Outlier

How long does it take to get a four-year degree?

That’s a trick question, because I know few people nowadays who managed to get their bachelor in four years. Five to six is what I’m used to hearing. Even so, I think we can all agree that just under twenty-two for an undergrad degree is a bit of an outlier, and probably should not be counted.

I graduated this past Saturday! Finally! Until this past August when Spouse and my closest friends nagged me to go back for my last semester, I’d told myself I didn’t need that degree to feel good about myself. Looking back now, with that diploma decoy in front of me, I know that was not true. I might have lived with the decision, but I would have quietly resented me for not doing it. There were many starts and stops along the way, but here it is. I have a BA in Theatre. I definitely did not get there alone, and those who helped me along the way know who they are. Thank you.

Moving forward, it’s all still surreal. Nothing has really changed, yet I feel more confident. My work feels more legit to me, which is a silly thing to say, but it’s how I feel, and I’ll process it after I’ve caught up on sleep. I’ve had a job offer that looks to be the kind of flexible work I’ll enjoy.

So, now what?

I’m looking forward to working final revisions to the manuscript for my sequel to The Hole in the World. Hopefully I’ll be turning it in early January. It’s another step forward in the lives of Kahrin and Innes, and their growth means I need to dig down and find some bravery. They deserve nothing less than my best efforts, and hopefully it will pay off and give them the unique story I’m hoping it will be.

You may have noticed that I’ve decided to write Novi: Event Horizon as a weekly serial here. This is to keep me creating new work when I don’t have new stories to draft or revise. I love this story, and I’ve wanted to tell it for years now, and I think Astrea is starting to solidify in my mind. I am going to do my best to edit it, but we can all expect it to be imperfect. I want to see where it goes in comparison to the idea I’ve outlined in my head, and then see if there’s something worth collecting in a book form one day. I’ve put it into a posting schedule I’ve made for myself, both here and on Instagram (feel free to follow me!) and maybe lure more of you to my burgeoning empire! Mua ha ha!

In January, I’ll be starting a monthly newsletter, Irate Muppet Energy. Monthly seems like a good frequency, often enough to keep consistent, but not so often that readers feel overwhelmed or spammed. I’m still toying with what content to include to make it worth welcoming me to your inbox. Right now I’m hoping to do reviews and updates, but I want to include some fun goodies, and that’s going to take some thinking. If you’re interested in seeing what I come up with, you can subscribe to it here.

Bi Bi Bi is on a hiatus for the holidays. Our schedules became too erratic to keep up, but I think Imogen has a fun plan to make it up to all of our listeners. She’s been turning out some great stuff, and Claire and I are nagging her appropriately about keeping certain promises she’s made. But you’ll have to listen to our podcast to find out what those are. We’re fun!

Take care of yourselves over the holidays, and start checking back for more updates!

~B