Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 3419
Location: I come from a land downunder
What are we all doing now"
Hi all,
I just read DG's post about her adventures and it reminded me that it's probably time to put my own update in here. Maybe all of us who still look in occasionally and bemoan the quietness of this site could post a short piece about what has happened in the past few years and where they are in this journey of life. And who knows, we just might get the old place humming again... I'm happy to go first.
There are still a few of you here who remember my battle to stay in the USA with my Merlin. And how I lost that fight It has now been just over 4 years since I returned to OZ...many, many ups and downs...dramas with adult children...jobs gained and lost...steps forward and many, many back...and a few disasterous attempts as getting into the dating scene...finally coming fully out to my family just over 18 months ago...and more recently, losing my sweet little 16yo dog.
Seven months ago I met someone who has made helped heal my heart. We take life one day at a time but its been good and feels right. Recently I moved into my own accomodation in the backyard of what was my family home and I love having my own space at last. Im still a part time carer of my elderly mother who is now 93 and doing well. I still rollerskate every Wed. morning. I havent written anything for a very long time but I hope the muse hasnt deserted me entirely. My books are for sale on Smashwords and anyone who is interested can PM me and I will send you the link. Life continues to amaze me.
I would love to hear how you are all going...even the people I see on FB...remember there may be lurkers here who would welcome hearing how you are.
Merry Christmas to you all and a very happy and safe New Year.
HugZ, MG _________________ Be yourself.............everybody else is taken!
Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:27 pm
Outdoors65
Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Posts: 282
Location: Anywhere Outside
Hmmm...guess I'll go next.
After 3 very tumultuous years in Mississippi, I moved to Colorado in July 2011 and started working in a non-leadership faculty position. Prior to even applying to the position, I checked the faculty handbook and read something about health insurance covering "domestic partners." I took that as a good sign...
I am in the middle of my second year now, and am really enjoying the climate and the position.
Last December, my girlfriend flew out to visit for the New Year, and ended up deciding to stay! So much has happened in the last year and a half. We love traveling to zoos and National Parks. Last spring we visited Mesa Verde National Park; last summer traveled to Florida for a conference, but visited the Tampa and Fort Worth Zoos along the way; last month over Thanksgiving, we visited the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Vegas on our way to see a wonderful friend in so California. While there, we made a day trip to the San Diego Zoo and the San Juan Capistrano Mission. So much fun to finally have someone with whom to travel.
I poke my head in every once in awhile, so perhaps will bump into some of you soon.
Happy Holidays _________________ Outdoors
Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:32 am
Tracey
Joined: 30 Dec 2005
Posts: 1489
Location: Ayr, Scotland
the last few years have flown by
i met sexykaz 3.5 yrs ago and we've been together ever since
i managed to get a job in computer engineering last year but it only lasted 12 weeks as i was working over 220 miles from home and it was stressful driving the distance at the weekend
we try and get out as much as we can, just back from a couple of days in Edinburh for the xmas fair
hoping to move in the new year as we have provisonally accepted a new house _________________ I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.
sometimes i wonder... ' why is that frisbee getting bigger'... and then it hits me
Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:02 am
Mairi bheag
Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Posts: 5094
Location: Scotland
Nothing much has changed here, I guess. I could grumble about my (mental) health but that's boring.
The good news is that I keep getting published:
2012 saw my first novel
Lupa
published. It's on Amazon in print/Kindle form.
My 2010 collection of poems
Naked in the Sea
now has a second imprint, thanks to having been taken up by my SA publisher, and is now available as a Kindle download from Amazon, or as a pdf direct from their web site (put
P'kaboo Publishers
in your favourite search engine).
Also from P'kaboo,
also
available from Amazon on Kindle,
also
available as a pdf from the publishers, is little anthology of short stories called
Mercury Silver
, in which I have a couple of my weird tales (check out 'Memoirs of a Chief Replicator Technician' - it's not exactly femslash, but it'll give you a bit of a chuckle if you are a Trekkie).
Two items are projected for publication in 2013. Firstly my second collection of poems will be coming out (look in the 'Accomplishments' section of the forum for more details). Secondly, for much of the past eighteen months I have been on the editorial team of Describe Adonis Press (Canada) and engaged in the production of their forthcoming anthology of 21c sonnets,
The Phoenix Rising from its Ashes
; I have also co-written the introduction to the anthology along with Editor-in-Chief Richard Vallance. That should be out in 2013 too.
Enough blowing my own trumpet - well, like I said, everything else is as boring as hell. Have a a cool yule and a gear new year.
