ramblinrandol – RamblinRandol

If You Feel Like a Mess on a Rock in Space… Same

This isn’t advice. It’s just me being honest, in case you need it too.

The last thing the internet needs is another expert.

So, I solemnly swear to never tell you what you should be doing. Nothing grinds my gears more than others trying to tell me “exactly” what I should be doing in order to achieve x,y, and z.

Because here’s the thing–the older I get the more I realize I don’t know shit. The moment it feels figured out, something changes and I’m back at square one. And honestly? Love that for us, it keeps us honest. (Except for the ones selling you that magic elixir.)

What I do know is how much I appreciated people being authentic and real with me about their truths. I learned the most from others sharing their own personal experiences. It helped process my own and I’d like to return the favor. Sharing what I’ve learned in hopes it helps you feel less crazy, less alone or less stressed about where you’re at.

Because if you feel like a mess on a rock floating through space, girl same. What even is my purpose here?

Hi friends, I’m trying hand over at Substack for a little while.

(I couldn’t keep sharing posts about silence and rejection from pitching, haha. And for some reason, opening WordPress feels like a drag. Not sure if it’s because at one time I had this popping and now it’s crickets or what but I’m trying to unblock the mental block.)

SO, if you wanna read the rest of the post above and learn more about the book that made me reconsider therapy, head on over to my Substack 🙂

ps: thanks for reading ❤

Rejection, Finally!

Last week’s free time was consumed with building a website for my sister’s small business she debuted at the Hagerstown Farmer’s Market. I was lucky enough to make the trip up and be there for her first one. She got an overwhelming response of positive feedback and confirmation to look legit.

Kell’s Kitchen got launched after researching which options would work best for her (shoutout to WP for $4 a month payment options) and then we designed business cards and set up an Instagram account. Then, I got whammed with a whack sinus infection that took me out for the last five days.

My ears popped and fizzed like pop rocks for three days. Pollen is one helluva weed.

Anyways! I got my first rejection in awhile. The ones from January are most likely rejecting me in silence but this women was pretty quick. She was the latest I wrote to, her email read:

Dear Shannon,

Thank you for your query. I appreciate the opportunity to consider DON’T FORGET TO TIP YOUR WAITRESS for possible representation, but I’m not the right agent for it. Of course this is only one response, and tastes vary widely among agents. I wish you the best of luck finding the right home for your work.

Sincerely,

Katie Grimm

Short and sweet. On to the next fam. This morning I submitted to a person with the last name Lyra and made a joke about it being a circus apparatus and her branding would be too easy if they needed a career change. May not have been the best idea but maybe she’ll have a chuckle. You never know what’ll draw people in, haha.

Hope you have a fabulous week, friends!

Byeeeeee.

Thought I Forgot?

The air conditioner broke the first hot weekend we’ve had this year. Sitting in a warm house has frazzled my brain. And if the property management call center tells me one more time “I understand it can be quite uncomfortable,” I might end up on the 5 o’clock news.

All that to say, I haven’t been able to muster the brain power or fucks to submit anything in the past week. But, no rejections either! So, still plenty of irons in the fire?

To be honest I can feel the momentum slipping and it’s only almost April. To be expected, right? If it were easy everyone would do it. Not going to beat myself up if I miss a week here or there. It’s about being consistent…at least I think…or hope.

In other news, I couldn’t wait any longer to do a little gardening. You’re supposed to wait another two weeks to be sure you’re out of the potential for frost, but every place we ran errands to this weekend had their plant section bussin.’ So, if it does frost, hopefully it won’t kill anything the first time (or two).

What’s your favorite thing to plant in the Spring? I need something that creeps.

k. byeee

Monday Mood

Ooh, friends. I wasted most of the morning writing a separate blog about grief but I just can’t publish it. It’s too much for a Monday morning. And, I don’t feel like I’m in the right headspace to give it the justice the piece deserves to make a meaningful impact.

The hope was to share and provide action. Example: I am deeply sad. Grief hits me almost every single day in the gut. I can cry at 11:30 p.m. or at 7 a.m. in the morning. What am I doing to fight through it? Combat it with gratitude.

Except it’s not true. I’d like to, but I don’t have the energy to do so. Instead I’m just flailing. My head is just above the surface but waves keep crashing over me and it doesn’t matter how hard I kick to stay afloat. And I hate it. I hate how sad I feel. I hate that this new reality is my reality. And I hate that I have no other choice but to deal with it.

I have moments of peace. They are fleeting. What I am trying to do is stick to routine. Keep going to the aerial gym to train on the same days. Showing up for my people on Saturday mornings. Taking an after lunch walk to reset. Submitting my manuscript once a week.

The lunch walk gets skipped depending on weather, never my mood.

And I did manage to submit to another agent last week. I shot my shot with the person who published the Spellshop. The writing and pacing of that book felt like a warm hug. A touch my manuscript could definitely use.

That’s all for now, folks. Thanks for reading. I hope something good happens to you this week.

k byeeeeee.

St. Patty’s Origin & Top 5 Books from 2024

Still no rejection letters since my Meg Thompson submission. And, I submitted to two people last week to make up for missing my goal the prior week. But, no clue who I’m pitching to this week. It’s on my to-do list for tomorrow and I’m going to try and track down another agent who worked on a book I reeeeeally enjoyed.

Last year my top five books were:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
the Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Weyward by Emelia Hart
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

None of these are technically in my category but you never know. The agent for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (Fav book of 2023) led me to someone in their agency who would be a perfect match.

Just have to “dig a little deeper, Ross.” (Who knows that reference, haha).

It would feel ridiculous to post this without acknowledging it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Did you know this holiday got its boozey reputation when us Americans started to celebrate the holiday? It’s a religious holiday Ireland has observed for the last 1,000 years. Here’s a little origins article I found by the History Channel.

I won’t be drinking. But I will get dressed up in green and enjoy some bangers & mash for dinner.

Have a great week, friends. I hope something good happens to you this week.

Byeee.

Melissa McCarthy’s Bridesmaids Monologue Is The Reminder We All Need

Melissa McCarthy’s pep talk monologue with Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids was what I needed to both see and hear.

Before I taint the pool with my aha moments, watch the clip or read the transcript below and take note of what stands out to you. Did you need reminding of something, too?

California’s Golf Balls

This week’s #CookieKindness box was filled with Golf Balls and went to Gerry R., my father-in-law who lives out in Palm Desert. These sweet and salty treats were dunked in chocolate which made traveling through postage in the middle of summer, questionable.