As of tomorrow, Tuesday, December 8, 2009, my blog will be moving to a new location via WordPress. Rest assured this blog will continue to be here for a while, however I will no longer be posting here.
The reason for my move is because WordPress is the chosen blog of the professional world. I'm currently in the process of building my personal brand: She Is Electrifying. To do so requires me to move my blog to a more professional and accessible outlet.
What's going on at My New Blog
I've decided to continue doing my Top-Five as a weekly feature appropriately titled Top-Five Tuesdays.
You can subscribe to my blog so you will get my posts directly in your inbox each time one is posted, which can be helpful for those who have hectic schedules but would still like to read what I have to say. The easy-to-use subscription widget is in plain view on my homepage.
In addition to the email subscriptions, you can subscribe via RSS with one simple click.
In the near future there will be a variety of one-click buttons directly to my Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn (once I get the latter set up).
I hope that all of you enjoy my and improved blog and more importantly that you respect my creative growth and transition into the professional world of blogging.
Today's not even over yet and I've already got several things to get off my chest. I think, perhaps, a little ranting list will help keep the issues in check...sort of.
1. Some oddly shaped girl, who probably drives a Prius (Prius owners always seemed to be as oddly shaped as their cars), who happens to also be a drama teacher at another school, was presenting along with her group today in my creative writing class. When I raised my hand to comment, she listened to me for all 10 seconds (maybe 15, tops) and then stopped me and continued onward.
She didn't even hear me out nor did she let anyone else in her group say/do anything, except for what she had planned, most of which was only her talking. She even stopped some of her group members during the presentation because it wasn't what she wanted. It pissed me off to the point of almost walking out of the class and cussing her out. Bitch!
2. Just found out that Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 doesn't come out in theaters until November 19, 2010! I knew it would be a while before it came out, but I didn't think it would be that long! Although it's quite trivial I still hate waiting between movies. Sure, the books are a fantastic read, but I like the movies too. I'm from New Jersey, so I'm allowed to be a little impatient at times.
I received my 3rd paper back today in my creative writing class and to my astonishment, I earned an A+.
I wasn't sure what kind of grade I would earn on because I didn't feel nearly as passionate about it as I had with my previous paper (which earned an A). I felt like there was no possible way that I was going to top the work of my lyric essay. After all, the paper was framed around drugs, alcohol, and addiction.
What I ended up writing was an essay about writing an essay, which according to the teacher is very hard to do. Included were personal photography and screen shots of a Facebook status that I had posted asking for suggestions on the topic at hand. I wrote it like I was sitting there considering the idea of writing about the one and only really good story I had to tell, a personal experience of my own.
How I posted the Facebook status and with each response and the accompany screen of the response, I replied in depth to each person in which ever way seemed fit. There was so much content than just the responses, but you get the gist. In the end, it was a 13 page paper and it earned me an A+.
Should I be complaining? Absolutely not.
I've been looking back on old journal entries between here and my blogger, laughing about how foolish I once was (and still am for that matter) and how I used to hate the fact that I couldn't write a paper to save my life. Now I yearn to write. I get so much pleasure out of writing that it's almost surreal to know that just a few short years ago I was once hiding behind my own fear of ability, blinded by the constant bad grades and internal feelings of stupidity.
Comparing myself to the next person, who could write a decent paper with trouble, was probably the dumbest thing I'd ever done. It didn't solve anything. It didn't improve my writing skills. It only weighed me down to an unspeakable level of humiliation.
Out of fairness and complete truth, I contribute a lot of my writing ability to blogging. It helped me develop and organize my thoughts, thats for sure. But I also attribute my ability to the old fashion practice makes perfect mantra.
What really meant the most was the teacher's comment, which said:
"You've written an essay about writing an essay (meta discourse). That's really hard to do. Excellent job, Lauren. I was riveted throughout. You truly do have a very creative mind and you are a superb writer."
If anyone wants to read the essay, let me know and I'll email you a copy.
I came across a brilliant 3 part article on The Washington Post's website about literary women, their love for the Twilight saga, and their complete and utter lack of shame for falling so hard for a silly tween love story.
Finding the initial piece led to another article about the healing powers of Twilight and it put me at ease, or at even more ease I should say.
When I first heard of this whole Twilight thing, it was during the holiday season last year and I was working a crappy mall job to pass time between semesters. People would come into the story raving about the movie, wearing the t-shirts and hoodies, and promising me how great it was. Initially I was very much against this whole vampire business, having had no interest in them prior, and swore up and down, to Jupiter and back that I would never Benedict Arnold my love and devotion to Harry Potter.
