Installment Two

THE THRESHOLD

installment two

Alexander Black was 15 years old and a bit of an outcast when he first encountered his best friend. The boy was somewhat of a bookworm, and stood sort of in limbo between the geeks and the cool kids on the high school food chain. He was neither popular nor unpopular, and his grades were average. Alex spent most of his time with his head buried in various books, none of which having anything to do with his lessons. His favorite book of all time was an amazing fantasy adventure called The Threshold. He carried this book with him everywhere. It was the sort of story Alex could read over and over and still feel the thrill of the ride, still connect with every character. He wanted to write just like the author, Steven M. Butler.


On a frigid winter day, snow flurries cluttering the sky, Alex was on his way home from the library and decided to stop at the only diner in his little town and get something to warm himself up before the rest of his walk home. He entered the humble establishment and sat at the booth in the back, then pulled out his trusty copy of The Threshold. His journey to the library that day had been in vain, for Alex was in search of some information on the books writer. He was hoping to find more of his works and perhaps even a biography. But, it seemed, The Threshold was Butler’s only published novel.


Alex was flipping through the pages when a waitress arrived at his table. She was wearing the typical diner smock, her hair in a loose bun, and casually chewing bubble gum, annoyingly popping bubbles.


“what can I get ya,” she asked.


Alex didn’t look up form his book but only answered, “Hot chocolate, please.”


The waitress turned on her heel, and went back behind the counter to fill his order.


Alex set down his book and sighed, disappointed that this was the only adventure what’s his face ever wrote. He glanced around the diner, quietly observing the other customers. There was an older couple in the booth a few feet away. The man had thinning hair and a greasy comb-over, Alex could only see the back of his head, but he was gesturing a bit wildly, as though angry about something. With all the noise from the kitchen, Alex couldn’t pick up anything he said. the woman across from him was a slightly over weight lady with her hair in a tight bun. Alex noticed that she had very caring looking eyes, the skin around them wrinkled from years of laughter, but now they looked very worried and a little scared. The boy wondered what crisis the two may have been dealing with.


Sitting at the counter in a stool was young man, probably in his 20’s, in a worn black leather jacket. He smoked a cigarette, and scratched at the stubble on his chin. He looked like a wonderer, probably someone just passing through town, taking a little break from his life on the road. Alex felt a little afraid of him, but also a little jealous of the life the man seemed to be living. If only he could just pick up and leave on a whim. If only his parents weren’t so over-protective. If only he were old enough to leave them behind.


The last person Alex noticed was a middle aged man in the table at the opposite wall from his booth. He had short blonde hair and watery blue eyes. It looked like he hadn’t shaved or even showered that day. The man just sat at the table with a newspaper in front of him, only he wasn’t reading the paper; he was staring at Alex.


Alex, a little uncomfortable by now, simply gave the stranger a polite half smile and tried to turn back to his book. Tried reading the words on the page but found himself glancing back over at the middle aged man, who still looked at him. After a few minutes of trying to ignore the guy, Alex got up the courage and asked, “Can I help you?”

Spoilin'

One of the best things about being an Aunt is shopping for my niece. I love buying her cute things, useful things, and especially things that will help in her learning and development. Of course, when she was a newborn, it was all about the cute and fuzzy stuff, as well as the keepsakes like a cross-stitched work with her birth date and weight (Rhyming...good times).

Before Lexi was born, to buy baby gifts was part of the preparation for her arrival. Looking in the baby section at stores, adoring the tiny little outfits, and cute little bath towels, and just imagining what that baby-on-the-way would look like with such things. Lexi got tons of blankets and stuffed animals, and especially adorable outfits, and not surprisingly, she looked absolutely adorable in all of them.

It's so hard not to spoil them. I mean, don't they need another stuffed animal, or another toy? I think so. I really do.

*wink*

Redeemed

I did a short photoshoot for my brother's church youth band, Redeemed, last Sunday. We only took shots of three different poses, but I performed some editing magic, and this is my favorite result. I think it looks alot like a promo poster for a rock band. The background is a separate photo I took in the fall, I put a zoom effect on it in photoshop and the photo was originally a vertical shot. I rotated it to fit the group.

