🍁 A Most Unreliable Narrator 🍂 Issue #201 Peak Color Season (Supposedly)

This week: Change in publication, new job, and leaf peeping

Oct 27, 2024

Image of the words A Most Unreliable Narrator in a circle — Logo made by Tom!

Dear Internet,

The first issue due after the hiatus was October 20, but that day has come and gone. Since we’ve been back to Michigan, every day, something has been happening. I write weekly newsletters across the Lisa Rabey empire, and something had to give. With that being said, AMUN is now every other week. Blotter and Lisa Writes Stuff remains on their regular schedule.

When I started this issue a few weeks ago, intending to publish on the 20^th, I created two lists as the content. One good and one bad. The idea was to show just how busy things have been around here but I realized I was going to get some finger-wagging (such as from Best Kate and Kristin) that I was pushing myself too hard. Yes, I’m scared of them and I do not want to disappoint them. Plus, I need time to breathe. I’ve got big writing projects coming up in the next few months and as we all know I’m not afraid to emotionally vomit, I need to move that energy to other things.

With that, here is the update of what’s recently going on:

Job Stuff

I interviewed for a permanent position at a local library this past summer and did not get the job. Imagine, however, my surprise when the director emailed me a week ago and asked if I was still interested (yes) and if I could come in for a not-interview interview. Of course! So, I did. And she offered me the job on the spot. Money isn’t fabulous and the hours are minute (12 per week) but it provides a regular income, stability, and opportunities. There is a lot of programming at the library I can also work for more hours.

In addition to that, I reached out to two other libraries in the county (four individual library systems in the county. I have no idea why they are not consolidated). Each wants to talk to me about being a sub-librarian for their libraries. It could very well end up working at four library systems. Three of them use the same software so since I’m trained for one, I’m trained for three. The other library, in fact, the one I just accepted the permanent position at, uses the same system as the library in the next big city. Once I get acclimated to that, I’ll pimp myself over to the bigger system.

I also interviewed at a bookstore I really want to work at a few weeks ago and I was to hear of my hiring (or not) by the end of last week. I did not so I emailed them Monday. As of this writing (Thursday), I have not heard from them. All the time, energy, and stress they put in their “brand” on finding the right person, and not letting me know one way or another? I’m very disappointed. I’ll email again on Monday.

Mr. Lisa’s employment, originally scheduled to be laid off mid-November or mid-December has been extended to the end of the first quarter in 2025. Mr. Lisa works on a government contract and needs to get the new director and his team up to date. (Mr. Lisa’s boss and majority of his team are or will be laid off. The C-Suite based on the layoffs on employment levels which included Mr. Lisa, his boss, and most of their team.)

He has an interview for a job in his field on Monday and he’s studying for CISSP test (cybersecurity certification). With the extension, it’ll give us breathing room as he pauses job hunting and starts again in the new year. The tech field is in shambles with tens of thousands laid off and now they are hustling for jobs as well. We’re in a good spot for at least a year so I’m not terribly worried about our future. Ideally, creating full time gig for me would be amazing. Fingers and intestines crossed.

Medical Stuff

I went in for my mammo last week and it came back all clear. We’ve been beyond impressed with the health care up here. With three major hospital systems in Louisville and a medical school, you’d think care would be fabulous. Nope. It’s terrible. We thought with a small town location, care wouldn’t be great but it’s been beyond fantastic. Even Mr. Lisa, who is not a fan of doctors, really likes our GP.

My psych nurse got approval to prescribe me Adderall, which he called in. But since he’s based in KY, and the prescription cannot be moved across state lines, I signed off on having my records moved to my GP up here so she can prescribe it. That appointment is coming soon.

Mr. Lisa’s wound is healing nicely. We started out with stuffing a saline soaked 4x4 gauze pad into the wound covered with a gauze bandage and we’ve now moved on to 3x3 guaze pad with the bandage. It’s getting shallow enough that soon we’ll be moving to Neosporin and just a gaze bandage. I have been taking weekly pictures (we’re six weeks in) of the healing process so Mr. Lisa can see how the wound is faring, but I’m not allowed to upload them to the interwebs. (Much to the happiness of my fans and friends everywhere.)

