Hi, All!
Hope everyone is managing to get through our insane weather patterns. I just arrived back to Chicago yesterday afternoon after driving through five hours of fog in Florida, misty rain through Georgia and Tennessee, and on and off torrential rains through Indiana. Surprisingly, Chicago weather was't too horrible: 36 and cloudy.
At least I woke up to the sun streaming through my windows... a nice way to start the day.
I can't believe we are in MARCH already. Didn't 2015 just begin? Time is fleeting, and it seems that I am only one step behind the world. Don't you just hate that? No matter how hard I try, I am missing out on something important.
Will we ever catch up?
That is my theme for today's IWSG post. Playing catch up...
Am I just fooling myself? Are any of us? We are always tenacious, focused, and forever trying.
I've learned so much about myself these past six weeks in Florida and NYC. I left Chicago, bright-eyed and full of hope. I would do GREAT at the SCBWI conference in NYC, and I would find my perfect home in South Tampa. That was the plan...
As we know, life always has its own plans for us. WE may push ourselves toward our goals, but obstacles can and WILL pop up just as we are sailing along effortlessly. Always remember the detours will push us into unknown territory WHICH is NOT NECESSARILY a bad thing. God has his own plans for us, hopefully we are on the same track, but not always.
The conference was AMAZING as I had written about in my previous post. Now I need to buckle down, review my notes, and brush away all my insecurities about querying those amazing people I had listened to and learned from at the conference. Push away all my fears and jump right in!
Not so easy after the stress of looking for my future home for over a month. I racked up more miles in that short time on my poor 13 year old Saturn than I had in ten years in Chicago. I found three residences that were perfect for me and SADLY all of them fell through for one reason or another. By February 28 I had enough, ready to get up at 4:00 am Sunday morning and drive home, defeated. I felt so bad for myself and my realtor. She was amazingly patient and supportive. Telling me not to settle for something not right...WHICH I almost had. Even put an offer on this property and just needed to counter and leave the escrow money. But...I didn't. I decided to look one more time at the MLS. And, I had found my place!
I submitted an offer and I am ANXIOUSLY waiting for the acceptance or counter today. This was the LAST place I looked at, too. It is meant for me. I just know it.... After three let downs, can this be the fourth? I am hoping not. Sometimes we have to WAIT for the right moment for our goals to be achieved. SO, KEEP AT YOURS. I know I intend to. I looked a the MLS again last night and found "Backup" condos, JUST IN CASE. I'm not giving up. AND, neither should you on your goals and dreams.
This is my advice to all of you. Our writing lives and personal lives often share the same road. Keep trudging along and you will be led to your destiny. Keep and open mind and if the obstacles are too great, get yourself a pair of spiked boots and DIG IN. STAND YOUR GROUND!
Please drop by the rest of the IWSG members here at Alex J. Cavanough's site, for inspiration and advice. Remember we are not alone in our insecurities....
Hope everyone is managing to get through our insane weather patterns. I just arrived back to Chicago yesterday afternoon after driving through five hours of fog in Florida, misty rain through Georgia and Tennessee, and on and off torrential rains through Indiana. Surprisingly, Chicago weather was't too horrible: 36 and cloudy. At least I woke up to the sun streaming through my windows... a nice way to start the day.
I can't believe we are in MARCH already. Didn't 2015 just begin? Time is fleeting, and it seems that I am only one step behind the world. Don't you just hate that? No matter how hard I try, I am missing out on something important.
Will we ever catch up?
That is my theme for today's IWSG post. Playing catch up...
Am I just fooling myself? Are any of us? We are always tenacious, focused, and forever trying.
I've learned so much about myself these past six weeks in Florida and NYC. I left Chicago, bright-eyed and full of hope. I would do GREAT at the SCBWI conference in NYC, and I would find my perfect home in South Tampa. That was the plan...
As we know, life always has its own plans for us. WE may push ourselves toward our goals, but obstacles can and WILL pop up just as we are sailing along effortlessly. Always remember the detours will push us into unknown territory WHICH is NOT NECESSARILY a bad thing. God has his own plans for us, hopefully we are on the same track, but not always.
The conference was AMAZING as I had written about in my previous post. Now I need to buckle down, review my notes, and brush away all my insecurities about querying those amazing people I had listened to and learned from at the conference. Push away all my fears and jump right in!
