As I described back in April (you can read the post here), I’m celebrating my 50th birthday with a year of activities, challenges, and FUN designed to honor this milestone. I’m calling it Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash, and so far it’s been pretty amazing.
Here’s what I did in September to mark this big and badass year:
- Launch—This month I launched a new partnership with my very own personal assistant, Val. I have long wanted a PA but didn’t think I could afford one. Then Val dropped into my life, and we clicked. Val started work on September 2nd, and she’s been solving problems for me ever since. I’m so happy to have her on my team as I prepare to launch my special needs law firm on October 1st!
- Submission—I submitted to Creative Nonfiction, the mother of all nonfiction journals. Their theme was “waiting,” and thanks to infertility, I know a thing or two about that subject. Now I must wait to see what happens..
- New Things—1) I participated in The Blank Canvas Blog Hop. If you missed it, you can read my post, Facing a Blank Page, here. 2) I drank kombucha and found it surprisingly good. 3) I joined a Facebook group called Paper Our Walls with Rejection Slips, which offers support to writers dealing with–wait for it–rejection. I’ve already been rejected by two of the four journals I submitted to last month plus some others, so I’ve had plenty to discuss. 4) I had an ice cream sandwich at CREAM. They have gluten-free cookies and dairy-free ice cream, so I’m sure Katie and I will return. Yummy!
- Challenge—This month I’m preparing my daughter Katie for 5th grade outdoor education camp. It’s no longer at Redwood Glen like it was when I was in grade school, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same. The kids go Camp Loma Mar for four days and three nights, sleeping in rustic cabins with their peers. I wanted Katie to go as soon as I heard about it, but it took several meetings with Katie’s school team as well as her in-home team to work out (most of) the details. What is simple for a typically functioning child is not so simple for one on the spectrum. Now I’m scrambling to get her as prepared as I can for this huge step. I’m crossing my fingers that it goes well.
- Fun—This month I attended my first tailgate party for the Stanford versus UC Davis football game. Katie came with me and we hung out in the Chuck Taylor Grove at Stanford, compliments of Michael 2.0, before watching the game. Davis lost, but it was still a fun day. I also had a terrific night out in Palo Alto with my friend Deborah. I had several fun dates with a new guy. Plus I attended a day-long yoga retreat at the Purple Orchid Inn. Fun and relaxing—how can anyone beat that?
I’m six months into my yearlong birthday bash, and it’s going smashingly. What new things are you trying? Leave a comment below.
Until next time,
Cynthia Patton
