ronni

precious free time.

/ ronni

Weekends are way too short. Now that I’m working outside of the home again, with an hour commute each way, my free time has become very limited. After working from home for three years, I’m still adjusting, even after four months, to the sheer amount of resources dedicated to having a full time job in an office again.

There is the financial cost. Now I have to pay for a monthly commuter pass, when before I paid as I went. Since I didn’t use the train or buses more than once or twice a week at most… well, that’s an increase.

I try not to buy lunches out, as that can add up. $10 a day, $50 a week, $200 a month? No thanks! I take my lunch in most of the time, and I’ll buy lunch only as a treat from time to time.

New clothes (we can only wear jeans on Friday), new expensive headphones (I work in a busy area, and that’s no good when you’re an introverted proofreader), new shoes, because boots are not comfy all day, and my others were either athletic shoes or falling apart.

Energetically, I’m exhausted every day when I come home. Constant people people people. I like my co-workers. But I wish, all the time, for a quiet office where I can work in the dark.

But the hardest cost is the time cost. Eight or more hours, five days a week where my time is not my own. Two hours of commuting back and forth. The prep time every morning and every evening…. that’s another 2–3 hours. If I have freelance work to do, or stuff for my book, or other assorted administrative things to do., plus dinner…well, that’s my entire day.

My personal to do lists are towering. My apartment and bedroom is a mess. I haven’t unpacked from Disney World. Because when the weekend rolls around, I’m exhausted. I crash the whole time.

I have plans and lists. Clean. Organize. Exercise. Sims! Read ALL the things. Shop (I need new ear plugs, gloves, boots, work pants). Write!

But instead. Instead.

I sleep. I play games on my iPad. I read. Sunday night comes way too quickly. And I spend the weekend desperate for Friday night, so the next weekend, I can maybe do better.

I never do better.

I have to figure out how to do better.

Because I do like the work I do. And I do like the office; it’s very pretty. As I said, I like my co-workers. And I LOVE having a steady income. I’m in debt again, and I like supported my artist friends. I like buying books and makeup and traveling.

I just have to figure out… how to balance things better.

But in the meantime…

Rest. It’s time to start a new week.

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hi there, 2019.

/ reflection, ronni

19 is my favorite number, and this is the first (and barring any major scientific breakthroughs) and last time I’ll get to have it as the actual year! How exciting!

The last few years have been rough on a general, worldly scale. Seems like every day in the news there is something horrible happening. I hope 2019 brings some big, positive changes for good people trying to do good things.

I hope I am a good person and that I keep focus on doing good things.

The year started off with me sleeping in a bit, finishing up a deadline, relaxing, reading, and writing. Tonight’s dinner menu was pork loin and green beans.

Tomorrow, I’m back to work for real. I’d been back since December 26, but it was very slow in the office, and the floor was quiet and chill. I don’t anticipate things getting too out of hand this week, but next week is sure to be ramped up to 100. I started just as the busiest year ever was winding down, so soon I’ll get to see what it’s really like.

I’m only a little bit nervous.

When I look at the things I hoped to accomplish last year and beyond, these are the ones that I managed to land:

– a publishing contract
(my book sold! eeee!)
– read at least 25 new books (at least 10 by POC)
(I read 37 new books, and 20 were by POC)
– travel to at least one place, domestic or international
(I went to Jekyll Island, Disney World, the Smoky Mountains, Atlanta, Charleston, and Cleveland)
– do more yoga
(before I started a new day job, I was going every week for a while there. still not ideal, but better than before)
– walk more
(the commute made this necessary! plus I went to Disney World. naturally lots of walking there!)
– take more pictures!!
(definitely did this one!)

As I’ve said in the past, I don’t really do resolutions. I like to set goals. Actually, intentions. Things I want to accomplish, changes I’d like to make, but not necessarily within the confines of the 365 days. Some of these goals are recycled, because let’s face it. I am who I am and the same things I’ve been working on all this time are probably the same things I’ll be working on for the rest of my life. But it’s OK. I’m a work in progress, and that’s fine. (The purple ones are new for 2019!)