Tell me what you think!

Emo

This just cracks me up...

Shelly's Amazing Mental Ability ... You can turn people into emo kids at will. (Remember ... with great power comes great responsibility!) 'What is your Amazing Mental Ability?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Phobic

When I was in second grade, I had a loose tooth or two that I simply could not bring myself to pull out. Oh, they were more than ready to come out, but I was terrified at the prospect. I have a dental phobia, you see. I remember that my mother set up an appointment for me that year in second grade. She gave me a note to give to the elementary school office so I could get out of class and go. Well, I figured that if I didn't give the office that note, they wouldn't let me leave for the appointment. It was a nice try, but no. Of course it didn't work.

They got me to the dental office. I sat in the chair under that horrid light with that scary drool bib around my neck. My dentist sat in the stool beside my chair and told me to open up my mouth. I flat out refused. I clinched my teeth and tightened my lips, shaking my head. The man even tried to pry my jaw open, but I let out muffled screams, and still resisted. He wasn't too thrilled with that, but I was completely terrified and determined to get out of the whole situation.

Of course, in the end, with a little monetary coaxing from my parents, I submitted and the dentist extracted one of my loose teeth. I'm pretty sure I cried during the procedure. I also pretended that I didn't know what he was doing in my mouth. Quite the traumatizing experience.

Anyway, I am completely fascinated by anyone with an interest in sticking their fingers in people's mouths for a living. Why, oh why would you want to do that? Well, I'm sure the money is a factor. But still, you have to be a pretty special kind of person to become a dentist willingly, in my humble opinion.

Did you know that Hayfield Dental Care has had over 23,000 different patients since they opened in the mid 1980's? There must be a whole lot of people in the Alexandria, VA area. It probably helps that they have an orthodontist as well....Another traumatizing experience....*shudder*

Hair, Hair, Hair!

I got my hair cut a few weeks ago. Again. Some more. Did I mention it was a big mistake? I thought that I could go shorter, but I was wrong. The cut made my face look elongated and depending on how I styled it, I either looked like a twelve-year-old boy or a twelve-year-old girl. Not good. I'm already perceived as much younger than I am.

Well, finally, it has grown some, and I can think of myself as somewhat presentable to the world once more. Thank goodness.

Thank goodness I'm not a eunuch...

You Are 49% Feminine, 51% Masculine

You are in touch with both your feminine and masculine sides. You're sensitive at the right times, but you don't let your emotions overwhelm you. You're not a eunuch, just the best of both genders.

Are You Masculine or Feminine?

Order in the Court

In high school, whenever we'd have a conversation about what I wanted to do in my future my mom would always suggest hopefully, "Want to be a lawyer?" She would be ecstatic if I were pre-law right now, but that's not how it went. Not to say that I wouldn't make a good lawyer though, no, of course not.

Growing up, CourtTV was often on the television. I probably knew more about the OJ Simpson trial than the average elementary student. "If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit!" Gosh, I remember OJ trying on that glove like it was yesterday.

Anyway.

Thanks in part to CourtTV I picked up a lot of legal knowledge that many an average person might not know. I loved working on hypothetical legal situations in Government and Law classes, and I always seemed to be a step ahead of the others in my group. I loved pointing out errors in another, older person's understanding of the law. Like when I volunteered to be a jury member in a mock trial and the prosecution's closing argument included the results of a polygraph. I coughed and raised my hand, looking at the class's teacher. She acknowledged me and I stated that polygraphs are inadmissible in court.

So, I may not be simmons jannace & stagg material, the USAA uses these attorneys for legal issues, they've even recieved the highest peer review for legal ability and ethical standards from Martindale-Hubbel, they represent small companies, municipalities and individuals, apparently at reasonable costs. It seems these people also dabble in financial counseling and loans. Not bad at all...

But yeah, I do have some above-average legal knowledge....all thanks to television!

