Solidarity

More than ever lately, I've become a girl who wears many hats. I do disability advocacy by day, write by night. (Which is weird, because during the semester it's the opposite). What amazes me is how many people I have supporting me in both areas.

Next week, I go to Tallahassee for the Youth Leadership Forum where I've volunteered since the year after I attended as a delegate. These are the people who have always listened to my disability rights rambling and who have watched me grow every summer. Now, I also have an awesome group of co-workers who talk the disability advocacy talk, and I'm always excited to talk with all of them.

One of my roommates in Fabulous New Apartment (henceforth: Ravenclaw Tower) is also a writer. We've both been amazed by how nice it is to walk into the living room with your laptop and see someone else already typing away. We can talk about plot and characters like they matter, and no one thinks it's strange. (Except, perhaps, Third Roommate, who is learning our ways).

Yesterday, my writing group met up for the first time in months. It's a few of us from my program, but we've been familiar with each others' work in all stages, so it's fun to write with them and see what they're working on.

Sunday night, I went to dinner with Matthew McNish who was visiting from Georgia, and a few other Massachusetts writers. There's something amazing about meeting people you've only known on the internet, and more than that about realizing how small this world really is. One of the attendees was Anna Staniszewski, who wrote My Very UnFairy Tale Life, and is also my writing instructor. Also, Kristen Wixted who I'd connected with earlier in the week via the Authoress's Crit Partner dating service. This universe is really small.

Anyway, my point is that it's so much more fun to have people around who share your passion, whatever that passion may be. It makes this path just a little bit easier to tread.


Pictures from Sunday. I look a mess.

Writers Poking Lizards in Eyes

Heather Kelly, Anna Staniszewski, Kristen Wixted, Maddy, Matthew McNish, Sarah Fine and me!