Intentions for 2019:
– I want a joyful, energetic body.
– I want a loving, compassionate heart.
– I want a restful, alert mind.
– I want lightness of being.

In 2019, I NEED to:
– DRINK LESS SODA (And only ginger ale if I *do* have it. I’m talking no more than once or twice a month.)
– DRINK MORE WATER
– exercise more
– walk more
– write more (this novel NEEDS to come out of me. It’s been in there for nearly 3 years now)
– make more money
– pay off at least one big credit card
– spend less time on social media
– spend more time working toward my goals
– spend more time with my loved ones
– declutter and clean my bedroom
– go somewhere cool
– take even more pictures

In 2019, I hope to:
– read at least 35 new books (at least 10 by POC)—up from 25 last year
– do a better job of keeping the place clean and neat-looking
– travel to at least one place, domestic or international
– have financial comfort
– have more fresh, whole foods and less meat in my diet
– eat less fast food
– get in better physical shape
– make new friends and appreciate the friends I already have even more
– do more self care (massages, positive self talk, spa days, etc.)
– journal more
– save money
– be more brave with my writing
– write more snail mail letters
– maintain a work-life balance that also sustains my lifestyle

In My Dreams for 2019:
– a new publishing contract
– my creative well running over
– discipline to complement and honor the creative well
– happiness and health for me and my loved ones
– hitting at least one best-seller list
– things I want to hold close, for now

Looking Forward To:
– MY BOOK!! NOVEMBER 12, 2019!!!!
– summer
– new books and music discoveries
– writing this novel (or whatever novel comes out of me)
– trying to grow my hair longer
– seeing where my writing takes me!

Here’s hoping that 2019 is filled with love, light, peace, happiness, good health, amazing opportunities, and positivity for all of us. Be willing to let go of what does not serve you to make room for that which does. Sending it to me and all of you.

1 Comment

year in review: 2018

/ reflection, ronni, year-in-review

Was 2018 a good year for you?
2018 started off rough, not gonna lie. I got sick twice, I lost my sweet Fi, and some publishing things didn’t work out like I’d hoped. My day job ended in April, and while I needed the break I did worry about money. I got frozen shoulder. Too many migraines. Depression was right there all the time, just waiting to take over. Sometimes it did. I felt lonely and exhausted and like all I did was mess up and disappoint people. I had to take a major break from social media and the writing community because my head was a mess.

Lots of tears and frustration in those first months.

But then on May 1, I had a spa day which included a chakra balancing. And suddenly, I felt a shift. Things started changing. I started feeling hope and strength again.

I visited my mommy. I took the time off to rest and enjoy playing The Sims. I started meeting new people. I started getting more interest in my book.

Summer came and things completely shifted! Adam and I celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary, and he asked me to plan a trip to Disney for later in the year! We went to Atlanta and Jekyll to visit family and see friends. I started seeing a chiropractor. I got to go to Tennessee and I saw a baby bear!

In the fall, I got a new job which was OK, but then I landed a better job, with a reverse commute and a great team and more pay. My son turned 16!

But my BIGGEST NEWS is that my book sold. My first novel is going to be published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers, my dream publisher. November 12, 2019, my book will be on shelves, but I’ll let you know when you can pre-order it.

My BOOK SOLD. To my DREAM PUBLISHER. I’ve been pursuing this seriously since 2005. Thirteen years. And I still can’t believe it’s happening.

What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?
– SOLD A NOVEL!
– stayed at Disney’s Coronado Springs resort
– rode Slinky Dog Dash
– saw a baby bear in the wild!
– rode a chairlift
– had a chakra balancing
– had a real photo shoot
– attended YALLFEST

Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

Did anyone close to you die?
I lost my dear Fi in February.

What countries did you visit?
I stayed domestic this year. But in the US, I visited Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, and Wisconsin

What date(s) from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 24, 2018: the day I lost my dear Fi
May 1, 2018: RESET
June 13, 2018: the day I got THE CALL that my novel had sold!
July 27, 2018: 10 years!
September 18, 2018: When I got to officially announce my book deal. I got SO MUCH LOVE I cried!
November 27, 2018: the day I started the job that (so far) I really, really like

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I SOLD MY NOVEL!


