Walk of Defeat

Hello fellow bloggers! I am currently writing to say that I have officially resigned from the A - Z challenge. I made it to P -- Honestly, I didn't think I'd get that far. I'm truly sorry that I can't finish. I had a lot of stuff come up this past week... Between going out of town, filming for FNL, and the Red Carpet Premiere for FNL, I seriously got behind. Oh, to put a cherry on top of that, my laptop crashed last night and I stayed up half the night restoring it. FUN FUN!

And to top off those excuses, finals are coming up soon too. GRADUATION IN 2 AND A HALF WEEKS!!! WOOHOOOO!!!

I will still keep track of YOUR A - Z posts, however, and leave comments. I'm so sorry I committed to it and am now quitting. (Hangs head in shame)

A Wonderful Night!!!

I went to Austin to film a football game for Friday Night Lights. In one word, I can sum up the entire evening... AMAZING!!!! Our call time was 5:30 so we left San Antonio around 3:30 to dodge rush hour traffic. We got to set about 30 minutes early. We had a major chance of some severe weather and I had my phone doppler working in overtime. The air was sticky and muggy so it was evident that the dryline was setting up to the west. I love that feeling, but was concerned about the storms turning tornadic and us not having a place to take cover....

After signing in and taking care of all that stuff, we ate some dinner and waited at base camp to be called to the stadium. Everyone was in good moods. It wasn't a huge shoot so it was a lot more relaxed than a lot of other shoots I have been on.

We got called to the East Dillon stadium, a first for me. Talk about a very huge transition from West Dillon to East Dillon. That stadium...just wow.

Between setups on films, there was times we were just hanging out. Loriann and I walked below the bleachers... There was Kyle with his daughter and his dog. I knew that was probably our chance to get to talk to him. I wanted to at least one more time in case this was my last time to film. Kyle saw us and came over. He hugged Loriann and they talked about her surgery coming up. I chickend out and only shook his hand, but that's okay because I was there with him. I told him that we had met before, I was Jessie from Lubbock. He smiled and said it was good to see me again. I informed him that this too, was probably my last time to be on set. He asked why. I told him I was going to school. He flashed me a sly smile and asked "Where?" Almost like he knew, being that I was from Lubbock and all. I told him Tech and he approved. So I got a stamp of approval from Kyle to go to Tech. :-P His daughter was adorable too. She asked me if I had to go to school on Saturday's and when I told her yes, her eyes got huge and she just could not believe it. We also petted his dog and it was soaking up a lot of attention too.

We told him goodbye and he said, "Maybe we can come back for 13 more for you guys." I think he was meaning 13 more seasons. That would be cool in some ways. :) We went back up in the stands and I had one eye on filming and one eye on the sky. The storms weren't forming yet, but I knew they would.

Connie Britton (Tami Taylor), Brad Leland (Buddy Garrity), and the woman who plays Mindy Riggins got seated in the stands. We got moved down the row to sit right below them. We chatted with Connie and Brad. Connie was commenting on the weather and we showed her the doppler on my phone a few times. She was geniunely concerned for all of us extra's getting wet. When they wrapped them, she even told us bye and hoped we'd be okay. Brad thanked all of us as well. They were so kind.

After doing more filming, the storms were getting closer. The wind shifted west and feeded into it. It also got cooler. Then, the wind randomly picked up and they sent all of us to a hotel near set. We had to sit down in an area and wait. They fed us Subway and we just chilled for awhile. I checked over the dopplers and it was just too unpredictable to tell what was going to happen. They then sent us out on the field again. As we were walking back, a huge cluster of lightning lit up the sky. I was like, seriously? We can't film on an open field with metal and electrical equipment around us. No sooner than I thought that, Jacob and Tony, the PA's, said we were wrapped for the night.

If this was my last filming, I can say that I'm leaving satisfied. I got to talk to Kyle one last time and tell him my goodbyes. Filming was relaxed and fun and I got to see some friends I have made on set. What a great time. I'm truly blessed! :)

To Be Continued!!!

