So I just realized that it’s been nearly a year since I last posted in my little blog, and I need to get to work. I fully intended to write a post weekly, but my life got away from me, and it just didn’t happen. I didn’t have any followers yet though, so I don’t think anyone was disappointed. I’m hoping that changes.
Shortly after I started this freelancing adventure, I was notified that I was not going to be able to remain with my full-time employer after a permanent injury I sustained. Having to end a 15 year career in Animal Welfare that was not just a job, but a passion and a lifestyle took a toll on me. Besides that, there was the loss of so many other things; health insurance, my other benefits, my retirement, and most importantly, stable and reliable income.
That meant selling my house. And having to figure out how to pay out of pocket for COBRA benefits for myself and my children for the last 5 months of the year. And looking at my 8 year old car and hoping that it was going to make it a few more years. And figuring out where I was going to move. I was overwhelmed and had a lot of decisions to make, and I had to make them quickly. I was suffering from extreme anxiety, a disorder that I have even when things are NOT falling apart around me, that was amplified by the chaos and uncertainty I was facing. Sitting down each week and coming up with something people might want to hear was not on my list of things that were helpful to me, so I let it slip.
Then more life happened. We moved in the summer. Moved my great-uncle to NC from NY, and dismantled my childhood as we packed up and disposed of the contents of a home that had belonged to my family for 87 years. Fixed up my own house to sell in the fall. Closed on it in December just before the holidays, but had to use most of the money to pay off credit cards and other expenses that I’d racked up while moving and unemployed. Then my mother fell and broke her hip. Two weeks after that, my father had stroke. My sister and I were worn thin making a 3 hour trip back and forth from NC to GA every weekend to try and help with their needs. Then my Dad moved here with us for a while after he was released from the hospital, as he was unable to be left alone and my poor mother was still healing from a hip replacement and couldn’t care for him. And those are just the big things.
And so I found myself broke, in way over my head in debt, and without any reliable income, which was causing me to rely on credit cards just to put food on the table. A few weeks ago, my Dad was finally able to return to Georgia, and for the first time in many, many months, I have had a chance to start working on updating my portfolio and pursuing my writing career. So I’ve been sitting here every day, plodding along, applying for jobs, and trying to make this work. I haven’t gotten back into my groove yet, but I’m hoping that I hit it soon. In the meantime, I’m planning to try and make a point to start working on my blog on a regular basis.
I have some good ideas for articles; I’ve learned a lot in my journey to become a successful writer and editor. I’ve found my niche in the editing world, and I’ve learned some things to look out for. I’ll be covering some of those in the next few weeks. In the meantime, it’s time for me to start getting back to work.
Sheryl Washburn 