Then came the nonstop advertisements on OnDemand during the early spring time of this year. I kept ignoring them and praying they would stop showing me this stupid crap.
When a sudden and unexpected dry spell hit me, having no more new or old movies to watch, I caved in and decided to let myself find out just exactly what all the craze was about. So I picked up a copy of the movie and within 20 minutes, I was completely hooked. It was like I had been injected by an unwanted course of emotions and it wasn't going to stop.
"All I can hear is the murmur of cars down below" Ben said, as we sat in my car at the summit of South Mountain this chilly November evening.
The view from the top of the mountain is certainly something to see, particularly Dobbins Lookout. I've only been up there a handful of times, but each time some sort of philosophical spark seems to ignite my thoughts.
A flood of speculation nearly swallowed up my mind as the two of us sat there, beneath the stars, looking outward to the north and east. Being up there always reminds of just how small I am in comparison to the world and how lucky I am to be apart of something so grand; so beautiful.
Watching an entire city functioning right before your eyes is so bizarre in a way. I couldn't help but pay attention to I-10 & AZ-60, wondering where all of those people were going. Were they driving home to their families, running errands, rushing to a night class, or simply out for a Monday evening drive? Thousands of lights could be seen all around the valley, sparkling like an on ocean of glitter.
Things have been so crazy lately -- school, trying to find employment, advising friends on their many issues (a therapist's work never stops), and countless other random things -- that I haven't had hardly any time to update.
After a much anticipated wait I finally saw New Moon at the 12:01am showing on Thursday night. I'm definitely a self-admitted Twihard amongst other things and I must say that I was very impressed with the movie's accuracy to the book. Although it was definitely made for fans, I was pleased nonetheless that it came out so well. I have many friends who aren't the reading type so they have zero interest in the books, which is their loss because there is so much more detail in the book that wasn't explained in the movie -- thus it being made more for the fans.
Blind, empty?
What is it that she needs?
Resurrection.
Rebirth.
The dawn of a new day,
The embrace of a new...
Of a new practice.
Practice makes perfect,
Or so they say.
Weakness turns to ashes.
The phoenix reborn,
Its tears healing the bind --
The cure for the blind,
The empty.
So, whats next for the new?
A new life?
A new chapter?
The next stage,
Center stage,
For the newly filled --
The empty is no more.
The move.....it's on.
It's real.
It's passion.
It's the reason....for being.
And the empty is no more.
And the sun sets --
Only this time with a smile.
On Sunday, Ben & I checked out the local state fair. We walked around majority of the fairgrounds checking out the local vendors, assorted provisions - all of which seemingly offered on-a-stick, and rode several rides including the largest of the three ferris wheels. After several hours, we finished off our adventure with the obligatory funnel cake and headed home, bell
After 9 very long yet very exciting years with my car, the time has come to ay goodbye to my dear Honda. My parents were nice enough to sign one of their new SUV's over to me for my 25th birthday, which is less than two weeks away. I'll be flying back to New Jersey on Wednesday, taking care of paperwork, packing up a few things and then driving it back to Arizona.
I'm taking the southern route instead of the standard (and very boring) route this time. Fortunately Anthony will be following behind me in his BMW because he's moving to Los Angeles. And my friends Mike & Dustin will be traveling the same route to New Orleans, so we've got a little convoy heading south. Should be a lot of fun.
In other news, I was finally able to get up to Sedona and check it out. Let me just say how absolutely beautiful it is! Ben & I hiked the Devil's Bridge trail, which was far more intense than either of us had known, though we both handled it well and really enjoyed it. We're gonna be using my SUV and his SUV to tackle some of the harder trails once when we go back because we had to park on the side of the road and then walk 1.4 miles to the trail head, which was then another mile long. I'll be posting a few more pictures from Sedona, so keep an eye for them. :-)
Now I have some what of a clear idea as to why Arizona is such an enchanting place to be. It has been a route often traveled by like-minded people. The true naturalistic beauty that is the Grand Canyon State offers all of its willing travelers the op
I've been obsessively switching back and forth between New Moon and The Deathly Hallows as of recently. It seems like my imagination has suddenly let loose whilst reading these brilliant pieces and with every word read I can fully visualize the scenes and allow myself to feel the emotions put forth. It's like the verbalization is coming to life within my mind. I've always enjoyed reading, especially with a particular preference for British literature by the works of Emily Bronte and Jane Austen, as well as some older American lit by Edgar Allan Poe and other similar authors. You'd think that I'd rather choose something less.......complicated, but the truth is that I had an upper level English professor [who had a reputation for being extremely hard] force us to really learn how to read and understand the written diction, which ultimately led me to love that particular style of writing; as well as my love for British movies set in various time periods.
