#51--"Always A Reason To Smile"

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8QPXfG/www.globalone.tv/profiles/blogs/16-rules-to-try-to-live-by

My husband sent me this link, probably because I am often in need of staying on track and remembering that life isn't always all about work (though work does help). I read through the list and I found that all of these were helpful to me, and that some of them could be used in multiple different aspects of my life, or in regard to different goals that I have for myself.

The last week (or so) has been pretty rough around the edges, and there is not a whole lot that I can really do to change things. People have died, others were married, and still others made their first appearance into this world. But that's the process of life, really.

Moving away from that which could very quickly become quite depressing, I still have school on my mind and I am still quite excited for orientation and the upcoming term. I am diving into literature that I haven't read since high school. It is a grand adventure all over again. I should also probably do at least a glance-over of some of my textbooks from my undergraduate semesters, just to brush up before I jump headfirst into teaching and taking graduate classes. I have a strong feeling that I am going to be quite busy this semester.

And next year we are hoping to be able to go to Australia! I am not sure if I have previously mentioned this on my blog, but there it is. As of right now there are four of us who are really planning to go, though four or six more have been invited to join in our escapades. I am not sure if the other six will be able to go due to some scheduling. Right now it is looking like the best time to go is in August. I am very excited for this trip. Number one, it's AUSTRALIA. Number two is, culture! and I think Number three is the bit about how I'm writing a story/novel/series that takes place in Australia, and so having the experience of going there and seeing everything firsthand will really be a benefit to my writing (and this will be the first official trip someplace where I am also using what I will see and learn to directly fuel the setting for a piece of my work). This is not to say that I do not use my other experiences in building the setting for my written works, it just means that most of the settings I have to pull from are of the midwestern influence, with a chunk of London and a small splash of Canada. I am truly looking forward to the vast differences that Australia has to offer, but that plane ride! Whew!

Well I suppose that is about all for now. I have some DDR on PS2 to get back to. Yay home workouts!