The Big Move to Small Condo Life

Photo by ©creativecommonsstockphotos

We did it! Sold our house, finished renovating (most of) the condo, moved into said condo, and are now tackling the last of the to-do list, e.g., buying curtains and installing a new glass shower door. But other than that, we've got our keys, downstairs storage locker and parking space, and can actually find where (most of) our belongings are without too much confusion. We've even started taking the long-dreamed-of downtown walks I had so very much wanted to be an integral part of moving in the first place. It's all better than good; 845-square-feet have never felt more spacious, comfortable, and easy to clean. (Low maintenance being high priority for sure.) So. Here we are, settled, unpacked, down-sized, and happier than clams. (Why clams are happy, I have no idea, but maybe it has something to do with being cozy in their shells, an apt metaphor for our tiny but far-from-cramped new urban lifestyle .)

To celebrate getting everything into place after several months of constant anxiety, uncertainty, sore muscles, and a complete absence from the Internet, neither blogging nor tweeting or even writing a fraction of the emails I'm dreadfully behind on, I decided to go completely wild and crazy and sign up for . . . drum roll, please . . . NANOWRIMO! IT'S TRUE! Yes, I've gone completely mad, but I can't think of a more invigorating way to jump-start my sorely-neglected creativity than with a brand new manuscript, especially the one I said I would never, ever write. Ever.

One of the things that pushed me to go for NaNo this year was the wonderful opportunity I now have to write in not only downtown cafes and parks, but the local museums too, all of which are just a few minutes away by foot. And don't even get me started on all the great gathering spaces I have both indoors and out within the condo complex (including our very own library). I'm well aware that I have several other manuscripts I should be revising, editing, and preparing for publication now that I'm not focused on bubble wrap and paint chips, but I don't seriously think the literary world is going to implode if I take an extra 30 days for myself to freewrite, explore, and go for that always-exciting 50K goal. Besides, what else do I have to do now that I only have one bathroom to clean and a small balcony to sweep? Other than the day job and  collecting quarters for the laundry room, my time is pretty much my own once again. And that, dear reader, is better than all the clams you can shake a stick at, or whatever it is one does with clams besides make soup. 

Tip of the Day:  This one's easy: get on over to National Novel Writing Month, sharpen your pencils, and start your engines. Your novel awaits, as do all your potential writing buddies. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!