I’m starting to have days off again – days in which I have few to no responsibilities – which is refreshing, but also a bit scary. May has turned into a month for planning in all sectors of my life.

First, I’m doing a lot of planning at my current job, organizing all of the events that will happen from June until I leave the library in September. My year of service ends in just a few months, and the sense of urgency to both fulfill my duties and to find a new job are significant.

This time last year, I was pulling out my hair because my plans to freelance and work part-time failed miserably. But I have been consistently employed  for 8 months now, and it has been pleasant. I wouldn’t say I’ve been complacent, but it certainly has felt nice to know when and where my paychecks were coming from.

And so, this month I am beginning to apply for jobs – primarily library, non-profit, and PR positions as they are what I enjoy most. I’m also starting to pitch freelance articles to small local magazines (a piece of advice I found in a book about freelancing that my current boss lent to me) in hopes of finally building a portfolio. Writing the pitch has been (and may always be) the most intimidating part for me, but I finally completed one and sent it to an editor who seems interested! My fingers are crossed, but I expect nothing. After what I went through in 2017, I find that its much better for my mental health to expect nothing.

I am also planning upcoming events of all sorts – from variety shows to poetry readings – as well as the biggest and least fun event of all: moving. I haven’t moved in four years and as excited as I am to leave my current apartment, I hate the apartment hunt. My greatest fear is not getting a place because my service work pays so little.

So May has turned into a planning month and not a resting month, and I realize that I need a bit of rest because even though I’m handling the stress fine no, I will probably collapse eventually. Now that I’m home from a long day of working and volunteering, I think I’ll indulge in an afternoon nap. 🙂

• Current drink: a pounder of Lionshead 
• Current book: Trigger Warning – Neil Gaiman
• Current e-book:  New Worlds, Year One: A Writer’s Guide to the Art of Worldbuilding – Marie Brennan
• Current music: “letting go” – potsu