(ashton: linneart.tumblr.com | devon: alexiscastellanos.com)

I’m so happy you’ll get to meet these two dreamy teens this November!

What was your biggest failure?
– keeping the apartment clean. EPIC FAIL on that one.
– not keeping up with my gratitude journal as regularly as I’d have liked.
– not eating enough leafy greens.
– not doing enough yoga or barre.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
– frozen shoulder (started in April, seemingly “thawing” now)
– the flu (January)
– migraines, ugh

Where did most of your money go?
bills, books, travel, gaming

What song(s) will always remind you of 2018?
– thank u, next—Ariana Grande
– God is a Woman—Ariana Grande
– All The Stars (f. SZA)—Kendrick Lamar
– Never Fall In Love (f. MØ)—Jack Antonoff
– Warrior—Chloe x Halle
– I Like that—Janelle Monet
– Sober II (Melodrama)—Lorde

What do you wish you’d done more of?
– ***writing***
– yoga
– moving my body in general
– learning
– traveling
– journaling
– connecting with my friends
– spending time with my mommy

What do you wish you’d done less of?
– eating junk food
– procrastinating
– being afraid

What was your greatest musical discovery?
– EXES
– MØ
– King Princess
– Ariana Grande (I know I’m so late but she’s a QUEEN)

What did you want and get?
– a trip to Disney World
– an upgraded computer for gaming
– a BOOK DEAL!

What did you want and not get?
– MORE AIDAN TIME (there is never enough)
– a visit to Morton Arboretum
– a trip abroad
– long hair

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 44. I worked, then came home and collapsed. But to be fair, I’d been at Disney just recently, and wore the birthday button, and had many mini-celebrations, and that was fun!

What kept you sane?
– therapy
– friends
– The Sims

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I guess no one this year 🤔

What political issue stirred you the most?
😡

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
I NEED to find a viable work-life balance! My family and leisure time is important, and I have to find a way to not work all the time but still make decent money. I’m tired, the place is a wreck, and I am doing stuff all the time but I don’t feel like any progress is being made. Something’s broken and needs to be fixed soon!

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
at home: PJs, yoga pants, leggings, tops
out and about: skinny jeans and tops or sweaters

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
making more money

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? in the middle
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter, definitely fatter
iii. richer or poorer? poorer (for now)

In 2019, I’m looking forward to:
My official debut year! I’m so excited (and nervous) about what’s in store! 😱

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

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when i’m a published author.

/ authors, ronni, writing

I am writing this now, less than a out from the release of my debut novel, as a testimony and a promise. I want you to point me to this post if by some reason I become an asshole down the line.

When I’m a published author:

I will remain humble
I will remember how long it took me to get here
I will remember all the people who helped me along the way
I will do my best to pay it forward
I will welcome any and all fan art and fan fiction (oh please God let there be fan art and fan fiction)
I will avoid Goodreads the best I can
I will be ready for ANYTHING to happen, or nothing to happen at all
I will continue to be grateful that this dream of mine is finally coming true

I will not cull my Twitter or instagram to seem “cooler” or “more important”. If I do cull, it will be for my protection and to enforce safe boundaries
I will not tell people variations of “you can’t sit here” because they’re on a different part of their path from mine
I will not become a diva
I will not read reviews!!!!
I will never respond to reviews, especially if they’re negative!!!

I will protect my family
I will protect my mental and physical health

Most importantly….

I will keep writing, and keep dreaming big, no matter what happens

Want to support me?

Like my Facebook page Ronni Davis – YA Author
Follow me on instagram!
Follow me on twitter!
Follow my Goodreads author page, and add my book!

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massive update.

/ pictures, recap, ronni

I haven’t posted here since July! That’s banana pants! To be fair, life has been super busy, and I’m so glad it’s Friday, even though this coming weekend is super busy as well! I’m fueled a bit on caffeine, so I might as well post.

So much has happened! 

Adam and I had our ten year wedding anniversary. Like WHAT?? Can you believe it? First of all, I can’t believe I’ve even been in Chicago for ten years, let alone that we’ve been married that long. But then I look back at all the stuff that’s happened, and well, yep. Indeed it has been ten years. I mean, the proof is in the teenager that my Aidan has become:

I KNOW!

