Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Goals for 2016, Words to Describe Myself, What I Was Like...

Welcome To My Reality - January 2016 Prompts

1. How do you feel about getting older? Does it frighten you? Please you? Is there anything in particular that concerns you or that you look forward to?

January is my birth month. Getting older is inevitable. Having to act my age is not mandatory. I used to not fear getting older, but as I age... I find I am getting more anxious.

2. What sort of background noise do you like to have when you're writing? What about when you're reading, relaxing or sleeping?

With my writing it depends on the day and the time I am setting in.... it also depends on where I am. If I feel the need to be surrounded by people, but not want to interact, I go to the cafes and let the background buzz around me. Sometimes I tune in and listen, other times I tune it out and let the flow happen.

When I write at home, I generally write in the quiet... but there are times when I am able to write with the television on and ignore it.
Generally for writing - the quiet of the morning is the best at home. Cafes are best for my lagging afternoons. In the evening it can go either way depending on my energy level.

For relaxing and sleeping - I can fall asleep with the television on... if I am alone, I prefer the background noise. I don't feel so alone then.
I can read anywhere. I don't go anywhere without a book. I feel unanchored it I don't.

3. What were you like in school? Was there a certain clique or group you fit into?

I was a quiet, shy child who had the odd habit of talking to myself, occasionally... being an only child I often murmured to myself, so other children kept their distance. So I did not fit in anywhere.

When my mother moved us to Guelph, I was able to recreate myself... I was still quiet and shy, but I lost some of that oddity my earlier classmates had known. There was also a girl who had that oddity to her, I spent a little time with her, but eventually pulled away so that I would not pick up that same reputation. I feel bad about that, she needed friends, but I was not strong enough to be that person she needed. Grade six kids can be mean and nasty. Cliques are forming and judgement runs high and wild.

I stayed out of the popular group, but kept out of the oddity circle as well.

Grade 7 I made two friends. The grouping caused issues that still bother me... two would gang up on the third... we were all supposed to be friends. Why I went along with this.... I don't know. Grade 7 mentality, I suppose. By the end of the year, the girl I liked better moved to a different school and the next year the other girl became nasty to me. The saving grace was that my friend I had met many years earlier was now in grade seven. I began to hang out with her and her group of friends. Life improved dramatically... I am still friends with many of those girls. There was heart and empathy in all of those girls. They were more like me.

In high school, I shifted friendship groups again. Michelle and her girls were still back in grade eight and I had to move on. I managed to find a group similar to Michelle's - smart and friendly.

I grew away from these girls during my years in high school... much of that came with becoming friends with another girl, Debbie. Debbie was a free spirit. I met her in drama class... the class that help me with my shyness. Eventually I reconnected with Michelle's group. They were not so fond of Debbie either, but eventually Michelle and Debbie became friends and we are still all friends to this day.

Friendship is an odd thing. We need friends... but we also need to find friends with souls that meld with ours.

Interestingly, all my friends are first born children with one younger brother.

4. Describe yourself in 5 words. Now, explain why you chose those particular words.

Introverted - I need to recharge after a particularly social day. I can 'act' extroverted when I am out socially, but once I get home I need quiet time to recharge.

Creative - I enjoy using my creative gifts to write poems and stories, as well as drawing and coming up with lesson plans that engage students.

Laid back - at least on the surface. I try to stay calm and relaxed, even if I am feeling anxious underneath.

Positive - I try to keep a positive outlook on life. It makes life so much easier to see the good in all situations.

Empathetic - I have a big heart for those who are struggling. I want to help and lift them up.


7. Read a new book lately? Write a review and tell us what you liked/disliked about it.

Have I read a book lately? I am always reading something. I have started the year with many romances. The best of them is by Jill Shalvis. It is called My Kind Of Wonderful. It is the story of Bailey Moore and Hudson Kincade. Hudson is one of the brothers that runs the family business - a ski resort in Cedar Ridge. Bailey is a cancer survivor. She has a list of things she wants to accomplish now that she is not going to die... she has been fighting the cancer since grade 9. Skiing is one item on her list... and so is painting a mural. She is able to accomplish both things by going to this ski resort. Hudson's mother hires her... his mother with dementia. His brothers and sister agree that the mural is a great idea... and Hudson has to go along with it.

Both of them are in this for the day to day, but love finds them both. Hudson is not sure he deserves this gift of love, but eventually he finds that letting Bailey go is more painful than anything else he has ever experienced.

As with all of Jill Shalvis's books... I loved it. She tells a great story with characters who are authentically flawed and worthy of love. When the story is over you don't want the characters to go... thank goodness the next book in the series comes out in the spring!

9. What are your goals or resolutions for 2016?

I prefer to make goals instead of resolutions... that way I can pick myself, dust myself off and try again when I mess up.

In the area of health... I need to lose weight and be more active. I try to aim for a least 10,000 steps each day and three twenty minute sessions of yoga a week. I also want to try to eat better - more fruits and veggies. More home cooked meals and smoothies so that I can control what nutrients go into my body. My overall goal is to lose at least twenty pounds - that will get my BMI back into the normal range with a healthy distance from the overweight area. I need to stop the night snacking.

For my writing... I will write everyday... at least 750 words on www.750words.com. I will continue to work on last year's Nano novel and get it finished. I will write poetry and stay active on the Writing.com website that is my online home.

I would like to stretch out beyond that website and send out stories and poems to contests.

I will continue to blog on Writing.com. I enjoy my friends on the website and get encouragement to build my confidence. I am extremely grateful for that.

For work... I will continue to take supply jobs and hope to get work each day.

I will apply to LTOs and hopefully I will get a position to teach in my own classroom.... allowing me to develop my skills and make a positive difference in children's lives.

I may have to get a part time job to be able to pay my bills.

I also want to keep in touch with my friends and stay more connected to friends and family.