work — Blog — Anna Lindsey

I'm returning to the regularly scheduled programming after a short break that feels like an eternity. Anyone else? In the time I was away, I did a lot of things, including getting married (and the stress leading up to that event, especially for an introvert who avoids the spotlight), traveling to Belize, continuing to travel as part of my newish job and celebrating the holidays with my family. Between wedding, work and family, I don't want to count the number of trips I've made back and forth from Austin to Dallas. It would just make me sad. I got back a little over a week ago, and I'm going back next week. See? I can't talk about it.

Moving on. In the midst of all the of crazy, I also started a new writing project. It's still in the early stages, about 10,000 words right now, but I'm hoping to reach the 50,000 words by the end of the month. Cross your crossable extremities. I'm using Scrivener for this project, and loving it, but I can help but feel I'm barely skimming the surface on all of the features. I'll have to work on that.

So it's the start of a new year, and I'm juggling a lot of things, including being a new wife (what!?), being a homeowner, having a newish job in a very new industry and tackling a big writing projects. And it's also the time for resolutions. Oh, why not? I clearly have loads of time. Here goes...

Finish my writing project.
Learn more about writing and publishing.
Record all of the books I read throughout the year.
Begin renovations on the condo.
Learn how to keep the condo clean.
Cook more often, and try new recipes.
Be open to new friendships.

There you have it. In making this public, I'm subjecting myself to judgement and ridicule. Be kind.

My job comes with many responsibilities, and I'm learning a lot as I take on this new role. Among other things, my job requires that I travel occasionally. While I wouldn't want to make it a daily thing, traveling occasionally for work can be exciting, even if it's only to small, remote locations. One sure way to get acquainted with coworkers is driving through the cornfields of Oklahoma in a base model rental car during a thunderstorm. While preparing for the trip, I naturally packed reading materials. After a few bad experiences with my Kindle in airports, I always bring paper books in my luggage as well. This time I went for two of my favorites: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. I never enjoyed The Old Man and the Sea, but Jake Barnes gets me every time. There's something supremely romantic, yet utterly depressing about these sad, lost expatriates surviving Paris and Pamplona.

However, for this particular trip, I gravitated towards Bradbury, possibly because of his recent death, or possibly because this book takes me back to the hot Texas summers of my youth. If you've shied away from Bradbury because of the science fiction label, this book will make you reconsider. The way Bradbury describes the start of summer in the mythical Green Town, Ill., as told through the eyes of 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding, is magical. I can smell the freshly cut grass and taste the tartness of the dandelion wine.

I try to read this book every summer because it brings me back to simpler times before work and obligations got in the way of a joyous, carefree summer. As we drove through the sprawling Oklahoma countryside, I could almost remember.