Just returned from a Highlights workshop, a week in the Sierras with family, the Los Angeles Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators annual conference, a week and a half in Maine with my husband’s family, and a long weekend with my family. It’s been a month since I’ve been home longer than the amount of time it takes to do laundry and repack my suitcase. For various reasons, I’m mentally exhausted, so before I post anything exciting (or unexciting as the case may be), I’ll leave you all with a reblog of Britt Skrabanek’s August Life Enthusiast post, highlighting yours truly in 750 words (or fewer). If you’re not familiar with Madame Britt, she majors in enthusiasm (when not writing or doing yoga). Looking forward to catching up with you all over the next couple of weeks. it may take me a few days to get back into the rhythm of “normal” life. Cheers!
Last month Eden Baylee discussed how diversity makes life meaningful and how fortunate we all are to live together in this unique world. In my monthly series, The Life Enthusiast Chronicles, lovely individuals of the world share how life inspires and energizes them.
Today I’m happy to bring you babies the fantastic Jilanne Hoffmann from San Francisco. Reading Jilanne’s blog always makes me smile, because she’s a smart cookie with a rambunctious spirit. A children’s book author, she brings a sense of play to everything she writes.
I also love our blogging conversations, and I will never forget the time she left me a comment with a link to a video about Tao Porchon-Lynch, the world’s oldest Yoga teacher. I cried in my coffee that morning.
Jillanne is a natural Life Enthusiast, so it’s a real treat to have her here.
Connect with Jilanne on Twitter.
It’s quite an honor…
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Jilanne Hoffmann 
Haha, majors in enthusiasm. Love that! Thank you so much for writing that wonderful piece, honey. Such an honor to have your words on my blog.
I don’t know where my response to this went?! Dahlink, I feel so fortunate to know you through this vast interweb of shared thoughts, experiences, and kindnesses. Thank you for asking me to write something for your blog. I am honored. xo
Loved your post over there. How nice you were able to spend time in Maine. We were hoping to spend a week at Old Orchard Beach in June, but my husband developed a problem with his vision so we had to cancel it. Next year, maybe. 🙂
Maine was near perfect. Very little rain, few mosquitoes, lovely temps. I hope your husband’s vision is better. The beach is calling!
Thanks, it’s better but not where it used to be. But at least it’s not worse!
What a fantastic profile of you, Jil! I’ve heard bits of this story, and it’s amazing to read everything you endured and survived on that instrumental journey. Except for the falling off the bus part, we should all have a journey like that. OK, not the mugging either. Seriously, it’s all led to you being a stellar human being and an awesome writer, so as they say, whatever doesn’t kill you . . .
Oh, Laurel. You sweet pea. I’m not feeling very strong at the moment after being gone for so long. I’m tempted to run in every direction at once. Have to sit down and prioritize what needs to be done now and what can wait until later….Oh, and I didn’t mention the customs official who gave me a big hug after stamping my passport and wishing me “mucho amor en Peru!” And I didn’t mention the guy in Tahiti, or the one in Oz, or….how much time do you have? 😀
Ohh, I’m sensing a memoir in the works. I got plenty of time to read that!
Welcome back to the craziness of daily life. Just take a breath and pick one thing and do it. It will calm you down and you can start to get your priorities back in line. When I’m the most stressed out, I clean my closet. It works every time and I find new outfits. 🙂
Oh, if I could just clean out my mind, I’d be ready to go. Or maybe the refrigerator….
Ha ha, the fridge is often equally as daunting, although mine is looking pretty Bridget Jones right now. I need to cook something!
Great post, Jilanne. You’ve had extraordinary adventures because you made choices and followed through. That kind of commitment and pushing through fear as you explode out of your ordinary world, makes for a deeper, wider life. It’s wonderful to know more of who you are.
Thank you, Susan. When I think back to how close I was to going home, I shudder. Oh, what I would have missed! My guardian angel was there just at the right time. I’ll never forget her.
