Three Years on this New Journey

It's amazing how fast time flies.

Three years ago today, we started this journey in Indianapolis.  March 9, 2020, I got to go into the office for one week, to meet all my coworkers and to start getting adjusted to this new life.

Jamie and the kids had not come up yet.  They would wait another week so Jamie could spend a little more time, see Wills Point's OneAct, and stay through her mom's birthday.  Splitting it also allowed us to drive both cars up.  I drove up first, would fly back and leave my car at the airport.  Then would drive back with Jamie the next week.  

For this first week in Indiana, I stayed at a Stay Alfred apartment just a few blocks away from the office.  Got to walk downtown Indy for a bit, past Soldiers and Sailors Monument every day, and generally get to know the city.  Everything was still open at this point.

When we brought up Jamie and the kids, everything closed down.  Work from home and Zoom training.  We still didn't have a house at this point and spent a month in an AirBNB in Old Northside.  

We've since found our home to rent and have settled in very well.  We've found our hometown here in Brownsburg.  We've met and made friends with neighbors.  We've found our church and developed deep friendships with members of our church and our small group.

We've seen family and friends come up to visit, and we've shared a lot of good food we've found, and the aspects of this life we've come to love.  The trails and the walkability of the town.  The great bakeries.  Snow and sledding.  

We've laughed a lot, we've cried some.  We've started and re-started our adoption journey.  We've explored the states around and had a lot of fun trips and journeys along the way.

I've continued to grow at Cummins and started to become more comfortable in the role.  Jamie has started subbing at the kid's elementary school.  Avalyn and Jude have greatly enjoyed their schools.  The best in the state.

It's been an amazing journey and it really is hard to believe how quickly it has happened.  It seems like just yesterday we moved up here.  And it's hard to think that Jude has been up here in Indiana now longer than he lived in Texas.

We wouldn't change a thing.  It has been one of the greatest changes we have made and we're looking forward to see what the future brings.  

edited because I can't math, apparently

Mitchuation Update - I'm Back

Six months...

I really didn't think it would be six months.  And it has been, nearly down to the day.

When I took a break back in May, I thought I would only take a week or two off from blogging and then jump back into it.  Maybe jump back in at a less frequent pace, or focus on specific days and events, but the intent was always to get back into it.

Then we got bust in the summer with camps and travel, and then we were getting back into the new rhythm with school and Jamie's new job.  And now we're back after fall break.i

Suddenly, I look and six months has gone by.  

Needless to say, I'm back.  I'll be blogging more frequently and finding a groove to continue this exercise.  I'm viewing it as exercise - it's mental exercise, helping me continue to develop this skill.  This fall has all been about creating new routines.  I've been consistently working out for over six weeks now, practicing my languages on DuoLingo for over a month, and am focusing now on a new productivity list.  I want writing to be part of that ongoing habit.

So expect more posts coming.  More updates, more history, more poetry, and more opinion.  More excuses to get ideas out of my head.  

As always, thank you for reading and caring.  

Mitchuation Update: Back Again

I thought a good way to jump back into this would be to provide another Mitchuation update. It’s hard to believe we are already at September this year. We’re rapidly approaching fall and the weather is starting to actually reflect it. 

I must admit, I hadn’t intended to take a two month hiatus from the blog, but here we are. Summer was a bit frantic and we were, quite literally, all over the place. Looking back, we only spent half the summer in Indiana. The other half, we were in Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. A benefit of this remote work environment - it can literally be done from anywhere. As our return to the office date has been pushed back once again, I must remind myself that there are benefits like this. 

Avalyn has been in school for over a month now, and Jude has also started his part time pre-school. We’re quickly finding a new normal routine again. 

But our hectic schedule only addresses part of the lack of posts.  That is actually harder to describe. 

It’s not from a lack of content. There’s been a lot that has happened to us, around us, and across our country that warrants a post. Some of it will be future blog posts, like the status of our adoption journey*. For a lot of it, the relevance and urgency has passed. 

It’s also not from being overwhelmed by content either, as I’ve written about before. 

This time it came from a specific form of burnout.  I’m tire that we are still having to address the same issues over and over again. This last year and a half has been draining for everyone, but we’re making it worse by continuing to fight the stupidest battles. We’re still fighting over masks. We’re now fighting about ivermectin, an anti-parasitic often used for animals instead of hydroxychloroquine. To the point where some people would rather overdose themselves with a horse’s dosage instead of them getting vaccinated. We’re raising up in arms about Critical Race Theory, the latest school boogeyman issue without even understanding it.

I’m tired of the keyboard experts, who somehow can jump from constitutional law, to infectious diseases, and now to foreign policy. I’m tired of the systems that prop up this ignorance and over-distrust of any form of expertise.  The over-valuing of anecdotal information. The continued anti-intellectualism on display.  

It’s exhausting. 

It’s recognizing we’re going to keep repeating these same cycles. We’re going to drag this pandemic out until the very last possible case. Until we become numb to the deaths and permanent damage that it is inflicting.

I needed a break from that fight. 

It has been refreshing but it’s time to get back into it. It’s not as if I’ve been off social media in the interim. I’ve just been a consumer, and that has to stop. It’s time to be productive again. 

