Off to School I Go!

Well, today's the day I change my life for a while. I become a commuter student, and my cats and I have a bittersweet relationship. My focus has to be on school.

I've been furiously packing and preparing for the last month. I have everything put in containers except for some loose ends. My pillows and two lamps will be loose in the car, but everything else has been contained.  I don't know if I have room for a TV, and even if I do, I don't have any way to get the converter box right now. I'm taking 8 movies, and I'll watch what I can on the computer.

Surprisingly, I slept kinda well last night. I was watching the Gene Kelly marathon on TMC, and was falling asleep during Singin' in the Rain. I love Donald O'Connor's "Make Em Laugh" number.  I started falling asleep during the "Good Morning" number with Debbie Reynolds. I figured I needed to sleep.  I saw the Pirate, and American in Paris. Why do they put the goods movies on so late, I wonder? Not everyone lives in California.

I got up just before 7 this morning, did the dishes and pissed off the cats because they only get crunchies today, and until I get back in two weeks.

I hope Fluffy makes it till I come back. She's so sick. I know she's gonna pass this semester. I just hope I'm home when she does. She has chronic renal failure. And I made it worse by giving her fish cat food for the last 3 weeks. I didn't know that was too high in protein for her. I found some chicken cat food in the cupboard and gave that to her this week, but it might be too late. She's pretty lethargic. She was up watching the birds this morning, so that shows she's still interested in life. But she hasn't been on my lap or on the bed for several days.

Doc has me taking my blood pressure readings at least twice a day again. He's got me on so much medicine, I feel like a pill bottle twice a day!  I'm sure all this stress isn't helping any.

The money hasn't hit my bank account yet. I can't get the microwave or dish rack - or pillows, so I'm taking my normal bed pillows. I also can't get any food except what I can get on campus. And the rear-end of the car won't get fixed here. I'll have to find a place there - since the garage here is closed on weekends. I can't wait on that repair.

I'm trying to set up an efficiency apartment sight unseen, and be ready for two weeks of adjustments and making do. In two weeks, I can bring stuff back and forth as I need to. But this first trip is the biggie. LOTS of stuff going! I just hope I can bring it all back home OK in spring....

Well, turn off the computer, get through the shower and take that blood pressure reading so I can take my morning meds. Then pack the last bits and load up. I expect to be on the road by 10:30. That will give me time to get settled.

Editing Older Works

I've been writing since I was a kid. Not just for school, and not the poetry of teenager, either. Serious essays have been my forte'. I write on a limited topic, up to 700 words, and use all the argument and illustration I can in that space to present an idea or topic that supports an overall position. The essays can be combined using a singular line of reasoning or a similar viewpoint and published as a work of contemporary thought.

I have about 35 works that can be reviewed, brought up to standards, and published. I've grown a bit of a thicker skin about my writing in the past couple of years, and I'm not concerned about others opinions of my topics any longer. Let's just say that you don't have to like my stuff and I don't take it personally. But a true critique is hard to find, since so many folks have opinions on the content.

I've got a lady who wants to edit my work, and I'm giving her an opportunity to do just that over the next couple of weeks. If she edits and does not react to the content, and if her editing is constructive regarding structure, then that's a good start.

Content editing is much more difficult. That requires a person who is sympathetic with the viewpoint, and has a strong grounding in marketing so that their suggestions make the work stronger, and more appealing to my audience. That is a hoped-for situation, but difficult to find. At least so far. Eventually, I'm sure I'll have that type of editor when it's time for that person to be in my life. Who knows? Maybe this woman is that editor...