Not so easy after the stress of looking for my future home for over a month. I racked up more miles in that short time on my poor 13 year old Saturn than I had in ten years in Chicago. I found three residences that were perfect for me and SADLY all of them fell through for one reason or another. By February 28 I had enough, ready to get up at 4:00 am Sunday morning and drive home, defeated. I felt so bad for myself and my realtor. She was amazingly patient and supportive. Telling me not to settle for something not right...WHICH I almost had. Even put an offer on this property and just needed to counter and leave the escrow money. But...I didn't. I decided to look one more time at the MLS. And, I had found my place!
I submitted an offer and I am ANXIOUSLY waiting for the acceptance or counter today. This was the LAST place I looked at, too. It is meant for me. I just know it.... After three let downs, can this be the fourth? I am hoping not. Sometimes we have to WAIT for the right moment for our goals to be achieved. SO, KEEP AT YOURS. I know I intend to. I looked a the MLS again last night and found "Backup" condos, JUST IN CASE. I'm not giving up. AND, neither should you on your goals and dreams.
This is my advice to all of you. Our writing lives and personal lives often share the same road. Keep trudging along and you will be led to your destiny. Keep and open mind and if the obstacles are too great, get yourself a pair of spiked boots and DIG IN. STAND YOUR GROUND!
Please drop by the rest of the IWSG members here at Alex J. Cavanough's site, for inspiration and advice. Remember we are not alone in our insecurities....
40 comments:
Never settle! I hope you get that place Michael. Glad you didn't offer on the one that wasn't quite right.
I hope you get your place, Michael. It sounds like this one was meant to be.
I need to get myself some of those spiked boots right now. I can't even settle on a plan or goal at the moment so digging in sounds just about right.
Where am I? I think I'm still stuck somewhere in 2013. Did you write this post for me?
You're right. We just have to keep on pushing forward. Life happens and we can't let that fall by the wayside, but when we have our dreams that prod us on we need to listen to those as well.
Best wishes to you on that road to the success I know you are growing ever closer to.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
I've had these same thoughts this morning, wishing things would just MOVE FASTER. Here's hoping the perfect home is yours, Michael.
May you get the home you wanted.
And you have a Saturn? My husband had three different ones. The first we purchased one year after the company started and that was the best one of the bunch.
Balance is the key. I have to force myself to make time for wifey and the kids. Otherwise all they see is the back of my head while I write. That's not going to work.
I don't know if we ever catch up. Hope you get this gig. Crossing my fingers.
I can't believe we're already in March. I have so much to do next month...submitting a novel to my publisher for consideration...and I don't feel I'm ready yet. Eek!
I sure hope they accept your offer. I have my fingers crossed!
And good luck with your submission process!
I can't believe we're already in March. I have so much to do next month...submitting a novel to my publisher for consideration...and I don't feel I'm ready yet. Eek!
I sure hope they accept your offer. I have my fingers crossed!
And good luck with your submission process!
Fingers are crossed for you, Michael. Thanks for the inspiring message today! Happy March.
I hope you get your place, Michael! Sounds like life's been a whirlwind for you. I hope everything pulls through.
I keep hoping that one door closing will lead to a better one opening. Hope you get your place.
Alex is right: never settle -- you will always fixate on those things that are not quite right in the house, and it wall gnaw on you like a stone in your shoe!
Whenever I lose patience and bull ahead, I always regret it. Patience is the key to success in many things. Hang in there!
I cant believe we are in March. Its like yesterday I celebrated the start of the year. Time is in a super flight mode. Crossing my fingers for your house, Michael.
Dig in. Stand your ground is what I am doing now. Hugs.
So true that we don't always know where we'll land. I would have never thought I'd find a job writing from home. Now if I can make it work so I make enough money doing it. Good luck which your condo hunting.
time is zooming by. Sounds like you are keeping it together in regards to your writing. Slow and steady. As far as residence, so much is luck and timing and patience. The right place will happen. Good luck!!
I need a pair of spiked boots to aerate my back yard. Gotta be cheaper than renting a machine. And more fun to stomp out all my frustrations with job hunting.
I hope you get your perfect home soon Michael. I remember moving into my new home a year ago, and sometimes I still can't believe it is all mine.
Good luck in your other adventures Dude. Keeping a positive attitude will get you far :)
"Never Give Up" a great motto!!! Hope you get that house!!!
