Today I turn 33 years old. It has been brought to my attention that this is the age Jesus was when he died. I have not yet decided whether I will let this fact depress me or fill me with gratitude — but I must say, I’m trying my best not to do the compare/contrast thing:
What have you done with your 33 years, Bill? Healed the lame and the sick? Started the world’s largest religion? Why not? Too “busy?” Didn’t want to wake up that early? Had some TV shows you just had to watch?
Yeah, that’s a game you don’t win. And I’m told it’s bad form to compare yourself to Jesus, even for the sake of self-deprecating musing, so I’ll stop that line of thought right here. Anyhow, I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. I actually have a lot to be thankful for on this birthday. Between getting married and publishing my first novel, this has probably been the most eventful year of my life. I will be hard-pressed to match this level of excitement and good fortune in my 34th year.
But then, I like to give myself lofty goals …
In the meantime, we have the day to day. I’m still making ends meet by teaching at a wealthy private school on the west side of Los Angeles. I’ve been filling vacancies, hopping from one maternity leave to another, in an effort to avoid the complications of full-time employment such as report cards, take-home grading, and time-sucking extracurricular faculty pow-wows. Does this allow me enough time to write? There’s never enough time. That said, it’s better than many other day jobs I’ve had and infinitely more fulfilling.
Up until recently, I’ve been spending my time in the kindergarten, which has been good for the soul if bad for the immune system (I was sick for the first month-and-a-half of 2009). Now I am in the 6th grade, where I will stay for the remainder of the school year. It’s a whole new, challenging, grade-conscious, puberty-ridden world, and I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it in future posts.
Speaking of future posts, I do plan on writing some. I’m working on another book review, and I have a lot more things I plan on sharing once I get the time to do so. Apologies for the continued blog neglect. These next couple months should be busy ones. I’m hoping to have this new screenplay squared away soon, which will mean starting my film agent search sometime in the next couple months. Then, on June 2nd, the paperback version of The Scandal Plan will hit bookshelves near you. More on these stories as they evolve.
For now, I’m 33. Given the alternative, I’ll take it. Jesus didn’t make it to 34. God willing, I will. Thanks to all those who’ve sent me birthday wishes this week. I feel the love. It’s warm, and I dig it, and I dig all of you.
Much love,
b
