Yesterday, I was happy. Today, I am angry. Very, very angry.
I know high school is hard. I know kids can be mean. But for my oldest son, who lets EVERYTHING roll off his back, to come home begging for a transfer to a different high school, it's become a nightmare. I don't know what to do.
My beautiful, wonderful, smart, talented kid.
He looked forward to starting Wausau East all summer long. Couldn't wait! Came home after day one so enthused. Joined curling, debate, German club. Going out for lacrosse in the spring. In band. This is my mostly A's and a few B's student who has plenty of friends. Works out 3 times a week, runs and lifts weights whenever he can. And all it took to destroy it all was a couple of mean kids spreading rumors, calling him names, and making life completely miserable for him.
They call him slow and retarded. They say he's on drugs, his dad is on drugs, he's a moron.
Initially I called the school for help and was satisfied they'd nipped the problem in the bud. Now? The problem is continuing, and getting worse, and my formerly happy child dreads going to school, has headaches every week, and is having trouble concentrating on anything.
What is the MATTER with people today? With kids? With their parents? I am far from perfect and so are my children. But at least I know they're not mean, not bullies, not participating in that kind of crap.
I wish I could get my hands on the kids that do.

The Magical Place by shereenflynn| Lulu Poetry

The Magical Place by shereenflynn| Lulu Poetry

Home at Last

If you're wondering why I haven't blogged in so long, I'll tell you. It's because my idiot divorce lawyer suggested I do not. He worried I might say something I shouldn't.
He's not my lawyer anymore.
Three years into it, I'm still not divorced. How does this happen? And yes, I'll admit it, I've been practically living with my boyfriend for the past 2 1/2 years. How he puts up with it, I'll never know.
Much has happened. In May, I lost my job with Clear Channel. The news was not unexpected - the entire department, for the most part, was eliminated after a merger with Media Monitors. After 13 years, it still stung.
In June, I lost my mind. I'm working at slowly getting it back.
I spent the summer searching frantically for a job until I realized I had been given an extraordinary opportunity - to start over. Completely. I have always known what I truly wanted to do with my life, but it always seemed so......unrealistic. After all, how many SUCCESSFUL writers do you really know?
It took an eye-opening lunch with a voiceover client looking for a scriptwriter, a referral from a friend, and a freelance position with Demand Media to convince me I was moving in the right direction. I began writing in earnest, and have thrown myself into my journalism classes at UMass with renewed vigor and determination.
And yes, I'm still working on that book. Five pages a day, minimum.
A post from a fellow classmate at UMass reminded me how much I missed writing the blog every day. I'm just glad it still exists! So....lawyers be damned.....here we go.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is this weekend and I face it with feelings approaching dread. I know many people dismiss the "holiday" as Hallmark created, but as with other holidays, I adore celebrating and always work to make it special. It may seem silly, but I love all the hoopla. Sending valentines, buying little gifts for those I love - it all makes me smile.
Last year, a week before Valentine's Day, I confessed to Darren how much I loved the day and wanted to make it special. I think he was surprised, but he rose to the occasion and took me out for a fabulous dinner at Greenwood Hills. We dressed up and went out and had a terrific time, one I'll never forget.
A friend of mine asked recently why Valentine's Day, of all days, makes such a difference to me - and it's difficult to explain. I love holidays - all of them. I make a big deal out of birthdays, out of Christmas, even out of the 4th of July. But I know not everyone in my life shares my enthusiasm. I realized today that it has been over 20 years since someone sent or brought me flowers. I haven't received a romantic valentine's day card since I was 22, and haven't gotten a birthday or Christmas gift from a husband or boyfriend for.....well.....hmmm......probably a dozen years or more. This is not to say I only give cards or gifts with the expectation that they be returned (or, frankly, I'd have learned my lesson years ago.) But I can't even explain how much even the smallest gesture is so appreciated.
A year has gone by. We're more comfortable together, more apt to take each other for granted. It's a given that we love one another - it's no longer a question. But does that make Valentine's Day less important? Or - more?
Regardless of whether you're a romantic, everyone wants to be loved. What's more, they want to FEEL loved. It doesn't have to be expensive - a five dollar bouquet is just as effective as an 80 dollar vase filled with roses. Letting the day go by without even a small gesture.....well...I guess I just don't want to settle for that anymore.