I've got to admit though that I'm really enjoying the time away from the internet and phone. It's nice to escape from the real world and really delve into a good book.
Each time I put down one of the two books I'm currently reading, I feel the urge to pick them right back up and continue onward with my imaginary journey. Something feels different inside of me these days. As if I know that I need to explore even more things beyond my daily routine. Though I've always had a strong thirst for experience, adventure, and learning in general, it seems like my path has changed just a little bit. Like its time to switch gears perhaps.
A friend of mine from back in Jersey was intelligent enough to move out of the state, to Wyoming of all places, and I do believe that I'll be definitely taking a road trip there in the near future. And yes, I am insane but fear not, I shall wear my seat belt and bring a fog horn to shew the moose out of the road. He describes this place as something I've admittedly only dreamed about. I'm hoping to rekindle a part of me, the creative side, that has long been missing since I've moved to Arizona. I'm pretty sure I left that part in Jersey -- why I have no idea!
Forgive my short absence; I’ve been suffering from a very common thing known as “writer’s block”. I’ve got this list of ideas for my top-five though none of which have come to fruition. I’m not exactly sure why I can’t seem to pump out another humorous list of things but I’d bet that it’s probably because my current idea’s list sucks. Fortunately, the time has come where I was able to climb over writer’s block hurdle and win the race – or at least attempt to do so.
As most of you know, I’m currently studying to become a relationship therapist/marriage counselor (or whatever you’d like to call it) and in doing so I’m faced with many couples and their never-ending dilemmas on a constant basis. Most people would rather run for the hills than actually listen with a genuine concern and open mind. For me, this is my forte, it is who I am, and it is literally my calling. I have completely surrendered myself to helping others find harmony, balance, and true happiness within their relationships.
And let’s not forget to mention the surrendering of the first 30 years of my life, which includes 12 years of higher education, to make this calling a full blown reality. And this is not to say that I have surrendered my own happiness to help others, because having my own first, goes without saying.
As of recently, I’ve been dealing with many people who have what’s known as a “case of the ex” or have been severely scarred by a previous partner. Typically the scarred individuals are male, while the ones causing the grief are female. I encounter this not only in my professional life but also in my personal life, which can obviously throw me (or anyone else for that matter) for a loop.
It saddens me to learn of these women who are out there causing so harm to the few genuinely nice guys we have on this planet. It strikes a great deal of wondering, questioning, and the playing out of countless scenarios in my mind that I try to figure out just why these women think it’s okay to deceive? The next question that I ask is where do they learn this stuff from? Who tells them that it’s okay to treat men like shit? And more importantly, what is causing them to do all of this?
I was raised by a very hardworking single mother and she never really taught me exactly how to treat a man, but I watched how she treated the few men she dated, including my stepdad. One thing my mom always tells me is that I’m going to “make an amazing wife someday and an even better mother”. Well, we all know I despise children (that is, except for Peaches) so I won’t be fulfilling the latter part of her statement. But nowhere in there did I mention that she walked all over a guy, used him, abused him, and spit him out when she was finished with him.
A male friend of mine, whom shall remain nameless, suggests that it’s spun off from the whole women’s liberation movement. Sure, I love being a liberated modern woman – but you sure as hell won’t catch me burning my bras and not shaving my armpits. I never really thought about whole women’s lib thing until my friend put it into perspective – women just don’t know how to show appreciation.
People in general don’t know how to show appreciation, which is so sad. Think about it – you do something nice for someone, even if it’s merely opening the door for them or asking them how they are doing – and what kind of response do you usually get? Thank you. I’m a semi-traditional woman so I feel that words of gratitude go a very long way. I always say please and thank you, it’s seriously one of the easiest things a person can do to show appreciation – and think about how far saying thank you can go. It’s not rocket science people.
Part of why it’s so disturbing for me to learn about this is that it out-right ruins the chances for the few genuinely nice women out there. The women who will devote themselves to you, take care of you, and be truly appreciative of all that a man can do for them. The selfishness, carelessness, and downright lack of compassion of these demon women who trample the hearts of men cause so much scarring that it makes it nearly impossible for a man to ever trust another woman again.
