A wandering stroll

Yesterday was my grandson Jordan's tenth birthday and he didn't get the gift I sent because it was sent to the billing address (mine) instead of to him. I called him today to explain the problem, but he was okay with his. AJ, his father, doesn't get paid until the end of the month and his birthday party isn't until Aug. 2nd. I should be able to get it to him by then.

And speaking of packages, I keep forgetting to mail Mary Ann's package. I should probably take all the books off it and from around it and put it in the car in the front seat so I don't forget when I go to the post office the next time.

Beanie is on vacation this week and has turned off her cell phone. I wanted to share some good news with her, right after I shared it with Mary Ann, but now she'll have to wait until she gets back.

This has been a day for good news. The contracts have been written, edited, amended and inked today so the Big Secret Project can finally go forward. You'd think after all these years that I would be used to the hurry up and wait world that is publishing, but sometimes it is just too much to expect, especially with a project this big. No, I can't mention any details, but I have no problems dangling bits of information to keep the interest going -- mine as well as yours. Suffice it to say that there is a movie (actually two movies) tie-in that will coincide with publication of the Big Secret Project and I was beginning to think it would never happen.

Going weeks without news has a dampening effect on me.

I was also offered a plum assignment to join the critique service at Authorlink where I have been a paid reviewer for six years. I was surprised by the offer and snapped it up immediately, which is what I shared with Mary Ann, and would've shared with Beanie if her phone was one and she available. From email to answer to squee took about 30 seconds. It's a good thing I work at home and live alone or I'd be spending the night, and many nights to come, in a blandly quilted room wearing a jacket with wrap around sleeves. Now that is a project I can talk about.

Here I am on the downside of the year with quite a few blessings I can count, in addition to the usual blessings of continued employed, roof over my head, food in the cupboards and plenty of books to read. Even my utility bills have come down even though I run the ceiling fan in the living room and the stand fan in the bedroom almost constantly. The summer so far has been cool with lots of rain in the afternoon to make sleeping at night pleasant and restful -- when I actually get into bed and sleep -- and I am not taking 3-4 cold showers a day just to be comfortable.

I feel a little guilty because some of my friends have had a rough year and for some the year just keeps getting rougher. I hesitate about posting my good news because of my friends' problems and I don't want to seem like I'm gloating in the face of their troubles. The good thing is that I have amazing friends who, in the midst of their misery or discomfort, are happy for me and glad to celebrate, which just makes me feel a little bit guiltier for feeling so good. It's not like I haven't had my troubles (let's not go there) and I am always glad to hear someone else's happy tales, like last Friday.

I had just found out I had to work over the weekend and wasn't able to go to the VE session at the Megafest in Monument, so I called Dennis, the VE Liaison for the PPRAA team, and gave him the bad news. I had already made sure there were plenty of VEs for the exam session and even worked out a split shift so the VEs wouldn't miss the whole hamfest, so there was no reason to panic and find someone to take my place.

Dennis took the news well, but I could tell he was reluctant to tell me his good news. He didn't want to smile in the face of my troubles. I urged him to tell me something good, "...so I know there's hope for better things ahead," I told him.

"All right," he said. I could tell he was still reluctant and would downplay the good news as much as possible.

Dennis has had some problems with depression and he was out of work for a long time -- Dennis is a Beta tester. I heard him rein in the smile and the joy as he told me his was feeling better and work was really good. That's the kind of news I wanted to hear, I needed to hear.

That's the thing about good news. It's infectious, spreading like a balm over the sore places in my life. As long as someone I know and care about is doing well, especially after a prolonged period of difficulty, then I'm happy for them. I refuse to wallow in the mire at the bottom of my own potholes on the road of life when there is a rising sun on the horizon or a bright star coming out from behind the clouds. It's a time to celebrate not dilute with feelings of envy and questions of "why isn't it going better for me?". Sometimes -- thankfully -- it's not about me and I need to get out of my head and get some distance from the troubles so I can look up at the horizon and see the sun or that brilliant star and smile and laugh and celebrate. After all, without the valleys, who would notice the hills -- or the glorious, majestic, awe-inspiring mountains?

And to continue rolling with more good news, Past Imperfect is available for sale on Amazon.com

Do you see now? It's cyclical: good news, followed by bad news, followed by good news. I hope the good news lasts for a while.