So, expect more posts in the days to come.  Some catching up from the summer, with trip reports and the like.  Some with just general status updates, like a more in depth status on where we are in the adoption process.  Some hitting on the current events and trying to bring a more fair approach to them.  Many begging you to stay safe and to take every precaution including masking again to stay healthy through the colder months coming.  Maybe I’ll even get to one on why the American Evangelical church’s fetish for “persecution” had exacerbated many of the issues we are facing right now in this country. 

It’s good to be back.  And I’m glad that tomorrow’s post is a really fun and happy celebration.

Until next time…

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*The short version is we are finished with all of our paperwork and most everything in our control.  We are now in the waiting, where our profiles are out there and just waiting for a birth mother to pick us.  We’ve been prepared for it to be possibly one to three years, but at this point it could happen at any day.

Sanctuary, Updated

The following entry is a post that was shared previously on Facebook and has been previously shared here before.  Because I have just come off of a viewing of the 1939 film version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it has been updated and presented here again as a way to raise again for discussion and archive the content.

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I've been thinking a lot lately about The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I've been listening to the cast album from the Paper Mill Playhouse production and it has quickly become one of my favorite musical compositions. The moment, of course, that always stands out to me is when Quasimodo finally breaks his chains and fights back against Frollo, yelling "Sanctuary" over and over, claiming Notre Dame as a place of refuge for all.

And that got me thinking...

When did the Church stop being a Sanctuary for all?

I know the specific laws of Sanctuary have long been overturned and those had their own unique problems, but there is something truly Christ-like about the image of anyone regardless of their background and sin being able to enter the church and claim sanctuary.

And it just doesn't seem like we live up to that any more. It seems we are more interested in the privileges and perks afforded our members, making sure they are well taken care of, than in providing refuge to the weary. A spa or country club as opposed to a fortress and refuge from the battle outside.

It's time to be honest. How do we act when a stranger comes in to the church? Does it depend on the stranger?

If an illegal immigrant sought aid from your church, would it be provided for or would you report and deport?

If a Muslim sought protection from a group of persecutors or if a homosexual person sought refuge from the same, would it be extended? Or would the church and its members be more likely to be the ones persecuting them?

Is the church out there speaking up for Black lives, or is it insisting the whole thing has just been stirred up by the media?  Claiming "All Lives Matter" in the face of specific hurts to specific populations?  Generally true, but not helpful?  

Is it speaking out against Asian American hate crimes, or is it stirring up conspiracy over the "Chinese virus" or the "Kung Flu"?  I'm not sure which of those is more offensive.

Is your church accommodating and carrying for those that are still affected by the pandemic, that are still scared of the deadly consequences it can bring by taking simple precautions like wearing a mask and social distancing?  Are the members putting aside their personal liberty in service to strengthen the faith of those around them, or are they the ones boldly proclaiming their rights have been infringed? 

I've been wondering if the church failing to do its job in this area is what has led to things like the  "safety pin" symbol. For those of you that have not seen the "safety pin" discussion so far, the idea is that people are starting to wear safety pins on their clothing as a symbol that they are an ally to the anyone who needs it, regardless of race, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religion, immigrant status, etc. I've unfortunately seen many in the Christian Right dismiss this idea because they view it as a partisan response to the election. It actually started in the United Kingdom after the Brexit as a response to an increase in racist and homophobic persecution there, and has spread to America as a result of the increase in attacks here post-election (2016). And it's sad that it is viewed as partisan and foolish, particularly by Christians, as it represents how Christians are truly supposed to love the world and speak up for those who are being persecuted or oppressed.

I know many are trying. I just pray that we can do better.

“God help the outcasts, or nobody will.”

"Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place." Jeremiah 22:3

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:35

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Posted to Facebook November 17, 2016, 

Taking A Break

Brief update today.  Wanted to pass along that I will be taking a short break from posting on current events and trying to write daily.  This does not mean that there will be no posts, but that I will be posting the scheduled series on the Ten Albums that Influenced My Musical Tastes over the coming days (with a few minor exceptions).  We will be driving for a while and the work week next week is pretty stacked, so I'm going to use this opportunity to answer that challenge and distance myself from the craziness in the news.

I reserve the right to jump in and post on something that just cannot be ignored, and those may definitely happen.  But for the most part, these next few days will be a little lighter in content and a bit more fun.

There's still plenty to come after this.  At some point in the future, I plan to address Defund the Police, what it actually means, and why it could be very beneficial.  Whitewashing the Bible.  The power struggle the Attorney General is engaging in with New York and the lies he's putting to paper.  Shopping small.  The list goes on.'

For now, hope you are getting to take a bit of a break as well and thanks always for reading.

Mitchuation Update - Quarantine Fun

As Indiana and the Indianapolis begins to lift restrictions, I thought I would give an update on how things are going here.  We are all moved in.  Everything is in its place, pictures are on the wall, and murals are painted. 

It's really starting to feel like home.

We've been safely getting to explore a bit of Brownsburg.  There is an amazing trail system here and we've been walking it a lot.  Getting bikes and looking forward to biking the trails as well.  We've been continuing takeout Tuesday and discovering a bunch of great places to eat here.  Unique, local restaurants with great food.  We've found the best donuts we've ever had at Hilligoss Bakery.  Discovered a great ice cream shop at Mandy's.  A great local coffee shop.  Our favorite pizza.  Etc.