Hey everyone, not really a blog here. Just wanted to say that I'm leaving for San Antonio in the morning and will have limited internet access. I will start back up on the A - Z challenge when I get back. I should be back on Sunday. Also, I will return any comments and things then as well. I'm not neglecting you guys! Have a wonderful weekend! :)

P -- Premiere

Okay, not a long blog for P since I'm really chasing my tail to get stuff done before I go out of town. Of course, I couldn't neglect my blog... I'm trying to stay on task until my usual lag at the end of the week! :-P That being said, if I have not returned one of your comments, trust me, I certainly will! I promise! :) Hey, there's a P word right there. :)

This weekend I am travelling to the great city of San Antonio, Texas to attend a Friday Night Lights season four premiere. We are all meeting at a hotel lounge to watch the first two episodes of season four together. I’m pretty excited about it. There will be some stars from the show in attendance. It’s going to be great to hang out with other extras from the show as well as fans.

Hopefully I will have more to report on with this when I get back.

I also got booked to be at a football game on Friday night. Looks like it is going to be a busy weekend filled with FNL events. I’m just glad to get out of town for a few days.

O -- Owies

This is going to be a complete and total random blog about “OUCH!” It’s interesting to think about pain tolerance and how each individual handles pain in different ways. Thankfully, I think I have some strong pain tolerance.

Needles don’t bother me. I’m usually the one watching the needle go into my arm. I do have to admit that I had an IV a few years back that did hurt, but come to find out, the nurse missed my vein so all of the medication was being saturated into my skin. My hand was swollen as big as Mickey Mouse’s. It was crazy to see the contrast between my hands.

One thing I haven’t experienced yet is child birth. I hope I’m half the woman my mom was with us. She had all three of us naturally with no drugs at all. Dang, that’s tough.

As I said, needles don’t bother me. While I won’t pierce anything other than my ears, I do have several piercings in them. I have two in each lobe, one in my right tragus and two in my left cartilage. I have to admit, nothing hurt worse than the cartilage being pierced. The cleaning was the most painful.

Also, while we are on the subject of “ouch”, how many like to put their characters they write about through physical torture, heck, and even mental torture? (Of course we do, otherwise there wouldn’t be much to write about.) I’m almost scared to admit this (please don’t think I’m a sadist or something), but I love to read about a character, usually a male, getting hurt. Even on TV. Seeing the main character have something happen to them is great. Of course, nothing that will kill them.

I’m not crazy, I swear! I have several friends I write with who agree with me on this. Physical torture and mental torture sell. In TV, in movies, in fiction. I guess it’s just the thought of the character enduring such tribulations that makes us want to read on to make sure that they’ll get the care they need. Maybe that’s just how women are. We have that nurturing instinct where we just want to help. I’m not sure, and honestly, I can’t believe I’ve admitted this on my blog.

As I said, I swear I’m not crazy!

N -- New York

Yay for Sundays! It gives me time to catch up on the past few days of missing blogs! I do soooo good during the first part of the week on keeping up and then it just escalates by the end of the week! haha! This week will be no different. I'm going out of town on Thursday to San Antonio and highly doubt I'll have much time to blog while I'm there. We'll see! :)

On to N.

I love New York. I've have been blessed to go to this city three times. I'm going to be like a lot of country-folk and say that while I love to visit and do the tourist type things, I don't think I could ever live there. I love to see the sky. The high rise buildings are miraculous to see, but I need my horizon. The picture to the left is of me (in the middle) along with my two buddies.

Me on the Empire State Building

The Statue of Liberty is beautiful. The Empire State Building is breath taking. Even the musty scent of the subways is something that is etched in my memory. Ground Zero is sad. I haven't been there since most of the construction has begun, but I did see it after 9/11. I paid my respects to all of the victims.


Me at Battery Park in the Financial District.


