Closing the book

Yeah, I know... it's been ages, I don't call, I don't send flowers, I don't write...

Well here's the thing: I'm in transition. Personally, Parentally, Professionally, and Blog-ily.

At home we've been busy with little things like Gooseberry's 9 performances of The Wiz, and the final stateside performance of High School Musical, the next day, and, oh yeah, seeing 60 kids off for 17 days in Edinburgh, Scotland the next week! And then turning around and driving three teen girls to Branson for a week, and then going to get them!

During, or as a result of, all this I also made the decision to give up on my relationship with Real Estate. It just wasn't working for me... I gave and gave and gave and never got anything in return. Before I officially broke it off, I started a little part time gig on the side, doing transcription for a child psychologist, which did help slow down the hemorraging of money, but I decided I needed more... something permanent. I started looking in earnest for a company where I could reclaim the old me, where I could do something challenging, but something I am truly good at. I flirted with many, but there was this one that rose to the top. There was a long slow courtship process, over the space of almost three months, but I did manage to land a spectacular, good paying, full time job as an administrative assistant in the corporate office of a regional engineering firm! (pause for woo-hoos!) The timing is wonderful since I start the same day the kids go back to school. What makes this wonderful, is that it all falls into place perfectly with everything else too!

My last reasonably serious buying customer finally sold her existing house and we were on track to find her something to close by the end of August - but, (you knew there'd be a but... there's always a but in real estate) she has fiddle farted around and now has decided to rent. So, close that book. My last listing was a house that was over priced and the owner refused to lower it, since if he didn't sell it for what he wanted by the end of August, he would just rent it out. It's looking like that listing will quietly expire. So close that book too.

Tessie got her license and through a series of fortunate/unfortunate events, (unfortunate for her brother Beez - not for Tessie) she acquired her own car and while I'm a little sad that she no longer needs me to drive her and her friends around, she can now be her own and her brother's transportation to school, doctors, dentists and orthodontist appointments. Bear will get his learner's permit as soon as humanly possible after returning from Scotland at the end of this week. So, close the book on Taxi mom.

So that covers the transition professionally, parentally, and even personally, but blog-ily you ask? What sort of transition do you mean? Well, what I mean is the name of this blog. When I was a devil-may-care, pretend realtor, part-time, stay-at-home-mom, hanging out with lady friends who more often than not drank their lunch, "Straight Up and Slightly Dirty" described my attitude and the personality I was attempting to project in this blog. After this past year of a leadership class, intense volunteer work, grant writing, devoting literally all of my time to my kids' interests and some serious soul searching, I have decided that while I don't want to give up blogging, I just want the me online to more accurately reflect the real me. I mean really, when I look at the search terms that land people here - because of the Straight Up or the Slightly Dirty - I feel a little guilty for mentioning my kids, my family and our activities.

So, if anyone still visits here, and if you're still reading this far down... thank you! I'm not sure what the name will be, or where it will be, or even if. This isn't goodbye for ever, its just closing one book and opening another.