He’s going to be old enough to drive on his next birthday. Which is in 23 days. HOW IN THE HELL

Anyway.

August and September were slow and relaxing. I spent an extra long summer with Aidan. His best friend spend 9 days with us and that was fun. WeE went to the Wisconsin State Fair and really just hung out. But as soon as Aidan went back to Ohio, things started really picking up here!

I knew it was time to kick the job search into gear, but the job search found me! I started getting contacted by recruiters and interviewing. I had a feeling things were about to turn around, so I high-tailed it out to Ohio to spend time with my mommy before things got too wild.

It was fun! I got to see Mommy and spoil her, and I got a bonus visit with my Buttercup Jennifer, who was in Cleveland for some exciting stuff of her own!

While I was there, I got a call that I’d been offered a temp job, lasting through Dec 31, starting that next Monday! So I had to run around and do pre-job paperwork and drug tests during my week, which wasn’t as relaxing, but the facials and mani-pedis and yummy lunch with Jennifer made up for it!

When I got back to Chicago, I had one day to recombobulate myself (not sure that’s ever actually happened tbh) before I was thrust back into the working world. Not only that, but back in an office. That meant commuting and long days and totally rearranging my schedule.

Commuting downtown, when you already live so close, is a nightmare. The trains are almost always packed, and some days I had to let 2 or 3 go by before I could get on. And even though the office was maybe 3 miles from where I lived, I had to leave an hour before I needed to start because of commuting headaches. And getting squished in the morning is not fun at all.

After a few weeks at the temp job, another recruiter reached out to me. A job more in line with my skills, paid more, and had a REVERSE commute. Temp to perm. I ended up landing that gig and I’m there now, and so far I really, really like it. First of all, the commute is so much better. I get on the train going AWAY from the city, and I always get a seat, sometimes one to myself the entire ride. No squishing. A shuttle takes me from the train station to the office, and my desk is in a quad right by the windows, so a lot of natural light! Second of all, the people there are great. I realize I’m still in the honeymoon period, but everyone seems to share my sense of humor and seems to respect each other and our/their work. Plus they’re fun. Next week is Spirit Week. We are to decorate our desks, wear holiday PJs, and party, party party. I can get behind this. We work hard and play hard, but the hard work isn’t overwhelming (at least not yet). I’m happy I made the switch.

In between all that, I traveled to YALLFEST, a teen book festival that takes place in South Carolina, and I got to hang out with some really amazing writer friends!

But it’s fall, and fall is B U S Y. Freelance, plus full time job with an even longer (albeit way more relaxing) commute, and well, a lot of work on the BIGGEST THING to happen since I last posted:

For those of you who follow me on social media (twitter and instagram), this is not new information! But it’s still exciting (to me) and I’m learning and experiencing so much! It’s amazing, and it feels like home!

The book has a publication date of November 12, 2019, and it even has its own Goodreads page! Give it an add, will ya?

It blows my mind that something I worked so hard on for so long is finally going to get to be out there. It’s scary and exciting and incredible and I am loving all of it, even the hard stuff. My editor is incredible and fierce and so cool, and I feel very supported by her. 

I’m going to be an author!!!!! 😭

So in between all of the other stuff, I’ve been working on edits, doing all sorts of cool author stuff, and yeah. Just really enjoying the journey. Working really hard. I’m tired a lot. I spent spring and summer playing The Sims. Now I might hop on once a week. I’m too tired to spend a lot of time with it, and I don’t have a lot of time anymore. I miss it.

(Let’s not talk about all the laundry I need to put away and the suitcases I haven’t unpacked…eeek.)

I do plan to keep this blog open, but I don’t know how often I’ll be updating it. For my PROFESSIONAL AUTHOR STUFF (omg), I am about to launch my official author site (click the banner!):

Eeeeeeee!

So yeah, that’s a bit why I haven’t been posting as much! Lots going on in my world, and I’m happy for all of it. (Especially since Mercury Retrograde is over!)

What’s going on with you?

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