Today I’m hanging out at Highland’s Coffee Shop on 4th Street. Got my laptop and my chai latte tea and my notes. So far I’ve just done a bit of work on the YA site, but next up is working on an actual article. hoo-boy. Feels kind of like what you’re supposed to do, huh?

Once we’re in the house, I’ll probably be doing this at the Old Louisville Coffee House, since it’s much closer (Oak & Hill) or maybe at the library sometimes (only problem is no chai tea there…) or even up here, if I were planning to meet with Tony. It would be a bit of a walk, but need to get out and walk anyway. It’s my only real form of exercise right now.

I’m a little freaked out about the whole writing articles thing and freelancing. My resume doesn’t look bad, but way down deep inside me I feel like a total fraud. I don’t know how to do this. I’m just winging it. I know that’s what everyone’s doing, but I don’t know how well I can fake it. Hopefully it will be like my drinking capacity…no one ever knows when I’m drunk. Maybe everyone will really think I am a professional writer. That’s how it happens. You just need people to believe.

I’m still looking for a writing group. I’d seen two ads in the Leo with meetings at the Old Louisville Coffee House, but I e-mailed the one lady and she said the group is now defunct (and was kind of sucky anyway). I’m missing Pinawor. It was a good group. Professional, even the people that weren’t published.

I need to work on my book too, but I think I’ll start that after I get at least 10 pending queries out. Gotta show some income…

Well, I can say one thing for Fiery Foods — they get back to you quick if they don’t want your article. I’m going to spruce up the query and send it off to another magazine. One of the books I picked up from the library today was on how to write better query letters and I can already see some things I need to work on. I think I was trying to be too cute in this one and I need to actually expand more on what the article would actually contain. Or, they do advise if the article is short to just go ahead and write it and send the whole thing. I might need to do that for this particular piece. I dunno. sigh.

I finished my resume and put up a one page published clip site. I need to ultimately set up a new domain, but I want to figure out what’s up with my hosting company first. I’m supposed to be able to host more than one domain off of it.

Well, I sent another query out. This time it is for the piece I started called The $2000 Hamburger about our adventures in grilling. I was debating about sending it to a larger magazine, but decided (ok, chickened out a little) to send the query to Fiery Foods & Barbecue, a smaller outfit. I just don’t have a lot of writing credits yet and I gotta start somewhere. Pay isn’t too bad though (at least, not for my current situation): $250 to $350.

That gives me 5 currently out. I need to get 5 more out there. Might work on a query I’d started a while back but never sent for Organic Living. Also need to do the one Italy write up and see how those go. That doesn’t pay overly much, but hey, it would be something.

I should also finish my resume up, since some places do ask for that. I’ve never quite finished it yet.

I’m not sure what it is today, but I’m almost completely unmotivated and tired. We even went to bed early last night and I got up kind of late this morning. I don’t know what it is. I did accomplish a few things:

• E-mailed all publishers to updated them on address
• Wrote 2 book reviews, posted 2 news items, posted 2 excerpts on site
• Returned key to apartment office
• Cleaned off the desk (mostly)

I did come up with a goal as well — try to have 10 queries/articles in the air at any given time. Sadly, right now I have just 4, so I’ve got to get 6 more going. I just can’t do it today though. I need to just lay down and sleep for a while.

Next thing I think is to write up a review of the B&B in Ferrara Italy. There’s a site that pays 50 Euros for write ups up to 750 words on places in Italy. I could churn out a few of those, but I’ll start with one and see how they like it. Too bad all my notes on Italy are packed somewhere in the POD, but I’m sure I can find enough on that one place for now. I’m not sure what 50 Euros is in dollars anymore, but they should be quick little pieces and every bit counts.

I actually got some stuff accomplished today! Whoo-hoo! There was the mundane stuff:

• Washed comforter to try and further remove the cat pee smell
• Clean carpet in office from last night’s cat puke (hm, I’m sensing a trend here in my to-do list)
• Buy office supplies
• Empty dishwasher

And the get-your-career-on-track stuff:

• Queried Salon.com with Clive Barker interview
• Finished Capriccio article and queried Bonaire Nights
• Queried Tampa Bay Magazine with wine shop article
• E-mailed guy at N2Arts that had previously accepted an article but hadn’t specified payment or publication

So, all in all, a pretty good day. I also had lunch with Tony, which is always nice. Off to update the other blog now…

Today I need to get started on this whole writing career thing. Gotta get a move on. I need to send out at least one query today, maybe two, and work on an article. We’re going to need whatever extra income I can pull in and we’ve got to start eating at home more. Our last credit card bill is insane, partly because of all the moving expenses (that will get reimbursed, thank goodness) but also because we’ve been eating out so much. Time to pull back in. We really have no idea yet how we’re going to live without my salary. It’s a big huge step.

I haven’t been writing in here since Tony and I started a new blog: The Pauley’s Go to Louisville. Probably no one else gets it, but that’s a take at Paul Curtis’ book The Watsons Go to Birmingham. I guess I’m obscure.

That blog is going pretty well. I didn’t think Tony’d really be into it, but it was actually his idea. And everyone seems to like it. I don’t have this one linked to it or anything, since I want to keep this one pretty private.

All of the moving stuff is going well. The cats right now are some of my biggest stress. After Grace peed in the bed the first night (arguably completely whacked out from the pills we’d given her for the drive up), Tony is ready to get rid of them the next time an “accident” happens. And I do understand that. I’m sick of cat pee too. I’m sick of always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I just have one big problem — I’m not sure which cat is the culprit and I don’t want to get rid of the one that isn’t the problem. I don’t want to be a disposable pet owner. We made a commitment when we adopted them, but I also don’t want to ruin a marriage over a cat, even cats that are my “babies” (though I’m not like those people with the teeny dogs, they are just ridiculous).

