Okay, so, yeah. I have a FEW excuses. I’ve been incredibly absorbed in my A FEAR OF TEARS revision. So absorbed that I finished two weeks before my deadline (I’m wrapping up the copy edits now). And alright, my house has been kind of crazy. We’ve had guests staying for days at a time, I got new glasses, my twenty-one year old sister has been making more (highly welcomed!) appearances, the dogs are on crack, my younger brother (14) and sister (15) are as crazy as ever, it’s been cloudy, it’s been sunny, I was deathly ill for three days but found recovery…

See? A plethora of excuses.

But really… REALLY… I could have easily updated this poor dusty site amidst all the “turmoil”. And honestly, when is life not hectic? When are we not scrambling to stretch every last second of every last day? I guess the truth is that blogging has fallen beneath all of my real greater priorities.

Such as the AFOT revision, which I finished and am truly so proud of, or spending time with my family before I move 1000 miles away this January, and taking care of my body, or just simply enjoying the day I’m experiencing. Hell! If skimping out on blogging means a happier, more content life, then I’m going to skimp like a PRO. Because seriously, it’s been a beautiful month. And that’s what matters. Enjoying what I have, what I did do, rather then focusing on the things I didn’t. Like, er, blogging. Or making those appointments to see my hematologist and orthopedic and remembering to take all my damn medication.

Life isn’t about the endless lists of setbacks and forgotten To Do lists. It’s about the smiles we find within all of those cloudy (or in my typical case, hot) blistered days.

From the Montage at Laguna Beach, California – Featured in AFOT.

Anyhow, like I said I finished the A FEAR OF TEARS revision. I’m so pleased with my work. I finally can recognize that I have grown as a writer. I’m not sure what will happen with the manuscript – if it’ll finally be picked up, or if another revision will be needed, or if it’ll simply grow moldy in the back of my closet – but I’m proud of it. I know that I put my soul into the book, and that means so much to me.

Now I’m trying to figure out what direction I’m headed next in terms of writing. I believe a FALLING INTO YESTERDAY revision is in my near future, but I don’t want to start that until I receive my highly awaited “notes” from a Very Important Person. So, until then, I think I’ll read through the manuscript and let my mind brew. I need to figure out the sequel and clear a few questions up.

From the Montage at Laguna Beach, California – Featured in AFOT.

Whatever the case, life is good. I hope everyone has enjoyed their autumn so far! What are you all doing for Halloween? I MAY document my night, but we’ll see. All I have to say is that I’ll surely be rocking my wings.

Smile, smile, smile.

I always find it intriguing how holidays bring people together. Events like Independence Day are especially interesting to me.

My typically-empty neighborhood lake park area was transformed into a melting pot of friends and family, everyone joining together for a festival of music and laughter. Maybe I’m just cheesy (OK – I am), but it makes me spin when vast amounts of people unite in celebration. I didn’t even mind the plastic Orange County folk!

Just a tiny cluster of the large lake.

Anyhow, I’m just rambling. I’m off to go spend my last few days with my Quebecer (Quibecian? Je ne sais pas!) friend before she departs back to Canada. Don’t pass out in the summer heat!

Unfortunately I didn’t take a before photo and I wish I did, as this room went through quite the transformation. Plain beige walls, one single poster, a framed Mormonish photo on the wall, and a brown bed were its prior shame. It was the guest room and a boring one at that. The moment I walked through the door though, I let my energy flood the space!

So, welcome in. No shoes on the bed and please ask before removing a book.

So here is the place I attempt to sleep each night. If you know me well enough, you should understand my adoration for dark and soft colors. Somehow – don’t ask me how – I managed to convince my mom that a black wall would uplift me rather then cause depression. And honestly, I love the black. Absolutely love it. It’’s soothing and a wonderful break from the bright California sky.

Also, do note the photo of the Eiffel Tower on the wall. I took it myself in January 2008. I plan to hang another photo beside it, most likely of something scenic from Colorado Springs.

Here we have my library and office area! The books in in the shelf are about half of what I actually own, which is rather ridiculous, I know. I’ve been donating/selling old books all month, so I’m not THAT selfish! Half of the art on the walls is my own work and the other half are cheap, cheap pieces I’ve stumbled upon in France, Italy, and Spain. Now my desk… I’m in LOVE with the desk. I’m actually sitting at it now. I found this piece of beauty in the GOOD WILL pile on my front lawn last month and jumped at it. How could my foolish mother want to give away such a lovely piece of furniture? I don’t even know. But I moved it into my room that day.

If you noticed the teddy bears on my book shelf and desk, well… There’s a certain loving black lab who likes to carry my bears around the house. I keep those two safe from her though, as I’ve had them since my first hospital stay when I was six.

The purpose of this photo is to share the artifacts hanging from the fan. There dreamcatcher and nighttime wind chime are up there in honor and inspiration of FALLING INTO YESTERDAY, and to help bring peace. There is also a beautiful glass/steel fairy flying hidden somewhere in the photo. She was a gift from my elder sister, I gift I love greatly.

And… I”ll leave you with a photo of epic cuteness…

And then last week happened. Dalia and I skipped through the Bay Area and ran through the heavy clouds. And somehow, events fell into place and ideas were made. My calendar went from being blank and sad-looking to bright and happy.

I must admit, I’m quite pleased with all the days awaiting me. I have a multitude of bright events to look forward to, trips that get my blood pumping at the mere thought of them…

But wait, at that thought, I realize that I’m being ridiculous, because today was beautiful in itself. The last ten hours have been extraordinary in the absolute simplest way. I slept in late, wrote for a while, enjoyed a mug of tea, and then went for a two hour walk and found a lovely view of the bay. As the next three months literally become brighter with my thick sharpie writing, I only realize more and more that it’s not what you do, but how you go about doing it. A week can be free of writing, empty of plans, but it still has the chance to be the greatest week of your life.

Hell, what if you made every week the best week ever?

I don’t know. I’m rambling myself into a complete circle. My thoughts are everywhere today, loose and sprinting beyond my reach. The point of what I’m trying to say is simply that you can spend an entire day sick in bed, but that doesn’t mean the day is set in stone in its terror. It’s all about the perspective, all about the mindset.

Anyway, I fly down south to Long Beach tomorrow. A plan that was made only yesterday. It shall be a lovely week indeed.