As indicated in the Be Ingenious post, we've discovered the Royal Theater in Danville nearby and have been getting concessions from there every other week on Fridays for movie night.  Our little part of showing our interest in keeping these places up and running.

We're really excited that the drive-in movies are reopening here.

The projects have kept us busy and have kept us from feeling trapped.  We've had so much to do, it's been great to focus here.  This past weekend was the first one where we didn't really have a home improvement project.

So, we did a thing.

We dyed our hair.  Well, we temporarily sprayed Jude's.  The rest of us went through the full color process; I've got the bleached hair photographs to prove it.  Now was the time to do it if we were ever going to do so, especially as I will not be heading back into the office physically until August, most likely.  It was a tedious, silly, and fun bonding experience on Sunday.

Other's have noted our hair helps us look like the emotions in Inside Out, so we put a little bit of that above in the photographs.

We've really just used the time to be together.  To be creative.

I did want to share the murals Jamie completed for the kids rooms.  She knocked them out of the park and the kids both love their rooms. 

Jude's took inspiration from the old Disney short A Cowboy Needs A Horse and Avalyn's took inspiration from the Audrey Hepburn canvas seen in the picture of her room.

I guess they really show us in a nutshell.  To find levity, to find optimism in this time, we turn to creative outlets.  It's our nature.  Beyond faith, it is what is keeping us centered.

So, we'll keep looking for fun, silly, creative outlets to throw ourselves into.

In the interm, we'd like to know what you are doing to keep sane in this time?  How are you finding enjoyment?  What brings you happiness in such a time as this?

Mitchuation Update - One Month In

It's now one month since we moved the whole family up to Indianapolis.  One month since we got in the car and started driving away from Texas.

Let me reiterate - moving in a global pandemic is very interesting.

It makes getting to know the place you are moving to challenging to say the least.  We really haven't seen Indianapolis, except through car windows, though we have greatly enjoyed the places where we have stayed.  The Airbnb in Old Northside was amazing and it was great to get to know our hosts.  Avalyn and Jude loved playing with their two year old, at appropriate distances of course.

We are finally completely moved in to our home in Brownsburg and have been staying here since Good Friday.  While there are still pieces that need to come together, every box has been opened, virtually 80% of everything is in its place.

We're actually a little accustomed to the day to day. Prior to getting the job with Cummins, I had been working from home for the past five months.  Jamie had already been homeschooling Avalyn and Jude for this entire school year.  We were only getting out on any regular basis for supply runs.

What we are missing, though, is field trips.  Excursions.  Date nights.  All of the things we were looking forward to experiencing in Indianapolis and surrounding areas.

We're trying to make it work as much as possible though.  We've enjoyed Take-out Tuesday, supporting local restaurants, by getting food delivered.  And we've had some really good food.  Great authentic Chinese food.  Excellent gyros.  Classic Indiana tenderloin sandwiches.

We've also made a point to watch good art.  We're working through Akira Kurosawa, having seen five of his classic films so far, with five more saved for future viewing.  We're even moving from the Kurosawa film to the other versions they inspire going from Seven Samurai to The Magnificent Seven, and now looking at Yojimbo/Sanjuro and A Fistful of Dollars.

It's a process, but it works.  We at least have a project to keep working on, in getting the house to feel like a home.  We just have to balance the desire to get everything together, without just buying everything in sight that we see because we like it and don't have much else to do.

We'll keep at it and will keep updating you.  Hope y'all are adjusting well and are making it work.  Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home as much as possible.  We'll get through this, even if it is a long haul.

Mitchuation Update - Adjusting

It's amazing how much can change in two weeks...

It has been a while since the last entry and so much has happened, in so many different ways.  What a time to change jobs and states in a global pandemic.

The first week of work went very well.  Lots of introductions, lots of information that I have tried to absorb.  New systems, new conventions, new connections.  In many ways, it was pretty normal. I got to go into the Indianapolis office and see my cube.  Got to see a few of the Columbus, IN offices.  I am replacing someone who is retiring, so I got to spend the week shadowing her and absorbing information.

I even started to feel like an official Hoosier.  Had my first breaded pork tenderloin sandwich at the Mug N Bun, evidence below.  Walked around downtown a lot, including passing Monument Circle everyday.  Stayed at a really cool Stay Alfred apartment downtown in a classic Art Deco building, with an elevated walkway connection to the Circle Center Mall.  Very exciting.  The only downside was being apart from the family.

Deliciousness at the Mug N Bun

Flying back to Texas Friday night was certainly different.  Less crowded at the airport.  A lot of worried travelers.  Regardless, I made it back to Dallas, made it back to the family in Winnsboro, and was ready to start the journey again.

Driving with the family, we made the journey a little more fun.  It's definitely more fun to sing along with a group to good music.  We made great little side trips, like to Casey, IL.  A town that has staked its claim on having a collection of the World's Largest items.  The World's Largest Rocking Chair, Mailbox, Birdcage, See-Saw, etc.

The AirBnb we are staying at is really great.  It's in a great location in Old Northside, among a collection of great Craftsman homes.    The owners/managers are right across the hall, so their family has been our one real connection so far.

In all, the start has been much what we expected - a great place to stay, cold weather, a lot of activity focused on trying to find a place to rent for a year or so.  Thankfully that activity has paid off and we have a place starting April 10.

