Life update, stuff, and looking for a glompfest alpha reader/cheerleader

[mab]

Damn... Life has been busy lately.

I'm planning to write up another weight loss/fitness update soon. (If you're not on my weight loss filter and want to be, let me know in a comment or by PM)


I've been working hard at getting my daughter enrolled in high school and making sure she gets all the support that I can get for her. I'm looking into a summer program for kids her age that addresses social anxiety in a therapeutic/group sort of fun setting.

She's mentioned that she wants help with overcoming her shyness. This weekend my mom took her to see Maleficent and they ran into three girls she's been friendly with since kindergarten, one of them she counts as her best friend, but mom told me she just froze up and couldn't really talk. That she wanted to, but later told mom she's afraid of saying the wrong thing and sounding dumb. :( These are all girls I know personally too and they aren't the judgy-pushy types. They're all proud feminists and are receptive to hanging out with Gwen. It kills me that it's so hard for her, but I really have to swallow it down and just support her in finding her own way. I can't fix it for her. And really, there's nothing wrong with being introverted. I just worry that it might begin to overwhelm her to a point where it is not healthy. *sigh* parenting is hard!





I broke my vow to not participate in writing for fests this year and claimed a prompt for Glompfest at serpentinelion It will be my third time participating. This has always been one of my favorite fests to write for and I'm really pumped about the story I'm working on. That said... Anybody willing to alpha read/cheerlead for me while I write it? (sorted) I'm hoping to get it all done this month, since I'm on a mod vacation from hp_darkarts. If you are willing, let me know either in a comment, PM, or email. Qumabh@gmail.com



Hrm... what else.

I've not had much time at all for reading/commenting and that makes me sad. I'm hoping that once school is out for the summer, I'll have more time again. I do have several recs I need to finish writing and post them here and on my tumblr.

I've been hard at work on podficcing chapter nine of Turn this month. I finally finished the 2nd round of edits and sent it to saras_girl for pre-listening. One more round of edits when I get it back and it will be up and posted. Chapter nine is the longest one yet. Nearly 3 hours!

I'm getting really excited for the Harry Big Bang at harrybang! We're making plans to fancy up the comm and start pimping hard! Our next Author spotlight is coming up on 10 June and if you're not already watching the comm, I encourage you to start!

All right. That's all for now. I don't want to talk your ears off.

Comments

[sassy-cissa.livejournal.com]

Parenting is hard. *sends you hugs* but it sounds like you're doing great!

I'm so excited about glompfest. I'm always willing to be a cheerleader, if you still need one. I can't beta for crap - but I'm good at reading for consistency and plot holes.

I'm not working on mine for a bit, I have something else I need to finish first. ♥

[mab.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'll take you up on that offer!

I'm finished outlining and will start writing sometime this week. Will you email me at Qumabh@gmail.com so I can have your email address?

No worries on the beta front. I have a long-term beta for HD (as long as it's not a dark!fic) and this one isn't. XD And if you would ever like me to return the favour, I'm happy to read for you as well.

[celestlyn.livejournal.com]

I sort of feel a lot of empathy for your daughter. Social anxiety and shyness have plagued me all my life. It was very hard when I was in school. I did the best I could and I wasn't completely incompacitated by it. I did have some friends, but not all that many. Just a couple of real close ones and a handful of friends of friends, but life would be much easier if I were not so self-conscious. I have my parents to thank for it because they were both exactly like that, so it was bound to happen. My ex was extremely extroverted and outgoing, which was ultimately too big a hurdle to get over. My son, unfortunately, is much the same, but he does manage fairly well. It really is a horrible feeling to want so much to be comfortable in front of groups or in social situations and be unable to get a handle on it. You just freeze up and feel very awkward. I've mostly outgrown it, but I'm still very reserved and introverted. Give her a hug...it does get better.

[mab.livejournal.com]

Thanks, bb!

Luckily she's got a lot going for her. She's bright and funny, beautiful, and really quite content with having only a couple of friends. I have high hopes she'll find her people in high school. She says she's interested in taking Stagecraft as an elective. Techies were always my favorite people in school even though I was an actor. I pretty much lived back stage with them during production prep. :P And dated the sound guy, so I knew my mic would be in working order. ;)

[gracerene]

I'd love to be on your weightloss/fitness filter. I'm trying to get myself back in the habbit of eating better and exercising more, so I always like hearing about other people's journeys!

So excited you're doing Glompfest, one of my favorite fests! :)

And I have heard nothing but good things about your "Turn" podfic! It's on my list of things to listen to at work :D

[mab.livejournal.com]

You're on it now!

I'll be posting an update shortly.

Awwwww… thanks for telling me you're hearing nice things about my podficcing project of doom. I would advise you to be careful with Chapters 5 and 6 at work… couple of racy bits in them. XD

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Ugh! I am having tons of my own parenting issues around anxiety. It would seem that BOTH of my kids suffer from it in fairly high amounts.

