Update on Everthing

So, we'll do another blog-relevant update. What is this blog about, again? Low-income, middle class. Bi-polar. Going back to school (nursing, that is) and working full time (that would be Kevin). Working from home and trying to make it as a writer, run a household, and raise kids (that would be me). So, then...

-We are still low-income and still (I think) middle class. We are still receiving food stamps and Medicaid for the kids, the former which has dropped precipitously this summer, which I am assuming is from the dearth of new applicants during this hellish, ongoing recession. We have not had a whole lot of interest in our house, which we had listed for sale just as a sort of experiment (since the likelihood was low but getting an apartment close to Girl's school would save time, gas, and the stress of yard work). Therefore, after the contract expires, we are going to apply to a local nonprofit that helps low-income families with small children to fix up things around the house that are unsafe or substandard. Here's hopin'.

-Kevin's latest medication regiment (as of last Christmas) for his bi-polar disorder has been working so well that it has felt all summer like he doesn't even have a disorder. This is maybe a little dangerous, but it is also wonderful. We actually have some time to deal with our own feelings and emotions about other things, getting to know each other again and repair old damage. This is a life-long deal, sure, but having so much respite when the kids are young is a real blessing.

-Kevin has started the accelerated bachelors of nursing program at Central. However, they wait until December to cut half the class, aka. decide who's accepted to the program. Yeah, it's nontraditional and cruel. Kevin has several advantages over other classmates, but that doesn't guarantee anything. So we wait with bated breath and Kevin has so much stress on him to perform well in his first nursing classes with his wife's and children's welfare riding on his performance. He will be asking for a stethoscope for Christmas. Due to a scheduling idiosyncrasy in our favor, he has decided to keep guarding five-shift weekends, as well. I can't wait until seven-days-a-week is over (check the countdown).

-I am still sending letters out to agents for my first novel, but have also dived into my second, which I actually believe has a stronger start. I even wrote a short-short story, which I am going to send to some magazines. I sold an article to my alumni magazine this past year, but it is yet to be published. Boo. I still get paid, but where is the infamy in that? Or the credential, for that matter? I am up to something like 15 rejections for the novel (one of which was actually really nice--and the only person to have read a few pages), and have almost 20 queries out there floating around as I blog. I have aspirations of submitting poetry, finishing the second novel (or more) during this recession (of literature and publishing, as well), and trolling for article venues. But all that takes time. And in the meantime, I have realized that Etsy, while cool, is not an easy venue for the re-furb tees and cards. I am going to keep it active, but I think that selling to local shops will make more sense. I have added hand-painted jeans and refurb jean purses to my offerings. I am working on an application for one store (they want to see tons of product) which I plan to submit this fall. I will slowly seek out other venues (I have plenty in mind), as I discover just how much does sell and how much I can keep up with as a one-man-show.

-You hear enough about running a household (the holidays are coming...) and the kids, but here is one to go on.

Boy was telling me that one day he is going to drive and I am going to stay home.
Me: So where are you going to go?
Boy: To the museum.
Me: Good choice. Where else?
Boy: The poo-poo store.
Me: Of course. What will you eat when you can eat whatever you want?
Boy: Broccoli.

As if!