Cody and I at the Statue of Liberty

New York has so much culture. I was fortunate enough to get on the set of a past show on NBC called "Third Watch." It was a show about cops, firefighters, and paramedics. I got to meet some of the cast and we spent the day on set. We even got to eat lunch with them. We were treated as VIP's. They had a street blocked off and they had to detour pedestrians around. They opened up the gates to us as if we were getting into an exclusive club. Yeah, it really felt that way. I'll never forget it. It was a long and tiring day, but I'd do it again in a heart beat. :)


Josh Stewart (Officer Finney) and I.

Skipp Sudduth (Officer Sullivan) and us. He was directing the episode being filmed.

On set. They even let us wear the headphones to hear all the directors talk to the actors between takes!

It is also the setting of my current story that is in the works. I have only been there three times, but I have sort of learned the streets of some of the boroughs, Hell's Kitchen being the main one. There was a time we were all on the subway and this couple seemed lost. We asked where they were trying to get. I told them directions and it was enough to convince them that I was from there. Yeah, sure. If you could hear me talk, my Texas accent would be a dead giveaway that I'm not a native New Yorker. Oh well, I was glad to help them out. I know how it felt to be there for the first time. It can get overwhelming.

If you haven't been to New York and get the chance to go, do it! Every person has to say they've been there at least once. It's been a couple of years since I've gotten to go, and it'll probably be a few more before I can go again. But that's okay. I know I'll eventually get there again... That pesky thing called "bills" have to be taken care of first! :-P

M -- Michael

So you ask, who in the world is Michael? He is the MC for my current novel that I'm working on. Honestly, I couldn't think of an M to blog about, so here ya go. I'm not going to go into full detail about him because I'm still working out the kinks on his personality and what not.

Michael McGinnis is a firefighter with the Fire Department of New York, or as it is also known, as the FDNY. He has a younger brother who has problems, to put it mildly. Michael is going to endure some things with his job, his relationship, and his family. And no, not typical drama. There's going to be turmoil with his brother's bookie, drug use, the whole nine yards.

It's going to be romance based but have drama and suspense mixed in. I've already gotten about 20,000 words written out on it. I'm still working out some plot kinks in it. Hopefully it will all begin to fall into place within the next few weeks. School will be over soon! :) I can devote more time to it, hopefully!

L -- Love

"We are young. Heartache to heartache we stand... No promises no demands... Love is a battlefield." ~ Pat Benatar

I wasn't sure if I should post about love since in reality, I've never truly been "in love" with anyone. Honestly, I don't even know what it feels like to be in love. Times in the past, I thought I was in love, but it was all premature and false.

A girl I work with was talking about something she learned in a class. We are all raised believing that God puts one person on this earth for everyone. Our soul mate. In the class they talked about how in reality, some people never find that one person. If you look at the population, there's like 7 times more women on the planet than men. Anyone can see that the numbers just don't work out. Philosophically, we should all believe that there is "the one" out there somewhere and we will eventually find them. Do you believe that?

I'm not sure what I believe anymore. I've been scorned by men I thought I loved. Most of the people in my family were married by age 20. I'm an extreme exception. I'll be 25 next week and haven't even really had a serious relationship. I "dated" a guy in high school for around 2 years, but that's the closest I got to any kind of length. Most guys I talk to don't want anything serious. They want all of the benefits of a relationship without being officially "in a relationship." It never fails.

They say love finds you at the most random time... on some idle Tuesday while you are out grocery shopping, or when you aren't even looking for it. I believe that one day I will find the one I love. I've got faith in that.

Love is just so complex, yet so simple at the same time.

Love comes in may forms. Love for your parents and family is felt from the moment you're born. Love of a pet. Love of friends. Love of some object. Love for our Lord and Savior. Love of food. I could go on and on about things humans can "love."

I can't wait to feel the love of a man. I can't wait to feel the way it is to love a man in return. It's a beautiful thing. It's a complex thing. It's something that makes many people look forward to the future. :)

K -- Karma

Karma. Is it a real thing or not?

While I'm not sure its karma that happens, I do believe that we get payback for things we do. Sometimes it's instant, sometimes it can take awhile. This can work in both ways as well. I'm sure most of us have heard of "pay it forward." If you are handed a good deed, the best thing to do is pass a good deed onto the next person you come into contact with. I'm a firm believer that in due time, you will be rewarded.

