Write.

With the encouragement of several new friends, all some type of writers, I have started putting together a book about my adventures. I have chapter titles, an almost completed intro and title. It's been a while since I was excited about a project I was working on, but this one is really near and dear to my heart. Perhaps it will only become an extended blog, but I am writing and I am loving it. It feels great to get emotions out into words. To be able to read them back and share my thoughts with someone. It can be the simplest thing that inspires me to get to work, but it's usually one of my writer friends asking, "What did you work on today?" The "peer pressure" and encouragement is amazing. And kind words from strangers when I post short stories or excerpts is the most flattering compliment one can receive. Some days, I sit at my desktop and I cannot think of a single sentence to write. Other days, there are words forming thoughts and sentences in my head so quickly, I have trouble getting them down on paper fast enough. Then in the middle of the night, I'll have an explosion of thoughts and have to get up to write. And I seem to only be able to do productive writing if there is music or television on in the background...multitasking ;) The worst is when I'm stuck in traffic and my brain tells me, "Oooh!! Let's write about...." I'm now in the habit of carrying notecards or pads of paper and pen with me everywhere I go...in my purse, my gym bag, the car. My goal is to have things complete by the end of summer. I am hopeful I'll have landed at least a part time job by then, so I'll have less free time to do writing and editing. And I know some of what I write will offend some. Most will find the humor in it. If you've heard some of my stories about online dating, you will appreciate the details and possible photos (with faces blurred out of course). It just seems like it's been a whole lifetime I've lived in the past several months. Oh, such a learning experience it has been! But alas, there have been several wonderful people I have become friends with...a few a little more than friends, which I am so grateful to have in my life. And the singles group I have recently joined is an adventure all on its own that will fill many chapters! My attitude lately has been, "Don't ask questions you really don't want to hear the answers to and don't read what I write if you are easily offended/turned off...don't...just don't." I am blessed to have loving friends who "get it" and support me. I love you guys!...you know who you are ;) I love getting texts from a particular writer friend I'm sort of seeing...he asks, "So, what are the weirdoes in cyber world bothering you with today?" The biggest critics/haters are always the ones who are unhappy with what they've got going on in their lives...or don't have. Life is too short. Do stuff that will make you happy!!

I love it when....

I love it when I wake up in the morning with nothing planned and I get an unexpected phone call from someone anxious to see me and catch up on life. I love it when I feel comfortable enough to fall asleep in someone's arms, without a care in the world and they fall asleep holding me. I love it when someone smiles when they take the first bite of a meal I've prepared for them or they let out a sigh of contentment as they finish it. I love it when I wake up to messages asking how I slept and wishing me a wonderful day. And the goodnight conversations wishing me sweet dreams just as I fall asleep. I love it when I find time to say or do something to let someone know I care. And when gratitude is shown back to me in a kind gesture or words. I love it when someone is shocked that I remember a simple little detail about what's going on in their life. And when I see the smile on their face when they excitedly tell me all about it. I love it when I find someone I trust whole heartedly with myself, completely. And when that person opens up to me and proves they trust me in return, after telling me they rarely trust at all. I love it when someone tells me I'm beautiful, even if it's just in their eyes. And I feel the sincerity and believe them. I love it when a dear friend stops by to cheer me up when I'm having a bad day/week. And we sit and chat, ending up laughing til our bellies ache and tears are rolling down our cheeks. I love it when a friend introduces you to their circle of friends and suddenly you have a new family who accepts and loves you like one of their own.  I love it when I look over at someone I care about and they're already looking at me. I love it when I'm thinking about someone random during the day. And then I get a text or call from that person telling me they were thinking about me. I love it when you chat with someone on-line or over the phone for weeks, getting to know them. And then you meet face to face and it's like running into an old friend you've known for years.  I love it when I get to spend quality time with someone I love. And we end up having the best time doing absolutely nothing, just being together. I love it when my canine kids snuggle next to me on the couch and they don't mind my cold feet. I love it when I put my heart and soul into a project and I finally get done, able to look upon something with pride and joy. I love it when spring arrives and I can sleep with the windows and doors open at night. And there is the delicate perfume of roses and jasmine in the air. I love it when the thoughts swirling in my head are able to get out through my keyboard or pen. And I can read those thoughts back, anytime I want. I love it when life is good. And it just keeps getting better.

