I’m Baaaack!

I am back amongst the living. Well, the blogging anyway.

You may have been wondering what’s going on and why I’ve forsaken you so. Here’s the scoop:

School

I am officially a college graduate. Well, maybe not an official graduate seeing as how I didn’t (and don’t plan on) participating in any official ceremony and I won’t get the actual paper degree until May 2010 (more on that in a few secs.) But I have completed all the requirements (and then some) for an Associates degree in Journalism/Professional Writing.

Did you know you have to apply to graduate? Yeah, neither did I. And because I’m a master procrastinator, I didn’t apply for graduation until the last day of class (last Tuesday) of my last semester. That’s how I roll. So, I obviously missed the deadline for Fall 2009 graduation, and I’ll have to settle for Spring 2010. No biggie. I won’t be heading to UGA for my Bachelors till Fall 2010.

Family

My kids are super. They’re still cuter, smarter, and more awesome than your kids.

More on the kids in the Mommy Monday/Blog It Out, Baby blogs this week. There’s been haircuts (yes, plural), new words, and a boy/girl dance.

Work

Yes, you read that correctly: it says WORK.

So, these mystery shops/merchandising jobs have been taking up the majority of my time. They don’t pay a whole lot, but like almost everything else in life, it’s a hustle. I’m signed up with over a dozen different companies. On days when I had school, I’d schedule myself for 3-5 assignments in that area of town. Since I was spending gas anyway to go to class, I might as well pick up a few jobs that pay anywhere from $5-$20 a piece. I’ve made $80 just by doing simple jobs on my way home from school. Sometimes it’s doing a secret shop of a fast food place or gas station, other times I’m going to Targets or Walmarts and making sure that a certain company’s toy display is set up correctly.

My favorite assignments have been the revealed secret shops. I’ve gone to some fast food places near my house and ordered a burger only to test if the person will try and upsell me fries and a beverage. If they do, I go inside and present everyone on duty with $10 VISA gift cards. If they don’t, they get a “better luck next time” letter. Another time I had to go to a chain bookstore and see if a sales associate and coffee barista greeted me within five minutes. When they did, I presented them each with $20 gift cards. Not a bad way to earn money for my daughter’s laptop, no?

Diet

I am down yet another jean size. Don’t ask me how. I’ve been half-assing it this semester, and really hoping to get back into the swing of things after the holidays. I guess maybe it’s all this leaving the house I’ve been doing.

Writing

A return to blogging also means a return to querying Sharing Space and working on my next novel, “Tales From the Biosphere.” I have the next eight months to write (and read) for leisure and it feels great!

I have a lot of good blogs and stories coming up so I hope you’ll stick around. So, that’s what’s up with me. What about you?