The Threshold

Hello dear readers. It was a tough decision, but I've decided to do something a bit risky. I shall be posting my NaNoWriMo novel, unedited, in excerpts on my blog for you all to read, enjoy, hate, admire, and make fun of. I haven't even read the whole thing yet, so consider yourself privileged!

Here's your first tidbit!

THE THRESHOLD

installment one

It was graduation day that everything began to change in the world of Alex Black. Not only was this the long awaited day of his release from high school prison, but he would later find it was the beginning of a most unusual journey.

Alex was sitting in the third row of students waiting to be called up for diplomas. He nervously scanned the crowds of family and friends watching loved ones receive their certificates, not looking for his parents, but rather someone they did not approve of; his best friend Grif. Grif was not a gangster or a drop out. He was not a dealer or a thief. He was a writer, who happened to be old enough to be Alex’s father. At 45, many found it odd that Grif kept the company of a teenager. The two met when Alex was only 15 and a sophomore in high school, but we’ll get into the details on that soon enough. Right now, Alex was feeling very worried for his older friend and mentor, for he hadn’t yet spotted him in the audience and knew this was not a day Grif would purposely miss.

Where is he? thought the boy. Something must be wrong. Lost in thought and worry for his friend, Alex didn’t even hear his name called over the speakers by his principle, a moment he had anticipated since his freshman year.

“Alex, your up!” urged his walking partner and girlfriend, Melissa.

“Oh, yeah,” Alex answered, still slightly lost within his own mind.

He stood up and began the short march to the line of administration waiting to absently shake his hand and move on to the next student, when he saw Grif making his way between people trying to get to a vacant seat among the crowd. Alex was so overcome with relief that he forgot himself and tripped dramatically after stepping on the fabric of his black graduation gown. He nearly did a somersault in the course of the fall, his cap flew off and as he lay sprawled on the grass he thought, What a way to be remembered.
The crowd roared with claps, whistles and laughter as the boy picked himself up as quickly as he could, grabbed his diploma and sat back down, hoping for a way to bury his face.

Two hours later, after posing for countless pictures with family and making his rounds with fellow graduates, Alex found Grif waiting for him in the bleachers where the crowd was sitting before. The moment he saw the boy, a grin spread across his face. Alex mistook this as a sign that Grif noticed his spectacular fall in front of the entire senior class, but it was actually a smile of pride.

“Thanks a lot,” Alex said to Grif sarcastically. “You made me biff it in front of everyone!”

Grif still smiled and simply said, “sorry I was late.”

“Where were you?” Alex asked.

"Getting things ready.”

“Ready? For what?”

“For the journey of a lifetime.”

ALL MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHT SHELLY ALLISON MORTON

Bookcase Baby

She goes so well with the decor.

Ssssllllooootttthhhh

I'm lazy and proud of it!

Your Sloth Quotient: 58%

You're definitely lazier than the average person, but you're able to live a somewhat normal life. All your life needs is a little more effort and variety, and you might see that doing hard things is actually fun!

How Much Sloth Do You Have?

Christmas in January

I absolutely LOVE online shopping. It's so convenient and I find the most original things. I love to shop for my friends and family and I love to find gifts that match their personality and that are fairly creative. Sometimes these things can be found at chain-store sites like Target or WalMart, but it just more fun to search the obscure.

For instance, this last Christmas I found caligraphy supplies for my cousin, an aspiring writer, at Shakespeare's Den. I got her a feather quill with several nibs, a bottle of ink, a stick of sealing wax, and a pewter wax seal, personalized with her initial. Believe me, I found nothing like that at WalMart. I felt so accomplished by finding a creative gift AND purchasing it from a small store and I knew my cousin would love it, which is the best part.

Of course, I also like to shop online for myself. Often, it means I'm looking for clothes. Clothes shopping is pretty difficult for me. I'm not necessarily interested in labels or the most current trend, so I don't usually gravitate toward Abercombie or Belisi.com. I'm the kind of person that likes clothes I can run around in, but they still fit. I'm also a bit of a tomboy, so I'm not much for skirts and frilly blouses. Jeans and an interesting tee shirt are just fine.

