metamorphosis
noun
transformation, mutation, transmutation, change, alteration, conversion, modification, remodeling, reconstruction; humorous transmogrification; formal transubstantiation.

…..

Once upon a time, in an eastern state far, far away, a young mother and newly transplanted attorny started a blog. It began as a way to keep in touch with those back home and to update them on the kids. The inital posts were long, rambling, and full of homesickness as I tried to adjust to a new life in a new land, that regardless of it’s location in my country of origin, was a alien to me as another planet.

After a while I got a job, and the stories began to share with you, my faithful readers, some of the strangeness that comes with mixing career and motherhood.

When the baby was born the posts focused back on parenting, and I tried to share my joy and frustration with handling a new small tyrant in my home.

Over the years I have shared photographs, recipes, parenting stories, advice, sorrow, joy, anger, and humor. You have been a lifeline, a connection to a world that often seems to race by unaware of my existence.

Now, I am home, back on my own turf and more sure of foot. And yet, the metamorphosis continues, for while I am secure in my location, my family, my friends, I am trembling, delicately hanging off a limb, with the start of my new practice.

So now, my blog becomes a place to put my fears, concerns, frustrations, and other news of a mother now trying to be her own boss, her own assistant, her own landlord, her own cleaning person. It has been a busy few months, and there has not been much time to write. However, I will be back.

After months of networking, phone calls, brochures, letters, dinners, lunches, drinks, parties, CLE’s, and other elbow rubbing events I am set to negotiate a contract with the State in the beginning of January. I will be taking on more environmental cases in the first of the year as well, and may be entering into the arena of preventing forclosures. The crickets have stopped chirping, scared away by the hustle and bustle of opportunity.

I thank you for checking in with me, and forigiving me my breaks from posting while I try this new endeavor.

Why is it that all things converge upon me whenever I agree to a tight deadline?
One week ago I accepted a new deadline for the filing of my Lizard case, this Monday Dec. 1st. I figured I could devote the week to research and writing, and with a little help from my family, get the complaint done with out killing myself. After all, I had a few models to follow, federal law to deal with, and others to review it once finished. Finally, I can always amend it later if I really, really have to.

So it began.

At first things were peachy. I read the case, researched some FWS publications, and got my mind around the issues. Then I got a sinus infection. I think. I still haven’t had time to visit the doctor to see.

Then Thanksgiving came along, and an old friend was in town so we threw him a little cocktail party.

A giant headache unlike nothing I have ever experienced before (and let me tell, after 21 years of migraines, I have had some doozys) beset me, along with intense sinus pressure and pain. I could barely stand to move, and I was staring at a bright screen for hours on end.

Monday came and Monkey began sniffling, coughing, and raising her internal temperature. Thus, she stayed home sick, adding another ball to juggle while I frantically composed analysis and argument.

However, she was just sick enough to get into trouble, ask for food or drink every 37 seconds, and generally cause a ruckus. Sadly this illness continued through Tuesday as well.

Otter began cutting another tooth, so he forewent solid foods and asked for milk, almost constantly, for four days straight. He also woke up several times a night, every night, and woke up before 6 a.m., pretty much guaranteeing that my brain turned to mush.

Then, two of my other cases had emergent issues arise, resulting in phone calls and work on those files. My contact for my CFI business saw me on Tuesday, which was wonderful, but which also cost several more hours of available work time.

I finished the complaint last night and emailed it off. Today I have to edit it. Tomorrow I plan to sleep for the whole friggin day.

There has to be some way to sneakily set aside time for emergency work. If I tell anyone, or act differently at all, the Universe seems to create a bavarian clusterfuck in my life.

I know, don’t tell me, it’s just another fucking growth opportunity.

No one told me how much of starting a business was social. I have been to so many lunches, dinners, events, et al, just so I could corner a few people at each and promote my practice. It is wearing me out more than the constant droning of law school ever did. I come home each day and I have nothing left to say to anyone.

Right now I am trying to meet a deadline for my Lizard case. I have been reading over Administrative Procedure Act cases looking for something to bolster our argument with, but my sinus infection and resulting headache have made this very difficult to do.

I have a teleconference with the Court in a Domestic Relations case tomorrow morning and I live in fear of oversleeping, failing to hear my phone, and generally not making the call for some reason. I am dropping Monkey off with Nama and Da for delivery to school and Lee is keeping Otter while I run off with my client to a quiet room at the law school and a date with my speaker phone. It is my first such teleconference, and firsts make me nervy.

I am meeting two attorney’s this week who may be willing to mentor me and provide me with overflow work. Someday I hope to be in a position to offer overflow to others, but for now I am looking for work wherever I can. One attorney is a G.A.L. and the other handles preventative forclosure work. Both will give me a chance to make a living helping people, though the foreclosures are an area I have not practiced in before.

I am also going to start a newsletter to send to those in my life who are in a position to recommend me or send me work. I hope sending it out will alert them to the status of my business, and serve as a reminder to funnel things my way whenever they can.

This is an isolating path, but so far, a busy one. I can’t wait to be successful enough to be lonely, working in my office, instead of hitting every networking event I can find. I am running out of clever things to say, and business cards to hand out.