What we could not imagine, what none of us could have imagined, was starting this new adventure under a stay in place order.  Going straight to work from home my second week on the job.  Working from home in the living room of an apartment only a little larger than our place in Wills Point.

It has been an adjustment, as it has been for everyone.  Lots of Skype and Zoom meetings, particularly so I can continue to talk with the current manager, getting as much information as I can from her over this next week and a half before she retires.  Trying to find convenient ways to allow me to work, and the kids to learn and play, in largely the exact same space.

The plus side is that we're all together.  That I'm kind of used to this with my previous remote work experience.  That everyone is adjusting to this,so there is an understanding, a bit of leniency.  The litigation group has a WhatsApp group together just so we can check in on each other and compare notes on how the adjustment is going.

In many ways, this may have been a boon for my ability to learn from my predecessor.  Global onboarding was largely removed, giving me back several days of time to ask questions and shadow.  With cases slowed to a crawl, the focus can be on the transfer of knowledge and questions, instead of responding to active matters.  Have to find the silver lining somewhere.

All in all, we are here, we are adjusting, and we are ready to be in our place, with our stuff.  Thankfully soon, fingers crossed.

Now that there is a rhythm, posts should increase.  And we plan to be updating y'all as much as possible.  And we have enjoyed seeing how everyone is adjusting on Facebook is adjusting to the new situation.

Until next time.

Mitchuation Update - Hoosiers

Now to the celebratory part.

In the previous update and request for prayers about the job search, I relayed how we were excited about three opportunities.  One in Austin as an eDiscovery Consultant Manager, one remote as an eDiscovery Project Manager, and one in Indianapolis as an in-house eDiscovery and Information Manager.

The interviews and discussions all went well, and over the last couple of weeks, our future finally started to come into shape.

If you had asked us to plot the trajectory of our lives, we were most excited about both the remote position and the one in Austin.  The remote position would allow us to pick somewhere in Dallas to live, included the potential for travel, and kept us relatively close to all family.  The Austin position had great benefits, would allow us to be closer to my family for a while, and would have been something squarely in my experience.  The position in Indianapolis was exciting, but also a little terrifying.  Beyond the distance, it is a bit outside my realm of experience.

I think you see where this is going.  Man makes plans, God laughs.

Slowly, His plan for us became clearer.  The position in Austin disappeared; the company decided to completely restructure and offered me a chance to start the process over for a position at a $30K pay cut.  Thank you, but no.

The remote position became consistently less stable.  It would be a greater leap of faith.

All the while, the position in Indianapolis kept progressing.  Through it all, the company treated me very well.  The people I met were incredible.  And the opportunity became too good to pass up.  I got an interview with the Vice President and General Counsel.  Was told that I was the top candidate.  Heard from the recruiter saying they desired to move forward.  All the while waited, somewhat impatiently to get an offer.

We got the offer last Friday.  It was better than I could have anticipated and will include some relocation assistance.  I accepted immediately.

So, starting March 9, I will be the new eDiscovery and Information Management Specialist for Cummins Inc.  Right now, we're going through the pre-employment paperwork and processing, and are getting the last bit of our stuff altogether in one place for the move.  Thankfully it's mostly all boxed already, so that's not going to be too big of an issue.

We've begun web research for houses, for churches, for locations and are really getting excited.  We're going to be Hoosiers.  The first time really that either one of us have lived out of the state of Texas for a considerable period of time.  A lot of new places to explore and visit.  An opportunity for me to connect to a bit of family heritage and see where my dad's dad was from.

It's really funny and humbling to think how we got here.  From Jamie becoming depressed and unsettled teaching the fall semester of 2018, reaching the point where she decided to take time off to homeschool Avalyn and Jude for a season.  From being fired last June.  Moving in with my in-laws.  From taking a spur of the moment side-trip to Indianapolis and Franklin, IN on our family road trip last July.  From living out of boxes for the past nine months.  From the temp job that picks up right after the road trip.  To the next temp job that starts immediately after that.  And so on and so forth.

Everything that was necessary to get us to the point where we were able and ready to just pickup, and go.  To go where He tells us to go.

We have seen His hand of provision in incredible ways through this period.  We have struggled with patience, with frustration, and with depression.  We have also been closer to family.  Enjoyed time together and a lot of flexibility to just pickup and go.

It's been an incredible journey so far and I can't wait to see what this new chapter brings.

To everyone that has prayed for us, laughed with us, cried with us through this season, thank you.  You are family and we will carry you with us no matter where we go.  We're looking to get a large place up there, so if you ever have the itch to travel north, come up and see us.  We'd love to have you.

We're going to try and cram as much as we can in these coming weeks, so we hope we get to catch up with as many of you as possible.  If we don't, please know that we love you, we'll miss you, and we look forward to seeing you again.

I will be continuing to write this blog, and hopefully on a more consistent basis as I continue to improve.  And will definitely keep updating you on the move, the new place, and on the life up there.

Stan Lee always closed his musings with the word "Excelsior!"  He claimed he saw it in old English material and liked it, so he started using it as a sign off.  He probably also saw it on some of the tunnels in New York as it is the official motto of the state of New York.  It translates to "ever upward" and I think sums up a good bit about this journey.  Let us run with endurance the race set before us, ever upward.