And then there's the stores with original designs and homemade products like Etsy and Cafepress. I have a Cafepress store and make an average of $50 a month from my sales. There are always witty designs there, especially for entertainment geeks. Etsy has all hand-crafted merchandise from blankets to jewelry, all very reasonably priced.

Electronics are another good thing to shop online for. Anything from laptops, to digital cameras
to MP3 players. With enough patience and savvy (I love that I fit the word savvy into this post!) you can find amazing deals on the best products. There ain't nothin' like comparing prices from the convenience of your home, now is there!

Inside My Soul

Hm, pretty accurate... though I must say, that's a creepy looking room...

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are quite expressive and thoughtful. You see the world in a way that others are blind to. You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds. You see yourself with pretty objective eyes. How you view yourself is almost exactly how other people view you. Your near future is calm, relaxing, and pretty much what you want. And it's something you've been anticipating for a while now. For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.

Diet Tip: Alternative to Fast Food

Ever have a chicken club toaster sandwich from Sonic? My goodness, those things are nothing but greasy goodness! The sandwich is made up of two slices of toasted/grilled bread, tender-yet-crispy breaded chicken, honey mustard sauce, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and bacon. I'm very picky so I take off the lettuce, tomato, and bacon to make my sandwich perfect. It's just so good, and oh so unhealthy.

When I began my diet I knew that the chicken club toaster would be one of the things I'd miss most. I hated when the thought of going to Sonic entered my mind, but I was able to resist the temptation. One day at the store I was looking at the frozen foods and saw some Tyson chicken patties with zero trans fat. I bought them and that night decided to attempt my own version of the chicken club toaster.

I cooked the patty in the oven as directed. While it cooked I grilled a couple of slices of whole grain white bread, lightly buttered. Once the patty was ready, I placed a slice of low-fat American cheese on top of it to melt. Then I lightly coated one side of a slice of grilled bread with honey mustard and put the sandwich together. I was skeptical that it would be as good as the Sonic sandwich.

I. Was. Wrong.

It doesn't taste exactly the same, but this sandwich is amazing! It's a more than satisfactory alternative to the fast food version, and considerably healthier. I highly recommend it. And hey, if you're not as picky as I am, feel free to add on the lettuce, tomato, and a bit of bacon as well!

Condo Conundrum

My favorite vacation spot is Winter Park, Colorado…a big reason may be the fact that it’s really the only vacation spot I’ve been to. Since I was about four, my family would take summer trips to the area. We’d stay in a nice little condo that we had rented for a few days, we’d shop, swim, explore, eat out, play tennis, and spend a day at the Winter Park resort. It was a great time. The best part about the stay was really the fact that we were able to spend our leisure time in a condo, a place with two bedrooms, a living room, two bathrooms, and a full kitchen, and a patio instead of a one-room, cramped motel room. Having the condo made vacation comfortable. Being there, it felt like a second home.


One thing it took me a while to understand is the fact that condos exist all around the country. I always assumed they were special little vacation homes, specific to resort areas. The fact is, they’re like apartments. They exist in the city, along the beach, in the mountains…I know, this isn’t new and exciting news, but believe me, when I was five, I had no idea there were Boston Condos as well as Colorado ones.


Now, I’m still not quite sure what the difference is between an apartment and a condo. I suppose it could be that condos are more generally owned, and apartments are more generally rented. Maybe. Are the layouts very different? Is it the pricing or quality of the dwellings? Someone enlighten me!

A Breakthrough!

I mentioned in a recent post that Mia has come a long way since her adoption, but I still haven't been able to pick her up. Well, OK, I could pick her up, but I had to hold her hind legs together (there's still claws back there), hold her tight, and resist her struggle. Well, tonight we made a breakthrough!

I was sitting on the floor and Mia crawled into my lap, purring. I decided to take a risk and lightly wrap my arms around her. She continued purring, completely comfortable. I kissed her a few times (which is another thing we had to work up to), then gently lifted her front paws up off my lap. Still, she purred and allowed me to kiss her. So, I took it half a step further and wrapped my other arm around her, holding her up to my chest. She stopped purring, but didn't resist. I held her like that for a few seconds, then gently let her go. She didn't run off, she just pawed around my lap and casually walked away. I was so proud!

