It’s been awhile, friends.
A lot has happened in the last year and a half or so, including but not limited to our getting a dog (something I never thought would happen with my contamination OCD), getting a cabin in Astoria Oregon, starting and quitting a distance masters program in Children’s Literature, and opening a children’s bookstore.
A Rose By Any Other Name
On the “OCD” and “Mormon” front things have been moving along as they do. Notably, we are not supposed to call ourselves “Mormons” in favor of “members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (or just Christians? right?). However, when your “brand” is “The OCD MORMON” a change like that makes things a little difficult and annoying. Rumor has it that my book isn’t carried in Deseret Book because of the whole “Mormon” in the title thing, but that could just be made up entirely by me in my bitterness. 😉 Someone in Utah go check and report back, okay?
But really, I can’t exactly republish the book to be in line with the name change (and I don’t think they are knocking down my door to do a second edition, sadly). So I just need to move on. You may be thinking, “didn’t you already move on? You basically stopped blogging,” and you are mostly right. I did stop. I stopped for a few reasons, which I may or may not address here or in a new book if I decide to follow through and write one.
Let’s say that a project I started took me on a path that wound me around…and I’m still on that path, trying to find where it leads. But I’ve also added many things to my plate that take up a great deal of time, such as dog walks and a real job running a bookstore.
The Future
Still, writing is something that remains. It is a need I have, a way to communicate that is freeing and rejuvenating for me (when basically all other forms of communication exhaust me). So I’ve been thinking of coming back. I changed the “title” of the site to “Of Faith and Great Anxiety,” a quotation from our friend Jacob in the Book of Mormon and a rejected title for my first book.
Please feel free to join this journey. It may not be as regular as the blog of the person formerly known as the OCD Mormon, but I’ll update semi-regularly and can also answer questions, etc. so ask away!