Thanks for Sticking Around
Fall is over...so what's next for Nicci's Notes?
Hey there!
I hope you’re doing well and that you’ve had a calm, peaceful, and productive last few months. I told you at the end of the summer that I’d be focusing on my news business into the fall, and now that the fall is coming to the close I wanted to pop in with a quick note to let you know how things are going. If you’ve emailed or texted me and I haven’t replied, just know that (a) my inbox and brain are both full and (b) I am trying to spend less time with my devices. I’m looking at you,
! Sorry!By the by, if you’re having trouble figuring out what to get your badass friend this holiday season, look no further than a copy of When We Were Mothers. It’s a great, thought-provoking book, and the physical copy is just so pretty. If I do say so myself. Which I do.
How’s the Uterus?
I’ll start in the obvious place.
ICYMI, my uterus decided to turn on me this summer. Contrary to what many believed after reading the headline, I did not have it yanked (though my doctor has said he’ll be happy to yank it if and when I so choose). I had a procedure called a D&E, or dilation and curettage, which involved removing the suspicious tissue that was causing the bleeding.
Results from pathology were good (no cancer or hyperplasia), and while I wasn’t super optimistic that my issues were behind me, I at least benefited from 6 weeks without bleeding. I also benefited from the tremendous connection I gained from speaking with so many readers who commented, DMed, texted, and spoke to me in person about how (unfortunately) relatable my story was.
Of course, because nothing is easy, the story isn’t over. My anemic face still looks a youthful 16 (the sole benefit to the blood loss (And here my husband would say—No! It also rids your body of PFAS!), and I’m now on day 23 of spotting. That’s not normal, and I’m working on a plan with my doctor to figure things out and decide where to go next.
So, in sum, the answer to the question you didn’t ask is—better, but still not right.
What else has been going on?
I went on an amazing music cruise with my aunts called Soulshine Across the Sea in early November, and I met some rad people there. I loved the atmosphere they were able to create—one of openness, receptivity, and connection. I also brought a few signed copies of When We Were Mothers for fellow cruisers to read and pass along.
From there, I went up to Orlando and met my family for a Disney World trip. Disney World is one of our greatest joys, and I’m so happy we spent time there this year…though I do wish I’d gone there first and on the cruise second.
How’s the News Business?
Something wonderful and unexpected happened this fall: My news business received an award! I definitely did not anticipate this enterprise growing from a single Facebook post, to a series, to a daily newsletter, to a fully-fledged media business, but somehow it has. And, on October 3, Burlington Buzz won the Community Engagement Award in our revenue tier from LION Publishers, an amazing organization dedicated to supporting local news across the US and Canada.
What a wonderful way to validate all the hard work I’ve been doing for civic engagement and community connection.
I’ve got a lot of plans for the coming year, especially after spending the last several months thinking about ways to achieve sustainability, which brings me to the next obvious question…
How’s the Writing Going?
So here’s the thing:
I haven’t had any time to write this fall. Even before that, I was having a really hard time finding my way into the When We Were Mothers sequel. Fiction writing is hard to create, especially when I don’t have the dedicated time and space to dive into the world and look around. So I’ve put a pause on sequel writing. I have 22 hours available each week for working, and my education consulting job and the news business provide more than enough work to fill those hours.
It’s going to be a while before I have the time to get into a fictional world again, and so this project is going to stay on hold.
BUT.
What I can do is write non-fiction. In fact, since I started writing personal essays nearly five years ago, my craft has improved considerably. So, now that my time isn’t solely dedicated to the intensive program I was in between September and November, I do plan to continue writing essays like Are You Happy?, The Rightness of Being Wrong (or, how I accidentally drove from Boston to South Carolina), and The Black Box of Pregnancy.
I’m still thinking about how frequently I’d like to publish and how I’d like to structure things so the work I’m doing earns me a living, but more on that in the new year.
In the meantime, write a comment to let me know I’m not shouting into the void. Here are some ideas:
your favorite essay or EEE from Nicci’s Notes
anything you wish I’d write about
your favorite comfort food
one book you think everyone should read
something that has made you feel less alone recently
That’s it for now. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but my very narrow time window has expired. I hope to be able to get you an EEE soon! There’s lots to catch up on!
Talk soon,
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. The film adaptation is also excellent. I have often used it's lines in general conversation with great success. "Worst fears realized, Seth and Ruben too. Need help. Send magazines."
Hey, sorry to hear about your health issues and hope that you are soon on the up. That picture is stunning. I love your open and frank style to writing, we all need to do this more, thank you.