Mb
xx
_________________ all posted material (c) Marie Marshall, unless otherwise stated.
Sat Dec 22, 2012 6:14 am
cupcakes
Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 324
Location: NY
hm...
I'm doing well. it's been so long since I've had an active online life. feels like ages and ages ago. I remember being just a kid when I first came here--19, maybe 20?
Well, I'm still with my gf that I met here. we'll officially be together for 7 years in January. We live a happy life and are good to each other most of the time Today was lovely--a rare day when we're both off and not panicking about any deadlines. So we got to spend the whole luxurious day cuddling and watching movies... and doing that thing that lesbians do.
I'm attempting a career in academia. moderately successful in a highly competitive program. I love my dept and school, but it's so incredibly stressful and financially risky. My lover-wifey works long hours, but has a great boss and colleagues.
hmmm what else? We talk about getting married officially and having some babies (that's been a 5 year discussion already), but don't know how long until we're financially secure enough for all that.
that's my news.
happy christmas,
cUppy
Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:16 am
Jules
Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 904
Location: Home
I could take a turn...
Greetings all! I am blissfully happy with my family and my fiancé. We are to be married in April. Hope all is well with all my old friends!
Jules _________________ Never again
Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:36 pm
WonderWhy
Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244
Good to hear what you are up to, ladies!
Congrats on your upcoming wedding Jules! I hope things are not getting too stressful for you both.
I have finished one adventure and am about to embark upon another.
I have just spent a year, along with my lovely gf, in outback Qld working as a governess on a huge cattle station. It was certainly a year of ups and downs, as well as some experiences I never thought I would have! My gf wrote a blog throughout the year: outbacksal.blogspot.com if you feel inclined to have a read. Many thanks to MG for her blog-reading support and kind comments throughout the year - you were a huge encouragement to us both.
We came back to Sydney just before Christmas, and it strangely feels as though we have stepped right out of one universe and into another - almost as if the past 12 months were a dream instead of reality!
2013 is time for something new, so I am planning to jump on a plane in less than 2 weeks, and head to the other side of the world to experience places I've only ever heard about. As much as we will miss each other, my gorgeous gf has decided to stay in Sydney and get back to the work she loves - cars! Thank goodness for Skype!
It's a busy time, with my gf settling back in, my sister getting married next weekend and my departure the weekend after. For someone who has never traveled, going so far away is a scary (yet exciting) thought! There is so much I still don't know, so any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to meeting the lovely Tracey and Kaz, and hopefully the equally lovely Pipsqueak (have you received my FB friend request yet Pipsquesk?) and anyone else who would like to meet a slightly mad Aussie chick with a sense of adventure ;p
Keep the updates coming! New Year is a great time to catch up.
xxoo
Mon Jan 07, 2013 5:21 am
Eilidh Moderators
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 1880
Hi everyone,
It's great to see so many updates. I finished school this past year and am starting a new research position at a national institute. Other than that, life is pretty quiet right now. I enjoy reading about how you all are doing. Keep the updates coming!
~Eilidh
Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:47 pm
PipSqueak
Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 987
Location: S.W. England
Hi!! If I'm not on-line, I'm probably curled up in a little ball reading a book, trying to hide from the world and get some energy back!!!
It's great to hear how everyone is, maybe we should organise a chat party again...
After working as an unqualified supply teacher for two years, I spent last year doing a secondary school teacher post-grad course. I qualified and am working in a school on a year's contract til 31st Aug (end of our summer holidays!). It's been really tough emotionally but has some rewarding moments! Everyone promises me it gets easier as the years go by!!
I've had some lovely holidays to bribe me through it and hopefully will catch up with WonderWhy when she gets over here this year!
No news on the love front! I really don't think my head's in the best place right now. However after spending 4 months at work I suddenly pinged on the gossip radar this week as a single so now have fingers crossed someone else's lovelife takes the spotlight off me asap! With loads of youngsters about I'm sure someone will help me out soon...
Lastly my lil son & I are doing much better and seem to be building up some good mutual respect. I'm almost joining his fan club!
Keep the updates rolling xx _________________ .............................................................
Previously PurpleUK
Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:35 pm
Allison
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 4216
Location: Florida
Hiya Ladies!!
