Three Things About Me

So that is the theme for this week. Who’d thought something that sounded so simple would be so hard to write?

I’m pretty much an open book. So anything that I share here may have been read somewhere else or, heck, even here. LOL.

Let’s see… let’s start with the personal life.

My husband and I separated a little over a year ago. During that year, my sister separated from her husband. She and her son moved in with me in my tiny 900 square foot apartment. That was a crazy, crazy few months, but we helped each other out, and I’m so glad she was there. If she hadn’t been, I don’t know what I would have done that month I was bedridden and could do nothing more than hobble to the bathroom. God, that month sucked.

A few months after my sister moved in, my best friend also separated from her husband. So the three of us were struggling to figure out how to make ends meet, I was recovering from surgery, my sister was looking for a job after being laid off, and my best friend had this huge house she wouldn’t be able to pay the mortgage on alone. There was only one possible solution to all of our problems.

We now share my best friend’s 3,600 square foot house. Between the three of us, we have six kids. We have a total Brady Bunch/Full House vibe going on in this place, lol. Luckily, there is only one night a week that all of us are here together. Can you believe that? We were very lucky our schedules with the kids and work schedules worked out the way it did.

Is this a permanent living situation? No. But for right now it is perfect for us. My kids have their own room and a huge yard to play in. However, I’m pretty sure they will miss the pool from the apartment this summer.

The non-Esmerelda job life.

During the day, I keep my nephew while my sister works. I was writing articles to make my monthly income before she went back to work. But to be honest, I hated every second of it. I’m a fiction writer, not an article writer. Their rules went against everything we are taught as fiction writers. AND it affected my real writing. By the time I’d written the articles I needed for the day, I was all written out and the thought of pulling out the WIP didn’t appeal to me. So I resented the “day job” even more. Then sis landed an awesome job and needed someone to watch her son. Since he is autistic, a daycare center was out of the question because he has special school twice a week, therapy etc, that he had to go to. So I jumped at the opportunity. I’m glad I did. I love the time I spend with him. I’m his GeeGee.

Three nights a week I work at a glow-in-the-dark mini golf place. It gets me out of the house, which I need desperately at times, and it’s the easiest job ever. I long-hand write or, gasp, read (I used to never have time to read) during my shifts. It is uber-slow during the week. Saturday’s is a completely different story. We are slammed, you don’t get to sit down for more than 5 minutes the entire shift. Still easy, except for the occasional obnoxious teenager that strolls in. And boy can some of those kids be real snot-noses.

Fun tidbit

I’m addicted to Jersey Shore. I know. I know. But I can’t help it. Jersey Shore is my train wreck that I can’t help but rubberneck at. The show is like a soap opera. I’m all up in Snooki’s business. I’m all about Snooki and Vinnie getting together. I love watching the Ron and Sammy chaos. JWow kicks ass. And The Situation cracks me up. The only ones I’m not huge on are Deena and PaulyD. I look forward each week to some mindless entertainment.

So that is three things about the non-writer me:)
Esme

4 comments:

Natasha Moore said...

Great to get to know you a little better, Esme.

And how great that all of you were able to help out each other with a non-conventional living arrangement for the time being.

Still...sorry...can't get into Jersey Shore :)

Nicole North said...

That is a neat living arrangement. I'm glad you guys found a solution. Wonderful to get to know you better!

Cameo Brown said...

Great stuff, Esme! I really enjoyed this. Glad you're up and about now!

Carly Carson said...

Your actual life sounds like a chick lit novel. Good for all of you for finding a good solution to your problem. I hope things continue to work out.