Lately, Blair and I have been taking our two dogs, Rocky and Boomer, to a regional park near our house during the weekends. The time spent in nature, among the trees rustling with wind and wildlife, does so much good for the mind and soul. The crisp, fall air is so refreshing. It's exactly what I need to stay motivated and energized throughout the week.
This weekend I ventured into the heart of DC for the first time. Yes, for the first time since I moved here 2 years ago. My husband and I are homebodies, so we never quite make it further than 12 miles from where we live. This was also my first time riding the Metro. Now that I've done it once, I think I'll finally be visiting our nation's capital much more often.
What coaxed me to venture into the unknown was the National Book Festival and John Green. After getting my friend to read The Fault in Our Stars, which she loved, I dragged her to John Green's presentation and book signing. We waited for 2 hours to get our books signed with a whole bunch of 14-year-old girls, but it was completely worth it. The worst part was when the 14-year-old next to us decided that she and her sister should reread the book —out loud. With all the proper inflections.
John Green is incredibly nice in person. We were in the middle of the line that I later learned had 1,800 people. Even though I was the 900th fan he had seen that day, he made an effort to acknowledge me, look me in the eye, and thank me for being there. He even posed for this photo that I hurriedly snapped for fear of the nazi line monitors.
And I went home with this:
Even after reading the book, I didn't bother to see what his Youtube videos were about. Now that I know a bit more about him and what a genuine guy he is, I'll definitely be watching these in addition to my already packed semester and reading his other books. I'm currently reading Looking for Alaska.
"Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book."
I took a very long break from blogging. It wasn’t a conscious decision. Life got busier and blogging was pushed to the back burner. I do feel like it was a good break to take. Now, coming back, I have a new, fresher perspective and a firmer grasp on what I want my blog to be.
Here’s the short version of what I’ve been up to for the past 9 months.
We got a puppy. His name is Rocky, and he is the cutest thing ever.
I ran a 5K.
I became an NPR sponsor. Can we say nerd?
I discovered BodyFlow. It’s basically yoga intermixed with tai chi and pilates. It has done amazing things for my body and my mind.
We saw Rain perform again. They are the best Beatles tribute band out there, and they get better and better with each performance.
I saw Norah Jones in concert.
I discovered Kindlewood. They are an amazing band based in Maryland. I saw them at a tiny venue here in Northern Virginia called Jammin Java. Their style is dream folk-rock —if that didn’t catch your attention I don’t know what will.
I lost friends, and I made friends. Friendships have always been tricky for me —they still are. But I have grown as a person, and I have learned that my worth does not come from someone else’s perception of me. This has made it easier for me to move on when something isn’t quite right rather than spending so much energy on trying to repair something that probably wasn’t sincere in the first place. I have also learned to appreciate the friends that I do have even more as a result.
I quit my job. Yes, this is a big one. I grew a lot at my former job. I did really well and moved up the ladder relatively quickly. But there came a time when I wasn’t fulfilled or happy. I wanted to do something that I could be proud of; something that would make a difference in people’s lives. For the most part, my company was good to me, but it was just time for me to move on. I started thinking about what I really wanted to do —what the 15-year-old, 10-year-old, 5-year-old Dorothy dreamed of doing, and…
I went back to school to get my teaching credentials. I remember always wanting to be a teacher. I have also wanted to become a lawyer, journalist, psychologist, but teaching has always run through my veins. I plan to teach English for grades 6-12. I supposed I could have worked during the day and taken classes at night, but I needed a clean break, a fresh outlook. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to walk away from a full-time corporate salary knowing that I have my husband’s support, fiscally and morally.
We got another dog. Boomer was our family dog that moved in with family friends after my mom moved overseas. He has finally joined our family, and both dogs now make our home so much brighter.
I chopped off all my hair. I had to get it out of my system, and I’m glad I did it.
I turned 24.
I posted a lot of pictures on Instagram. thekindledscholar
Now that we’re all caught up, I can’t wait to start blogging about life again.
