I feel as if I am entering phase two of this particular life change.  I’m not certain if I can yet be coherent about this, but what the hell: Here’s to trying.

So.  I changed jobs.  Sort of.  Not really.  But kinda.  In one respect, it can be said that I retired from full-time parish ministry at the age of 31, and like most retirees who cannot subsist on their savings, I must continue to work at a variety of things whilst I do those things I adore which may or may not actually bring in any income this pay period.  In another respect, it could be seen that I am now bi-vocational.  I am a priest.  I am a writer.  Occasionally in that order, but not always.  What is still clear to me is that parish administration is not (repeat, not) my forte.  And since I believe in maximizing strengths and managing weaknesses, watch me run from rector positions… Even, at this point, tempting ones that ‘involve no parish administration,’ because let’s face it: search committee have one thing in common – they lie.

So I have a Sunday gig, and it is hoped that I will have a regular Sunday gig, and I do freelance writing to fill in the gaps in my budget.  (No, before you have high expectations about that – free lance ghostwriting that does pay but not particularly well.  But you know what? I don’t care.  I’ve said before that I’d rather work in a coffee shop than attempt parish administration again, and the social status of it all can go vacation where the sun categorically refuses to shine.)  It may soon be that I’ll have enough freelance-priesting stuff to actually make my bottom line, thus freeing my time for more of what I love that does not, at this point, pay on a bi-weekly basis, but that has yet to be fully manifested.  I’m cool with it.  It’ll happen.

Meanwhile, I’ve found myself in an awesome and incredibly healthy living environment that I lovingly refer to either as The House of Awesome, or indeed, The Hippie House.  Technically, Ol’ Wondermoth is a co-operative living environment in the heart of Allentown in Buffalo, a big & beautiful mansion built in 1886, but the best way to describe it to those who have no contact with co-opperative anythings is this: Yes Dad, I am still living in the Hippie Commune.  (Still. Right.  Since December of 2009.)  It’s not my dream home on the Gulf Coast of Florida, but barring that it’s pretty fucking awesome.

I’m making connections with really wonderful people, some of whom are my actual ministerial colleagues, and I have to admit, I never thought it would happen.  Then again, I’m also reading Paul’s letter to the community in Rome in the original Koine Greek, and I never thought that would happen, either.  (Watch Sarey murder the pronunciation, day by day!)

And healthy habits.  It’s crazy.  I get to order my own days entirely, my own weeks almost entirely, aside from Sunday morning, a few weekly bible studies with fixed times, and the occasional diocesan meeting.  Everything else is up for grabs, and it’s up to me to order my days and create healthy habits so I can do all that I wish to.  Considering that I’m not particularly self-motivated, or at least not consistently so, and I would do well to have a personal secretary the moment I can afford one, actually creating said healthy habits is a larger feat for me than perhaps someone else.  So saying, I’m pretty damn proud of myself, because I’m actually doing it. :)

And writing. :)  ::deeply happy sigh::  What’s not to love?  I’m writing – fic and original stuff, and the plot bunnies are beginning to mutiply.  If it weren’t Lent, I’d be singing a chorus of Alleluias.  Considering that it is, I’ll just Squee, which is the modern equivalent.

There are still things to rearrange, of course.  Fine details.  Increasing organization.  More clearly manifesting the next largest step I can imagine – that’s phase two.  I’ll keep you posted.