The End and the Beginning

It is time to move on to making this blog what I really want it to be. Therefore, today I intend to finish the remaining prompts on the 30 Day Challenge that turned into a 30 Prompt Challenge because of...well, life. Life and all its unexpected turns, needed extra work, and both ugly and  beautiful distractions.

-Remaining Prompt #1: Five Words or Phrases That Make Me Laugh:
1. "Dobby did not mean to kill; only maim or seriously injure."- said in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
2. "Bitch can see."- said in Pretty Little Liars
3. "Don't you have enough books?"- said by anyone to me (because it is such a silly question)
4. "Hi. I'm Tate. I'm dead. Wanna hook up?"- said in American Horror Story (BONUS: The words Infantata or Croatoan from the same source when said in certain tones by my hilarious husband.)
5. "Cyanide?...As if we'd run out."- said in The Addams Family

-Remaining Prompt #2: Something I'm Currently Worried About
There is so much to be worried about right now: the current state of the presidential election, whether or not I will get into or do well in police academy, possible apocalyptic futures, bills and more bills...but I suppose what is worrying me most overall is time, or the lack there of it. Will I have time to see all the places and things I want to in this great, big world? Will I have time to have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren? Will there ever be enough time to read all the amazing works of literature, view all the glorious (and not so glorious) films, or make a positive impact on this planet? Will there ever be enough time in a day, a month, a decade, or evem a lifetime? All I can hope for is that there is enough time for a fair share of everything. Even still, the topic of worry ends up getting us nowhere. Worry less; pray more...because at least the praying is productive.

-Remaining Prompt #3: Things I Like and Dislike About Myself
I like that I am feisty. I don't like that I can be quicktempered. I like that I can get lost in a book. I don't like that I sometimes unfairly compare my reality to expertly crafted fiction. I like that I am smart. I don't like when I sound like a know-it-all. Honestly, I could go on and on. However, I am happy to say that I generally and genuinenly like myself, all oddities and imperfections included. If at the end of the day, I can say I'm doing a little better than I was  yesterday, then great.

-Remaining Prompt #4: A Quote I Try to Live By
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." I try to live by this quote, because I do believe in the beauty of my dreams. I believe in doing things simply because they make me happy. I believe I have a purpose here on this Earth, and that I know what it is. I dream of having multiple successful ventures: justice and law enforcement, becoming a mother, and even capturing others' precious moments with a camera and a vision. I believe in using my talents, big or small, to help myself and others create a more beautiful future. The future, or at least my future, really does belong to me and that makes it my responsibility to determine. I choose to determine by dreams and faith, rather than by paychecks or societal norms.


-Remaining Prompt #5: Somewhere I'd Like to Visit or Move to
There are so many places I would like to visit or re-visit: Boston, New York, the Bahamas, Greece, Rome, England, Germany...I truly do have a wanderer's heart. Still, there is one special place I would like to visit and that is Ireland. My husband and I are both very fond of our Irish roots, and dreamily discuss retiring to the snake-free and green land. We would love nothing more than a quiet cottage in Ireland with lots of land for lots of dogs.

-Remaining Prompt #6: Five Weird Things I Like
1. I like the taste of dill pickles and animal crackers together.
2. I like when horror and comedy mix genres, like on the show Scream Queens or American Horror Story.
3. I like the smell of old books and gasoline, but never together.
4. I like to study true crime, even the really gruesome stuff.
5. I like to discover new paranormal takes on things like vampires and witches... the more original, the better.

-Remaining Prompt #7: One Thing I'm Excited For
I am excited for the holidays! This will be my first Thanksgiving and Christmas with my side of the family and my husband in YEARS. I am excited for all the traditions, both old and new. I am excited to see what Pittsburgh has to offer this time of year. I am excited to cook for everyone, buy presents, and decorate together. With that expressed, I wish you all a happy Halloween and bid you goodnight.

What I Miss

What I miss are the types of things all people miss: childhood memories, lost loved ones, and places long ago visited. I miss rollerblading around Victory Park with my mom, cooking holiday meals in my great grandmother's amazingly tiny kitchen, and playing outside with the neighborhood kids. I miss the people who were once my best friends, and now only a memory or an occasional email conversation. I miss reading books I love for the very first time, like the Harry Potter series or even Nancy Drew. I miss anxiously awaiting the arrival of my younger siblings, and wondering what they would be like. I miss the experience of falling in love. I miss my childhood days, my high school days, and my college days. I miss thinking I knew everything, and I also miss the first time I realized I didn't. I miss all of the amazing moments that I have had in my life, and every milestone along the way, that I would go back to if given the opportunity to travel through time. I miss all the things those people who are wiser and older than me told me I would.

The question remains though: What can be done by missing someone, something or somewhere? If we're lucky, the answer is that we are inspired to do something about it. If you miss someone, reach out to them. If you miss a place, go there. Fall in love again (if you're married, you can get creative with your spouse and engage in some cutesy courtship...don't feel left out). Remember to live in each moment, because you will probably miss it later. Do it all again and again- there is no expiration date, no maximum or minimum usage, and no restrictions which apply. No, not when it comes to life and all the moments that it consists of.