Tags
best, blog, chat room, jamie collins, paralegal, post, social forum, the paralegal society, top
Alright, alright, alright—I, the fearless founder, am here today to confirm that I did not (quite) fall off the face of the planet. Well, at least not yet, anyway. After receiving the following messages and comments in recent days, I figured I probably have some explaining to do.
They read as follows:
“…Is this still a working blog? New blog entries are getting fewer and fewer and there were none last month. I used to love this site, but now it makes me sad.”
(Um, yeah, so there was that one…)
(My soul is still wilting.)
And then there this excerpt via a private message from a friend of mine:
“It’s been such a long time since I have heard from you, I fear that something may have happened but I pray that all is well and you have just been busy with the new job and all…
…You must be working on something. I know you too well.”
(Thank you for thinking/worrying about me. And yes, you do know me pretty darn well. Me + stagnation = no).
So, that leads us to today’s blog post—really more as a private message from me (the missing person clearly about to be prominently featured on the side of paralegal coffee cartons) to you (the hopefully heavily-caffeinated, happy person) reading today’s post.
Please accept the following facts as truths:
- I am still alive.
- Just barely.
My soul is weary. And equal part giddy, people. Why? Because I am feverishly sprinting my way around the 3rd turn of what can only be described as a chaotic hell-oooo my paralegal friends at the present time, but in the best way possible. We decided this was the time to sell our home—the one I bought at age 27 on my own. (A big accomplishment for me as a single female at that time, I do admit.) It’s been grand for the first 9 years of Mister G’s young life. But the hubs and I are ready to move up and out to our “for real” home now. Yes, officially. Finally, at long married last–the one we pick out and buy together. (This is a problem many 2-house-owning-dating people run into every now and again, the consolidation of individual homes and plan to start anew.) I imagine most of you know/comprehend/understand how long and utterly arduous of a process selling a home can be for a person. That is the situation in which we found ourselves a few short weeks ago.
Cloaked in preemptive patience. Prepared to wait. Braced for an epic (and utterly exhausting) feat of cleaning the house, showing the house, cleaning the house yet again, showing the house yet again, and hoping and praying to sell the beloved house.) We were bracing ourselves for a long (make that a reeeeeeally long, long, long, long, like-never-ending, long) journey on our way out of the current digs and toward the promise land. We were optimistic. But realistic. A stellar combination.
This is how it all went down:
Day 1 – List the house.
Day 3 – Offer on the house.
Day 4 – Sell the house.
Day 5 – Buy a new house.
Yes. Exactly that fast. Trust me, it is a terrific problem to have. I. am. Grateful.
But that does not take one iota away from the inherent onslaught of absolute craziness that has ensued in my life in recent weeks/months. I have been silent on the blog, in the TPS group, and elsewhere, I do admit. Many of you may be aware that I am the queen of jury trials (I’m not really saying that, but I’m pretty darn sure my boss is, so it’s entirely arguable), but this whole simultaneous home selling/buying process totally wins the award—Godiva chocolate bars down—for a paralegal in the midst of the world’s most stressful project, wanting to karate chop (various) people in the throat (on the daily) after a long day (which lately, is pretty much every day) after dealing with the daily deadlines, communication issues, negotiations, back and forth, and repairs galore, not to mention the planning and packing.
My new personal motto has become “Just don’t kill anyone today.” (I am sad to report that is actually a challenge. An epic challenge). Couple that with the new firm gig, and throw in the fact that I have absolutely no internet reception in my current writing room and, well, here we find ourselves, folks. You, with no new blog posts to read…or throw darts at. Me, with a full serving on insanity…and no blog posts or articles written. My creativity refuses to function when I am stressed out and wish to kill people on the reg. The whole “witty, well-spoken words on a page” thing is so not happening. But it will again, I assure you.
So, my faithful readers—I make this promise to you:
I will be back. Better than ever. (I mean that.) And the blog will runneth again. I swear it.
And to those of you who actually noticed my lack of presence online or maybe even missed me—you rock.
That is all.
From the outer rung of home-buying-selling-never-ending-deadline-freak-out-and-run-around-like-a-crazy-person-while-trying-really-really-really-hard-not-to-kill-anyone hell—Jamie, out.
But not forever.
_____
Hang in there, paralegal nation. I have some super duper cool, big things planned in the future. (Just as soon as I move an entire house, unpack, relocate my sanity, and find myself in a spiffy new writing room, complete with internet service that actually works. Heh.)
Godspeed, my friends.
The Paralegal Society™ 
I figured you had to be busy, Jamie. Hope you’re hanging in.
