A Flashback

I was going through pictures on my computer and ran across this gem.  This picture was taken many many moons ago (late 2002 or early 2003 I think), and WOW has the office changed since then. When this picture was taken there were only four work areas in the room and the server for the meal plan system sat on a table next to my desk (which I'm almost certain caused some hearing damage).

Now the room is smurf blue, we have 5 work areas (trying to figure out how to add a sixth), and that pole in the middle of the room is gone. The cubicles are a bluish grey now instead of the brown-ish color in the picture.

Seeing this picture makes me think about how much some things change and others stay the same. For example, while I don't have the same "office" sweater in the picture, I do still have an "office" sweater, because this room can get crazy cold in the winter. And the meal plan system server is now under new management and lives somewhere else on campus now.

Also, Tony and I aren't so tight anymore. Seriously, a person can only scoop the litter box of a cat that size for so long before it puts a strain on the relationship. Know what I mean?

For Annette

I had planned to post something entirely different and a little lighthearted today.  I had even started writing the post, but then my day changed. This afternoon I found out that someone very dear to me had passed away, and it's appropriate that I write about her today because she always encouraged me to write.

Annette was my grandmother's best friend. They grew up together, their kids grew up together (in fact my grandma's oldest son married Annette's daughter) and their grand kids grew up together. We would have family reunions at Lester and Annette's farm by the lake. They would set aside a specific area for tents/campers and our families would spend the days in the lake and around tables loaded with food. At night we would gather around a campfire to roast marshmallows, while the younger generation listened to the older generations retell stories of the exploits of their wilder days.

When I started writing, Annette was always very supportive. The first time my work was published by my college's literary journal she was over the moon excited for me and requested that I make sure she got a copy (and a copy of each year's journal after that). Any time I saw her she would ask if I was still writing and if I ever said something that would imply that I wasn't writing a lot, she would shake her little fist at me and tell me that I better keep writing and not to waste my talent.

Even though it's been several years since I've seen Annette I will still miss her presence in the world. And so, I dedicate this month of posts the her.

Mmmm, pizza

If you knew that whatever you ate next would be your last meal, what would you want it to be?


For me it would be pizza. Preferably a Papa Murphy's cheese pizza on their thin crust with extra cheese. MMMM MMMM MMMM  Hot out of the oven, cooled down just enough so the cheese doesn't burn the roof of my mouth (because that would just ruin the whole thing and it's kind of tough to call a do over on your last meal).


I'd also have an ice cold A&W Cream Soda (or two) to wash it down and cupcakes (chocolate with thick frosting). Hey, it's my last meal, it doesn't have to be healthy!


What would you have for your last meal?

My Favorite Part about Writing

What's not to like about writing? Okay, I know there are many people out there that find writing very difficult, but for me, oh my, I do love it. I've been thinking about this for a bit and I've managed to narrow it down to just a few things:

1. It's therapeutic. For me, writing is the best form of therapy there is. I can honestly say that even though I don't use my bachelor's degree in Creative Writing in my "day job" much, getting that degree was the best therapy EVER. Through my writing classes I was able to process and let go of a lot of things about my childhood that I had kept inside for way too long. Are there things that I still have issues with? Oh sure, but they aren't eating me alive anymore. Phew! Best investment ever.

2. It's musical. I'm not going to be modest here, I totally sing like a ROCK STAR! But only when I'm in my car, alone, with the windows rolled up. If you were to catch me singing anywhere else, you would know that even though I love music, I am a horrible singer. I'm okay with that though. Even though God didn't give me the gift of a beautiful voice or the ability to play a musical instrument He did give me a love of rhythm and tempo and writing allows me to indulge in that love without hurting anyone else's ears.

3. It's outgoing. I am, by nature (and partially nurture), an introvert. Even though I love people it is often difficult for me to overcome my introvert-ness and be "out" there. Writing allows me the ability to be more extroverted and share myself with the world through blogging and writing in general.

So that's what I like most about writing. How about you? Anything you like about writing (your own or anyone else's)?

To read blogs by others participating in the NaBloPoMo November 2011 event click on the NaBloPoMo graphic to the left.

NaBloPoMo

That title is not a typo, and I'm not crazy (well, I'm mostly not crazy) either. The last couple of months have been incredibly busy for me at work and I've been terrible about blogging. When I came across this NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month) event I thought it was the perfect way to get me back on track!

So for the next month you can expect to see a post everyday. I'll probably rely on the daily prompts from the NaBloPoMo for many of the posts, but I'm excited to get back to writing on a regular basis. I'm so excited in fact that you may find me making a couple blog posts some days. We'll see how things go.