it's spring. allegedly.

Hello friends!  Here is your official glimpse of spring, in case you live in Washington State or some equally weather-confused place:

It's all the sunshine we've got in our apartment right now.  (Unless you count J.  Which I do).
All together now, everyone take your Vitamin D... Ah.  That's better.  I've also got a cold, so Vitamin C is joining the party.
Thanks for the graduation 'grats, by the way.  It was a good day.  Not because of the ceremony; there were too many "Art students will be collecting donations from the business majors out in Red Square" jokes for my taste, and the class speaker was one of those shiny, happy Christians clearly trying to get in her last witnessing attempt before college was officially over.  (Grrr.  Talk about a captive audience).  
It was a good day because, for once in my semi-flaky life -- I finished something and finished it well.  After flunking (and I mean, FLUNKING) out of Bible college at 19, trying again at 21, and having to withdraw from that attempt after two car accidents in three months -- I came back to Western at 27 and finally nailed it like the late-bloomer I am.  I grabbed my diploma, shook a man's hand, and then turned to let out a whoop for J, who received his diploma right after me.  It was cool.  Even with those awful hats.
College is finished -- at least for a good while.  The next thing beckons.  (No, not kids.  Yet).  And my stomach is doing that thing it always does when I'm out in new, undefined territory.  It is reminding me, in no uncertain terms, that my stomach and I would be best served finding something less scary to do.
I never thought I would be someone who starts their own business.  Never saw myself as the type and yet, here I am.  Rather than leaving my awesome-but-part-time gig at the chiropractic office for a full-time job, I've decided to supplement it with creative design work from home (photography, graphic design, website design, copywriting -- know anyone who needs it, send 'em my way).  The goal is to be able to work from home someday, especially if we make good on our threat to reproduce at some point.
A new business probably doesn't seem scary.  It wasn't.  Until I started looking at which tax forms I need to fill out.  Until I got my Dreamweaver CS3 book, which would make an excellent blunt weapon if I was attacked here in our home office.  Until I realized what I don't know how to do yet.  Until what seemed like a great "in" started to look like it might not be.  Then it became a little more real.  Enter the gnarled-up stomach.  And the loud, ever-so-persuasive I-can't voice.
(It seems slightly relevant here to mention I flunked out that first time because I was so terrified of not doing well that I sat for nine months staring at a white screen and blinking cursor, or trying to forget the existence of a white screen and blinking cursor.  I blame my stomach mostly). 
That I-can't hit me pretty hard when I returned to school this last time.  My first month and a half back, I was a teary mess.  I had occasional moments of panic up until the day I turned in my last paper.  Fortunately, I had J, who saturated me with encouragement, as well as a professor who wrote me that first quarter to say that one of my papers was a fine bit of ass-kickery (that's a quote).  We made it through, and I learned to ignore my stomach unless it had something to do with being hungry.  Clearly and much to my detriment, I haven't ignored those urges.
I'm a little more aware these days.  J has more help: I'm learning to be on my own side.  I'm reading a blog by someone who helps creative dreamers get destuckified.  And my first official client is a sweet, sassy businesslady who signs her e-mails "Hugs!" and reminds me to breathe.
Also: we're going to see Anne Lamott (one of my top-two favorite authors) in Seattle in a couple weeks, and I can't think of a better example of learning to be kind to one's self despite slight semi-neurotic tendencies.  I LOVE her.  Not in that affectionate way, but in that totally-obsessed-fan-who-will-make-a-fool-of-herself-when-she-goes-to-get-her-book-signed kind of way.  It'll be awesome.  Maybe I can get a picture with her.
Anyway.  That's enough for today.  I've got some work to do.  :)
Hope you all are well.  I'm excited to be around blog-world a little more.