Excelsior!

Mitchuation Update - Sick, and Tired

Also titled, Why No Post?

It's been a while, but it's been a crazy time.  There has been a lot happening and a lot good over these past several days.   And with these next couple of blog entries, I want to tell you all about them.

First, I want to say thank you for all your thoughts and prayers for the job interviews and the ultimate new position.  They were felt, they were appreciated, they were heard.  And I promise to get into that entire story, in the next entry.

First, I want to update you on the past couple of days, explaining why I have not gotten to post that entry yet, and to ask for your prayers again.

Last week was good, but crazy.  Started with a final phone interview for one of the positions I had been vying for.  Moved to an impromptu trip to Buna to visit family for a couple of different reasons.  Headed back to Wills Point to drop Jamie off for an incredible Women's Conference she attended Friday night and Saturday.  Me getting to have fun with the kids that time.  Church on Sunday.

Busy, good.

Sunday afternoon, I got sick.  I thought it was just a stomach virus.  Jude had one the previous week.  So did our nephew, whom we also babysat.  I thought I had just caught it.

By Monday, it became apparent that this was no ordinary stomach virus.  The stomach and abdominal cramping was worse than I had ever had.  Blood came from where it should not.

I was taken to the local ER that night and was diagnosed with colitis.   Inflammation of the colon, causing the bleeding.  Given two antibiotics, a painkiller, and an anti-nausa medication, and sent home.

Despite following the medication instructions, things did not improve, but I made it through Tuesday.  By Wednesday morning, I was severely dehydrated, worried I was becoming anemic, and feeling worse than I have ever felt.

Jamie took me to the ER in Tyler yesterday morning, where I spent last night and most of the morning.  Administered fluids regularly, clear liquid diet, and poked and prodded for various tests.

Thankfully, the diagnosis was a bacteria, causing acute inflammatory colitis.  A bacteria that will thankfully run its course on its own caused it all.  I'm now back at home, tired, worn, and recovering.  Trying to drink as much as possible, but not overdo it.  Just to keep from getting dehydrated again.  Trying to add soft foods in little by little.  And then work from there.

I am feeling much better than I was.  I am on the road to recovery, but am definitely still weak.

For those that Jamie contacted and who sent thoughts and prayers, they were definitely appreciated.  I would definitely ask to continue to be in your remembrances, as the recovery continues.

It was such a strange occurrence.  We had just really gotten to start celebrating and then got to feeling so horrible.  Thankfully now we can get back to celebrating.

And with sharing the celebration with everyone, too.

Mitchuation Update - Prayer Request

A brief update this time and something I don't usually do on this platform.

I wanted to ask for your prayers for this upcoming week.  It's going to be a big week in our household.  One in which we could use traveling grace, wisdom, and discernment.

On the job front, I'm having continuing conversations with three opportunities.  One would be a generally remote position with some travel, with a company that I currently have a contract association.  One would be a consulting/review management position in Austin.  The last one is an in-house e-discovery director position in Indianapolis.

I've had a conversation with the remote position and will be having further talks with them in a couple of weeks.  On Wednesday, I have an interview in Austin.  On Thursday, I have an interview in Indianapolis.  So we're going to be making a flying trip to Austin Tuesday afternoon, have the interview in the morning on Wednesday, and then heading back to DFW airport to leave for Indianapolis.  Coming back home late Thursday.

Lots of miles, lots of prep work, lots of potential decisions.

For those of you readers that are of a religious nature, I would ask for prayers for safe travel for me and the family.  For the ability to present myself well in interviews.  For wisdom and discernment to be able to recognize if the opportunities will align with our goals for the future.

As always, I thank you for your readership, and thank you for the prayers in advance.  Will pass along another update when I have it.

Mitchuation Update - Possibilities

It's been a while since I've posted an update, so I thought I would share a snapshot of where we are currently at as a family.  I'm still working from home, though the hours on the previous project have slowed to a trickle.  It's funny, just about the time I get fully trained and ready to go, the case hits a major slowdown.  The nature of project work in a nutshell.  It's not the first project I've seen change drastically overnight and it's not the last.

I'm still under contract with that company through Christmas and still have a good working relationship with them.  I completely understand where the slow down is coming from and it's nothing in their control.

I have started another project today that will should keep me busy through December 19.  That will be a good source of a little extra income over these next couple of weeks.  A little to help offset what we've pulled from the buffer.  Plus, it should still leave us free the week of Christmas to go to Buna and spend time down there.  Win-win.

This entire process has been one of learning to trust in God's provision and seeing it manifest in very tangible ways.  Just as I'm getting discouraged, just as I'm starting to worry, something new pops up.  To have the first contract job the day after vacations complete.  To then move directly to this current position that gave some needed back-of-house experience.  To then have this week hit, with a new project still remote, allowing me to serve out the current project contract and have more income coming in.

Additionally, I've seen a flurry of interviews.  Three last week.  Four this week.  One of which is with the current contract to see how they could help, what my future plans are. One of them last week was seeing how God can connect us all.  A family friend of the Hamrick's who has been in the same industry for years, but the connection was just now revealed.  Locations all over the country.  Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Asheville, and Los Angeles.  We have our preferences, but it's interesting to see them all pickup at the same time.

It's all served as another reminder that He has this under control.   Another reminder that I need to not be so anxious.

