Life update!

What happens between the days of childhood, when you know what you want to be, and the days of today, when you still are trying to decide, but you're already working 8-5 plus have a second job on the weekends, wondering what else you want in your life?

Seriously. I don't know.

To be completely honest with you, I never fully knew what I wanted to do. I didn't know what I wanted to major in, in college. I still don't know what, if I ever do, I'd like to go to grad school for.

I stumbled across my own blog today, with a sort of, "oh, that's right...I used to write in this" attitude. Sort of like "oh, I used to write fiction." Used to.

When I was a little girl, I told my mom I wanted to be, among other things, a mermaid and a ballerina. (Can you tell I liked swimming and dancing? And, if you remember I was a child born in the eighties and grew up with Ariel, you might add in singing.) Later, after realizing I liked to draw, I decided I wanted to be an artist. When I realized I was not very good, I decided I wanted to write. I liked reading, after all! Then in college, where I had no real plan, I decided to major in everything that I enjoyed.

What's the key here? Everything I enjoyed.

I am no ballerina. I still love to dance...I teach Zumba and social dance. I don't write fiction much anymore...although I still make up stories for myself. I keep hoping to get back to it. And today, with the help of my majors, which I enjoy, I write for a special program on one of our local radio channels--at least, time to time. I teach two kids Latin, one of my favorite subjects. Heck, I work at a museum. Every day.

I didn't write my novel masterpiece. I forget about done of the little things and side hobbies. But I have to be me. You have to be you. We have to be who we are.

Am I happy? I think I am. And when that changes, I'll be on to the next thing. You can't live well if you hate your work, ugh ink. I take that to heart.

But you also can't hate yourself for not living up to your dreams. One must make their dreams their own.

I'm glad I have this little blog to return to. No matter how far one strays, the blogosphere remains.

I took a break.

I took a break from writing my blog. It seems like I did so just yesterday. More than a year later, this is my first post back. I have tons of excuses, most of them dealing with me not having time, but I'm just going to keep them to myself. I'm also not going to make promises about being on here more regularly. But I am back.

And I'm using this post to congratulate my good friend Amalia, (most of you know her) who is going to be published!

What most of you don't know is that Amalia and I have known each other for a long time. We went to college together--took a writing class together--studied Latin together. And as we've grown away from our college years, I've watched as her writing has grown more honed, more concise, and more beautiful (don't get me wrong--it was great to begin with!). She's creative, clever, and has worked hard for this. Please, hop on over to her blog and give her the virtual high-five, hug or other acknowledgement you believe in. She totally deserves this.

Amalia is an inspiration to me, and keeps me thinking and hoping that someday I might have some form of success, too. She makes me want to apply myself more, and keeps me linked to the world of writing and blogging, the latter especially a world which I feel often eludes me. She makes it seem so easy! I always feel like I have nothing to share. Or, when I do have something to share, I write it out in my head--and then forget to pour out the words. She just writes it right away, and her voice comes through all of her work.

So, cheers, Amalia...I'm so proud of you. Way to go....I can't wait to get a copy of your book!

Sarah :)

Bad, bad, bad. Plus books. And Harry. Yay!

Bad me. Posting little teasers, promising more content, and then not fulfilling those promises. I'm a bad blogger...not on purpose! I have the best intentions. Life just gets in the way, sometimes.  Especially now, this summer. I've been gardening, working, working at my other job, writing some, but not enough, and definitely not enough fiction...I've been trying to read more, trying to hang out with friends more. Something has to give, and I'm afraid it's usually this dear little blog, with all of you dear readers.

But. I digress.

One of my goals, as listed above, is to read more. I miss the act of reading, and I feel like I'll grow stale if I don't do something about it. So I decided to go into my mini library*** and just start at the very beginning. (A very good place to start.) I have my books alphabetical, so I grabbed the first one.

My thought was to review each book here for you, as I read it. But I didn't do that. I finished the first one, and just started the second one, which is a compilation of six books. And it's going to take me a while to go through it all. But I'll *try* to keep you all posted. :)

First up was "Things Fall Apart," by Chinua Achebe. We read it in high school, and I found it at our local library book sale (a fantastic, twice-a-year event). I wanted to read it again--it's set in Africa, and like the title suggests, things do not go well. I'd have a better review for you, if this wasn't such a random entry. But alas, I don't, and it is.

The next book, the compilation of six, is by Douglas Adams! That's right, I am finally reading (and loving) "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"! Awesome, awesome book.

I think I have Louisa May Alcott next. We'll see.

In other news, Harry Potter Movie 7 part 2 is coming out!! And I'm going to be there at midnight-oh-one! I started reading Harry when he came out in the US, and I'm doing this for his sake, and for my own. So, enjoy sleeping, you muggles!

***Warning! I think I have a somewhat eclectic taste in books, movies, and music. That just may come out in these reviews. Consider yourself warned.

Oh, Community!

Some of my favorite things, I started off severely disliking.

I don't know why, exactly. But it's true. Sort of like burning your tongue when you take a bite of something just out of the oven. It may be delicious later, but that first bit is more pain than pleasure.

That was the case for the TV show Community.

I saw the pilot episode, and I thought--wow, this looks stupid. And predictable. I don't think I'll watch this again.

I caught part of the epic paintball episode from Season 1, two episodes from the end, and suddenly, that was it--I was hooked. It's one of my favorite tv shows, now. And, this last Thursday, they showed a second part to a follow-up paintball episode for season 2.

This show has a lot of inside jokes, but a lot of it is funny if you haven't seen it before, either. Plus, it's just awesome, epic-y-ness. Not a jot of it, in my mind, is predictable. Not in the ways you'd expect. Seriously.

And who could hate something that so beautifully mixes paintball and Star Wars?

Go. Watch it.

Busy, busy, busy!

Sometimes I just can't help but think of the magician on the TV special "Frosty the Snowman." And not because it's been off and on cold amidst the few, true spring days. It's because I just love the way he says he's busy. Seriously--we've all been there, right?

So, anyway...needless to say--I've been busy. Do I always start my blog posts off with that little excuse? I swear it's true. Easter, preparations, work, etc. A little writing--a little reading--a little cooking. (I just got a VitaMix--super expensive blender-times-five-thousand, but super-worth it!) Singing in church, playing bells (I'm just learning, so it's not the greatest. Trust me)...and a few other writing projects on the side.

I was so tired on Saturday, I almost couldn't will myself to take my contacts out and go to bed. I felt like I had passed out from exhaustion on my couch. Yech.

Tomorrow (or the next day, depending on how busy tomorrow is), I want to share one of the projects. But for now, I want to just relax. I'm watching "Meet the Robinsons," which I love (and haven't seen in ages), thinking about some of my short stories, and imagining what sort of smoothie I will attempt to make for breakfast. Maybe there will even be some time for Yoga! Oh, let's not get too wild and crazy, though. After all, it's been a busy day.