Writer Moment

Now Playing: SEASONS by James Elsewhere
Just Read: THE MAGICIAN KING by Lev Grossman--Totally cool, like the first book. Magic for a rated R crowd, but with all the flair of childhood fantasy. Just wish things had been happier, haha.
Reading Now: FALL OF GIANTS by Ken Follett

Coast-swapping completed, I'm moved in to a place called Sunnyvale, CA. (Could I ask for a more picturesque name?) My humble new abode is, well, humble--I didn't have cable or internet, no way to kill time or create background noise. So what did I do?

Before I left North Carolina, I went to the library and checked out a couple--okay, six--audiobooks to listen to on the drive over. I got through three of them. So when I found myself all moved in with nothing to do, I hooked my speakers up to my computer and put the next one in. Over the course of the next few days, I knocked out a whole novel.

Total writer moment, right? I mean who else would think or want to play audiobooks in their living room while they cleaned/cooked/did the laundry/showered/ate lunch? But I've found that it makes the time pass quickly, and the advantage it has over television is that you don't have to keep your eyes on it.

Of course, now that I have internet (I'm blogging from my kitchen table, woohoo!), I'm sure I'll be watching a lot more Netflix. But to be honest I'll probably continue the audiobook thing, at least for a while. I'm also a member of the Sunnyvale library now, and they have all kinds of new titles! I wonder how many I can get through?

And don't worry--I'll return those books to the library in NC . . . somehow.

Coast Swapping

Now Playing: HARLEM by New Politics
Just Read: A CASUAL VACANCY by J.K. Rowling--Well, about as far from Harry Potter as is possible to be. Not saying I didn't like it--the writing was great and it was so deliciously gossipy . . . but you know.
Reading Now: THE MAGICIAN KING  by Lev Grossman

Today marks a milestone. I'm starting a trip out west, to move to Palo Alto, California for the next three months for work. It's my first travel assignment. My Camaro is packed to the brim, and she's hungry to eat up some road.

Tonight I'll be in Memphis, Tennessee, then a new city each day after that until finally arriving in Palo Alto on Monday. I'm nervous, but mostly excited. It's hard leaving my family and my girlfriend (although she's driving out there with me, and it's gonna be a hell of a road trip/vacation!) and my amazing job and coworkers. But a snake can't grow any bigger without shedding its skin, right?

My goals for the next three months are many and varied--first, succeed at this new job, be flexible, be intelligent, learn something, make some friends. Second, spend my spare time making myself better, by writing voraciously, and exercising, and exploring. Third, learn about and see as much of America as I can, hopefully with the company of some unparalleled friends and family.

There was an interesting article in the most recent AACN magazine, by the president. It was about having a combination of courage and action in your life if you want to be successful; she says, "You can't be passive about success in your life." That, I think, is so true, and it's a philosophy I've subscribed to since I was a kid.

Sometimes, you've got to close your eyes and jump into the pool, no matter how cold it is--usually, after a minute or so, it really isn't so bad.