Now it may be that none of these interviews pan out.  That may not be the point.  It may be just a reminder to help keep me trusting that He will provide.  And if that is all it is, I'm glad to have it.

It has definitely been a different Christmas season.  One with new lessons and new appreciations.  I hope to have new things ahead for the new year.  But I'll keep trusting that He's got this.   Keep waiting for what He will reveal.

Mitchuation Update - New Opportunities

It has been a while since the last update, so I thought it was time to pass along a little more information regarding where we are at.  Largely the lack of an update reflected a pretty stable status quo.  The project I was on was supposed to last for just a month.  It ended up lasting for two months and two weeks.  In that time, we created a pretty good rhythm.  I would come back to Winnsboro on the weekends and spend time with the family.  On Mondays, I would load up and head into the office, stay with friends in Wills Point through Friday, and repeat the process all over again.

It was stable and greatly appreciated, but being away during the week was beginning to wear.  On everyone.  By the end, even Jude was waking himself up early on Monday mornings when I would leave, and during the week he started to get to the "I want Dada" stage.  So while we wanted the reliability of the paycheck to continue, we were definitely ready for something else to allow us to be together throughout the week.

I do have to say that I really loved working with Lynn Pinker.  That was a great office and team to be supporting.  It was a little weird to be there during their extensive renovation, but the entire experience was excellent.  In that regard, I was sad to see it end.

As it has been through this entire process, it is amazing to see how things come together.  Last Monday when that project ended, I got an email regarding another opportunity.

Through the last few weeks, we knew the project was likely going to end soon, and we had been praying for a smooth transition with a short break in between, so we could enjoy the time together.

That's what we got.  From the initial email, I had an interview on Wednesday and would not hear affirmatively until Friday.  So nearly a week's break to enjoy time together.  To play with Avalyn.  To get Jude to take a nap.  Just to be together.

I've started the new project today.  It's a higher hourly rate.  It's work from home, so I'll be in Winnsboro with the family.  It's training me to have greater technical experience, which will definitely be a plus for future applications.  And most surprisingly, it's with two companies that I have previously applied to (including the one I got the farthest with in Washington, D.C.).

The Lord works in mysterious ways, indeed.

This project has the potential to last for a while, potentially until March.  The length is one of the few unknowns.  As with most project work, it could go away tomorrow.  But even in that eventuality, I know there is a plan.  There will be something behind it.  There will be further provision.

We are still praying and hoping for that permanent position that we know will be coming.  We are ready to find a new place to rent and start setting up our next home.  We are still open to just where that might be.  In the interim, we will simply continue to trust the Shepherd.

Whatever is next, we will keep you posted.

The Mitchuation

For a while after law school, I moved in with my sister in Austin and slept on her couch while looking for document review positions and considering taking a few more science classes in order to sit for the patent bar.  After a while, a friend of hers inquired about the Mitch situation, but it came out Mitchuation.  The term has been used since to refer to the Mitch situation.

So, I thought I would pass along an update on the Mitchuation.  Where we are now and where we are going.

I am still going through the process of sending out resumes, applying to job postings, and going through interviews.  So far, there have been promising leads, but no firm offers.  It's been humbling to remember it has only been a little over a month.  To me that feels like it has been going on for a while, but as recruiters have reminded me, that is fairly short.

I am applying all over.  From outside Boston, to North Carolina, to Montgomery, Alabama, to a remote position that would be completely work from home.  It's exciting and terrifying to still not have a direction for where we are going next.

Which brings up the biggest change of late. We are moving out of our apartment in Wills Point and plan to be out by July 25.  This will be just a couple of days before Jamie's family road trip vacation and we are looking to clear out by then.  We want to save the expenses, we're using it as an excuse to cull through a lot of stuff that we've accumulated, and we're getting ready for the future move, wherever that may be.

After we're out, we're going to stay with family, likely alternating between mine and Jamie's, trying to enjoy as much time with them as we can, particularly if the move is farther off.  This will let us spend some time in Buna, Austin, and Winnsboro over the coming month, with Winnsboro more of a home base.

To that end, we are having a Moving Sale in our apartment at 124 N 4th St, #3 in Wills Point, Texas 75169, on Saturday, July 20, from around 8 am to 4 pm.  Jamie is already posting pictures on Facebook and Facebook Marketplace of things we're trying to find good homes for and that we do not want to take with us.

After that, we're trying to enlist help to finish loading the truck after church on Sunday, July 21.  We're upstairs, so any help needs to be able to carrying loads downstairs.  Plus there are a couple of particularly heavy pieces that we would especially appreciate some able-bodied help with.

A bit of chaos, but a pretty wonderful time as well.  We've been able to take some needed breaks, that I'll be sharing over the next couple of weeks.

I've also gotten the needed reminders and grounding that have kept me calm.  In preparing for the stewardship blog, Matthew 6:26 hit home.  "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not more valuable than they?"  

Are you not more valuable than they?  

I have to admit, there are a lot of times that I don't feel more valuable.  That it would be easy to wallow in self-doubt and delude myself into thinking that He does not have this under control.  To give into the worry of "how much longer," "how many more interviews," "am I really qualified?"

To give in to that worst fear of "what if?"

