why normal ain't all it's cracked up to be

I remember one of the first "normal days" I had post-divorce. It probably took close to a year. I woke up and the first thing on my mind wasn't a reminder of who/where/what I was and what had gone on to get me there. Pretty sure I ate Cocoa Puffs for breakfast and played board games with J. The laundry seemed to be a pressing matter that day. There was bickering and there was yard work of some kind, followed by an evening walk around the block with the boysquad. Nothing amazing happening, nothing terrible, no emotional loopedy-loos,  just...normal. And I remember thinking how happy I would be if my days never got better than that. Normal was my new "best day ever."

My standards have raised a bit, thanks to time, distance, and several 'pinch me, I'm dreaming' type days. That's not a bad thing. For the most part, even when facing big challenges, my days feel normal now. But better than normal is still appreciated--hence: Here's some random awesome stuff that happened over these last few weeks...

*Wrapped up the March issue of Fusion magazine. A HUGE job. Bigger than I expected. It's on its way back from the graphic designer now, which will mean at least one more thorough editing, but the bulk of my job as Literary Director is out of the way. It was a lot of editing...a. lot. of. editing. I sought after writers who had really unique voices and expertise in their area, but that didn't necessarily mean they were polished. It was my (exhausting) job to polish.

In addition to acting as Lit Director, I also have an article on Green Eyes in the issue, one on a local recording studio owner, and (after a blind submission) one of my fiction pieces also got picked up. So, yaaay! Look for the link to that issue in the next week or so.

*Some of my poetry got picked up by the journal SP CE (Yes, there really is no A in it...because leaving it out leaves a space. Get it?). They're a cool, progressive mag out of Nebraska. I'm happy pretty darn happy about it.

*I did the radio show I usually co-host all by my lonesome this last Thursday. I had on two of my über talented writing friends. We discussed flash fiction and banged on a tambourine. If you have a spare 50 minutes and want to listen (and hopefully laugh), you can find the podcast here.

*I called one of the schools I applied to the MFA for today to make sure they'd received all my stuff since I sent it in an electronic/paper mail split. She said they were still waiting one of one of my letters of recommendation. I told her I'd figure out what was happening. As I was about to hang up she said, "Wait. How do you  know (insert name of famous writer here who I don't know except that he's my Facebook "friend" and I have read a certain one of his books numerous times because it is brilliant)?"
My answer: "Um, I don't really know him except for (insert answer from description above)."
Lady from MFA: "Oh, well, he has some pretty glowing things to say about you. We have a special note in your file. Way to make an impression, girl!"

Um, yeah. That right there is as affirming as an actual acceptance to me. It means I got potential, baby.

***

For as much as normal is good, and better than normal is even, uh, better... I'm glad life isn't "normal" all the time. I'm glad that I wake up in the morning with a few  of L and J's Webkinz that have made their way into my bed, along with two pairs of ice cold feet that have come to "use Mom to get warm." I'm glad that I have to wonder why the drip pans from the George Foreman grill are on the bathroom floor, and what the Ironman action figure is doing in the dishwasher. I'm glad that I sometimes discover my kids have eaten chocolate ice cream and Goldfish for breakfast. Glad that there are equal amounts of fighting and hugging around here. Glad that I have ups and downs still. Those, like the movements on a heart monitor, are what remind me that I'm alive. That I'm here--getting to play the game for another day. If everything leveled out for too long, well, I probably wouldn't mind too much,

But it just wouldn't be as fun... or as not fun :)