2013 In Review

Went to several friends weddings.

Completed my second Tough Mudder with my mom.

I got to play in bouncy castles with two Green Bay Packers.

Went deer hunting with my dad.

Completed 2 more semesters of Grad School with a current GPA of 3.62.

Worked on editing and writing my books. 

It was a pretty decent year. 

Here's to 2014!

Evaluate Your Life

Today is evaluate your life day. This day could be scary for some, but how else can you make sure that you are on the right track. My life right now boils down to several things: friends/family, writing/editing, school, training, and work (changing in order from day to day and hour to hour).

First of all, my family and friends are important to me. Once a week I like to drop my Oma an email telling her about anything exciting that happened or just how my week was. I grew up living next to my Oma and Opa and as a kid would always run next door after school and these little emails are still my way of running next door to them after school. Another one is my best friend, Laura. Although we haven't lived close to each other for several years, we still text and email about problems and our days and happy moments and have the occasional phone call that lasts at least an hour.

Second thing in my life is my writing and editing. I'm currently editing another book to be published with the help of friends and family, after having read it over several times myself. I'm also working on and planning another book that I'm going to write for this years NaNoWriMo. I love writing. It gives me a chance to be different people and to not be interrupted.

School is of course a big part of my life right now as I'm in grad school. To those that are currently in grad school or have been in grad school, you know what I'm talking about. Also with school I'm the Criminal Justice Student Association President where I get to talk to federal agents (yes, I have some awesome contacts in federal agencies) and arrange speakers and tours for the members.

Training is another big part of my life. I would say working out, but training sounds better for one, and training means that there is a goal that you want to accomplish at the end. For me, I'm training for my third Tough Mudder in 323 days.

Finally work. Last week I was promoted of sorts to House Management Supervisor. Basically meaning I get to do a little more work. 

All in all, I love my life even with all of my weird medical stuff that has been going on this year. Yes, sometimes it's a bit stressful and challenging, but if it's not challenging, is it really worth it?
So, evaluate your life today. If you find that you don't like a specific thing, then ask yourself why and don't be afraid to make some changes for the better. 

That Moment

Yesterday I finished my first semester of grad school. I had one exam, two papers and a presentation all for two classes but overall it was a really good first semester. I stayed up late last night and slept in this morning until 9, it was wonderful. 

Now I figure with all this extra time on my hands not having to do homework (more like having said homework out while playing computer games or watching TV) I figured I could start editing my novel that I finished in November. I opened the first draft when my computer started and there it sits. Staring at me. Looking me up and down thinking that I am a joke. It's almost worse than having that blank page in front of you, thoughts in your head but no idea how to transform them into pictures that the reader creates, the blinker intimidating you, saying that -you- can't do it. That you don't dare put words to the page, ink on the paper, to show how stupid you could actually be. That was nothing. 

Since then I've forgotten about several of the points of the story. Some parts vanish like a dream after waking up. It has changed in my head how I preserve it. Now I have to go back and make those changes. The words that I hastily wrote down to reach that 50,000 word mark. Now it's time to see if I really have what it takes. To read my novel and go on it's journey into the deep words where I hope my flashlight battery won't die on me. It's time to edit...or take out the trash. :)