Yesterday was my year anniversary of working in Memphis and although it was an incredibly hectic year....I survived. I love the work, but hate being so far from the ones I love. Our Granddaughter, Jellybean aka Haeden is now two years old and I find it so hard to believe she could wrap me any tighter around her little fingers, but every time I see or talk to her (when she lets me get a word in) I find myself falling deeper. Christmas with her this year was a blast and I had a nice 10 day visit. R is getting ready to have a 4th back surgery. She has not gained the wight her surgeon had hoped for and the hardware is too heavy for her body, so he is going to replace it next Friday. Wish I could give her a few of my extra pounds.
I have had very little time for writing the past few months, but I hope 2013 will be a better year for my Muse and I to re-kindle our relationship. Sales on Smashwords are fairly consistent and I look forward to adding a few titles this year.
I really miss seeing you wonderful ladies in chat and do hope we can arrange a get together soon and revisit the "Good ole days." LMAO This was a great idea to catch up with others and I hope this thread continues!!
Later....Alli _________________ Alli
Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:03 am
SWAY
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 1560
Location: Upstate NY
blast from the past
I guess its my turn to say what I've been up to....I graduated(finally) with my bachelors degree in business administration about a year ago now and still work in the same place. I am pursuing other jobs at the same company as we speak, so hopefully there are some good changes coming up in the near future..
As for my love life...there are some regrets I have about it...more than most people would have...but I think that a lot has changed me and hopefully someday I'll find someone who completes me fully and I can settle down with...until then I am content being me, and living life to the fullest.
sway _________________ Giving myself to others has made me jaded...
Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:51 pm
smart_cookie
Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 2310
Location: USA
Hey mels people. I have been enjoying my poetry blog since 2008, ( http://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com) and am still delivering the mail. I have a book coming out very shortly, through ALL CAPS PUBLISHING, called "Gemini/Scorpio/ Capricorn". It is a joint effort with two other women poets; each of us has a section of about 40 pages of poems, followed at the end with each of us writing a cascade poem.
Apart from that, I'm not very interesting, having become a confirmed homebody and crazy dog lady, though I only have one at the moment.
Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:21 pm
EverydayAngelKarie
Joined: 07 Mar 2007
Posts: 761
Location: Lakewood, CA
Hey ladies,
It's so awesome to read about what you all have been doing over the last few years. What a great idea for a general chit chat post. Love it. The idea of getting the place humming again really gets me humming because I miss it so much. Though even in it's quiet state I still quite enjoy the site. So much to see and discover even after all these years. All right, guess I'll tell you what I've been doing over the last few years.
Well, college. But you mostly knew that already. Been going to college for at least as long as I've been on the site which just hit its 6 year mark a few days ago (YAY). So somewhere around 6 or 7 years for college. Still not done. But another 9 months and I'm good to go and be a real adult. I'm getting my degree in Creative Writing with an emphasis in poetry of course.
Other than that I publish quarterly anthologies of local and global poets, and also publish chapbooks of poets local to my area of the world, as an editor and manager for Bank-Heavy Press (which you should all look up if you're interested, just Google our name). We're a small-press publication but it's seriously the most fun I've had in my life and has given me a purpose and really changed my life over the last two years. I also host monthly poetry open-mic readings and some other sporadic poetry events and attend lots and lots of other people's poetry events as well. It's all I really do, honestly.
In the love department, well, just know that my heart continues to beat, and my brain continues to love, for one other who has kept it ticking for several years now. I've been told it's romantic...
But, me? Romantic? Hahaha! Cheers.
Always, EDA Karie
Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:18 am
Sable
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
Posts: 298
Location: Australia
Hey there you lot!
I thought I'd come drop in and say hello, I'm aliveee! I've missed a lot of you ladies, remember the good times we had here. What have I been up to? Not a whole lot, moved around a bit but finally settled down and am working on getting out there.
Love life? No such thing for me
Anyway hellos, how do you do's and it's nice to see you girls again. _________________ A worthy cause to strive for is to not be defined by what you do, who you are with and how you act but to be accepted unconditionally for just being and accept everything that just is. ~ Sable
Fri Apr 05, 2013 2:23 am
SHAY
Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 205
well helloooo
Holy beejeezus has it been a long time since I've come on here.
Everything is going fairly splendidly. I'm up in rainy Seattle. I have a pretty fabulous girlfriend. We just had our one year a couple weeks ago. We went on a mini vacation this past weekend for my birthday.
Taking a break from school yet again. I've got a great job even though I work with mostly men. The pretty faces I see usually are the FedEx driver or the hot UPS temp dyke. Ah.
Anywho. I haven't changed a whole lot. Still just as sassy and with a couple extra tattoos.
~Shay _________________ "it ISNT porn its EROTICA there IS a difference" --Wolfie
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