...about my whereabouts and shenanigans, I know. But it's been a crazy few months, and there's been a bit of internal philosophizing in the process. I've been caught up in a few things. Good things, mind you, but still demanding of my time.First, I have become licensed to teach Silver Sneakers classes at my local gym. It's a workout program designed for an aging population, for people who can't necessarily (or don't want to) handle high-intensity or high-impact exercise classes.Working on this licensing has prompted me to contemplate how different my life is from anything I would have imagined it to be. I moved to central PA ten (10!) years ago, and thought I'd be here six months. I never imagined that I would meet someone here who's as fun and fantastic and thoughtful (and single at the time!) as George, and yet, there he was, ready for me. If anyone had told me when I rolled into town with my luggage in tow that a decade later I would still be in central PA with a wonderful and supportive boyfriend by my side, I wouldn't have believed them for a second. And if you'd told me that on top of that, I was going to end up in the fitness industry...well, "preposterous" isn't quite the right word. Ludicrous, that would have been more like it. But you know, you break an ankle, you have a bit of a health scare, you realize you're not bullet-proof. At least, that's what happened with me.For the record? It take a LOT of work to get ready to teach a workout class. There are hours of videos to watch (over and over again), choreography to work out, steps to get into your head, notes to jot, that go into every single class. Hats off to the people who have done it so long they don't have to really get into the prep. In two years, I might--MIGHT--be in that place.  What's even harder for me to understand in my own internal motivation: I just signed up for Zumba licensing. Like, one discipline isn't enough? I need to get two? What are they--potato chips? You can't have just one... :)Ooh, what else, what else?Right. So I finished a book. Writing one, not reading one. It's been a long process! The writing started probably two years ago thanks to a friend and writing partner who had an idea he wanted to bring to life. Between research (because it takes place at a specific historical point in time) and a ride on several heavily emotional, creativity-crippling roller coasters (the loss of both my and George's fathers, totaling our car), there were large chunks of time which found me staring blankly at my computer screen, kind of like this...What kind of book is it, you ask? It's a mystery! No, I'm not refusing to tell you; it's a mystery novel that's kind of noir-y and full of disreputable men and tough-as-nails women. And YES! Hooray! It is done, and it's been pointed out to me more than once that many books are started, but few are finished. The fact remains that I have one of the most patient writing partners in the history of human patience. But we recently made the push to get the final chapters written (hence, again, my lack of presence in blogworld) and are now...Holy pockets! What did I just say?  Did I say I just finished a goddamned book? Like, it's here, it's corporeal, it's not spinning in the ether anymore?Shit. Just. Got. Real.Time to get my editing hat on and make it beautiful before the pitch letters go out.So that's why I've been decidedly absent from my blog. Philosophizing, writing, teaching a gym class or two (three times a week, what on earth was I thinking?).  And working at a few different jobs in between. I've barely even had time to cook; thank goodness George kept me fed, or I would have been reduced to gnawing on dried beans and the questionable contents of those odd jars at the back of the pantry. You know the ones. In back, to the left.Anyway. I also haven't been taking many pictures lately, but I'll leave you with one I snapped on the 4th of July, celebrating with some floating lanterns and some family, down by the river.:) What? I'm not a robot, you know. It hasn't all been work.