Then there's the negative side. What goes around comes around. I think we all find comfort in that when someone has done something horrible to us. With me, it's mainly been relationships with guys. I've been cheated on. For anyone who has gone through that, you know exactly how much it HURTS! Before I go any further, let me make this clear. I don't wish anything bad to happen to anyone. That's not right. But in the midst of a break up, it gets you thinking about karma. Are they eventually going to date a girl that will do the same thing to them? I guess I'll never know.

I've been a victim of karma... recently it was instant. In my basketball class we were playing knockout. My competitor's ball landed near me so I swatted it away to try and score a point before she could. A few minutes later... my ball bricks off of the rim all the way across the gym. Yep, it was minor but it happened. LOL

What are your thoughts on karma?

J -- Josh Hamilton

Yay, this will get me all caught up for the A - Z challenge! :)

It's no surprise that I like Josh Hamilton, current center fielder for the Texas Rangers.

Not only is he an amazing athlete, he is a great person as well. If you know baseball you pretty much have an idea about Josh Hamilton and what he is all about. As a kid he was a baseball prodigy. He played little league and got moved up to the big leagues at a very young age. He went straight from high school to the pro's.

What some might not know is the trouble Josh has endured in his past. He got drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. After time in the minors and guidance from his parents, he was finally cut loose from their guidance. He discovered cocaine and became an addict.

Most people eventually gave up on Josh Hamilton, former baseball star. He slowly sank down to nothing, losing his career and family. His grandma and God were his saving grace. He eventually pulled through. After drug rehab and prayer, he is now clean. He still goes to meetings. He speaks at different events and is open about what he has gone through. He has even wrote a book titled "Beyond Belief." I read it in three days.

He is admirable because he isn't ashamed of it. He knows he has to pass on his stories to those who also need help. He is living proof that it is possible to get sober and stay sober. Whether you are an amazing athlete or an everyday average person, getting clean and staying clean is important. The book is an inspiration to everyone, not just addicts. He talks about how no one should give up hope in any situation, drugs or not. There is always a way out of everything.

Back at the beginning of 2009 he had an alcohol relapse, but revealed it to everyone, even his wife. People shunned him, but what most don't understand is that relapse is important in an addicts recovery. They are going to happen. The good news is, his relapse didn't include cocaine and crack. While alcohol can be just as bad, at least he still resisted the other stuff.

I have utmost respect for him. He is my athletic inspiration. :)

A quote he lives by rings true for each of us.

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you." ~ James 4:7

I -- Ignorance

ig·no·rance (ĭg'nər-əns)
n. The condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed.

It was hard for me to find a topic for I. Ignorance. Ah, ain't that word the greatest? I'm sure each and every one of us come into contact with someone who is ignorant. Today at work I endured it and got the brunt of some serious attitude as well. I shouldn't bring work home with me, but dang, I got reamed by an employee that is lower on the totem pole than me for absolutely no reason.

I was the messenger in a situation. This girl gave me attitude over a situation I had no control over. I was just doing my job. She has this complex with me and another worker. Since she is currently a student at the University here (Texas Tech) and I'm a student at the community college, she things she is so much better than me for that reason. So in her eyes, I'm the ignorant one.

Fun times working with immature little girls. I guess it's what I get to work at a job where I'm considered an older person.

Ignorance. That's putting it lightly for some people.

H - Heaven

"Dont cry a tear for me now baby. There comes a time we must all say goodbye... And if that's what heaven's made of, you know i ain't afraid to die." ~ Andy Griggs

If you have time, please take a moment to listen to this song before reading my blog. It's one of the one's played in my Pepa's tribute and is very touching. Thanks.


Since today is the one year anniversary of my Pepa's passing, I figured for H, heaven would be perfect to blog about.

Today wasn't hard to begin with. We had family in town so we all gathered at my Mema's house and just hung out. Being around everyone was probably the best thing any of us could do. While we were all somewhat grouchy with each other, it still got our mind's off of things.

