Author: Elaina

Writer. Dream Chaser. Fond of my dog, living a wildly beautiful life, pine trees, Jesus, & wine.

The Job Search Continues . . .

Published on by ElainaLeave a comment

Elaina Avalos Events Manager, Elaina Avalos Events and Communications, Elaina Avalos

My job search continues and has intensified. As part of the search and application process, I’ve put together a portfolio that can be printed or viewed on my website. As I begin applying, with renewed focus, I am hopeful about the next steps in my journey. I’m also excited about the prospect of doing something I’ve wanted to for so long.

One of the things that I have always disliked about the job search process, is writing cover letters. As a writer, this always occurred to me as odd. Nonetheless, I have never cared for the process. A few months ago, I talked to a recruiter. She gave me some great advice that altered my view of the search process and how I look at my resume (or other parts of the application process).

Primarily, she encouraged me to “tell my story” via my resume, portfolio, etc. Up until now, I haven’t done that. At least to some degree, part of the reason for that, is tied into the type of professional environment I have been in (for nearly the entirety of my professional life). As I turn my attention toward a career change as a creative, it’s critical, however – that I make these adjustments. I am looking forward to what is ahead . . .

What is your least favorite part of the job application process? Do you have a favorite? I would imagine most people would say no to that last question. But if you do enjoy it – what do you enjoy about it?

NaNoWriMo 2022

Published on by Elaina2 Comments

As of yesterday, I finished #NaNoWriMo2022. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50,000 words in the month of Nov. I’m not finished editing/writing this novel. But I did put in about 57,000 words written/edited in the month of November. Only 30,000-50,000 more to go. 🤣📝👩🏽‍💻✍🏼

I’ve worked on this book for a while. But most don’t know that it has gone through massive changes bringing me to what is a completely new book today. Here’s an excerpt from A Thousand Years…

“2005
The day I was born, a violent storm ripped through our community. It was the kind of story legends are made of – or so I’ve been told for all of my 21 years. Walls of torrential rain fell, washing away parts of the mountainsides, flooding streets, and taking out a section of the highway, blocking off the Big Sur coastline from the hospital – 45 minutes away. Newscasters from the city called it the storm of the century. Of course, there were many more of those to come to California over the years – land of fire and mudslide that we are. The California Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, and even CalTrans workers were pulling people out of trapped vehicles all over. As all of this was going on around my mom and dad, who were pulled over on the side of the highway – trapped from getting to the hospital. I entered the world like a screaming wild thing, just as my son did, and as my mom is fond of saying to anyone who will listen, in my granddad’s beat up old truck.

My mom and grandma used to tell me that the way I entered the world was a sign of what was to become of me. Not a good sign, by the way. They have always said I am as wild as the storm I was born in the middle of. Perhaps. Or perhaps the wild around me as I entered the world that day, is actually a sign of how I was born to shake things up. Instead of being born in a sterile hospital, unforgiving amounts of rain fell on the truck, and crazy wind distracted my dad from focusing fully on my mom. I entered the world determined. Nothing has changed in 21 years. I doubt it ever will, in spite of the expectations that follow me around.”

Chasing Dreams

Published on by ElainaLeave a comment

Today has been a little rough. I’ve felt it all afternoon – this lingering sadness. I’d been tracking this day for a while. But in my distraction over facing a new week (when I don’t want to), it slipped from the forefront of my mind. But it all came back a little bit ago & now I know why today has been rough. Today marks six months since my baby brother passed away.

His death has been tough to process on so many levels. The thing I keep going back to besides missing him – is how very precious our time is. I make constant excuses. “I’ll start on my plan once I get through holiday events. I’ll make a decision after __. I’ll just stay a little bit longer – it makes the most logical sense.” 🤬👎🏼🤮

But time marches on. I know my brother felt time breathing down his neck, too. He was getting older and faced the need to get healthier. He was pursuing that when he passed away. But he had some things that he hadn’t been able to do yet. I know it weighed on him.

Six months since losing my brother. And time passes on without moves in the direction I want to go in. If there’s anything good that can come from grief and losing your only sibling, I hope it’s that I finally get off my @$& and create the life I know I’m meant to live.

I need to be chasing dreams, not counting down days until my next break from work.