Fall is approaching..

And with it, the Fall 2010 Semester. I love Fall, but I don't look forward to going back to college already. At least I have my schedule made...

Creative Writing - MWF - 9:00 - 9:50 am
Intro to Cinema - TR - 9:30 - 10:45 am
Painting I - Tues. - 6:30 - 9:10 pm
Beginning Photography - Thurs. - 6:30 - 9:10 pm
Wellness I - Whenever I want to go in.
Intro to Astronomy - Telecourse

Really, it could be worse. It sounds A LOT better than my previous two schedules. And with what spare time I hope to have in between classes, I can still get my writing and stuff done, versus having very little free time during the day to write like my previous two semesters. So, maybe this is a step in the right direction in terms of proper writerly time management?

I guess we'll see at the start of the semester, won't we?


~Angel

Alive again.

For the first time in a while now, I don't feel like I'm about to die. I mean, I'm in A LOT of pain. I'm missing a chunk of mouth -- two teeth, some skin/gums -- and I've got stitches. But the way I feel now compared to how I felt before.. It's already a little better. I felt like I was seriously dying before, because the infection was so bad and spreading. It was like the antibiotics just couldn't make it stop. I had fevers, pain, blood and dying tissue. I was dehydrated and my muscles ached. It really started to scare me when I got a neverending headache, felt physically weaker than usual, saw some of the black dying skin spreading, and started to have stomach pains.
I really thought there was nothing I could do to stop myself from dying.
Then yesterday was procedure two, of course. It was horrible, and like I said, I've got a hole in my mouth, and I felt horrible all day yesterday. But they got fluids and food in me, painkillers, and antibiotics. I slept off and on all day. Held gauze in my mouth whenever I was awake because of the bleeding.
Yet, today it's totally worth it. I feel just a little better, which is a miracle to me since I hadn't done anything but get progressively worse. I have a little energy, I can eat soft stuff, my headache is gone, and my fever broke. I can feel it, I'm gonna get better.
And one more procedure next tuesday, plus removing my stitches, and I'll be all set. I can heal, get all better, and move on with my life.
I'm ready to get back on track -- back to losing weight the healthy way (versus this whole, you know, refusing to eat thing), back to writing like a mad woman and pursuing that dream of mine, back to seeing my friends and letting them know just how much they really mean to me--

And definitely, I'm ready to be back to living.


~Angel

Back on Track

I feel like I'm literally writing to save my life.

With how sick I've been lately, writing really is my best escape. For that amount of time, there is something to dream about, some other life to deal with, someone else to be. I don't have to worry about whether or not this will all turn out okay for me. All I have on my mind is revisions, notes, characters, ideas -- getting done with this WIP finally and taking myself somewhere.

And when I'm not working on the WIP, I'm working on other stuff that'll still aid me in my dream. Like review work, articles, short fiction -- stuff to get my name out there. To get me some publication credit.

But writing will always be, above all else, my escape. If my dream never comes true, or it isn't a super successful career - well, it'll suck, but it won't be the end of the world. Writing is still my passion, my medicine, my life support. I'll always write for me, even if no one else in the entire world gets to read a word of it.

So, now I slave over the WIP, which is in the middle of revisions at 38,000 words. I have a feeling that this book will be THE ONE. I just know, somewhere inside me. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not. We'll see though, won't we?

Instead of talking about writing, I'm going to go do some.

~Angel

No One Can Beat Me Now

All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by nightin the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.

-T.E. Lawrence

My life has been something of a constant challenge; overcome one obstacle, only to have two new challenges twice as difficult be thrown in my path. I won't get into the details, but it's been the embodiment of the quote "What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger." In 20 years, I've went through several horrible experiences, a lot of which other people have encountered. The difference is that these people tend to only experience one or two of these things, where I had experienced several by age fifteen. And for the longest time, I kept them all bottled up, refusing to talk about them or accept they happed -- because that's what I was taught to do.