Think about a time when someone hurt you so badly that you’ve carried it with you as time went by, even once the pain stopped, the constant thoughts of it disappeared, and the situation as a whole has virtually vanished into thin air – what is it that you do when those situations have resurfaced into the forefront? Why on earth would another person want to subject another human being to something like that? Why can’t these dumbass girls just be honest? Why can’t they think before they speak or act? More specifically, what are these girls so afraid of that’s causing them to be dishonest?
Another angle that I’ve used to examine this from is that of awareness. Most people I encounter seem to only be aware of surface-level things. People never seem to delve deeper beyond the shallow, meaningless things that consume our lives on the daily. It seems like that majority of these deceitful women all share two things in common – shallow awareness and selfishness. The low-level awareness causes a limited pool of thought. Meaning that because one can only be aware of surface level things, they do not have the ability to think outside of the box of their own little world (which does not include the emotions of others), which ultimately causes them to be selfish without even realizing it; yet another form of low-level awareness.
I’m not even going to limit this to just the women who aren’t aware of jack shit, I’m not going to be naïve to the fact that there are plenty of very intelligent women out there who are knowingly deceiving men and getting away with it; and are completely okay with knowing they are being evil bitches. Its one thing to know the power you possess over a man, but it’s another to use it in a negative way.
The reason why I’ve brought this up is because of the alarming number of incidents that I’ve been learning of. I’ve personally been the woman who has to suffer because of the scarring another woman has caused to a genuine guy. I’ve honestly dealt with this same scenario more than 10 times, which is really fucking pathetic. I wrote about this because I want people to become more aware of what it is that they do and say. Think before you fucking speak, and learn to think outside of the fucking box.
I am really tired of being the one who has to get hurt every time I meet a guy who I actually like just to learn that he’s been scarred by some dumb selfish bitch. It’s always the same story – right girl, wrong time. Maybe if people we’re more honest with each other we wouldn’t have to suffer so much. My mother taught me that honesty is the best policy – let’s take that and run with it.
As you all know, I've recently moved into a stellar new apartment in a great part of town. I was fortunate enough to get a fantastic deal on the place considering all of the wonderful things it has including the vaulted ceilings and fireplace.
The only downfall to this apartment is that I'm still without furniture - except for a bed, dining room table, and patio furniture, my place is still in its early phases - which I'm completely okay with considering that I get to start off with a totally blank slate and built upwards from there.
The reason for this post is the coffee/cocktail table. I keep going back to this particular one even though it's rather pricey. I'm a fan of the minimalist/contemporary/fusion/trendy combo (that makes no sense) and this table most certainly falls into that category. I would just get something inexpensive from Ikea but I think that when the time comes I should treat myself to at least one nice piece for my living room.
I also really like this couch and matching chair, along with the ottoman and matching throw pillow. Together, I think this would look so awesome in my apartment.
I plan on painting as well, but once the money is readily available for furniture and all other decorative purposes, I'll fly Anthony in to full evaluate the place and arrange it appropriately. Plus, I've got a lot of vertical space which I'd really like to utilize with various pieces hanging from the walls.
All in due time, all in due time.
Scorpio is the eighth Sign of the Zodiac, and you shouldn’t take that lightly. You shouldn’t take Scorpios lightly, either. Those born under this Sign are dead serious in their mission to learn about others. There’s no fluff or chatter for Scorpios, either: these folks will zero in on the essential questions, gleaning the secrets that lie within. The curiosity of Scorpios is immeasurable, which may be why they are such adept investigators. These folks love to probe and know how to get to the bottom of things. The fact that they have a keen sense of intuition certainly helps.
Scorpios are known for their intensity. They are a determined folk that absolutely throw themselves into whatever they do — but getting them to commit to something is rarely an easy task. These folks are intense, passionate and filled with desire. They’re also complex and secretive, so don’t expect to get much out of them, lest they become suspicious and exit stage left. It’s best not to bet against Scorpios, either, since these folks are surprisingly resourceful.
Secretive and Intuitive
Most Scorpios are highly intuitive, which can make them either very compassionate and empathic or very cruel and vindictive, because they know where other people’s weak points are. Scorpios like to explore the profound in life and have little interest in small talk.
Scorpios are secretive, yet other people tend to tell them their own secrets. This often puts Scorpio in the role of counselor. Scorpios are excellent judges of character, and they have an incredible amount of sympathy for those who truly deserve it, but no sympathy or patience for whiners and people who are the authors of their own misfortune.