I hope you get that place, too. Tampa is a great area - and it's warm! Hallelujah!
So awesome to read an update on you! I hope you get this last place that you really want!! We went through the same thing when we were house hunting 2 years ago--putting offers in and then having them fall through. Just wasn't the Right One. Good luck!
When it comes to living somewhere, your realtor's right - DON'T settle. You have to find something that's just right, otherwise it's years of regret. I really hope your 4th choice comes through and it's perfect for you!! Good luck!!
I've got my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that you get the place you want.
Such a wonderful post, Michael. God's plan for us is an awesome plan. We just need to trust it and keep moving forward as best we can.
Your search for a new home sounds exhausting, which it always is. We just sold one of our beach houses and are faced with the decision of spending tons of money turning our big beach house into our permanent home OR selling it and buying/building something that meets our needs. First World problems are such a nuisance aren't they?
I'm hoping it's PORTRAIT's time Michael. Really do. While I try to sell my Fijian romance I'm already motoring on with a chick lit set in Paris and feel i'm finally writing what i want to read. So all good. :-)
Too funny. You have some solutions to my post today about time constraints. Best of luck with the offer!!!
I personally wouldn't want to live in Florida, too hot for me. I was quite warm enough in North Carolina which we both love. However, if that's where you want to be, I do so hope you get the place you are after.
Good luck in getting the place you want. Looking for a new home is frustrating, but it can be rewarding when the perfect place turns up. Exciting times ahead!
Good luck with getting the home of your dreams! Finding just the right home isn't an easy task. My parents have sometimes said their former real estate agents must've really hated them, since they looked at so many houses for so long and didn't get any of them.
It seems like we play catch up a lot. It'd be nice to just get ahead for once.
I bet Tampa will be a nice change in pace compared to Chicago. And change in weather too. :)
Very inspiring Michael, and just what I needed. I keep going back and forth, and back and forth, it frustrating. I've changed the end of my story 3 times and am considering a 4th, but until it's done - it simply isn't done. I like the comment about the spiked boots, I'm going to get a pair of my own!!!!!
And I know your dream home will materialize soon!
2015 is flying by, isn't it? Best of luck on getting your ideal home, Michael. Never settle when it comes to your home, your friends, or your passions. Everything else will fall into place.
VR Barkowski
Inspirational as always, Michael. I'm DONE trying to figure what the plan is for me. I'll just continue to go w/ the flow and see where it gets me. W
elcome back. Glad to hear the conference went well. Fingers crossed on the place in Florida!
Oh, I hope you get the place you want! I know the waiting is agony. Like you said, God has a plan--hopefully it fits in with yours! So glad you enjoyed the convention. I haven't been to one yet, but some day...
Hi Michael - sounds like it got accepted - which is such good news for you ... I'm so pleased finally things are working out - now 2015 will be busy ... but fantastic you've been so pro-active re your writing and finding a place to live ... take care and good luck - cheers Hilary
Glad you survived that horrendous drive home, Michael. Good luck with the Florida place. I'm sure it's a beauty, as you have such wonderful taste. I'm sending lots of positive thoughts your way, and hope to celebrate with you when it becomes official!
Julie
This sounds like exactly what I'm going through, I feel as if I can easily relate. I've been going so well at my goals, and now I'm moving, and everything is off kilter. I know God has all of this planned out, but when one is living in the middle of it is hard to focus on the important things sometimes.
You're moving to Tampa? I thought you were moving to NYC? I must have gotten confused. Fingers crossed that you get your home! My brother lived in Tampa for several years and loved it!
Fingers crossed for you on that offer. Looking forward to your good news, Michael.
Oh boy, I hope by the time you read this you know already which way the wind is blowing, and I hope it's the direction YOU want it to blow. I am so hoping for the move to Tampa, because then you'll be "more" in my neck of the woods. I'm a Florida native, really, and live four hours north of Tampa. There are some really great writing groups in Tampa. You might also want to check into the Florida Writer's Association. https://floridawriters.net/ They have a conference every year only a two hour, max, drive from Tampa in Orlando. Last year we had close to 600 people attend... with agents, editors, etc.... Good luck Michael.
Aloha!
HOPE the final place worked out!!!
Hey, I know I haven't stopped by in a long time... but when you have a chance, Michael, check out my latest post - AND listen to the podcast when you can.
THANKS.
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