Well, hello there!
Life has kept rolling since I last wrote. Sunrises, changing seasons, Crepe Myrtle trees bursting into bloom.
Biggest News Flash: I have one year sober!
Actually today, I have one year, one month, and two days sober. And how has life changed because of that? I have not had to come to, face down on the floor, in 397 days. The cats are happier. Work has been steady.
In fact, since leaving dear Elephant Journal at the beginning of May, I have been thoroughly busy writing and working with friends to strengthen their business.
Other perks of sobriety:
- Paying off debts and old fees
- Ability to take care of day-to-day business
- Daily bathing
Ah, yes. Sobriety is good. Plenty of pros about it.
There are, however, those pesky cons that come calling, as well. Namely, I am now more aware of myself. And wherever I go, there I am, to my surprise. And while it may, in turn, surprise you to hear this, I am not always the best company. Indeed. 
The mind reels.
But while I have accomplished much in the past year, there still are plenty of items left on my “to do” list:
- Write to my friends in Bristol, England
- Remove all traces of splattered red nail lacquer from my bathroom walls and floor
- Revise and polish my current novel manuscript
- Shop said manuscript around the literary universe
- Go on tour to support above-mentioned novel (after it has been published)
- Start belly dancing again
- Initiate a daily routine of good oral hygiene for the cats
Ah yes. No rest, it seems, for the wicked. Or the sober. Or the wickedly sober. But one minute at a time, I move forward in this brave new world of sobriety, bounded only by my imagination and willingness to live in the now.
And in this early morning moment, being quiet and richly present seems to be the next right thing to do. And so I am doing it.
Forget regrets. Leave “should” behind. Determine not to try, but either to do or not to do. Stop qualifying life.
Wishing you well, too. Live deliberately.
Until next time, then.
Pamela's Write Life 