okay, so maybe for reals this time...

My last post said I was back, back from a non-vacation...?
but really, being busy is my only excuse for the neglect of my blog...yet there are people far busier than I who still manage to keep up at least a little bit with theirs.

So what have I been doing...? Maybe I've been avoiding my blog because I've been avoiding Truth.
The truth about my life over the past year, the truth about what I've really been doing... (mwahaha :) In any case, what I haven't been doing - posting anything on here...again...is this just repeating my last blog? I don't even know...

But in any case, lets do a recap, and then I'll cling to my blog from here on and do regular updates like I used to just so as not to have to ever do another recap... and maybe most of you already know all this, so this will be very boring for you.

For reasons unstated, I've been a "single mom" for almost exactly a year now.
I'm still in school, with less than a year to go on my Associates of Science with an Emphasis on English (whatever that means)
I've put in my two weeks notice at wherever it is currently that I'm working, and so looking again for another job...there's a journey.
I'm writing for the SLCC newspaper - The Globe - under the alias of Tess Samuel
(my other writing name)
I'm deeply entrenched in the poetry society of Salt Lake (Salt City Indie Arts) - who all know me as Tess Samuel as well
I'm still writing my novel, more seriously than ever before
I'm still insistent on being a rock climber and I can't wait for good weather when I can climb and bike again

And, perhaps, an announcement...or something...

Almost exactly one year ago I attended LTUE, a conference at BYU, pretty much through which my start as an 'author' really 'began'...or maybe just began to seem real.

I met so many incredible authors and people there, most of whom are local, and a year ago, when I was there, I told myself - I belong up there, on the panels, with the speakers, someday I'll be one of them. Next year I'll be one of them. That was my resolve. So this year, it has actually happened. Yes, I will be a panelist at LTUE, with the great ones, Jessica Day George, James Dashner, Mette Harrison...

And I couldn't feel more inadequate...
Less qualified...

I've gone through all the emotions, absolute excitement - raving to everyone about it, extreme panic - what if I end up not saying anything? What if I have nothing to add? I'm not officially published yet! Countered and recountered with - but I am and I can and I will and it'll be amazing and great and fun and as with every conference I attend I'll be sad when it's over...as I know I've said before... and Denial, that the conference will ever actually start, that it's just taking so long to happen that it just won't...or something... but it will and it is and it's Tomorrow!!! WoW!

And after really doing some research and thinking and planning, today for the first time in days I'm truly excited about it again, jumping out of my skin excited and can't wait for it to happen!!

Hopefully I'll be updating my blog throughout the conference, mentioning breif happenings, or realizations, or whatever comes to mind - like usual.

Also almost exactly a year ago I conceived the idea for my current novel. And I've been working at it (albeit slowly) ever since. And in the process I have learned much and have enjoyed it greatly! and have hated parts of it, too, and wish I were done with it already and all the thinking that comes with writing a novel ...I'm in the middle - hmm, maybe it's time to scrap all of it and if I just start over, then it will be really great! yeah, all that.

But anyway, I've written a whole lot of poetry too, and have really been studying that and have found many friends with doing so. For more info or to see any of my poems, visit:
http://thegirlintheglasswrites.blogspot.com/
But that's almost as often updated as this one...something I will also work on upcoming.

Anyway...that's all folks! Till later this weekend, or earlier tomorrow, or something...

By the way, somebody please leave a comment, just so I know Anybody is still reading this at all...I feel like I'm talking to myself on here and it's really awkward... maybe you can tell that also... :)