An Update On Life And "Absent" · 4:17am Dec 27th, 2013
This is just a quick note to anyone unfortunate enough to be watching my account. 
The good news: I've finally found a full-time job. 
The bad news: it's a contract job that's slated to end in February. 
In the meantime, I get to commute for up to four hours per day in awful rush-hour traffic and inclement weather conditions (e.g., heavy snow and ice). Seriously, it's snowed at least three inches every day for the past three weeks. Not fun driving.
While that gives me only about four months of income, it's enough to let me start applying for an apartment. As it turns out, living out of your car two or three nights a week (because you've overstayed your welcome on someone's couch) is a rather cold endeavour when there's two feet of snow on the ground. I found two apartment companies that accept applications for income-dependent rent programmes, and I've submitted my applications this week. Now it's time to play the waiting game.
In other super-happy-ultra-funtime news, my father isn't doing so well lately. Those of you who have followed me for a while probably know that my father and I never got along all that well, and that relationship got progressively worse. He will be celebrating ninety-fifth birthday in a couple weeks (no, I'm not in my fifties; he was a very old father). I've been invited to the party, and I'll be polite and attend. I sincerely wish the best for him, despite our differences. That said, I don't think he's going to make it to ninety-six. While I generally can't stand being in the same room with him, he's still my father, and I can't imagine it'll be a joyous occasion upon his passing. I'm not sure what's worse: the fact that his end is likely nigh, or the fact that I can see it coming.
Wow. You're still reading? 
S'a bit surprising, eh... *ahem* Anyway, about Absent. Am I still planning to finish it? Yes. Am I still planning to rewrite the first five chapters? Yes. How long will it take? I don't know. I need to get my professional and personal life figured out first. I realize this will be difficult to believe, but I've actually been working on the rewrite all this time. I'll write a few thousand words per week, but they always go straight into the bin. I write them, and I can't stand them after a readthrough. I've written at least a couple hundred thousand words since the last update, but none of it has been up to my personal standard (which has become significantly higher). I'm working, and I apologise for the indescribably long delay. 
As ridiculous a thought as it appears to be, most people have to deal with this thing called real life. I know I'll still be here when you get the ball rolling again.
Considering that I've been waiting this long, why not wait a little longer? You'll have me as a reader as long as you get going again.