it's getting better all the time

[albionidaho]

raven_radiation, one of my Clarion West '08 classmates, crashed here last night with one of her housemates. It was great to see her, if only for a short time. It was hard to say see you later, but easier than it was to say goodbye to chris_reynaga Saturday morning. This was one of the hardest things I've ever done -- he was the last to say goodbye to, and he became a very dear friend during our six weeks in Seattle. In any event, things are getting easier, and I think this means I'm settling in.

I still miss my classmates and the sorority house and all the lovely people involved with my Clarion West experience, but I'm ready to move forward with my writing career. I'm ready for the adventure and the hard work. And I will see them again.

Today I wrote, and am working on critting a story, spent a lot of time with my kids wrestling and playing, slept, and spent a lot of time with Rice, talking and bonding. Oodles and gobs. Which is what one should do when one comes home from Clarion.

This doesn't mean the tears are over, or the sad times, or that my heart misses them any less, but life goes on if we're ready to accept the challenge.

Comments

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Congrats on surviving the workshop! It's rough being separated from everyone after those intense six weeks, but you'll be able to look forward to reuniting with them if you make it to some conventions! And e-mail and LJ are really helpful to staying in touch. It's even better if you can phone or IM. My class tried working out a weekly group chat for a while, and it still goes on though not everyone can make it all the time.

[albionidaho.livejournal.com]

What a great idea! Thanks :).

I'm so glad to hear your class stays in touch. When did you graduate?

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

2005. I'm lucky enough to have a couple of local classmates (we're in a writing group here) and others close enough to see with some regularity. The first year out, 12 of us managed to meet at Wiscon, which is central enough to be convenient to most locations. We also kept up an online critique group for a couple of years before we all got too busy, but it helped with the separation anxiety a bit.

[albionidaho.livejournal.com]

Thank you. All of this helps so much.