The State of "Home"
Looking back at Year Three.
For the January 2024 The State of Home: Year Two, click here. And if you’re a subscriber who joined this year, don’t forget to check out my introductory essay, Welcome Home, here. Otherwise, there’s no particular order in which these need to be read (or listened to), so go for it!
It’s been THREE years since I started Home is a Changeling!
This project continues to be a lot of work, not a lot of payoff (that’s okay), and, as always, a lot of fun. Exploring all the kinds of “home” in my life keeps me connected to the past and shapes my present and future.
It’s hard to believe that I’ve lived in Washington for over four years now; there is still so much to do and explore, and so much I don’t know. We love traveling as a family; even with an unpredictable schedule for half the year, we got to visit Roslyn (where Northern Exposure was filmed) and spend a weekend on the Washington coast.
Outside of writing, I got a new job this past April; after six years away, I’m back working in a camp setting again. I know with absolute certainty that I am the right person in the right place at the right time. It’s hard work, but incredibly rewarding, and I’m also heartened by the knowledge that I’m not doing it alone.
Now, with a more predictable schedule, my overcommitments to my child, my family, and myself will be easier to manage! I’m a PTA mom and a dance mom and they’re nothing like the stereotypes, and I’m more than happy to be that person. I set intentional time to exercise and write, and for adult conversations and fun times with my spouse. So this year will be smooth sailing!
Right. I don’t have to explain why so many of us are worried about the future of humanity at this time. And my brother is back in the state after being deployed for much of the last year, but they’re considering moving back to South Carolina this summer. We need to squeeze as many experiences in as we can before our family is fractured again by distance.
Celebrations and What I’ve Learned: Podcasts and Essays
A continued THANK YOU to my paid and founding subscribers! You are a small but mighty group, and very much appreciated. You motivate me and remind me that even though writing can often feel insignificant, I’m doing something worthwhile in this uncertain world. Please let me know what you’d like to see next!
More below on how to become a subscriber, paid subscriber, or Founding subscriber!
Podcasts and Voiceovers
The podcasts continue to be a big challenge, simply because scheduling them is not easy! This year I’ve been able to pre-plan some interviews. If you think you have an interesting story (news flash: you do!), feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to hear it and see if it would be a good fit for the podcast.
Similarly, I like having the voiceovers as an option, but they take careful planning (I don’t have a private space at home for recordings) and the Substack technology still isn’t great. I do appreciate those of you who listen to me read my work; thank you!
Essays
My favorite essays of the past year were Dramaroom Part One and Part Two. Capturing the impact of theatre in my life was a challenge, but it felt good to gather all my experiences and put them out into the world. I hope that reading it inspired you to recall formative experiences of your own, and perhaps explore some of them again as an adult. We have to keep creating and having fun; otherwise, why are we here?!
I am also proud of Gone to Carolina, which was a quick turnaround but I knew I needed to write about Hurricane Helene immediately. Since I started this newsletter, I’ve been wanting to write about my time at camp in Western North Carolina, but after nine years as a camper and six more years as a staff member, where do I begin? This essay was that kick I needed, and now I feel like I can better explore those stories, piece by piece. Stay tuned….
And I’m still working on brevity. It’s just that I get so excited about certain topics!
Challenges/Barriers
The biggest challenge in 2024 was that for the first three months, I was actively job-hunting, so there was a lot of writing dedicated to all that entails. Then the next five months came a wonderful new job with extremely long days and limited brain power at the end of those days! Now that I’ve completed the final four months of the year, I can finally start to see the ebbs and flows of my routine and abilities.
This year I’m hoping to be more realistic with my time and my plans. I’m really happy to have a job I love, and with that comes a little more structure to plan around.
Looking forward in 2025
This is the beginning of the fourth year of this essay and podcast series, and while I began this work with four years of topics, I keep thinking of more!
I don’t plan for this to be the final year, but I also want to be mindful of the energy it takes to write these pieces and what has to be sacrificed on the altar of time to make it all happen. All that to say: I have no plans right now to end Home is a Changeling at the end of 2025.
I’m excited to explore some of these topics this year (last year I actually wrote about what I said I would write about—amazing!) and of course add some surprises as they pop in to my head:
More camp stories from North Carolina and Vermont
How writing letters to friends afield made life better for a teenage girl in the nineties
Photo essays of special times in my life that have evaporated into memory
And more interviews!
Inspirations/Shoutouts
We’re living in dark times, folks. My resolution this year is to be less connected to the news but more connected to helping humanity, so this year’s recommendation is simple. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, award-winning basketball player, Jeopardy champion, and incredible human using his powers for good, delivers his commentary on the state of our world in a straightforward, easily understandable manner. He also gives us the gift in each newsletter to take a break and find something on the internet that sparks joy and reminds us of the good amidst all the heaviness.
Reminders about subscribing, plus a quick option to support my writing monetarily
Once again, if you value what I have to say, please consider a paid subscription. I appreciate all my subscribers but those who have donated give me that additional boost of motivation and the knowledge that I’m connecting with you on a deeper level than a casual reader. It’s deeply gratifying.
And if you decide to become a Founding Subscriber, you get your own podcast interview! It’s your choice as to whether you want me to publish it here or just keep it for yourself, but we chat for 45 minutes about life and home and whatever else you want to share. I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t have an interesting story.
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What else I’m working on
I’m still working on some other secret projects…more on these, eventually!
And finally, thanks for reading!
It is so humbling to know that you’re spending time with me in this way. I appreciate it so much. Living far from many of you, it makes me feel a little closer knowing that we’re connecting through this medium. Thank you!!
If you think someone else would enjoy this work, please share! And if you haven’t subscribed yet, there’s an easy way to do that, too.
Happy New Year. Times are weird and awful, but life is still beautiful. Find the things that make you happy and do them. Your joy will absolutely make the world better.
Image: Northern Lights, seen from our backyard! Photo by David Ellsworth-Keller, 10.10.24.