45 things to let go of before your next birthday

This is NOT my own writing. It was compiled by someone I follow on-line...but I thought it was lovely and wanted to share it with you all. Enjoy!! 1. Let go of the baggage you know you need to leave behind. Be wiser and realize what you need and what you need to leave behind. 2. Let go what isn't helping your soul smile and grown. Life is to be enjoyed, not endured. Follow your own path. Make yourself smile. 3. Let go of feeling like you aren't making progress fast enough. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you're still way ahead of everyone who isn't trying. 4. Let go of the idea that you have too much to lose. You won't regret the things you've done nearly as much as the things you didn't do when you had the chance. 5. Let go of worrying about everyone else's opinions of YOUR life. When writing the story of your life, don't let someone else hold the pen. 6. Let go of your tendency to avoid problems. You can never change what you refuse to confront. 7. Let go of all your empty complaints. If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think/feel about it. 8. Let go of the excuses. If you really want something, you'll find a way. If you don't want it, you'll find an excuse. 9. Let go of making the same mistakes over and over. You can't make the same mistake twice. The second time you make that mistake, it's a choice. 10. Let go of the fantasy of perfection. If you want to be good at something, let go of the notion it has to be perfect. Replace it with the notion of endless, playful exploration. 11. Let go of believing the best is behind you. Your life isn't behind you; your memories are. Your life is always right here, right now. Seize it! Choose to let each of your experiences today be a gateway to an every better tomorrow. 12. Let go of thinking you should always get what you want. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. 13. Let go of the notion that life is fair. If you expect the world to be fair, you're fooling yourself. That's like expecting a lion not to eat you because you didn't eat him. 14. let go of thinking others have it better than you. Truthfully, nobody has it easy; everybody has issues. If everybody threw their problems in a pile for you to see, you would likely grab yours back in a heartbeat. 15. let go of the expectations that are holding you back. The quality of your life is always 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it. 16. Let go of thinking there is a perfect time. You can't keep waiting for the perfect moment--it doesn't exist. You must dare to do it today because life is too short to wonder what could have been. 17. Let go of the need to always be comfortable. If you want to make an impact, big or small, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. All growth begins at the end of your comfort zone. 18. Let go of thinking you need to know everything first. You don't have to have it all figured out to move forward. Just do the best you can until you know better. When you know better, do better. 19. Let go of the "all or nothing" mentality. Appreciate the grey areas between success and failure - the journey and experience. Never let success get to your head or failure to get to your heart. 20. Let go of your mistakes. Don't carry your mistakes around with you. Instead, place them under your feet and use them as stepping stones. 21. Let go of excessive worrying. Worrying doesn't take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace and potential. Stop overthinking everything. Life is too short. 22. Let go of wanting stuff you don't need. Don't think of cost, think of value. Remember, it is always easier to find wealth by needing less instead of making more. 23. Let go of your ungrateful thoughts. Happiness never comes to those who don't appreciate what they have. So, be thankful today. Life is not perfect, it's just pretty darn good! 24. Let go of all your reasons to be unhappy. Stop looking for reasons to be unhappy. Focus on the things you do have and the reasons you should be happy. Positivity changes everything. 25. Let go of any hypocrisy. For instance, don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines. 26. Let go of the emotions that often get the best of you. Stay strong, even when if feels like things are falling apart. Take control of your emotions before they take control of you. 27. Let go of your temper. Never do something permanently foolish just because you are temporarily upset. 28. Let go of ugly words. Saying someone is ugly does not make you any prettier. 29. Let go of your superficial judgments. We meet no ordinary people in our lives. If you give them a chance, everyone has something amazing to offer. 30. Let go of trying to change others. For the most part, you can't change people and you shouldn't try. Either you accept who they are or you choose to live without them. 31. Let go of being "too busy" to show your love. Loyalty is hard to find. Trust is easy to lose. Actions speak louder than words. Tell your loved ones you love them every day, and prove it. 32. Let go of one-sided relationships. If someone truly cares about you, they won't make you feel like you need to constantly fight for their attention. 33. Let go of those who have never been there for you. Remember, it's during the toughest times of your life that you'll get to see the true colors of the people who say they care about you. 34. Let go of negative influences. You can't expect to feel good if you surround yourself with negativity. Be with those who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you. 35. Let go of ALL the self-hate. Love yourself!! Forgive yourself!! Accept yourself!! 36. Let go of trying to be someone else. Someone will always be prettier. Someone will always be smarter. Someone will always be younger. But they will never be YOU. And that makes you awesome. 37. Let go of the things people say about you Try not to take things other people say about you too personally. What they think and say is a reflection of them, not you. 38. Let go of putting everyone else's needs in front of your own. Give as much as you can, but don't allow yourself to be used. Listen to others closely, but don't lose your own voice. 39. Let go of needing everyone to like you. Everyone doesn't need to like you. But remember, just because some people don't seem to care for you, doesn't mean you should forget about everyone else who does. 40. Let go of changing just to impress others. Don't ever change just to impress someone else. Change because it makes you a better person and leads you to a brighter, happier future. 41. Let go of life's little annoyances. Don't let dumb things break your happiness. True wealth is the ability to experience and appreciate each moment for what it's worth. 42. Let go of yesterday. Don't let yesterday steal your present. Don't judge yourself by your past; you don't live there anymore. Let go, grow and move forward. 43. Let go of thinking that giving up means failure. Giving up and moving on are two very different things. 44. Let go of the idea that it's too late to start over. Remember, it's always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than the top of the one you don't. 45. Let to of any lies you've heard that you aren't attractive enough. More women worldwide are suffering from anorexia and bulimia than are fighting breast cancer. Love yourself the way you are. You are already beautiful!