Ahhh! Accomplishment

About 15 minutes ago, I think/hope I finally put the eBook version of The Game Called Life to bed.  Those who have been reading this blog for a while will recall that I started that process during the shutdown of the United States federal government last October 1.  Because I couldn't find the electronic version of the book which I first wrote in 2001, Step One was to input it into a Word document. The furlough provided just enough time to finish that part of the project.

As onerous as that might sound, I really enjoyed it.  Typing it required much more word-to-word attention than if I'd just sat down read it for the 20th time. It was almost as if I were writing it again. Since it had been 12 years, I enjoyed the read, and I was reminded of spiritual lessons that I know that I often forget.

Then, I returned to work. I've seemed to be running to catch up on my NASA work ever since. Months and months of hideously long hours, interrupted by several eye surgeries and procedures and two months of feverish writing on my memoir for a Huffington Post memoir contest, kept the eBook process on the back-burner for nine months. 

Over the last two weeks I've indulged my creativity in cover design and my limited attention-to-details in reading contracts, attempting to figure out a number of error messages that needed to be fixed, but to which I was clueless about the remedy.  A conversation with a lovely young woman with an Eastern European accent at Amazon subsidiary Create Space this afternoon walked me through my frustrations.  Now, I am reveling in a sense of accomplishment with the help of a glass of red wine.

Nine months!  I could have brought a little human being into the world in the same time.  And, although I've never experienced childbirth, I can imagine I am experiencing a lot of the same feelings: exhaustion, relief, excitement, exhilaration, and awe.  While my completion has sparked the impetus to get Choice Point and my memoir out now, I expect if I'd just gone through a real delivery process, I may not be thinking about the next child...yet.

There is a euphoria that follows the successful (I hope) completion of a long project.  Having kept the focus amidst all the distraction and still not having lost sight of the goal feels good.  Struggling with details and cover designs when those aren't my natural gifts empowers me with the knowing that I can do anything with enough will and determination.  Most of all, I am feeling a sense of celebration. 

These are the days when I would welcome a partner in my life: it would be way more fun sharing this with somebody.  Today, I count myself lucky to have all of you sharing this space and my celebration with me.