Holy Blog, Batman!

I've been saying this a lot lately. Ok, not necessarily about blogging and not always outloud. But trust me, it's been in my head. I have no idea why or how it got there...but I'm not hatin'.


So, I feel a bit shameful about blogging because I should be working on my major project (read: the culminating project that I have to do in order to get my MA degree. Otherwise I will get a PG certificate that basically says 'well, you paid all the money but just weren't quite good enough to make it! better luck next time!') Oh, and did I mention that without the MA I can't extend my visa?? Rough. And yes mumsy, I have passed all my classes, I work on my MP daily and will have it finished because, let's face it, I shine under pressure. So don't worry about your little girl who is still oh so far away.

For my MP I am editing, designing, marketing and analysing my friend Maria's YA story Beyond the Fold. It's really good, and complete! Will be sent to the printers early tomorrow morning! WHOOHOOO! Now onto finishing that marketing plan, writing that report, flushing out the website...yikes.

Enough about school- although since I haven't posted in forever, a real school update is fairly due. Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. The real reason for my sudden blog attack is that as of Friday, 13 August (aka THIS FRIDAY!) I will have been living in the UK for a WHOLE YEAR!! Ok, technically I left the US on the 13th and arrived in the UK on the 14th. But let's not be persnickity. SO much has happened to me over the past year, it's really quite unbelievable. There were times at the beginning that I doubted myself-- See Copenhagen. :P But really, I am so incredibly proud of the past year that I can hardly stand it.

I have made great friends. Truly. I've never had a rough time making friends in general, but I ALWAYS have to have my core group of pals that I confide everything in (and if you have been in this group, I deeply apologise for all the drunken outbursts, rebellious streaks, and times I've made you blush with my sailor mouth. I do love you truly.) Don't know what I would've done without a few special people this year. Especially when it came down to some pretty intense courses.

I have loved and lost and loved again. Most will know that I ended a relationship of 4+ years a couple weeks after moving to Oxford. I know it was the right decision. Our time had run its course, and although I love him deeply for the experiences we shared, the friendship and the growing we did, It was ready to be over. Sadly it took us a while to realise it. It was hard, I'll be honest. I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone, date, find someone who I was as comfortable with. At 24, I feared the worst. I know, silly.
However, I dated. I flirted. I explored. I met boys with accents ;) And then, in a pub with live Irish music the inevitable happened. I met someone who made me feel comfortable, who made me laugh and smile, and most importantly had a British accent. GOAL ACHIEVED! lol

I have sorted out my career path, and then changed it. Maybe. I'm still unsure. Ok...I know (MOTHER!) you're freaking out right now. Let's get some things straight. Obviously I'm still working in publishing. Hello?? I did not spend all this money, an entire year working the most hellish job ever, and expend all that effort in classes for nothing. I am absolutely completely in love with the publishing industry. More so than I was a year ago even. For reals. I've always known I want to do editorial. Three editorial placements later, still sure (though rights is appealing...). I've wanted to do fiction, because it's my favourite genre. This year I narrowed that down to Young Adult fiction. And then NPD happened. Most importantly the fact that I was MD of the fiction division. And said fiction division needed to make a crap tonne of money. So we produced 'erotic romance' and I was introduced to every facet of the genre. And you know what? It's hilarious, it's entertaining, it's a cash machine. So, now this week I started a 6 week placement at Mills and Boon. The Harlequin of the UK. The romance genre QUEEN. So...YA or Romance/Erotica? Choices, Choices.

I explored the world. Well, some of it anyway. I went backpacking, duh, before the course. I made it to 10 countries. 1o! Just fathom that for a bit. I sure have been. Looking back I still can't believe I did it. Sometimes it was hard, sometimes it was pure bliss, sometimes it was just plain strange (warsaw kebab. seriously.). While on the course I went to Frankfurt and Mainz Germany for the bookfair and Guttenberg museum respectively. Still in love with Germany. I went to Paris with Amy during her visit. I went to Cambridge (alright, not exactly centre of the world). I spent two weeks living in an ITALIAN VILLA in Florence. FOR FREE. What?! Wow, I love Europe. Oh, and i went to 3 concentration camps. I'm planning the memorial trip to Auschwitz/Birkenau in January...Please see me if you'd like to attend :)

I've changed me. In the best of ways, I assure you. I've grown up. I'm working on certain things (Ahem, Vo. What you're always telling me..I'm getting there!). Most importantly I'm happy. Oh yeah, and I just moved to London! You are welcome to visit, but if you're coming from the states I will expect American groceries upon your arrival. Just saying.

I am still absolutely positive that I was meant for this country, this industry, this life.
Hopefully I'll keep you better informed (and more frequently at that) in the future.

Cheers,
J xxx

--EDIT-- blogger is being stupid and I can't post pictures. I will do. Don't worry. :)