At any rate, when we got back last night from packing up the house, I noticed that the bath rug in Tony’s bathroom had a stain that looked suspiciously like cat pee. But herein is the dilemna again — did it happen that first night or was it new? I didn’t notice it before, but it was in a shadow and it looked a little old. Are they being bad now or was it just that first night? So I’m keeping an eye on the rugs now. Even the bed smelled a little funky when we got back, but then the whole apartment did. I got some febreeze to freshen things up. The smoke from all the neighbors is getting everywhere.

I wish I had a little spy camera so I could catch whoever it was in the act, though I’d be much happier if they just behaved. We’ve been keeping the litterbox very clean. I don’t know what else we can do. I’ve tried feliway, multiple boxes (made no difference, they didn’t even hardly use the 2nd one), different litter, different food, everything that all the sites out on the Internet say to try. Hooded litterbox, unhooded litterbox. I’m just tired of it all.

I’m working my way down my list of things to do, but my list keeps getting bigger. Yesterday I packed up all the Christmas stuff, pulled out the oyster plants on the side of the house, packed up some books and DVDs, had a plumber come out and install the new faucet in the roman tub, set up appointments with pest control, air conditioning, and sod/mulch guys. Today I’m working on laundry and doing some more yard clean up. Oh, and finishing transcribing that darn Clive Barker interview. I’m almost there. There’s just so much stuff going on.

We’re going to have one last big bash and maybe even a bluegrass band (the whole moving to Kentucky thing, you know).

I feel kind of blah today though. Like I’m catching a cold, which is the last thing that I need. Urk.

Well, he finally heard something. He’s got the job if he wants it, but they can’t tell him any details (salary, etc.) until sometime next week because of paperwork. They want him to start Feb 1st, but we wouldn’t necessarily have to be moved by then. But…we can’t do anything house-wise (selling or buying) until the paperwork goes through because they have a relocation program. Agh! More waiting….

Tony’s going to tell his dad this weekend. I’ll give Mom and Lisa a call too, I suppose. It’s all very nerve wracking. I’m happy/sad at the same time.

Wednesday, Tony had his big conversation with the head honcho in Geneva, Switzerland. The guy practically went and told him he had the job, but still no actual offer yet. Agh!

Even so, I had to go out and look at houses. I’m incurable. I found quite a few that I like in Old Louisville. I love those big old houses with the wood floors and the staircases.

I have been getting some actual work done as well. I re-sent out “Writing Advice from Writers” yesterday to a new market and today I got an e-mail back from the N2Arts editor that he needed articles on fine arts, voice and photography, so I wrote up a quick fine arts piece and sent it off. I’ve worked a bit on my book, though I’ve really got to get cracking more on that. It’s an excuse, but this whole moving, not moving, new job, no new job thing is just got me all up in the air. I don’t feel like I know whether I’m coming or going. Do I start packing? Do I sell my car (which I will miss dreadfully, but little red Mercedes convertibles really don’t go in Kentucky)?

Anyway, I’m going to run and pick up the dry cleaning since the GE people are supposed to be here sometime between 1-5 today to look at all our flaked out appliances.

I’m officially onto my writing career now…just have to figure out how to type with nails. Never had ‘em before. That’s what leaving behind a stressful corporate job will do for you.

The cruise went well, though mom’s new boyfriend really needs a hearing aid. It’s a different kind of cruise experience when you go with a bunch of 60+ people…my aunt taught me how to knit. I may be the only person who ever went on a cruise and learned how to knit. I’ve made a bunch of scarves now, though I’ve forgotten how to do the basic increase (need to go by a yarn/knitting store and have them show we how again).

Christmas was pretty quiet, since we’d bought one big present (that picture by William Grauer) for each other. Tony still spent too much, after he told me not to spend hardly anything, the silly cheat. We went to Charles & Phyllis’ house for Christmas Eve dinner and then had Phyllis over at our place for Christmas, since Charles was visiting his mom. Royce and Janet were up in NC visiting some of the grand kids.

Then, kind-of-but-not-quite spur of the moment, we decided to go on up to Louisville and check it out as a) if Tony actually does get the job, it would be good to at least have seen the city before accepting it and b) we were able to swing by both his mom and sister’s places in TN. That’s my one real issue I think with possibly moving. It’s a lot closer to his mom. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a nice person, but as soon as they get together they just snipe at each other. She knows how to push all of his buttons.

I did manage to clean off my desk today, though I’ve only done organizing and not any writing. I didn’t get up until after 10. I’ve been having trouble sleeping at night…I wind up waking up around 3 or 4 and then lying there for hours and then finally going back to sleep. I swear I’m going to take a Tylenol PM like around 8:30 tonight. I did also renew my tag online and hound the Kamado people some more (grill should be here tomorrow!!!!).

But tomorrow, writing full bore. I have to figure out what my average word count per day is going to be and what my schedule should be. I’m thinking I should get up, go to the gym, write for an hour or two, do lunch, write some more and then do some housework-y type of thing. Somewhere in there I have to do some Web site work too…Knitting’ll have to be a nighttime occupation.

It’s just as well that I didn’t get Sims 2….I really don’t need anything to suck up any more of my time than I’m already spending wondering whether we’re going to move or not…