How do you know when a long distance relationship works? I’d argue when it’s not long distance any more. Just two days, and Mara moves in with me. I look forward to knowing when she arrives this time I will not be painfully taking her to the airport just five days later. Soon, when I greet her I will be able say “I missed you” rather than “I miss you.” And, even though I will be able to hug her often, I will never be able to take it for granted. My last real update I wrote about my happiness, and about how life changes. I am still happy, very happy, and life continues to change.

I understand now why adults, when I was a child, said things like “time flies” or “it seemed like yesterday…” time is moving quickly, and while I often wish I could ask it to slow, I find I am learning more and approaching each day with a greater sense of urgency. I have become aware that “I am going to” is something you can say until the end of your days, I am trying to squeeze more “I have” type phrases into my day.

With that, I have been writing more. I have a few serious projects I am working on and a few others incubating. While I work to complete these projects, I have another that is less a real writing project and more an exercise in facing a fear. I have always written, but I also always trash or destroy my work — sometimes literally– but mostly metaphorically, as I berate it then leave it in a notebook or file to collect dust. With the exception of my entries here, which are just random junk, I rarely exposed any fiction writing to others. My exercise is to maintain a work of fictional writing that anyone can see. I call it the Trapped Doorman and it has two entries so far, maintained online at TrappedDoorman.com. Until this moment only a few close friends have been given the address, but I am sending it to more. Updates have been sparse but the third is complete, and nearly ready, with a fourth started. I do not think the writing, or even the story, is up to my full potential but it is serving my purpose. I invite anyone to read it. Feedback so far has been favorable.

The next time I write here, I will be living with my wonderful Mara. It’s quite a large change, indicative of the pace my life has taken lately, and I meet it gladly with all the hope in the world. The site design change I made last time I updated was ugly and not at all in line with me or what was going on, this new look is better.