“The point of this story is to illustrate that life is long and strange and the best thing you can do for yourself is what you want to do for yourself. Not what sounds good, not what looks good, but what feels good. Even if it’s one evening a week, even if it’s just the beginning.”
FUCK. YES. Thank you for this reminder. Life is short and we deserve to feel good, and to have hope.
Also, that conversation with the celebrity ex made me stop and read his point out loud to my partner. It’s such a good one!
This was beautiful! The question you asked candidates at the end of the newsletter really got to me and made me reassess how I am answering that question as I think about changing my career. Thank you!
OMG, I could not stop reading this suspense story of evolution …. I felt like an addict wanting the next fix… the next step forward you being wholly you. Your writing is compelling! I forget each week that a new installment is coming on Sunday, and then, when I get the email, everything goes on hold (except horseback riding), so I can read your newsletter. Thanks so much for sharing you….
Thank you for sharing your story…and good inspiration on how to ask for and receive raises in a more strategic way (that wasn’t my only takeaway from your life story, but I appreciated the inclusion!).
Thanks for sharing, especially the setbacks. Writers it seems are especially reluctant to share all of the failures we have to endure. And there are a TON. Like you, Substack feels like it is the place we were meant to be no matter how many folks we are writing for.
As a high school English teacher who has been blogging for almost 10 years, writing occasionally for pay, and working on book projects that are most likely going to be self-published instead of "real" published (because I'm a teacher in real life and I don't have time to figure out the world of publishing), this reminds me that I'm a writer because I write.
Plus, your story is fun and bad-ass and you're making it work.
And yeah, the comments about marriage...just yep. I'm so glad my husband convinced me that I liked camping when we were engaged. Twenty-one years later and our lives and our marriage are so much better for it.
Good post, thanks. Your story sounds exactly right. We grow into the people we are meant to be by being willing (daring) to fail repeatedly. Congratulations at failing so spectacularly. We all should learn from this.
There is so much to unpack in this week's newsletter I'll share what stuck in my mind while I was at work schlepping cards all night.
"...one singular passenger on this train of life can throw such a hissy fit that it derails the entire train."
You summed up my journey in one sentence. I've been riding the rails for years. It's only in the past two years I got off that train and on solid ground.
Great piece. I love your story. Reading it is like having a sleepover and sharing the intimate details of life in a safe space. Thank you.
“I am a writer because...” That paragraph did it for me. That was the neat bow on the package. Thank you for sharing your story. You are, most assuredly, a writer. And now I know I am, too.
What great comments. This story spoke to so many. I loved all of it but especially this "inspiration, twiddling its thumbs just waiting for me to show up, like I’d been standing outside the restaurant in the rain while they’d been waiting inside at the table the whole time, just buttering their bread and trying different wines. I would’ve been mad if inspiration wasn’t such a flirt." And of course I hear your honest voice throughout. Well done - once again!
I was saving these two writing journey posts for when I had time to sit down and really read them, and I'm so glad I did! What a fun journey, and so fascinating to follow! I'm really glad you ended up where you are, and so grateful for all the stories you share here. Please keep writing forever!
Like others, I appreciated you sharing yourself, your journey and the lessons you learned along the way. But really....all I have to say is thank you for reminding me of the glory that is Cee Loo Green's Fuck You.
The conversation with the ex is the whole reason I broke up with my ex but didn't know how to put in words. Then later some 6am bacon-and-eggs appeared in my life and also that's when I knew, but again didn't know how to explain.
I really enjoyed reading this, thank you for not giving up on writing :)
“The point of this story is to illustrate that life is long and strange and the best thing you can do for yourself is what you want to do for yourself. Not what sounds good, not what looks good, but what feels good. Even if it’s one evening a week, even if it’s just the beginning.”
FUCK. YES. Thank you for this reminder. Life is short and we deserve to feel good, and to have hope.
Also, that conversation with the celebrity ex made me stop and read his point out loud to my partner. It’s such a good one!
Bravo! And thank you for this line especially, which I get: “somehow desk jobs get lamer and lamer the higher in altitude you get.” Yes!
This was beautiful! The question you asked candidates at the end of the newsletter really got to me and made me reassess how I am answering that question as I think about changing my career. Thank you!
OMG, I could not stop reading this suspense story of evolution …. I felt like an addict wanting the next fix… the next step forward you being wholly you. Your writing is compelling! I forget each week that a new installment is coming on Sunday, and then, when I get the email, everything goes on hold (except horseback riding), so I can read your newsletter. Thanks so much for sharing you….
You are a gifted writer. I’m so glad you are doing what you are doing!
Thank you for sharing your story…and good inspiration on how to ask for and receive raises in a more strategic way (that wasn’t my only takeaway from your life story, but I appreciated the inclusion!).
Thanks for sharing, especially the setbacks. Writers it seems are especially reluctant to share all of the failures we have to endure. And there are a TON. Like you, Substack feels like it is the place we were meant to be no matter how many folks we are writing for.
This is oddly inspiring 😊
As a high school English teacher who has been blogging for almost 10 years, writing occasionally for pay, and working on book projects that are most likely going to be self-published instead of "real" published (because I'm a teacher in real life and I don't have time to figure out the world of publishing), this reminds me that I'm a writer because I write.
Plus, your story is fun and bad-ass and you're making it work.
And yeah, the comments about marriage...just yep. I'm so glad my husband convinced me that I liked camping when we were engaged. Twenty-one years later and our lives and our marriage are so much better for it.
Bravo! Thanks for taking us through your evolution. You are quite inspiring!
Good post, thanks. Your story sounds exactly right. We grow into the people we are meant to be by being willing (daring) to fail repeatedly. Congratulations at failing so spectacularly. We all should learn from this.
There is so much to unpack in this week's newsletter I'll share what stuck in my mind while I was at work schlepping cards all night.
"...one singular passenger on this train of life can throw such a hissy fit that it derails the entire train."
You summed up my journey in one sentence. I've been riding the rails for years. It's only in the past two years I got off that train and on solid ground.
Great piece. I love your story. Reading it is like having a sleepover and sharing the intimate details of life in a safe space. Thank you.
“I am a writer because...” That paragraph did it for me. That was the neat bow on the package. Thank you for sharing your story. You are, most assuredly, a writer. And now I know I am, too.
What great comments. This story spoke to so many. I loved all of it but especially this "inspiration, twiddling its thumbs just waiting for me to show up, like I’d been standing outside the restaurant in the rain while they’d been waiting inside at the table the whole time, just buttering their bread and trying different wines. I would’ve been mad if inspiration wasn’t such a flirt." And of course I hear your honest voice throughout. Well done - once again!
I was saving these two writing journey posts for when I had time to sit down and really read them, and I'm so glad I did! What a fun journey, and so fascinating to follow! I'm really glad you ended up where you are, and so grateful for all the stories you share here. Please keep writing forever!
Like others, I appreciated you sharing yourself, your journey and the lessons you learned along the way. But really....all I have to say is thank you for reminding me of the glory that is Cee Loo Green's Fuck You.
The conversation with the ex is the whole reason I broke up with my ex but didn't know how to put in words. Then later some 6am bacon-and-eggs appeared in my life and also that's when I knew, but again didn't know how to explain.
I really enjoyed reading this, thank you for not giving up on writing :)