Yesterday at my lovely dentist’s (I have to say that–he’s my Facebook friend. Hi Rick!), his charming receptionist made an unwitting blunder. As she was making my next appointment she asked, “Do you work?”
After a slight pause I replied, “I work my butt off, but I don’t have a job outside the home, if that’s what you mean?” Of course she apologized profusely and no harm was done, but let’s just analyze that concept “work” for a second, shall we?
I have an eighth and a sixth-grader. The eighth-grader does 20 hours of Gymnastics a week (Regular readers know this!) The sixth-grader has come into her own this year, and is in Field Hockey pretty much every school night, plus two hours of Dance, Guitar and Girl Scouts. Mom’s taxi provides the rides and Mom’s laundry service washes the kit. Mom’s kitchen shops and caters, and Mom’s cleaning service cleans.
My husband started Global Bridge Consultancy in August this year, after parting company with Twinings. Yours truly is, as we jokingly call it, Vice-President of Everything Else. What this means is that I do the administration, the accounts, run the website and other computer-based issues, and am generally on call for anything else the Boss needs! Paperwork for a Visa to India, anyone?
I am trying to build a career as a teaching artist/poet-scholar, and indeed, have some workshops coming up with West Windsor Art Center: four Fridays, Oct 22, 29, Nov 5, 12, 1-6 p.m. Tomorrow I will be “Editor speed-dating” at Push to Publish from 10-2. I am running the Mezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline Panel at AWP in February, and the Seminar for the same project at the West Chester Poetry Conference next June, where I will also be moderating a Publishing Panel.
As a founder member of the Quick & Dirty Poets, I am heavily involved in the local poetry scene. We have a reading featuring Tony Gruenewald next Friday October 22nd, 7 p.m. at The Daily Grind, High St., Mt. Holly, NJ. We are also currently reading submissions for the 6th issue of our print journal, Up & Under. I am the online architect for the Schuylkill Valley Journal and attend events such as the Mad Poets Review Vol 23 Book Party next Saturday, October 23.
I am, of course, the Managing Editor of the Barefoot Muse, and the Editor of The Raintown Review. If you’re waiting for a response on a submission more than a few weeks old, a) that means it cleared the slush pile, because my assistants are way more on top of things than I am, and b) now you know why.
Last time I checked, I was a poet. Erm, I did actually write a poem this week, but the thought of having an hour to put a submission to a journal together right now, let alone generate an entry for a book contest, is so daunting that I think maybe I’d better put that part of my non-“work” on the back burner right now. I mean, I could give up Ice Skating and going to the Gym, maybe? But I can’t help thinking that those two things are what help me sleep at night.
I am INSANE!
And no, I won’t serve on your Eighth Grade Dinner Dance Committee, or be the Girl Scout Cookie Mom, or start re-decorating any part of the house.
Did I mention I have 2 dogs?
You go girl, erm, is you middle name Danica Patrick? Cause with the amount of driving you put in, you could qualify for Nascar.. 🙂