But He does have this under control.  He has a purpose for this season.  Whether to learn a lesson or to prepare us for something different, there is a point to this time.  Even if it is just to see how we handle it.

And He will take care of our needs.  Not our wants, not our wishes, because those can betray us.  But He will provide for our needs.   And there is great comfort and rest in that belief.

So, in all, the Mitchuation is the same but changing.

Isn't it always?

Marvel Phase 4 - Updated

A first for the blog - an updated post from a year ago to reflect new information.  A lot of the material below was posted a year ago after Avengers: Infinity War, and I thought it would be interesting to share and update as needed with some thoughts following Avengers: Endgame.  Original text will be below in italics and blue.

First things first, slight spoilers, but nothing that can't be gleamed from trailers/promotional materials - #ThanosStillDemandsYourSilence - it is really worth it to go in knowing as little as possible

The review was handled in Wednesday's blog.  For today, I'd like to focus on my thoughts phase 4 Phase 4, i.e. what Marvel does now after Endgame.  Some of this fits in with the If I Were Disney CEO blog series for Marvel Studios, but this is a little more granular.

Here is what I would like to see in Phase 4:

New Heroes:  While there are definitely sequels in the works (Guardians 3, Spider-man 2, Black Panther 2, and maybe Doctor Strange 2), there is a great opportunity to add new heroes to the film schedule.  Make a Black Widow movie.  Make a Hawkeye movie.  Add Nova, Adam Warlock, She-Hulk, Captain Britain, Star Brand, Thunderstrike, and Ms. Marvel.  These do not have to be in individual movies, but can be added as supporting cast where appropriate.  Ms. Marvel in the Captain Marvel movie for that introduction.

I'm still in total agreement with the above.  There are great opportunities to keep expanding.  We know a bit of what is in production now - the sequels for Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Dr. Strange.  Captain Marvel 2 is certainly guaranteed with as much money as it first film made.  We also know Black Widow is finally getting her movie, as well as new entries for The Eternals and Shang Chi.  The interesting addition to this is the series for Disney+ streaming including The Falcon and Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Hawkeye, and Loki.  With further expansions on Hulu for Ghost Rider, Helstrom, The Offenders (M.O.D.O.K., Howard the Duck, Tigra, and Hit Monkey), things are looking bright for Marvel content.  I am still waiting for a Captain Britain movie.

New Imprints:  Marvel has published a lot of comics in its history and has covered a lot of different genres.  I would love to see a Marvel Edge line, maybe with a black background/red text logo, to cover the 1970s Marvel Monsters.  Give me a connected Blade, Tomb of Dracula, Castle Frankenstein, and Werewolf by Night movie series, that can occur in a side pocket of the cinematic universe.  It would be ironic if Marvel could beat Universal at its Dark Universe game.

Again, 100% behind this and would love to see a Marvel Edge line.

#ItsReallyAllConnected:  The early promise of the Marvel movies and television shows was that they were all connected.  And there have been small links, some more effective than others. The connection between Captain America: Winter Soldier and the first season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. really turned that series around.  The links have grown smaller and smaller over the years, with the suits declaring it to be a little too cumbersome.  The sad part of this is that it really just needs someone helping coordinate.  The ties do not have to be strangling, but a little can go a long way to make it all feel connected.  For example, if someone could have just suggested a throwaway line for Thunderbolt Ross to say that people are getting powers from fish oil in Avengers: Age of Ultron as a reason for the Sokovia accords, that would have made a great impact.

We've seen our first link (finally).  Hopefully, this can just get stronger.  Especially with the streaming options.  I think with Disney+ we truly are going to see this idea live to the fullest, exploring the stories in the format that serves them best.

Secret Invasion:  I know this will be the start of phase 4, but you can really look at it as the start of the third arc for the Marvel story.  Arc 1 runs from Iron Man to the Avengers.  It really reflects the founding of the Avengers.  Arc 2 runs from the Avengers through Avengers 4.  It's the build up of the Infinity Stones leading to Thanos in Infinity War.  There needs to be a shift in this upcoming phase/arc to have a different kind of approach.  A new macguffin and a singular new bad guy would just feel repetitive.  I would go with Secret Invasion.  This would allow for a completely different style of subplot that allows for a freer exploration in each individual movie, while still providing some great HOLY S^&*!!!!! moments and reveals.  Plus, the closing Avengers movie for it would be fantastic.

I still want Secret Invasion for the overarching theme for the next big chapter of the MCU, just because it would be a different macguffin from Thanos (a single big bad building toward) and could lead to a series of intriguing reveals.  I have heard other ideas about Kang given Act 2 of Endgame and that could be very interesting.

Fantastic Four: What better way to celebrate MCU Phase 4 and the integration of Fox into the Disney studios, than by adding Marvel's First Family to the film slate. I really want to seen the FF finally done well on the big screen and really need to have Dr. Doom presented as intended.  The best Marvel villain finally in the MCU - it's a no brainer.

Keep the X-men out: This will be an unpopular opinion, but I'm completely okay with keeping the X-men in their own sandbox.  The X-Universe and the metaphors it explores are a little hard to square with full integration into the Marvel Universe.  Why do mutants get mistreated when others who get their powers through accidents are celebrated, etc.?  I'd rather see a reinvigorated X-Universe and a thriving MCU, than needlessly trying to integrate them clumsily now.

