This is probably a Part I of X posts, but until the next parts come, I’m not going to bother labeling them as such.

I spent the first three weeks of this year in New Zealand. Now, I’m on sabbatical from the day job: I won’t go back until March 17th. This means my world has shifted, not just from the travel, but trying to a new balance, to figure out who I am and what I’m doing.

I can easily tell you what I’m supposed to be doing: Writing. And I have been. I finished one short story for the anthology workshop and turned that in, and have written a second. I’m also in chapter six of the “make it not broke” draft of “When the Moon Over Kualina Mountain Comes”–the newest novel.

I still feel as though I’m trying to find the new rhythm to my days, though.

This morning, I finally set an alarm and got up at 7ish. (Hey, if I can’t snooze my alarm once in a while, life isn’t worth living.) This was the first morning, though, that I got up with my alarm.

Instead of making my own breakfast, I walked up to Skillet for breakfast. Ordered my usual–their daily scramble. I take it without the toast, but with extra salad. This morning it was eggs with meatloaf, mushrooms, cheese, and arugula. OMG was it yummy.

And coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

I wrote while I was there, tossing out one scene in chapter six, completely rewriting another. This draft is very messy, and it’s taking me longer to make it not broke than I expected. (For example, this morning I removed two characters who were never mentioned again, rewriting the scene with characters who exist throughout the rest of the novel. This is what I mean by “make it not broke.” Plus I added more words. Many more words. I’ve already added 4000+ words to this draft.)

Now I’m home, showered, taking a short break before hitting the writing again. I think I need to stick to more of a schedule, to set my alarm every day. I’d hoped I wouldn’t have to do that, but I was also aware that it might be a false dream, always sleeping until I woke up.

I feel better this morning than any other morning since I got back. I assume part of that is falling back on my usual schedule. Part of it is just that I am, finally, settling in.