Just a few minutes ago, I got brave again. I went upstairs and into my bedroom where I knew Mia was likely dozing. Sure enough, there she was on my bed. I sat next to her and stroked her fur. Immediately she began to purr. I leaned over and kissed her soft head. Then I lifted her front paws up once more. She stopped purring but didn't struggle. I stayed that way with her for a while, kissing her and stroking her. She seemed fine with it. So, I took the plunge. I placed my free hand under her back end, lightly grasping her hind legs and lifted her up off the bed, cradling her chubby kitty body. She was obviously confused, but she didn't fight, she didn't whine. Then I put her back down after a few seconds and that was that.

Let me tell you, it may seem like a little thing, but I am so proud of my kitty! Maybe soon I'll be able to scoop her up like our other kitty! That would be a wonderful blessing...

Dreamscapes

I often have dreams where I'm either doing something bad that I would never do, hating what I've done the whole time, or I'm just incapacitated, it's dark, I fall down and can't get back up, etc. Well, last night was a mix of both. I think my dreams like to play off my insecurities more than my imagination.

Last night in my dream, my cousin and I went on a crime spree of sorts. We went to a sporting even at my old high school and began injuring the high school staff. I believe the principal and one of the counselors were among the casualties. We kicked them, pushed them down stairs, then ran to the park across the street to hide (It was dark in my dream, of course).

The whole time I was thinking about how wrong the whole thing was. I mean, sure, I felt provoked to do what I had done, but I knew I still shouldn't have done it. And still I ran. It slightly reminds me of the twisted dreams I had when I was on a different medication. Only then, I had no remorse, I wasn't even the same person. And it was a lot bloodier. Just a bit disturbing, those were.

Anyway, what are the majority of your dreams like? Are you flying? Are you falling? Are you committing mass murder?

Buy Me Flowers...

So, Valentine's Day is approaching. I've never had a Valentine, but I've always kind of wanted to experience the whole romantic effort. I've only ever gotten valentines day flowers from my dad. And that was when I was around ten years-old. It'd be kind of nice to get one of those big colorful bouquets delivered to me in public...like in a cheesy made-for-TV movie.

Gosh, I love flowers. They're so delicate and colorful. I love that we can order flowers online now. And there are so many varieties. I really like the artsy flower gifts like the single orchid in a bead-filled vase or something like that. I'm so new-agey, I know. I also love the huge variety bouquets with three or four different kinds of flowers, all different colored. The colors of nature are gorgeous, aren't they? And the smells...and the velvety softness of flower petals....OK, I'm rambling now.

Anyway, maybe I should just get myself flowers for Valentine's Day! Oh! And one of those cardboard hearts with glitter and glue! And a box of chocolates!

OK, I'm done now

*grin*

Slipped Away...

Remember this adorable little dwelling? Well, it sold last week. Makes me sad, I enjoyed having something specific to aspire to. I'm still going to work toward getting enough income to make it on my own (hence the ads, I'm tryin' to make them personal!) and maybe by then it'll be back on the market....such a perfect little place. Great location. Great layout. My pets would look so cute in there with my imaginary decor....

Five Things About Shelly

This is a meme I picked up from CaliforniaTeacherGuy and it's gotta be one of my favorite memes because there really aren't any rules! No specific questions to answer or any word limits, just...five things about me.

Enjoy.

1. I love the smell of wet dog. It reminds me of Perky...yeah, she didn't smell very good.

2. I tend to re-read books instead of starting a new one. This is usually because when I read, I'm looking for something comforting and familiar and I already know that the books I've read will provide that.

3. I love and hate to paint. Whenever I work on a painting, it never turns out the way I wanted (especially with landscapes) and I just end up frustrated and usually never finish the work. Yet I still do it.

4. If you read this blog regularly you already know this, but last November I wrote my first novel participating in National Novel Writing month! I plan on participating (and finishing) this year as well.