I still do not know what is coming, and Marvel is being very tight lipped after what follows Spider-man: Far From Home.  I am definitely still there for the ride.  I'm all in.

Excelsior!

A Little Blogkeeping

Another double post today, this one with just a few blogkeeping notes.

I'm trying to get caught up.  In November and December, I was really good about writing ahead, but with January, I've nearly always been playing catch up.  Will be working to have things a little more regular in February.

Part of that includes moving the posts back into the morning.  It won't be an automatic change, but I'm going to start moving the posts back earlier, first to around noon, then back to the morning release.  It's been a little easier to have things ready and then proof day of, but I wanted to get back to having things automatically post in the mornings.

Finally, the next If I Were Disney CEO post for ABC is coming.  It's proving to be one of the more challenging posts to put together, because while I have a framework for general recommendations, I'd also like to get in a chart that has a proposed generic primetime schedule.  That's the harder part.

All in all, this has still been a fun exercise and I thank you for reading.  As the year mark comes closer and closer, I'm putting together my thoughts on what I've learned and discovered.  There's one in particular that gives me hope.

(c)

After checking the mail yesterday, I'm pleased to report that I'm the proud owner of a United States Copyright. The Copyright Office accepted the registration on Thou Fair Eliza (c) Keeler, 2018.

Jamie will not be staging this adaptation of Pygmalion for one act this year, so we're exploring options.  She'd still like to be the first to stage, so we're evaluating when that might be and whether/when to share with other directors.  It's an exciting decision to be facing.

With this year's Tinsletown, Texas Christmas Chronicles story finished, the goal is now to turn to The End of Civil Discourse.  The overall plot is there, it just needs to be committed to paper.  Something to plan for the months ahead.

Playwright Life Update Continued

In the previous update, I mentioned that I was still waiting for word from Samuel French regarding their licensing of Pygmalion for productions.  Their webpage gave no insight into exactly what they were licensing, so it appeared in some way they were attempting to be the sole licensor for all productions of Pygmalion.  This did not seem right as the original text of Pygmalion is in the public domain.  The original play by Shaw was published in 1913 and copyrighted in the United States in 1916.  As a general rule, anything published before 1923 is in the public domain (with very few exceptions).  Accordingly, I needed to know exactly what Samuel French was claiming.

I received their final confirmation late last week.  From their reply, they acknowledge the original text of Pygmalion is "no longer under copyright and may be performed without submitting a request" through their site.  They did caution that some versions of the text are still under copyright as they have additional material provided by Shaw (which I was aware of).

Further, I noticed yesterday that they have removed Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts by Shaw as a title which you could request a license from their site.  They still sell the script, but are no longer claiming a license in the work.  That is a swifter action than I expected and am grateful to see that it has been changed.

This removes the last question mark in front of Thou Fair Eliza.  With UIL approval and the confirmation that Samuel French has no claim, the stage is set, pardon the pun, for the upcoming production.  Very exciting.

Now all that remains is the long waiting game for the copyright approval.  Will keep you posted.

Playwright Life Updates

Wanted to pass along a couple of brief updates on the playwright process, with developments that have occurred regarding the first script.

First, a couple of weeks ago, Jamie completed the process of cutting Thou Fair Eliza into a one-act version and submitted the cutting to the University Interscholastic League for approval for use in this years One Act Play competition.  Thursday, September 20, 2018, Jamie received approval for the play.  This is a big step, particularly for an unpublished play.  Thankfully, she can proceed forward and does not have to select a new play.  It also means I'm considering going forward with a copyright on the one-act version, to have a preferred cutting protected (useful in Texas, particularly).

Secondly, we had noticed that Samuel French was licensing Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts by George Bernard Shaw, even though it did not have its own script, but was rather sending customers to a Penguin Books version.  Odd for the script issue and odd to have a license on a script with the base text in the public domain, unless they are licensing a specific revision later copyrighted.  I've been in contact with Samuel French, but am still waiting on an explanation of what their license purports to cover, specifically.  Their answer could propose a problem if they are claiming everything (improperly, though I might add).

Interesting developments all and the copyright application is still working its way through the system.  It's a waiting game, and I've never been too good at waiting patiently, virtue it may be.

I'll pass along more as I know it.

A Little Blogkeeping

There's nothing like a run down immune system and a compromised toddler to get you sick.  Surprisingly, the toddler not in day care seemed to have brought a cold bug into the house, getting both me and Jamie sick over the weekend.  The toddler in day care has not gotten sick (yet).  As bugs go, I'll take this one over some of the others that have passed through our household, but still, not a fun weekend.   It's always interesting when both mommy and daddy are sick, but at least one child still wants to bounce off the walls.

So, with this sickness, I let yesterday's blog get out with just the link and without the substance.  That has been corrected, and you can read the updated version here.

Further, it pushed today's blog back, which has led to this housekeeping bit this afternoon.  The planned blog for today will probably hit Thursday.   This did provide a bit of fortuitousness, though, as it has let something a bit more topical be used for tomorrow's blog.

Thankfully, I've also gotten to play catch up today, so everything should be continuing a bit more regularly from here on out.

I do want to thank everyone who is continuing to read these.  I truly am humbled that anyone takes the time to read anything I've posted, even as a one off.  That people are reading on a regular basis is just amazing.