With the recent discovery of seven Earth-sized planets around a star, I've been thinking a lot about space. My current work in progress, an adult high fantasy series, was inspired by walks at night with my dog, when I'd gaze at the stars. I started thinking about how different people can view the same image in different ways...

Stars are ancient. Light from the nearest star, our sun, is already several minutes old when it strikes us, and most of the other stars are years or even centuries old. If a star supernovas tomorrow, we might not know for a millennium. Yet, who really thinks about that when looking up? Do you look up and see what's there, or do you see an impression of something different? Do you dream of things to come, or do you simply pause, wondering what's going on far away... 

Every time I look at the news, it seems the whole world is a bit crazy lately. Yet, for me personally, my world is also drastically different. Last month, after a lot of careful deliberation and many discussions, I left my job as a theatre teacher. I am now writing full-time, and am also taking care of my son full-time. 

My new boss, pictured to the left, is very enthusiastic.
I enjoy working with him, but there are a few difficulties.

For starters, he really likes to throw his weight around. Once he gets on a roll, there's no stopping him. He also drops the ball a lot. I try to pick up the slack, and the ball, and everything else.

The new boss sleeps on the job, and even makes a mess in the office. He's lately got me confused with one of my fellow co-workers ("Mama") and can really throw a fit if we don't listen to his ideas, and sometimes even if we do. 

The best thing about my new job situation is inspiration itself. When the news seems too crazy, a few minutes of playtime make everything else seem far away. Besides, he's taught me the most important lesson in life: when everything else fails, try a nap.