A Weekend in Maine; a General Accounting of Things.

Ahh. I am just back from a long weekend in Maine with my new girlfriend. It was wonderful. We stayed in Wiscasset, in the Snow Squall Inn, and in Bethel, in the Bethel Hill Bed and Breakfast. Both were lovely, but the former was really special. Incredible food, comfortable room, helpful, friendly staff. We took a boat ride on a harbor and saw some seals, and a drive through the White Mountains. In Bethel we happened upon a little piano festival for gifted international students, held at Gould Academy. We watched a bunch of adorable kids play incredible music. It was a lovely trip. Though I will say that I hate everyone with a car in New England. Seriously.

New relationships are exciting and wonderful. This one feels incredibly special. We’ve been together for only a few months, and because she lives in a different city, we only get to see each other every other weekend or so. But for all of that standing in the way, it feels natural and comfortable and right. I swore to myself I wouldn’t get into another long-distance relationship. But my heart hasn’t given me a choice here.

At work, things are going well. I’ve finished the first draft of a manuscript and will be planning on submitting it soon. I have another manuscript out for review. This one is such a pain in the ass. It’s been through the ringer already, and it just got a desk-reject from a big-name journal with an 80% reject rate. So I’ve resubmitted it to a big-name journal with an 80% reject rate. It’s so difficult finding the right place for my work sometimes. Some pieces find a good home right away. Or at least they have a good subset of obviously appropriate journals. This paper is a wildling. Not sure what to do with it, really. But I know that it will eventually get out there. I’m not really in a hurry anymore.

I know I haven’t been blogging as much lately. I’m not entirely sure what that’s about except that I’m really busy, and frankly happy, and generally content. Blogging is a great way to exorcise ill feelings. But I’m not feeling ill. I’m feeling wonderful. And so I’m just not as prolific here. And that’s as may be. I’m comfortable with where I am. Though I do have a few thoughts that are percolating. And thus, hopefully, I’ll have a few sobriety posts eventually.