It didn't really "bug" me until I got home for the evening. I made the mistake of listening to some of the songs played at his Rosary and funeral. It never fails. Amazing Grace done with bagpipes just opens up the tear ducts. I also watched the tribute video that the funeral home made for us. Gosh, I miss that old man.

Pepa was such a fighter. Back in 1983 he was in a bad car wreck that left him paralyzed from the breast bone down. They didn't expect him to live. Usually someone with that caliber of injury doesn't live long. He made it twenty five years.

He was a man I thought would never die. He molded this family. Without him and my Mema, there's no telling where I would be right now. I also had great parents, but my father was also molded by Pepa, so his guidance has been passed down to us. He was strict but quick to forgive. He loved each and every one of us. Just looking at his pictures with us, it was apparent on his face how much he cared and loved every day of his life.

I lost two grandparents last year. I lost my grandmother on the other side of the family in January. She was so loving too. I miss her advice, her warm hugs, her sweet smile. I hadn't really experienced losing someone so close to me until 2009 when I lost two wonderful people within three months of each other.

I know they are both up in HEAVEN, smiling down at their beautiful families. Both of them are in me. Their pain is gone. They are free to do what they want, when they want to do it. Someday we will all be united again. Pepa is able to run free, broken away from his wheel chair and standing tall on his own two legs. Grandma is with her husband, going back to at time when they were happiest.

It has been a hard day. I know time will heal all wounds, but I will NEVER forget them. They were too strong of an influence to let the memories fade. I will share them with my kids so much that they too, will feel as if they knew them personally. They are with me every single day, through the bad times and the good.

Rest in Peace


Margaret Lorraine Barrett Triggs October 9, 1933 - January 21, 2009


Troy "Pepa" Junior Tate June 16, 1932 - April 11, 2009

G - Getting Behind

I'm waaaay behind on blogging for the A - Z challenge. I've had several mid terms going on this past week... so hopefully I can get back on schedule. Since Sunday is an idle day for it, I'll try to get back on track and catch up.

So, for my G, I decided to post about getting behind on things. I slacked so bad on homework last week that I got behind. I had to skip a class on Thursday to get a paper written and study for a test. Then, yesterday I had a 5K race I participated in. When I got home I was still energized so I decided to get some MUCH needed yard work done.

Today, hopefully I can relax with the satisfaction of knowing I got my stuff done. Tomorrow starts a new week. We'll see if I procrastinate as bad as I did last week. I hope not. I've got a SERIOUS case of "senioritis" going on.

On a side note, today is one year that my grandfather passed away. I truly miss him and think about him a lot. RIP Pepa, I love you!

F -- Friday Night Lights

I have to blog about my favorite TV show, Friday Night Lights. I know this is a repeat of my good friend, Mary's blog, but since it's been a large part of my life, I have to do it as well. I have been blessed to be an extra on this show. It is filmed in Austin and I've taken the time to go down and film from time to time, of course, when I can get the time off to do so.

I have gotten to meet an actor I have been following for a very long time. Kyle Chandler has captured my interest since his days on the movie Pure Country with George Strait. That was back in 1993. Yeah, I've been a fan for that long, so you can bet how GREAT it felt to actually get to meet him.

I'm very blessed to actually get to work alongside a man that I have admired. To see him transform from Kyle to Coach Taylor in a matter of seconds is amazing. Not only is he great at acting, he is an awesome person. He's very friendly. I was nervous to meet him but when I finally did, it was like chatting with an old friend. He's really funny and open to everyone, not "celebrity" at all. That is so compelling.

Not only have I met Kyle, I have also had the opportunity for other cast members. Connie Britton, Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly, Aimee Teegarden, just to name a few.

It's a great show. Yes, this is a shameless plug, but hey, Friday Night Lights begins with F and well, today's letter is F. Of course I had to blog about this. The show isn't just about football. It's about life in general. The acting is exquisite. So much can be "said" with body language. The fictional marriage of Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and Tami (Connie Britton) feels real. It's like they are married in real life. The storylines are real. Even life in Texas is real. It takes place in fictional Dillon, TX which is supposed to be located near where I really live, so I can safely say that they portray it very well.