Best wishes,
Bob
I am so sorry that my comment caused soul wilting to occur, but I am ecstatic that you made an appearance because of it (or in spite of it). Have fun playing musical houses and I promise to patiently, well, I actually have no patience but nonetheless, I will wait for your return. Just knowing there will be a return is cause for celebration!
Dear Stephanie,
Don’t be sorry! You did the right thing that got us to see Jamie back…even temporarily. Thank you for doing it!
You are human after all and you had years of constantly producing content. You deserve a break. Congrats on the new house.
Jamie is back! 🙂
Ok, partially, but I am glad to “see” you! We all know that if you are “in hiding”, you are busy: between moving into new office, selling a house and moving to a new one (and cleaning and packing and unpacking in-between), “regular” paralegal job, family and everything else, your days are packed to the brim. I am sure your nights too and I just don’t know where you find that extra hour to your 24+ hours… Congratulations on your new house! Congratulations on the sale of your old house (and a speedy one)! I will be patiently waiting for the “calm days of Jamie, the paralegal”. 🙂
Hang in there, Jamie. You’ll make it!
What careerists forget is that there is a personal life that makes you a careerist. Otherwise, you have a workaholic. What fun is there in a workhaholic? Uh, none. I’ve just added a brand new career – legal job hunting strategies and career coach. Can I say it’s been wild? Oh, yes, yes, yes. Come visit my new website at http://www.legalcareersRx.com. Some interesting things going on there plus how to find a new job, get a great salary, avoid age discrimination and lots of other things plus personal job hunting coaching. I get emails all the time, “Where the heck are you?” That’s where! Developing new and exciting things!
Thank you, Chere for a wonderful webinar regarding negotiating a salary. I forgot to send you my resume for review afterwards. I’m looking forward to other webinars. You are a fantastic presenter! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Glad to hear your doing well/crazy/running around like a chicken with your head cut off. I will patiently await your return to the land of blog. In the meantime, keep a bottle of wine handy for when you are ready to kill someone. Nooooooo, don’t club them with the bottle, just take a sip (or two or three) until the need to kill subsides.
Yay!!! You’re not dead.
Yay!! You’re not dead– and you haven’t killed anyone. Yet. Good job!
I am in my first semester of college and I am attaining my Associates of Applied Sciences in Paralegal Studies at Kaplan University. I have used a few of your blogs for my assignments and I am truly grateful that you are writing these blogs. I have no knowledge, but I have passion!!! You are truly an inspiration for me. Thank you so much for all that you are doing!
Amanda
Jamie!!! So fantastic to hear from you and to find out you’re just too dang busy these days to be able to write anything. We know that won’t last forever. So, congratulations on both your houses (old and new), keep on truckin’ because there is light at the end of the tunnel – and the end of the tunnel, I promise – and we’ll hopefully see you peek your head out again soon. Even if just to say hi, yes I’m still alive and not in jail for killing anyone! We all love you and we’re not going anywhere!!! 🙂
Thanks for checking in so we can call off the search dogs! Best wishes on the multi-transition. We look forward to seeing you on the other side!
Congratulations on the new house! I imagine you made some new connections during the closing with the real estate attorneys and/or paralegals. We look forward to your return. It’s always fun to read your blog.
I second what Chere said. And now that the hardest part is over, it is good to know you will be back.
So looking forward to when you get back into the swing of blog entries. I look forward to them and forward them to my paralegal friends! Good luck with your move.
I’m glad you’re back Jamie. Your writing inspires me.
Glad to hear all is well! I have missed your postings, but knew that you were up to something because that is just who you are. Congrats on your new home and getting settled in. Looking forward to hearing more from you soon!
Jamie,
I’m ashamed to say that as much as I love reading your blog, and the fact that it gives me a sanity break knowing that I am not alone in this crazy world of the paralegal… I was too busy to notice you were gone 😦 I just had a few minutes while on hold so was going to catch up on what I missed. Glad you will be back though, and hey I haven’t missed as much as I thought lol.
Congrats on the house!
Glad to see you are back — part time for now. I knew you had a new gig with your boss. I think I caught a short blurb in my FB newsfeed that you were selling your house. I’m glad it sold so fast. I have missed you, my friend. I have been a bit MIA myself on the TPS blog. I’ve been more involved with saving our native Wild Horses, wildlife, and our public lands. I’m using my ACP in my work outside of my daily job. I certainly understand not being able to creatively get words down to paper/computer with so much happening. I certainly understand. Best to you and the family!