"AT THE CROSSROAD...ONCE AGAIN..." in THE WORDPLAY WARRIOR

After a year of working on a different, weekday job, I find myself at the same crossroad…once again. A lot of other things have happened too that I hope I can keep track of all.
Right, I know. As usual, this is going to be long.
Time flies so fast. A year ago, I attended and sang at my two friends Mark and Tiara’s wedding on March 1. Now they’re going to be parents soon! They’re going to have a baby boy this year.
And I am happy for them. Really. They have already invited me to stay with them in Bandung and hang out (at least before their baby is born.)
However, I still haven’t found the time yet. (Excuses, excuses. sighs) I think I’m going to make it soon. I have to. They’re my very good friends.
And Bandung is just 3.5-hour drive from here.
A year ago, I took a leap of faith by accepting a new job offer – two weeks after Dad’s funeral. I had to rearrange my whole life after that, from reducing my teaching hours to Saturdays only until…moving out of the house for the very first time, starting my own life. Some people who didn’t (want to) understand my choices thought of me as heartless and cruel to Ma. How could I have ‘abandoned’ her after Dad’s funeral? What an ungrateful brat!
Oh, whatever. As long as Ma understands and supports me, their opinions don’t matter. This is my life. I’m the one calling the shots. They have no idea and they don’t even have to.
They just have to mind their own business; that’s all!
However, the job didn’t work out. I left the company just after 3.5 months and moved to another one nearby in July 2014. Along the while, I started joining the writers’ club in April – thanks to Michele, a Canadian friend of a friend who later became my real friend.
I’ve been a regular at that club ever since. I enjoy it. I’ve met nice friends and listened to their interesting tales. I’ve gone to places with them and tried interesting stuff as well.
Thanks to Begz, I’ve got to do volunteer-writing for a website on gender-equality education. I enjoy that too.
My very first novel manuscript is going to be edited on the 20th. YAY! I’m still working on the second one now. I hope I’ll make it big here.
I could go on and on about so many other things that had taken place along the way, but I might possibly get distracted – so I’d better stop. I’d better focus more on the work department.
After eight months in that company, I lost the job. No joke, just like that. On February 23, I was being notified that they were letting me go and that was it.
The reasons? They need SEO experts instead of just content writers. (Ouch.) They said that they were sorry for such a short notice. (A month.) But they’re still paying me until the end of March, although I’m officially not working there anymore.
And they have promised me that they’d help me with future work references.
So what am I doing these days?
I took no time to waste; I went straight on a job search for my weekdays. I still have my Saturday English classes to teach, thankfully. I’m about to publish a novel soon as well. Some people say I shouldn’t worry too much.
Really?
Well, I have to be realistic. I still have to make ends meet. I have to take care of Ma, but I’m not going home. I’ve already enjoyed my privacy, free space, and solitude here. I’m not giving that up without a fight.
So that’s why, I’m currently on a training as a copy ghostwriter for this online writing agency. Not bad, good enough so far.
Still, I’m looking for more. I don’t want to be greedy, but I do need more money. I need to pay the rent, so I can stay where I am now. I can’t go back home and I don’t even want to. My sister’s pregnant with her fourth and they’re still living with Ma and my brother. Don’t get me wrong; I love my family. I even love the kids as well.
I just know how the kids’ parents are like – especially the father. Ugh. I don’t want to deal with their drama way too closely. No way! I don’t have to.
I love my family, but I need my sanity. I don’t care what people think or say; I’m not moving back home.
Enough said.
What else have I got? Oh, yeah. A Skype job interview this Thursday at 9:00 am (Indonesian time) – as a full-time content editor for e-book services. I’m not sure if I really want it or not; I just know I’m desperate for more money here.
Hazel Eyes said that his boss was sort of interested in me. If the boss offers me a part-time teaching job, I’ll take it. Whatever comes first and I decide to choose, I still need to focus more on my writing.
R.