Hello again.

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.

Love and (a book) light,

Dorothy