I just wanted to kind of update about everything from my writing, the show I am currently obsessed with, what I am reading and my new family member.

First, Pinky seems to be adjusting well. He ate well on Saturday. He has mites now though, which can be quite deadly to snakes and annoying as well. I have plans to go pick up more food for him as well as some mite spray to start treating him. I really hope they don't reinfest too much. I want to keep my boy healthy and alive.

As for my writing, nothing new has come forth. I just don't have the urge to write. Though I should be pushing myself and continuously be looking for inspiration, but I just don't have the drive to do it at the moment. Some might say I am not a true writer or that I don't really want to succeed. That is so far from the truth. I just want it to stay something I love to do rather than push myself into success to the point that it becomes a chore and I don't want to anymore.
The anthology is coming together quite well from what I understand. It is due to be published sometime in March for Women's History Month.

I am still reading Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. It is slow going because of the shows I keep getting myself stuck on. I need to finish the current one and stay off of Netflix for a while. Haha.

Speaking of the shows I am obsessed with, right now I am in the middle of season two of Lost Girl. While the acting & writing is a bit on the "needs work" side, I still love the idea of the show, and I love the characters Kenzie, Dyson, Trick and Hale. The rest of the characters could really use some work. Also, having a succubus falling in love and trying to be monogamous? Come on people! But Kenzie cracks me up, Trick intrigues me with all of his secrets, and Dyson makes me lick my lips...and I find myself wanting to know more about Hale.

My health...part of me doesn't want to post this part because I really don't want to get a bunch of grief for not taking care of myself. I shall make this brief. I haven't been testing or sticking to my diabetic diet. So shoot me. I am paying my prices....trust me. The water intake is increasing once again and salads have replaced the pastas and pizza rolls in my fridge again. Testing my blood sugar will resume after a full day of proper diet. I know...there are a lot of risks to this kind of behavior. I am fully aware. I just find myself sighing and rolling my eyes at the whole thing. I love food...and it seems like such a travesty to not enjoy the foods you put into your mouth...to be on a constant diet. The energy and lack of pain...and the proper digestion would all be worth it, but for some reason, I find myself struggling. I will do well for a while and then revert. I have to want it...really want it........but I don't yet.

So there you have it. The latest on me. Just getting things off my chest and letting anyone who actually reads this crap all about what has been going on with moi.

Peace <3

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 ~

The new year is something to look forward to, yes. But to actually think it is something new for life? I don't think so. Are you really that much more motivated from December 31st to January 1st? I think the new year's resolution is a nice idea, but it sets yourself up for failure because everyone EXPECTS to fall through on their resolutions. When someone fails at keeping their resolutions, they just shrug their shoulders and move on. If you think of it as a renewal process, and actually put more faith in your ability to improve, you might succeed. Though I still think, especially for me, that the "New Year's Resolution" is just seen as unimportant and appropriate to fail with.

For me, I am making a list of things I want to change in the new year. But I am not going into this with a list of unrealistic goals and expectations that I know I cannot meet. I am going in fully armed with education on the topics I want to work on, a support group fully prepared to whoop my butt into gear (literally if necessary), and a can do attitude that will NOT be put on the back burner. Everthing is obtainable and possible, everything will better my life as well as my whole outlook and mood, and everything is something I WANT to do. Not all of these things are things I am willing to share with the world though.

If there is one thing I have learned this year, it is that not everything needs to be shared on a social networking site. I will keep that in mind throughout the upcoming year along with other goals and improvements.

I wish you all luck in your endeavors and dream-chasing in the new year. Just rethink the meaning behind your goals please.
 
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."