Earlier this week, I woke up at 7:07 a.m. with a headache so bad that I dry heaved. While dry heaving, I peed on myself. I cleaned myself up and laid on the bathroom floor until I could get up and get to the couch where I laid, ½ naked, until the headache went away an hour later. I had a low-grade headache for the rest of the day but nothing Tylenol couldn’t fix. This was a few days after I got the latest COVID booster as well as my last shingles shot, and flu shot. A couple of days after that, I came down with the crud. Related? Let me tune in my tin foil hat.

Author Stuff

This will be repeated in Lisa Writes Stuff but for those of you who skip that issue:

A local bookstore not only sold out of my anthology but ordered more copies from the distributor. The owner contacted me last week and now wants me to drop the copies off. Huzzah for me!
I ordered 25 author copies when the anthology was released and I’m almost out between selling them at local bookstores and author readings.
I’ve got another author reading set up first week of December. It’ll be just me this time and I’m excited!

House Crap

The blinds and gas stove were installed the first week of October and boy howdy, has that made a difference in the heating and cooling of the cabin. The gas stove is the second one Mr. Lisa wants (the first one is hand-crafted in whatever color you choose, has months waiting list, and costs at least $5K more). If he’s happy, I’m happy.

Since it’s 100% gas, and not electric, when we lose power (not if but when) this winter, we’ll at least be toasty warm. We have a thermostat to control the heat as the stove is automated.

The installers were originally concerned with the 20’ pitch of the great room (the cabin is an A-frame) and shallow hall to Mr. Lisa’s office and the guest room, the stove wouldn’t pump out enough heat. They were wrong. But just in case guests get chilly, we have a space heater for them and a space heater in my office which is in the loft.

image of a gas stove in a corner with wood paneled walls

Nerd Girl Industries

Despite marketing my brains out, I’ve only picked up a few new clients. I canceled the print and online ads because, after a few months, it was clear they were not working. I signed up with two local directories for networking and recommendations as well as I’m on Fiverr. I knew business was going to be slow but not this slow. This is why having a stable job is so important for a paycheck.

An online mag, Canvas Rebel, recently interviewed me if you want to check that out. I also submitted a request to be interviewed for Great Lakes Mosaic, a state initiative to connect crafters and creatives for support and networking.

Leaf Peeping

Kristin and I drove up to the Tunnel of Trees a few Saturdays, a 15 or so-mile stretch located in the upper NW of Michigan before you hit the UP. It’s a 2.5-hour drive from the cabin. We were both excited for the leaf peeping but it was massively disappointing. It was to be at peak color but the majority of the tunnel was still green. The colors by the cabin were more intense and prettier. I told Kristin that next year, we can leaf peep around the county with better results.

Here is the recent state of leaves around the cabin:

Newsletters To Subscribe To

If you’re interested in the Lisa Empire, here are the newsletters I’m currently curating:

A Most Unreliable Narrator This one. Next issue: November 10.

Dispatch Blotter Part of the AMUN network. Bi-weekly. Next issue: November 7.

Lisa Writes Stuff Part of the AMUN network. Bi-weekly. Next issue: October 30.

Nerd Girl Industries Presents Newsletter covering the joys and tribulations of running your own business along with regular features such as a Thursday pic of the Week pic, a meme, and some kind of tip. Posted bi-weekly on Tuesdays. Next issue: November 5.

Ms Scarlet Writes Another bi-weely newsletter that covers the going-ons of my pen name. This newsletter is short and is different from Lisa Writes Stuff in that it only covers things pertaining to the pen name. I wanted a place to post about the stuff submitted under her name in case I get “fans.” Next issue: October 28.

Excessively Diverting This newsletter is sporadic when I want to discuss something about Austen or the Brontes but that’s too long for social media. Maybe once a month if that. Recently I’ve written about Austen/Bronte book recs, upcoming virtual events, and reading Pride & Prejudice on TikTok. Next issue: whenever.

A Most Unreliable Narrator

🍁 A Most Unreliable Narrator 🍂 Issue #201 Peak Color Season (Supposedly)

This week: Change in publication, new job, and leaf peeping

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