This isn't social anxiety per se, at least not yet, but we are meeting with a therapist about #1 tomorrow, and I'm still waiting to hear about a therapist for #2.

I don't really suffer from it myself, (any more than anyone else, I don't think) so it's really hard for me to be constantly calm and reassuring when I kind of want to yell WHAT THE FUCK, JUST GET OVER YOURSELF ALREADY!

Of course, parenting like my father is not one of my lifetime goals. ;)

Big hugs to you, hon.

[mab.livejournal.com]

I know ... God! I wish I could just be the cool mom I am and have her take advantage of me and pull teen stunts, but instead I'm trying to figure out ... Is it normal teen shyness, is it related to past trauma? Is it indicative of a mood disorder (hereditary)?

It will all work out though. Roll with the punches, just keep swimming, and all that jazz.

[blossomdreams.livejournal.com]

Man hearing your daughter is hearing me. I was so shy and had such painful anxiety growing up. I thought there was something wrong with me since my family especially my dad could just talk to anyone and I wanted to hide. Thankfully, I had my grandma, but it would have been nice to have my parents help too. To sum it up, I think you're doing a great job. ^^

I've been keeping head strong on not starting anything new. Well except a WiP I started last year and is keeping up with! (It's non-HP) I'm still pretty happy that I'm keeping up with it!

Now that my brain has stopped messing with me I can finally work on my bang woo! I can't wait to see the fancy comm!

:)

[mab.livejournal.com]

*holds you close*

I'm so proud of how much you've grown over the past couple of years (just watching from afar based on your journal posts) If my daughter makes the same strides in taking control of her education and figuring out how to stand tall despite adversity as you have, I'll be the happiest mom in the world.

I'm stoked to hear you're banging Harry! Woooo-hooo!

I'm very excited about the plans for the new layout too! I'm guessing it will be prettified and things will really start to heat up by around August!

[drarryxlover.livejournal.com]

*snuggles you and Gwen* Shyness is so incapacitating at times but I think, and this is just my personal opinion, that it's more social anxiety than shyness. I kind of know where she's coming from and I'm proud that she's asking for help. That shows you how brave she is, she wants to fight and get better and good for her! I think thought, that you're doing a fabulous job with parenting.

Oo Glompfest prompts. Don't tempt me! I've got to finish my harryscorpbang first.

[mab.livejournal.com]

Thanks, bb!

I agree that what Gwen's got is a bit deeper than typical shyness. She has trauma in her past too (was home alone with her baby brother at age four when he hanged himself) and it's really hard for me to gauge how much of an impact that has had on what's going on with her and how much of it really is just her personality. I accept her exactly as she is, but I really can NOT allow her to suffer if there's ANYthing I can do to prevent it. (without walking her through life on a leash). lol

Yes.. Finish the Harry/Scorp bang fic… I will definitely be reading it!

[capitu]

I am so behind on Turn. >.< It's just that I've been having awful problems with my computer for downloading podfic. for downloading audio in general. D:

[mab.livejournal.com]

awww…

Does the streaming option on Ao3 not work for you? Are you downloading from a computer or an iphone?

I think there's a minor change I can make to my formatting on Ao3 that should allow the stream to be accessed by iphone.. I've been meaning to do it, but life is really sucking my time. XD

[luci0logy.livejournal.com]

I hope your daughter gets the support she needs to help her overcome this. I still find it hard to make small talk and going into a situation where I don't know people, e.g. work related courses, can make me anxious before hand.

I would like to be on your weight loss filter and share your journey. Do you want to be on my fat filter?

I've signed up for Glompfest, not written anything for 5 years and I'm looking forward to it.

[mab.livejournal.com]

I've added you to my filter!

I'm excited to hear you're writing for glompfest this year!

[dicta-contrion.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't have kids or a whole lot of experience with kids, so I generally hesitate to talk about other people's parenting, but that Gwen knows herself well enough to know she wants help and feels safe enough sharing that with you and asking for help? That sounds like you must be doing some things pretty damn right, hard as it might be.

And you already know I feel this way, but YAY TURN!!! And yay you for taking on this huge, amazing project!

[mab.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your kind words.

I'm far from the world's best parent, but I do the best I can under the circumstances and my own ADHD brain and entirely too fangirly-for-normal-36 year-old-people to understand. :P And I'm all right with that.

My kids seem to be really well adjusted despite their early in life disruptions and my son's autism and I'm super proud of them exactly as they are. So… I do consider that "doing it right" XD

You're quite welcome about Turn. I was over the moon when Saras Girl gave me the go-ahead to do it… I can't even tell you how my bones were shaking as I worked up the courage to ask. >.< lol

[lordes.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear you and Gwen are working together, she's such a sweet girl! I'm sure she'll find her place in the end. No worries. *hug*

I pinched hit for a fest already, too. Promises not to participate are HARD to keep Mab. HARD.

[mab.livejournal.com]

It is soooo hard not to participate sometimes! The fests are all so tempting!