See that little guy? His name is Pinky and he is a corn snake. He is our new family member. I just got him yesterday, January 29th. He is the first pet I have paid for myself, and I have been beyond words excited.







A few weeks ago, I was thinking about what I wanted for my birthday which isn't until March 7th. At first, I decided I just wanted a small tanked creature like a fish or turtle or reptile of some sort. I was (at first) willing to wait until my birthday to see what George surprised me with. Then I went to the pet store to look around and saw this little guy. I asked the attendant a bunch of questions and even got to hold him. The snake, not the attendant. LOL

After holding him for a few minutes, and not wanting to put him back, I decided that was the snake for me. I even named him before I even bought him. I went back a second time to visit him with my best friend, Dani, and the woman who feeds the snakes happened to be there. She took a look at Pinky and determined he was a male. I still have to get him checked for sure or wait until he gets a bit bigger, but I will know for sure.

Yesterday, I decided that I was going to pick up everything and there was no stopping me. I had the funds to get all of his equipment and I hoped I was going to be able to afford the animal as well. Well, lucky for me, I had just enough. Yay!!!

After I got him home and set up his tank, he was really active with his investigating his new home. He was going so fast he blurred in a few pictures. He seemed to be looking for an escape. No way, buddy. Momma secured your home well.

Our 5 year old male black cat, Onyx wanted to investigate the new quick-moving habitant of our home and did a little peeking of his own.

Overall, this has been a great new adventure so far. I am very excited about the years to come with my new small kid. Saturday is his first feeding at home with us. For those with weaker stomachs, I suggest not looking at that blog post. There will be pictures.

I am now the proud owner of a herp!!

On January 11th in the morning, I hit the button on my smart phone to sync my email. After just a few short moments, I hear the "Utini" that alerts me of a new email. I check it, and one of my dearest friends had sent me an email that included this link:

http://herstoryanthology.blogspot.com/2013/01/strength-comes-in-many-forms.html

After reading the blog post calling to writers for their short stories, I knew I had to write a piece for the project. How could I not? This topic screamed at me with inspiration. My original idea was to write a piece based in Renaissance Scotland.

After a death in my family, my desire to write something a bit different came about. There are some who know the context of my new story, but not everyone. I am going to wait and let people read it for themselves.

I submitted the 2,052 word story to the editor today around 6pm Central time and awaited the answer nervously. I was talking to a friend about it via text around 9:30pm when my email refreshed and there it was: the acceptance email. I nearly hyperventilated in my excitement and awe. I was ACCEPTED!!! Me! Something I wrote was accepted for the project, and I was amazed. I was crying happy tears when I called the friend who originally sent me the link.

My mother was called, my best friends were called, and even friends I hadn't spoken to in years. This really is some of the best news of my life. Now...to calm down and wait for the edits to come back and contracts to be drawn up for publishing. After this whole thing is finished, I can really call myself a professional, published writer.

I'm turning it over.

I've spent so much energy worrying about what other people do or don't do. In retrospect, it was wasted energy in a lot of cases. If someone is going to make their own bed, then I am going to step back and let them lie in it without intereference. I am not wasting my prescious energy on trying to care or not care what someone does. Well, beside my close friends and loved ones of course. That shouldn't need to be said, in my honest opinion.

I saw a quote the other day that made me think of one of the reasons for this post.

From this day forward, that is exactly what I will do regarding myself. Others can start taking responsibility for their own energy instead of me being brought down because I am too concerned with energy besides my own.

One last note: This is not about any ONE person. If you think it is, my kind suggestion is to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself what kind of energy you take into spaces with you. You wouldn't think this was about you unless it hits on a guilty truth nerve.

~closes my eyes and dips my hands in cool, fresh water, whispering~
"I wash my hands of you. I wash my hands of negativity. I wash my hands of drama and sadness."
~opens my eyes and dries my hands, pulling the sink's plug, whispering~
"I drain the negative away from myself. I drain the drama and sadness away from myself."
~I lift my hands to the sky and speak aloud~
"I am cleansed, goddess! So mote it be!"


~~*Blessed Be*~~

Yesterday, I woke up at 5:30 in the morning with powerful nausea. The vomitting started shortly after that. Sharp pains racked my entire body, but mainly my abdomen. I struggled through most of the day with staying awake and keeping fluids down...and enough to keep from being dehydrated. Food was far from possible. Finally I went to the emergency room. Boy am I glad I did. It turns out it was a severe bladder infection. I never imagined that a bladder infection could make me so violently ill. Afterward, I went home and passed out for another 12 hours roughly. Still downing water as if I was in the middle of a desert. Mouth still going dry after less than 10 minutes without a drink. Frustrating to say the least.

My problem is...and I have had it pointed out to me time and again...I seem to always be sick. And I am tired of it. I am tired of going straight from one health concern to another. It isn't only the time of year or the newest bug in town like a poor fashion choice. It is everything under the sun having to do with my body. At least that is how it seems. I try everything to improve my health...hell, I was drinking cranberry juice like nobody's business just a few days ago...yet I get THIS. I take cinnamon, garlic, St Johns Wort, B Complex, and Metformin daily to help control everything that ails me. To what end? None, apparently. It is so annoying. This has got to stop. There has got to be something that will help my overall immune system.

This year,

• I will not try to be better than before.

• I will not try to be happier.

• I will not try to do new things.

• I will not try to rekindle certain traditions.

• I will not try to mend old friendships.

This year,

• I WILL be better than before.

• I WILL be happier.

• I WILL do new things.

• I WILL rekindle certain traditions.

• I WILL mend old friendships.

See, I am done with trying to do things. I am through with hoping for the best. I am going to make it happen this year. No more wishing for better, it is time for better to be forced into happening.

~ Blessed Be ~