What I Do When I'm Not Writing
Hi and thanks for stopping by.
Oh boy, what a loaded question this is! I don't know anyone who spends their entire life doing *one* thing, but my life's a pretty mixed bag of obligations. Most who know me
wonder where I get my energy from but between you and me, two things are definitely true:
1. I'm not doing anything I'm not passionate about, so it's not that hard, and
2. It won't be long before I can't do all this anymore, so I'm working hard while I can.
First Bag: Spice Bag
Even though it's an Irish drunk food dish comprised of all sorts of fried goodness in a paper bag, my first and largest obligation outside of writing feels a lot like that. I cook for my friends and neighbors as the owner of Chef Jill Does That. Surprise, I'm also a classically trained French chef with almost two decades of experience! My businesses, Delivery Dinner of Delaware and Sweets For All, focus on providing quick, convenient and diet-friendly options to those in and around Delaware. I've been in business 10 years, and it's an ever-changing, dynamic business ripe with changing needs, economy-based demands and customer flux. Check out www.chefjilldoesthat.com for more info.
Second Bag: Money Bag
The writing and cooking isn't enough, so I work FT too. I'm in accounting and as such, I manage budgets, ensure money's where it needs to be and pay off all the expenses needed to keep the state beautiful. It's my M-F grind, but it's a great place to be and I contribute to a team in a very real way there. Without a daytime job, I don't know if I'd be able to hold back the loneliness demons for very long.
Third Bag: Free Bag
While this is writing, per se, it's not novel writing. I do contribute articles to various online periodicals and blog sites in an effort to increase my exposure in the field. If you want to read some recent articles, you can check out this site: https://www.oceancity.com/tag/only-in-ocean-city/
Fourth Bag: The Ol' Bag-And-Chain
So I'm also a family woman, married with a home and cat to care for. I still go home after work, prepare a healthy dinner for us, tidy up the house, scoop litter, do the shopping and about a hundred other tasks associated with daily life. I'm a mentor, a support system, a partner-in-crime, a caretaker and I'm still in bed by 11p. I also consider this bag to be where I stash my extended family, his extended family and the time we spend with them.
It's no wonder the writing and marketing of it often comes last. It's a shame I can't spend more time writing because I love it, sometimes more than any of the other "bags." We all choose which bags are most important but I wonder how we make that decision; where the motivation for choosing one comes from, separating it from the herd and prioritizing it. Setting up this blog and keeping it running will be my foray back!