Yay for SCBWI! I go to my conference next month. To get so much accomplished is a good kind of tired, yes?
Yes, it’s a good kind of tired, but I’m a little befuddled while trying to decide what needs to get done first. So many things! Which conference are you attending?
It’s a local SCBWI conference. I’m meeting with an editor from Viking. I’m looking forward to going.
Good luck! I’m sure you’ll come back filled with inspiration!
A wonderful and inspiring story over on Britt’s lovely site. We all need regular doses of the enthusiasts as emergency treatment for those days when we wake up with an impenetrable dank and heavy interior cloud surrounding us. Hurrah, good fix delivered (accounts to do, things to mark, admin which is screaming is the shape of the cloud today)
PS I KNEW you would be deeply engaged with a washing machine somewhere along the lines…………
Sometimes only washing machines can deliver the proper amount of inspiration and heavy cloud lifting. it’s good to be back!
Oh I HAVE missed you. And welcome back to the world of spin, froth and heavy rinsing, all at speed
And I have miss YOU! Must go wring out my life before putting in the next load for processing.
Yay! Jilanne’s back! That’s lifted my enthusiasm levels already. 😀
You must write the story of your travels someday…
Me? I’m no Paul Theroux. But someday, maybe. It’s quite lovely to be back. We had a 4-point-something earthquake to welcome us home.
Wow; we both started life as IBM-ers! Who woulda thunk it? I started as an architect for them. Jilanne I am stunned. I envisioned you as a brunette. Enjoyed the article, am following her too now . . .
An architect for IBM?! My turn to be stunned. My husband used to be an IBMer, too. Crazy life, isn’t it? I had forgotten that no one knows what I really look like since my gravatar is my shadow on the snow. Yes, a blonde. And as those grey wisps show up, I’ve got to figure out just how blonde I’m going to remain. Glad you enjoyed the post. Britt’s one of my favorite reads.
Wow you must be exhausted. It’s wearing me out just having my chatty mother-in-law here.
Hahahahhaahhaa! Yes, that is extraordinarily taxing, isn’t it? You have my sympathy. 😀
Loved your post over at Britt’s blog. Glad to hear you got to go to Maine — New England weather has been amazing this summer, not too hot or rainy. I bet your conferences were a ball — I’m so jealous!
Yes, the weather in Maine was glorious when we were there. And the conferences/workshops! I’m all aflutter with activity now that I’m back. But I do hope to settle into a groove soon. Too much activity makes me feel like one of those hexbug nanos being chased by a cat.
What a wonderful profile. Boy, I wish I had a Highlights workshop and a SCBMI conference under my belt. What great experiences those must have been. Compared to your traveling adventures though, what can I say, you are both a warning story and one of unbridled joy. I have not had the pleasure of reading any of your kidlit, but I would most definitely love to do so. Good luck with all your writing and the paths it will take you down.
Fantastic experiences every one, even the less than savory travel adventures. I love SCBWI and I LOVE Highlights. This summer has been a dream. I’m published as a freelancer (work-for-hire), so that’s where my work has been read. I’ve now got an agent for kidlit, and we’re working to get my picture books out into the world. Stay tuned! And thanks for commenting and wishing me luck!
When you get that picture book out there — let me know, I would love to review it for my readers!
Fantastic! I’ll take you up on your offer. Thanks!
What a wonderful and learned experience. No wonder I like you!! I hope some sense of normalcy is creeping back into your life.
It was an amazing experience. And I didn’t even write about the year my husband and I spent traveling before we picked San Francisco out of a hat. I’m not sure how to measure normalcy. Perhaps normalcy means fewer side trips, twisting paths, or flights of fancy. Or perhaps the journeys I take these days are less physical and more internal as I make my way through the maze of this crazy writing career.
I’m not a particular fan of normalcy…but I am a fan of chasing your dreams and if walking through mazes gets you there, so be it. At least you can say you never led a boring life. 😀 😀