I've been falling apart at the seams this year, my demons finally getting the upperhand. I'm used to dusting myself off and picking up whatever is left, but the past few months it seems like I can't even get myself back up before I'm hit again. By June 23rd this year, the five year mark since my best friend Eric died, I was fighting a losing battle to keep myself. I felt like some other person was pulling the strings. I didn't live; I existed.

After leaving the cemetery on the 23rd, I felt a strange sort of calm start to set in and replace the constant ache in my chest. A part of me worried that it was a sign I was about to die -- I had the first of three procedures in my mouth to correct whatever has been going on in my jaw. It hit me -- what if I have an allergic reaction to the anesthetic? what if they slip up and do something wrong? what if I stop breathing?

The night before, I felt so inexplicably calm.

Obviously, I'm still here. Granted, there is a nasty infection, a lot of bleeding and swelling. I have antibiotics and my second procedure is on Tuesday. But I'm drifting from my original point...

I mentioned to my mom how much I missed my (deceased) friend Eric's family, since we drifted apart after he died. Then I ran into her last week. We talked -- I showed her my tattoo dedicated to Eric and she cried. Then I learned something - she never goes to the cemetery anymore. Hasn't since the week after they buried him. And then she asked if I've ever went back.

I smiled and said, "All the time. Definitely every year on June 23rd. I stay and talk to him a while." She almost started to cry again when she said she's just not strong enough.

Later that evening, other aspects of my life started to fall apart, and to my surprise I felt that calm come over me again. I couldn't figure out how I was fighting off my depression, but I let the calm stay and keep my head clear.

It was the next day that I was listening to a CD I just bought -- one of mine an Eric's favorite artists -- that had came out the 22nd. The CD seemed dedicated to the artists drastic change in his life since he felt his deceased best friend warn him about the direction his life was heading in.

And the more attention I paid to the lyrics, to his story, the more I started to realize little strange things that had happened to me during some of my hardest times over the past five years. Strange things that seemed eerily connect to Eric. The newest being the strange calm, and seeing his mom.

I started crying... It hit me like a sack of bricks to my face -- as crazy as it sounds --

Eric is still with me, still guiding me, in spirit anyway. And this was the only way he could get me to see that my life has gone off track, that I've been letting myself down, when really I'm strong enough to overcome anything. He had to make me calm so I could see clearly, he had to show me how strong I am by showing me how everyone else is taking his passing.

I've spent so long now hating myself for being alive. I've been plagued with guilt and hate that wouldn't let me live my life since he couldn't. Eric's passing has been my weakness, when his memory should've acted as my strength. Instead of dwelling on the fact that I couldn't save him or exchange places with him, I'm focused on celebrating his memory and living for the both of us.

How does ANY of this apply to anyone else? Why am I posting it on my writing blog?

Eric was ALWAYS one of my biggest supporters. He'd listen to me read my stories to him, he'd be honest with what he thought, and he'd tell me that I needed to be a writer before I ever thought I could obtain such a dream.

So, I've got the message loud and clear -- Get back to living. Accomplish those dreams.

And I plan to. I'm too strong to let anyone or anything stand in my way now. Including myself.

I'm back, ladies and gents.

And to end this on a much more pleasant note:

MY VERY FIRST IN-PRINT ARTICLE IS OUT!

Issue #3 of Ax Wound (http://www.axwoundzine.com/) features an article by yours truly on page 90, not to mention a photo I took on page 44. This is pretty big to me, since in this very same issue is also an interview with THE Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel, Inglorious Basterds)

Success if it is to be meaningful must be a personal thing.

-Howard Whitman

So feel free to order, lovelies, and cheer me on. This is a step in the right direction --

Nothing can stop me now.

~Angel

Braaaaaains!...

I have returned, like a zombie fresh out of the grave. But unlike a zombie, I'm alive and kicking (which doesn't explain this odd craving for brains..) Things in my personal life became sort of... chaotic... the past few months. Holidays, relationship troubles, computer crash, college, medical issues... Really, I'm grateful I'm here right now.