So, next time you hear about Friday Night Lights, don't think it's just football. While that's a theme in the show, it's merely a sub plot in this dynamic show. It's a very great change of pace from the everyday lawyer and doctor shows that are all over the TV. It has survived through four seasons and filming for the fifth has begun. I'm hoping to get down there a few more times to film before it's over.

There is a screening on April 24th that I'm fortunate to get to go to, thanks to a great family who has welcomed me like I am one of their own. I cant thank them enough for allowing me to stay with them during filming and what not. They are great! I can't wait to watch FNL on the big screen, along with some of the cast members. That's going to be crazy to get to see their reactions to their own work!

Check out the show. It's going to air on NBC starting on May 7th. If you like good acting and good plots, you won't be disappointed. Not to mention, Kyle Chandler is oh so easy on the eyes. :)

Here is the link to Mary's blog, another great take on the show!

http://mmcdonald64.blogspot.com/

E -- Ego's

Egotistical is the PERFECT word for today. While I won't go into the details, let's just say tomorrow is going to be interesting when I come into contact with the ego's that are so big, it's going to be impossible to fit them all into one room.

Ego's. What human doesn't have one? I do admit, I have a self esteem problem. My confidence level is low...mainly because of myself and how I imply things. There is one thing, however, that I'm very egotistical about... and that is sports. I'm not gonna lie. I brag. I talk crap. I'm very arrogant. But I can't help it. We all have something we are good at and are confident in. With me, it's my athletic ability. I don't think I've found a sport I'm not good at. And I enjoy it. Writing is a close second, but I do have my confidence problems with that. The query escapade is largely to blame for that!

So, what do you have to be egotistical about? And don't say "nothing". We all have something we're confident in!

(I know, I know, confidence and ego's are different... but oh well.)

D for Drama

First off, I want to begin by saying sorry for not returning the favor on comments or reading any other blogs. It was a very busy Holiday weekend and I'm still getting back into my weekly routine! Give me time, I promise I'll get to everyone again! I'm sorry!

Now....

On to D.

D is for Drama. Ah, so many ways a person can define this word. Drama as in a type of theatrical performance. Drama, a class we take in high school and college. Drama, a genre of book/movie/TV show. Drama as in an overreaction to a situation. I think we can all relate to that last example of drama very well. As humans, we thrive on drama, whether we want to admit that or not. Sure, it can ruin a somewhat pleasant day, but it happens. Even the kids in my class have drama, and they are youngsters! It's in our blood.

As for the genre category, personally, I like it. Out of all of my movie collection, drama is probably the most common one among my DVD's. I also like dramatic TV. There's also that new word made up called "dramedy." That's great too, because it takes real life situations and turns them into laughs. I'm to the point where if I have something happen that doesn't go my way, all I can do is laugh. Seriously, what else can you do? At least laughing makes you feel a little better. I think that's why this "dramedy" word is such a hit nowadays. That emotional roller coaster is fun. Not exactly what I want to endure all the time, but hey, turning a negative into a positive is always something I'm up for.

Now, the drama of getting to those blogs I need to read and comment on! I'll get on that as soon as I can, I haven't forgotten y'all!!!

Controversy

As a writer, I've thought about plots that can be somewhat controversial. Many different subject matters can really raise red flags amongst certain types of groups. My question is, does controversy really sell?

Just take a look at the music industry. Big names like Eminem, Ludacris, most rap singers in general, are usually at the top of the charts or at least have been at one time. Their lyrics are explicit, their attitudes are harsh, and it has led them on the fast track to fame.

Does the same happen in the writing industry?

It's hard to say. Some agents don't mind the cuss words and lude conduct in manuscripts. Some do. I guess it's a hit and miss type thing. It also has a lot to do with the audience. What genre would it be appropriate for? New musicians are usually hammering it down for the younger crowd -- the kids who think it's cool to walk around with their pants down to their knees and to say the "f" word in ever sentence they speak.