5. I've lived in the same town all my life. I went through phases of loving it and hating it. Right now I'm a little indifferent, but for the moment, plan on living here as long as my parents do...because I like them a lot :)

If I had a little more patience I would have come up with more interesting facts about myself, but it's just not coming to me. Maybe I'll re post this some day with more fascinating facts.

Collecting...

Here’s my first attempt, folks, I’m going to do my best to make the topics interesting and true to my opinion…bear with me!


Growing up, and even now still, I see commercials offering the purchase of limited edition coins. This is something I’ve never understood. My grandfather is a coin collector, and I can see the allure, but I guess the whole concept of money is a little beyond me. Let me explain…


In my own little head, I can imagine a world where money is not a part of society, where people work to better that society and in return are able to live comfortably. I realize that this is a completely impossible ideal. Even before conventional money, people traded the things they had to get the things they needed. It was always a “this for that” kind of life. It’s human it seems, but wouldn’t it be nice if we all just worked to better the world and better each other? There would be no poverty, no starvation! What an unreachable ideal.


But I digress. Back to this gold coin business. It seems to me that collecting said coins is simply a personal validation of one’s wealth. After all, collectors tend to keep their coins stashed away somewhere, only to be shared with a select few. So, if your not going to spend or sell the coin, how does it have value? I’m not talking about coins from history or rare foreign gold, but the kind one buys of the television, the kind that never had any value in the mint. I suppose this is the hypocrisy of a lot of collectors. I mean, what’s the value of a beanie baby these days?

Emotions

This is a poem I wrote a week or so ago. I was emotional, and this is what happens. I do kind of like it though, even if my feelings have calmed down, so I thought I'd share it with you all....

Clouded and blurry
You occupy me without existing
I feel your arms around me when I close my eyes.
I should keep my eyes closed forever.
I know you'd keep me safe at night
Your heart has reached me
Across these miles
But still, I'm afraid
Because you'll never know.
Do you feel me too?
Just tell me, please
Because I'm just too scared to say it.

Shrinkin'

A few posts back I mentioned that I went through a low point in my depression and had found a way to take care of it. Well, other than upping my dosage, I'm also going to counseling now. There are issues I have that were never resolved, I was never 100% and I'd love to at least get to 95%. I had my first session on Wednesday and I think the whole thing is really going to help me.

There's just one problem. Pricing of each session is based on a sliding income scale and because I live with my parents, I must include their income to determine payment. Why is that bad? Well, before, when I thought it would be based on my measly income, I would have only paid $5 a session. Now, we may not even be able to afford the therapy. If my parents, in the system's opinion, make good money, then I may be charged up to $100 a session! We. Can't. Afford. That.

I really hope payment will be lower, because I need this help, and I really like my counselor. It seems unfair to me that even though I'm an adult, just because I live with my mom and dad, that they should have to pay for my therapy. What if this were something I didn't want my parents to know about? How would I explain that I need their pay stubs? And then how would I get the money I'm supposed to have in order to pay for the help? Seems to me like there are a few flaws in the system.

Anyway, wish me luck with this new endeavor, and if you have any advice on the subject, I'd appreciate it :)

Something New...

I've been looking into "get-paid-to-blog" options and I found one that seems reliable. The thing is, I'll have to insert advertisers' links into my posts and write something that somewhat relates to those links. I want you all to know that I don't want this to compromise my postings. I'm going to do my best to maintain the integrity of my blog and keep my entries interesting to you dear readers. I haven't yet been approved to participate in this project, but if I do, I'll do all I can to keep this blog worth reading.

Wish me luck!

Picking Up Again

Hello dear readers! I realized today that it's been a little while since I last posted, my apologies. I went through a low point in my struggle with depression this month, so I needed to take some time to take care of that. I'm feeling good again, and I'm ready to blog! Tonight I'd like to update you, actually do another "Meet the Pets" about Mia, the cat I adopted last year after losing three dear pets in four months.