So, I'm fixing up the ol' blog and giving it the love it deserves -- as well as posting again regularly for my loyal readers. I've been away far too long, lovelies, and for that I do apologize.

Try to keep up with me -- this place is going to make a comeback, with more life than ever!

Let me know what you think of the changes, and I'll have a better post up tomorrow. I crave your opinions, just like I crave those tasty, tasty brains..

~Angel

Playing Catch-Up

With my internet life, that is.

I just finished up my very first semester of college, ladies and gents. You know that this means? Yup. I now have a month off to write and write and... oh yeah, WRITE. I have a WIP to tidy up and send to agents. =]

But, along with finishing the WIP and attempting to hammer out a rough draft of ANOTHER story, I am also going to catch up and hopefully get ahead in my blogging type things. Like, I have some pre-planned blogs for this blog (not a bunch, really, except maybe in Feb.) and attempting to get WAY ahead on my review blog, which needs lots of TLC from me.

So, I'll be around more. A lot of the time, I'll be playing catch-up.

~Angel

The Newest Member of the Family

World -- I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of my family -- Saffron Emer.

Saffron was originally taken from her litter by a family that couldn't afford her because she, as well as the other pups, weren't being treated.. well, we'll just say they weren't being properly cared for. The family that took her and one of her brothers in, however, couldn't afford nor did they have time to take care of both pups. This is where, a lot of the time, someone at my house is contacted. This time, it was me. And I have a hard time saying no, especially to a little one in need. She was skinny, dirty, and covered in fleas, but I didn't care. I knew she needed someone to love her.

Saffron came to live with me on Friday, and she's been a perfect fit to our crazy house. Taylor and I had to spend some time bathing her and getting every single flea off of her. We fed her a gave her attention that she desperately wanted. She's pretty small, maybe a little bigger than an adult chinchilla. She's full of energy, adventurous, and LOVES her momma (aka, me). She stays upstairs in my room, because she's too small to leave downstairs with the others. And she might, you know, get lost. So, when I'm home, she's at my heels. When I leave, I put her in my bathroom -- which is the biggest in the house and is currently puppy proof and rather nice for a pup's place. She sleeps on her puppy bed in my bathroom, too. My room isn't quite ready yet for a puppy to play in there safely as I sleep -- but by some time this week, she'll end up being curled up in my bed where she always wants to be. =]

I've always wanted to run or help an official No Kill Shelter for animals. When I was young, that's what I wanted to do. I would drag in stays and hurt animals all the time -- it's a wonder my mom didn't kill me! -- but the habit has yet to change.

Since I've moved to our new house, complete with it's 18 acres, this has been a little easier on us space wise. The wild animals (like the turtles I get off the highway occasionally) can go out in the woods. Then there's loads of room for the dogs that sleep outside in the barn or in their pens. And then, there's the inside dogs -- otherwise known as the Goof Troop or Troublesome Trio (well, until Saffron came along). That's Kikyo, Tristan, and Logan -- of the three, Logan is the only one that we didn't willingly bring to live with us. He was a rescue stray pup himself.

Granted, it gets pretty stressful, and sometimes people make me feel pretty bad for having so many -- like I'm doing something bad or trashy by letting animals take up more time than other aspects of my life. "It's a lot to handle", they tell me -- as though I don't already know -- "Do you really think you can care properly for them all?" And of course, I know I can. We've had people come out and check them out to make sure they are all good. We were thanked at our old town because we were keeping a lot of strays from being put down by getting put in the pound. Sure, not all of our dogs have gotten spayed or neutered yet, but we're working on it. And, if by some chance, one gets pregnant, we care for the pups until they are old enough to find new homes, and then take them to said new homes, usually with a towel or blanket and some puppy food to help out the new family. To me, it's more than having a bunch of pets -- it's adding to my family and giving them love when no one else could.

---

Well, I hope you liked this post, and I hope it gave you some insight into my life outside of writing and college. Not to mention -- isn't Saffron just the SWEETEST?!?

~Angel