So, it’s official. I’m now part-time employed at a local grocery store as a cashier, thus dashing my plans of working on nothing but my writing for the time being. Granted, I’ve asked for only around ten hours a week and it’s significantly less demanding than my previous full-time assistant general manager position, but part of my soul is a little sad for the fact that the endless days of writing are slightly compromised. However, most of my soul knows me better than that, and knows that this is a good thing. I need to feel like I’m doing some sort of work, as I enjoy writing so much that I’ve been constantly feeling like I’m just being lazy and slacking, despite the work I’m getting done. Also, the extra income to support me until I start selling some stories will be nice, so that I don’t have to constantly dread the coming of my funds running out. Also also, if I’m looking for a new apartment, it’s going to be a hundred times easier if I’m employed by someone other than myself.
Want to know the crazy part? My new position as cashier (which is mostly temporary, as they really want to move me into the cafe, but they have no openings right now) pays only eighty cents less than my position as an AGM. Yes, the new job is union, so there will be dues, but still. It astonishes me that a part-time cashier position is being paid only eighty cents less than my AGM position, which was one of the most demanding, soul-sucking, and most difficult jobs I’ve ever had. It boggles the mind, and really showcases how cool this new company is. They’ve also got these, the most INCREDIBLE vegan snacky food in the world. The boyfriend says I’ll get tired of them, but we shall see. Also, I discovered that my old company, for all its flaws, will still pay you for unused PTO when you’re terminated. I was not expecting this, but, considering I had well over 60 hours of unused PTO when I quit? That was a nice surprise in my inbox yesterday, for sure.
Anyway, enough talk about jobs and whatever. Let’s get to the writing and the normal RoW80 check-in, shall we? That’s what you’re all here for, anyway!
Goal One: Soulless. ONLY SIX MORE CHAPTERS TO EDIT! I’m so close, I can almost taste it. Six more days, and I’ll just have to brush up some stuff, cut some stuff, add some stuff, then find people to read it and tell me all the stuff I missed. I started the painting this week, too, so hopefully I should have that done in a few weeks or so, because it’s oils and I’m slow, and, yeah. Looking pretty good, Soulless. Looking pretty good!
Goal Two: Submissions. “Moon Night” is finally edited, after chopping about 2000 words from the original draft. I’m holding onto it for now, while I work on some other things. I’ve put together a little notebook of all the contests and open submissions I’ve been gathering, so I can go through them and find out where I might want to send this or that. I don’t like “Moon Night” all that well, so I’m going to see if I can whip up something better before some of these deadlines, but I know I have “Moon Night” waiting if I don’t have anything else by then. I’ve got big hopes for my Rose Red and Snow White retelling; here’s to hoping it doesn’t suffer from what all my short stories do in that it’s always TOO DAMN LONG. Brevity is not my strong suit.
I’m taking Madeline out as a goal, which I knew I eventually would, but there’s no way it’s getting done by the end of May. I’ll still be working on it, but my focus has shifted back to other work for submissions.
So how’s everyone else doing? You can take a peek at my fellow RoWers here (and I highly encourage that you do)! Happy writing, everyone!
L.S. Engler 
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