So, here it is:



Meet Mia: The Skittish Sweetheart



Adopted: May, 2006



Nicknames: Baby (pronounced like "beebee" in a high-pitched voice), Princess Mia, Baby Mia, Tufty Toes



Quirks: True to one of her nicknames, Mia has long white tufts of fur between the pads of her feet. They actually hinder her coordination a bit, but the fact that she has wide feet to boot contributes to that as well. She loves the other animals in the house, especially Pepsi. Her favorite toy is a little stuffed cow in a football uniform that was Mel's before she died. I think she likes the scent that Mel left behind on it. Mia LOVES to cuddle, but won't let us pick her up. She just goes into panic mode because she never had human love and attention in her years as a farm cat before she was taken in by a shelter. She has a squeaky baby meow that is almost irresistable when she's begging for more food. And she's COMPLETELY irresistable when she's asking for love.



Why We Love Her: Mia was near feral when we adopted her last May. She has made tons of progress since then and has proven that she can be the sweetheart I always knew she was. She makes a great addition to our house full of little pets, she's beautiful, loving, and deserving of the love we shower her with. Did I mention she's beautiful? And sweet? Ok, just making sure.



*wink*

All Smiles

I have three words for you: I. Feel. Great! That's right, it's been a week since I began my diet - no, my lifestyle change - and I feel wonderful about it! I've stuck to a low-fat, 1500 calorie-a-day diet so far and have exercised every day on my stationary bike for 30 minutes. I'm down from 140lbs to 136.5lbs and though the cosmetic changes aren't all that apparent yet, I feel more energized, happy, and capable. Just a couple of days ago, I passed on some fast food and I didn't miss it! Sure, I had some fond memories of those all-too-tasty greasy french fries, but I also remembered how sluggish I felt after enjoying such food. Was it worth it? Not to me.

I actually look forward to exercising each day, I'm enjoying my low-fat meals, and I'm ready for some outdoor adventures come spring and summer. I've been surfing the net for backpacking trips in Colorado, and hope that I'll be able to make it out to California to visit family and partake in some fun adventures there as well. My plan is to be down to my ideal weight by summer in preparation for all of this. I look forward to being comfortable in my body, I look forward to enjoying more stamina, and I can't wait to become more athletically fit.

I feel like this small thing is on it's way to opening a lot of doors for me, mostly because it makes me feel so good all the time. Who needs drugs when there's healthy diet and exercise instead?

Dreams and Resolutions

It's 2007. There are no flying cars (that the government has told us about :P). There are no daily public commutes to Moon colonies. But, like every year, there are resolutions. From the realistic to the nearly impossible, it seems that everyone has an idea of what they want for the new year to make it better than the last. And yeah, I'm one of those people. Here's what I want for the new year....some of these goals/wishes are attainable...some, well, would be miraculous if they happened, but I can dream, right?

First off, I want to lose weight. I know, how original, right? I'm not a big girl, but I've been getting more and more uncomfortable with my little bit of extra baggage and I'm determined to trim down to an ideal weight of 110lbs. This means I need to lose 30lbs. I've already begun a low-fat diet. No Atkins or South Beach junk for me, just healthy choices like having fruit for a snack instead of chips and eating low fat substitutions of my regular meals, as well as cutting down to one caffeine-free pop a day. So far, it's been pretty easy. Tomorrow I'll be adding a regular exercise routine to my plan. I really think I can do this!

More generally, I want to "get a life," as they say. I'm doing some research and thinking of new ideas to get my photography to sell. I want so badly for my art to financially sustain me, and I really hope 2007 is the year for all that to begin. Stemming off of that, I want to move out of my parents' house and, ideally, into that cute little place on Jefferson. I want to be able to take care of myself and my pets, on my own. I'd love for that to happen before I turn 21.

Now to the unrealistic, it'd-be-a-huge-miracle-if-this-happened thing. It is my biggest dream, my wildest dream, to become a movie and television actress. This isn't really a New Year's Resolution, but more like an old wish that's come back into my thoughts. I've been watching a lot of episodes of the ABC show Lost lately, and that's exactly the type of work I'd love to do. It's dirty, demanding, fun, and challenging. I love acting and I rarely get the opportunity to act here in my little midwestern town. Anyone reading this a talent agent??? *wink*

What are your resolutions for 2007? I'd love to hear them!