The A to Z Blogging Challenge

My friend Corinne O'Flynn convinced me to join Tossing it Out's A to Z Blogging Challenge. The challenge is to post each day in April, except Sundays, using the "letter of the day" to theme your post. Considering how often I've been updating my blog lately, I hope it make it to C... LOL

Everything happens for a reason

I am a huge believer in Fate or Destiny or perhaps more specifically (vaguely?) that everything happens for a reason. Yes, Corinne, I know you don't like that saying but I think it fits and I forget how you put it :)

A few seemingly unrelated things seem to be happening around me right now. I starting using Twitter in December, at least partially because of work. Through Twitter I've made some new friends, most especially Corinne who I have so much in common with it's almost frightening. To top it off, lo and behold she's a writer.

Did you know I once fancied myself to be a writer? In fact, it's been my lifelong dream. One of my goals in life was to be a published author... by the time I was 30. I'll be 40 in a month and all I have to show for it is a half-finished manuscript I wrote almost a decade ago.

Maybe you fell into my life, Corinne, to push me back on that path? I inspired someone to write once and ironically my awe at how well he wrote stymied my own writing. I actually had an active following for my story - I posted it as I wrote it to a bulletin board. And then one day I stopped writing and apparently that was that.

Now that I've finished school I don't have a ready excuse anymore not to get back to writing. I think I'll look into joining the A-Z Blogging Challenge to get my creative juices flowing again. I have lots to write about, and a "heart story" to tell, I just need to buckle down and chase my dreams - it seems to be in fashion this year.

So anyways, my muse - Corinne - awarded me a Blog Award today! As you can see, she's a very clever muse, what better way to get me writing again?

Thank you Corinne, for giving me a kick in the ass, even if you didn't know you were or that I needed one. You can find Corinne's blog here, at www.corinneoflynn.com. Yes, she's so cool she has her own domain name. :)

As part of accepting this award, I have to share seven things about myself. I'll not copy and paste Corinne's list here, although I could with few edits, so as not to appear too much like a fan girl or copy cat.

1. I collect books and stuffed animals. At the risk of psychoanalysing myself here, I grew up an only child who moved around about every two years. I carried around a teddy bear with me for at least part of my freshman year in high school. Shockingly I was not all that popular. Thus some of my best friends, if not stuffed, could be found within the pages of the books I read and collected. I think that's why I am so fond of series books, I get to spend more time with my friends through them.

2. I am the most outgoing shy person you will ever meet. Because we moved around so much when I was growing up I had to learn how to insert myself into social situations, and I can, but at heart I'm very shy.

3. As I mentioned, I've always been a writer, just not a very dedicated one the last several years. In my defense, I have been rather busy these last few years.

4. I am a total geek. I love technology, computers, gaming and gadgets of all shapes, sizes and functions. I have a computer, a laptop, an iPod and an iPad - and I'm not sure how I could function without all of them.

5. I used to dance in a cage upstairs at a bar called Yo Mama's in New Orleans. Not for profit, but because I loved doing it. I was divorced, I smoke, drank, was in damn good shape and I had the time of my life. No, I didn't strip. If you're ever in New Orleans check out Yo Mama's they have best burgers and baked potatoes in the city, they're right off Bourbon Street and upstairs there's a smoky little bar with a cage at one end of the room. It's very empowering. I highly recommend it, especially if you're trying to rebuild your life, self-esteem and physique. ;)

6. I am a breast cancer survivor. If you peruse my blog you'll find it peppered with stories about my experience. I had quite possibly the best experience one could ever hope for with cancer. That being said, I'd rather not do it again. I go again in April for my annual "let's hope it's not back" series of tests. This June will be my 4th anniversary from diagnosis. My daughter will also be 4 that month. Yes, I was pregnant when I was diagnosed.

7. Although I started college right out of high school, I just earned my Bachelor's in Business Administration last October. I will walk in May of this year. It wasn't all laziness on my part that it took me so long. Every time I started school some dramatic, life-changing event would come along to knock me off course.

Ok, enough about me, let's talk about you! As part of this award I get to hand out five of my own!

A very dear friend of mine, Elizabeth, writes a lovely blog she calls Lizzy Writes. Her blog is so well put together and just plain perfect that you may not want to visit it if you're prone to blog envy. In addition to being an excellent and inspiring writer, she's also an excellent cook and often shares recipes.

I tripped over It's like I'm Mmmagic... about a year or so ago. I don't know Brandy, the author, but her blog has really touched me several times. Sometimes she makes me laugh out loud and sometimes she brings me to tears. She's been going through a hard time lately and has blogged about it. It's very moving. She also posts anonymous notes from her readers in what she calls "the secret project". It's a way for people to share their secrets, and often get feedback. It's often hilarious, sometimes sad and always entertaining. Brandy writes like I think... if that makes any sense.

Thinking Too Hard is a blog I only recently started following, but it's very well written. It's also heavy on my mind tonight because of her most recent post - This is not allowed. I've been there. I love that she uses music like I do. I don't compose it, I use it to heal my soul and to bolster it when it's pulled down.

Then there's Clever Girl Goes Blog, as her tagline says "sarcasm never looked so good". Her posts are often laugh out loud funny and drip sarcasm - which I find utterly endearing. I've been lurking, reading her blog for at least a year, probably longer. Highly recommended.

And last, but not least, is Corinne's Blog - Inside Looking Out. Corinne's posts are always entertaining and witty. If you like me at all, you'll love her. She's the me I'm still trying to be.

Funny, I only actually know one of these fine ladies, but they have all touched my life in one way or another. Compared to their blogs, mine really isn't anything super special and, as I mentioned, is sadly neglected. But now that I have a muse again, maybe we can fix that.

Thank you for dropping by!