Grinding the Goals, 2023

Happy 2023, everybody.

I\’m a month (and some change) late writing those words, but keep reading.

We moved cross-country last summer and as those who\’ve ever moved a household from one place to another can attest, is a beast. The moving company was a nightmare and we got here about three days before the 2022 summer Voodoonauts Fellowship was due to begin and a week or so before I had to be in-person on my university campus for fall residency. All that happened as I was trying to find my flow after several months of anxiety.

As if that wasn\’t enough, as we were finalizing our packing for the move, I started a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB) course. I managed to keep the pace and passed my exam right after we got to our new home, and then I took a step back to get settled. One of my 2023 goals was to complete my project. To complete an LSS certification, both an exam and development and completion of a project is required. I finished the last bits of my project in January and was awarded my certification on this past Monday.

One of my other goals for 2023 that is more in line with this space was to advance my fiction writing so I could become a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SWFA). My application was approved on 10 February. One of my new disciplines is to either draft new ideas or write new stories. I am excited and thrilled to join such an august assembly.

The story I sold to be approved as a member of SWFA will be in print at some point soon and I\’ll be back with an update.