IN MEMORIAM

This post is dedicated solely to my dearest Annabelle who passed away Monday morning, April 23rd. She passed on peacefully, simply falling to sleep and leaving this world. She was a good thirteen years old, so I understand that she was old, and I understand the she was slowing down and that it was her time, but I will miss her.

Annabelle has been my only dog. I raised her from an adorable roadside puppy to the incredible loyal companion that she became. She followed me all over the property, across the fields, down the trail, to the neighbors houses... she always wanted to be by my side to guard me. She was simply amazing.

One of the last times I went home, I went over and spent about an hour at my aunt's (she lives on the road and we live in the middle of nowhere in the woods of Mississippi) and Annabelle sat at the top of my aunt's driveway, waiting for me to come back. I couldn't be mad at her. She just wanted to be with me to protect me. She did this all the time. She would even go to the blueberry farm next door in the summer, because she knew I went there every day to work, when the weather got bad if no one was home. She wanted me for comfort.

I could go on to tell you every story I remember with her, the good and the not-so-good, and share all the precious memories that I will forever hold dear. She was so precious to me and knowing I don't have a dog to go home to is depressing. And I don't want another until I can find a place that allows me to keep dogs. The apartment I have has a strict No Pet policy.

It's late. I need to sleep. But I had to say something about Annabelle to honor her memory.

And when I go home I will plant a lily on her grave, just as I did for Weetamoo (my first cat).

Annabelle

1999 - 2012

Rest in Peace. You will be missed.

St. Francis, take good care of her. I entrust her to you.

What I learned for A Dollar (Plus Tax)

This just really goes to show the things you can learn from if you just look. I would have never thought of this, but the other day I learned something interesting from a cheap pair of dollar flip-flops I had bought at a dollar store for a walk on the beach.

Since it has been warm and nice outside, I've been wearing the flip-flops an awful lot and, as all flip-flops do, they have slowly started to mold to my feet. That's normal, grant it, but I picked them up off the floor and just felt the difference in them, so I examined them further.

I learned that I walk heavier on my left heel and more evenly with my right foot. While this makes plenty sense to me (because I have turf toe which is just a step down from breaking your toe), I really hadn't realized it. Now, every now and then, I feel the way I walk. I've noticed that with my left foot that I roll my foot in. So when I first step, instead of leaning into my big toe, I move more towards the middle and then slightly roll onto my big toe. Even so, the flip-flops show that I still do not put a lot of weight onto the balls of my feet when walking.

Makes me wonder what else I haven't noticed...

A reply to Mr. Landy

I decided to post a reply to Mr. Derek Landy's Blog (Derek Landy Blogs Under Duress which anyone and everyone should read along with his books if you haven't or aren't already) just because... well, because I could. Do I really need any other reason? This is my blog of randomness and now my randomness is being directed toward Mr. Landy.

Sad to say, no, Mr. Landy. I do not know the feeling of triumph after overcoming a first draft to a novel namely because I have *ahem*... I have yet to finish a draft. And that's because every time I get far into my draft, I go back and start to revise it then and there. Because I keep adding new elements. It's a very long and dedicated process.

Indeed, I instead have the feeling of constant improvement to make my novel the way I want to see it in the end as I go along in all it's glorious (or inglorious) wordiness. My main novel has taken me... oh... I'm not sure on how many years old the original is considering it was on another computer and I would delete the old versions, but it's been through seven or so revisions. For the better, I assure you. My writing style and story telling abilities have improved much over the years and through the revisions. At least, I hope so.

However, I feel I am possibly on the final version of my revising madness in this novel. Finally! It has been through so much and now I feel that it is nearing it's completeness! ... but then I have to try to publish it. And I hear that can be a tad expensive, which is bad news for a broke college kid in their first year. And I have seven years more ahead of me to become a veterinarian... *sigh*.

Ah, Mr. Landy. What I would give to be an accomplished writer like you.

But I can dream and persevere until I reach that epic moment when I can pick it off the shelf, all my work and dreams bound under a hardcover, and know that others can enjoy my journey and dreams as well. Until that day... I will dream and no one and nothing can stop me.