Tying Up Loose Ends

Posted on by A.R. Geiger

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I am leaving tomorrow on a super special, very exciting trip.

One last hurrah, you might say, before my job begins and I have to settle into a desk and learn a new routine.

Since I love routines, I am very excited.

But the fact remains that tomorrow morning, somewhere between Very Dark and Sleep O’Clock, I will be crawling out of bed like a creature of the night and setting off on a road trip with three of my family members.

We are going many places. I will tell you about them next week when we have actually been to these many places.

Since I haven’t left yet, and my job hasn’t started yet, this last week has been all about tying up loose ends and preparing for a whole new season. I’ve gotten new glasses, a haircut, overhauled my wardrobe, cleaned my house . . . 

A lot of stuff, in other words. All the things I need to do before I show up for that first day.

One of the things that I have accomplished is to finish the first draft of my book, Of Bullfrogs and Snapdragons.

*Trumpets blare, people—mostly me—celebrate, a duck quacks*

Wait . . . what? I have a job where I’m getting paid to write and yet I’m still writing my own books?

Yes. In case you were wondering, my life plans are still the same. This job hasn’t changed them. I am still an author, I still have many books to write and many I want to publish, and I will still have a blog to keep up with.

And I’m going to manage all those things if it kills me.

No, I’m kidding.

Actually, I’m going to take it slow, learn my new routine, and adapt my life accordingly. Things will slow down a little, but I will still post on my blog, I will still write, I will still be me.

And, since I am not quite twenty five yet, I have plenty of time. My goal has always been a lifelong career, not instant fame or ten books on the market as fast as I can produce them. So, if you ever wonder what Abigail is doing with her life, just know that I am still here. Building away. Creating my empire.

And right now, that means tying up all my loose ends. Which probably means I should buy some groceries and do some meal planning.

Eh. I’ll do it when I get home.

In two weeks.

Any advice for someone starting their first ever office job? I’d love some wisdom from people are more experienced than I am!

A Solid Place

Posted on by A.R. Geiger

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One of my oldest and dearest friends got married this week.

I went to the wedding.

It was beautiful.

But, even though I am so, so happy for her and her new husband (who is amazing, by the way), it was also a very surreal experience for a lot of reasons.

For one, she is married. Like, to a husband. So weird. For another, my pregnant sister flew in from another state to attend the wedding. And it was the first time I’ve ever seen her pregnant. Like, ever. (Mostly because this is the first time she’s ever been pregnant.)

And last, but certainly not least, during the reception, I was surrounded by a crowd of people I had grown up with. All of them were adults now.

How weird is that?

I got introduced to boyfriends, talked to people about college and careers, and ended up with the very stunning realization that the world is moving on and things are changing.

Quite drastically.

Since this coincides with some pretty drastic changes in my own life, it left me feeling a little shaky. Remember that job that I mentioned last week? It starts on July 1st. Up until now, I’ve worked nanny jobs and anything else that would pay so that I could support my writing.

Now, I’m going to get paid to write.

And it’s going to be a huge change. It’s my first office job, it’s the first—regular—job I’ve had in my career field, and it’s the first full-time position I’ve ever accepted.

Since I write full-time anyway, I’m not too worried. But still—changes. Big changes. And not just in my life, but everywhere I look.

In case you didn’t know, I am a hermit. Big time. Like, way more than I ever expected to be when I was younger. I like my house, I like my routine, and I like things to be (mostly) the same, with a few moments of planned excitement along the way to spice things up. When I have great adventures, they are of a literary nature.

So when things start changing, I start to panic a little.

When that happens, I have to take a step back and remind myself of the places in my life that are still solid.

God is still my solid ground.

I still love him.

I am still a writer.

My family might be scattered to the four winds, but we still love each other.

And Mrs. Hudson (my cat) is still a grouch, thank goodness.

It’s good to know there are a few things in life that can always be counted on, even in the midst of embracing the changes.

Are things changing in your life, or do you have any wonderful tips for finding balance amidst the crazy? Tell me about it in the comments!