Self-Sacrificing
It’s the Scorpion which symbolizes Scorpios, and it’s no accident. Much like the Scorpion would rather kill itself than be killed, those born under this Sign are the ones who are in ultimate control of their destiny. Toward those for whom they have sympathy, Scorpios are fiercely protective, compassionate and self-sacrificing. They will risk their lives unthinkingly to protect those they care about. When Scorpios have an altruistic ascendant such as Aries or Leo, the combination of self-sacrifice and courage may draw them to make a career in one of the rescuing professions, such as police officer, fireman, coast guard or paramedic.
Magnetic and Seductive
Scorpios often have piercing eyes and a powerful gaze. Their personalities are seductive. People tend to find them interesting because they reveal little but are usually very deep. They are slow to trust new people, and it takes a long time for them to reveal just a few of their secrets.
Strength in the Face of Adversity
Scorpios can tolerate a lot of hardship and they can manage under the worst of conditions. These folks have tremendous regenerative powers, much like the literal Scorpion can lose its tail and promptly grow a new one. They are good at overcoming obstacles and turning change and challenge to their advantage, which is useful because Scorpios tend to attract sudden changes and endure more than their fair share of hardship. They are extremely persistent, and will go after what they want with a fierce determination that is often rewarded. They are survivors, and adversity only makes them stronger.
Scorpios simply never give up. They have tremendous staying power. In fact, talk to any Scorpio about their lives, and you’ll probably be in awe at all they’ve gone through. Trauma seems to follow them wherever they go. When Scorpio learns optimism, instead of expecting the worst, they’ll find that they possess amazing regenerative powers — the power to heal, create, and transform.
I just came across this and it totally made me smile. I made this back in 2005 and I completely forgot all about it. I haven't checked to see what other pieces are in there but I just had to share this with you. I'd suggest that it could portray a typical college student's experience with undergraduate studies over the course of their four-years. Lots of partying, a little bit of school work, and other smaller less significant experiences.
I think its time for me to get back to my artwork. My day was similar to this piece that I did over a year ago -- crazy, busy, and hectic. I'd really liked to get my hands on some paint and brushes, but fuckin' A, art supplies are retarded expensive.
I wish I could just trade in my psychology & philosophy books for some art supplies - paints, brushes, canvases, spray paint, glitter, and anything else I can doodle with. Having ADD and being an artist is a beautiful combination in my personal opinion. I visualize and create the oddest things at times. Such is life I suppose.
Given the interesting situation that my life decided to fall into at the current juncture, I think that falling back into an artistic mind-set would possibly allow for a better understanding of my thoughts and emotions, which ultimately will renew my energies and create a new & sensible chapter in my life. All of which will lead me to a healing of sorts, which will lead to even bigger, better, and far more positive things beyond this awful rut I seem to be wallowing in.
Not sure if it's time to jump ship from said wallowing cruise ship or to just jump ship from it all.
So, with that being said, I think it's time for me and my artistic ass to get to bed. Downloaded the movie 'Brick' today by recommendation and I'm thoroughly excited to watch it. Has anyone seen it?
So today marks one year since I moved to Arizona. It's weird considering how everything ultimately worked out, but as they say, everything does happen for a reason. So I've recently moved out of Mesa (thank God) and over to Ahwatukee, which is a really nice family neighorhood only minutes away from where I used to live at with Chad. This is where I had ultimately wanted to live and I was able to get a fantastic deal on an incredible apartment. I have vaulted ceilings and a fireplace! Things I don't need but absolutely love haha.
I've been continually looking for employment and have been finding the need to have a resume finally, so I've been working on one. I'm considering taking a break from school next semester because I'm starting to get extremely burnt out. I've been in college for 6 years straight and I think it's time for a short break. We'll see how things work out.
In other news, I think I may be cutting my long porn star hair off for a more simple style (and I use the word 'simple' very loosely). I'm considering cutting it short again because its getting to be too much of a hassle and I think a change would do me good. Plus, it's only hair and it will grow back, plus it'll be much healthier if I cut it.
The first two pix are two that I've oogled over for the last 9 years hoping to be able to do my hair like that. The third & fourth pictures are more of a daily wear style, although I tend to do my hair up every day as it is, but shorter hair would cut the time down to a fraction of what it takes now. And, I also know many tricks of the trade whereas before when I was sporting a shorter doo, I didn't know what to do with it.
My appointment is on Tuesday @ noon. I'm seeing the same girl I've been seeing since New Years Eve and she has done a fantastic job everytime. She fully shares my vision, even though its nothing like her own, but that just goes to show how talented she is. So we'll see! Let me know what you all think please!!
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