a blogging break

long time no see! (or more aptly, long time no new content.) i last published a post on diary of this girl in february. and here we are—it’s april. i thought it may be time to clear the air and let you in on what i’ve been up to. the truth is, i’ve been grappling with terrible writer’s block.

there are a several possible reasons for my lack of motivation and inability to produce creative content, but two items are front of mind:

on february 22, 2019, my beloved dachshund, bailey, passed away. she was 16 years old. (in november, i wrote this post—with bailey’s voice in mind—and shared her health struggles.)

we brought bailey home when i was a sophomore in high school; most of my young-adult memories include her. we cared for and loved her dearly. she joined us on family vacations and was the center of our world for 16 years. i miss her bark, her snuggles, and her insatiable appetite for treats. (a girl after my own heart.) life isn’t the same without her!

last fall, bailey’s health began to decline, and we knew her time with us was drawing to a close. however, nothing can prepare you for the heartache and immense sadness that accompanies the loss of a pet. pets are family, and i believe that with my whole heart and soul. until recently, it was difficult to even mention her name without crying. i am (slowly) working up the strength to look at photos and reminisce about the happiness she brought our family!

on top of losing her, i’ve struggled to balance feelings of discontent with my career. (many of you already know this, but by day, i work for a financial services company.) my background is in psychology, and until two and a half years ago, i worked as a montessori preschool teacher. i joined my firm in the fall of 2016. i greatly enjoy the people i work with, some of whom have been employed at the firm for 20+ years! i have also appreciated learning something new—finance was previously foreign to me—and enhancing my professional skills.

last year, i completed my editing certificate at the university of washington in the hopes of transitioning to a copy editing (or communications-based) role. for the past two years, i have helped create content for our weekly in-house publication. more recently, i’ve begun to write copy for a monthly e-newsletter that is sent to our firm and our sister firms throughout the country. i can’t tell you how much i enjoy these tasks! if only these projects could blossom into something full-time.

unfortunately, i’ve become stagnant in my current position; it’s a discouraging feeling. i’m optimistic my role will eventually change, and i look forward to putting my writing and editing skills to use. in the meantime, i’ll resume creating content here to share with you!

and if you’ve lost a pet, i invite you to connect with me via email (mepribble@gmail.com) or on social media. such loss can leave you feeling isolated; you’re not alone—i’m here to grieve with you. i also recommend reading this article. (i found it helpful when feeling overwhelmed by my grief.) thank you for your patience during my absence, and i appreciate your support during this difficult time!

**photo by sarah wolfe photography

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