But then again, if it's controversial, more and more people will be curious about it, even if they don't agree. Politics. Need I say more? Possibly the most controversial thing to discuss with anyone. But think about it. How many liberals listen in on the Rush Limbaugh show? They aren't doing it because they agree.... but they are curious to see what he has to say. How many conservatives still listen in on Obama when he has a presidential address?

In all honesty, I think America thrives on controversy. With all of the different cultures flying around out there, how can it be avoided? It's just an iffy way to hit up the writing market, but if done right, can really get an author that deal with a publisher. It's all how the subject matter is approached.

B for BASEBALL!!!

Spring time marks the start of baseball season, which I am a complete fan of! If it wasn't obvious enough, I'm a fan of the Texas Rangers. They have had their problems with team manager, Ron Washington, but I think that will make the tream stronger. Even if they have another not so great season, it'll still be fun. The peanuts, the cracker jacks, the kids with their gloves running around the ball park ready to catch that homerun hit into left field. The atmosphere is fantastic. It's almost like you are amongst thousands of people who are your best friends for nine innings. Even the obnoxious guy who has had one too many beers and can't control yelling obscenities to the umpire.

In the past, I have been fortunate enough to go to Camden Yards and Wrigley Field. Both are impressive, but I have to be biased and say that nothing beats Ranger Stadium.



I'm going to try hard to get down to Arlington for a few games this season. I want to see Josh Hamilton play before he goes to another team.

Fork in the Road

Aside from the A - Z challenge, some days I will have two blogs for the day. Today I made a major decision in regards to school and my future. I went ahead and decided to graduate THIS May rather than May of 2011. With this bold choice, it means my major is changing and my career path is different. Instead of obtaining an associate's of Physical Education through SPC, I will graduating with an associate's of General Arts. I'm pretty sick of SPC and their non - professionalism with how they've handled my file. My advisor has failed to mention important factors to me about my degree plan on more than one occasion. They fail to do their job, which is -advise.- Since I have all requirements to graduate with a general degree, I'm going to go ahead and do it and say bye to SPC and move on to get my Bachelor's in Addictive Studies.

My heart is still in coaching, but it is also in drug counseling too. Drug counseling is a more stable career. Coaching requires moving a lot. I want to be able to put roots down somewhere. As a coach, I'm sure I'll be moving all over Texas, which is okay for awhile, but what happens when I have a family? Moving from place to place isn't easy on anyone.

Later on down the road, if I feel the need to get into coaching, I'll still have all of these classes I have taken in the past and can finish that degree. We'll see how things go. I'm always leery of making decisions. Right now, my heart is with me 100 percent on what I've decided.

A -- Addiction

Today starts the first day of the writing challenge posted by a fellow blogger. A is on the agenda. Since my curiosity with drug addiction has been at its peak, I figured that would be a good thing to blog about for today.

Addiction is a disease that many people suffer from. Yes, a disease. It frustrates me when people say, "just quit." It ain't that easy. While I'm not an addict of anything like drugs, I still know how it works. It's an imbalance in the brain and the addict can't help it. It takes strong will power, and until the person is ready to help themselves, there's nothing anyone else can do. They can try to intervene, but the addict has to begin to have an open mind to allow the intervention to do its job.

The process of an addiction has stages. It's sad. While on the road to recovery, they will have setbacks and times when they will use again. It's necessary to get better.

Believe it or not, every person out there has some form of an addiction, even if they don't know it yet. It doesn't even have to be drugs. It can be chocolate, eating, reading, studying, obsessive cleaning, sodas, even exercise. I am an addict of exercise. Once I get going, I feel like I'm not doing enough and I keep on and on. It makes me feel so good. I'm glad that I found something that allows me to release the endorphins in my brain naturally, unlike so many others who rely on chemicals to do the job.

I could blog all day about it, but to avoid a freakishly long blog I will stop here. I can mark A off of the list for April!

Oh, and happy April Fool's day! While I'm not a fan of the day, everyone have fun with their pranks! :)