Night Thoughts

Favorite things of this very moment (10:28 pm CST):

• The prosepect of caffeine in the morning


• That beautiful little candle holder which I bought for a single dollar which helps brighten my little corner of the world.


• iTunes


• Gotye ( http://gotye.com/ ) ...you'll fall in love with him. He's magic


• Finding Hassan II Mosque patterned Keds on Zazzle while I was doing some research earlier... ( http://www.zazzle.com/mosaic_hassan_ii_mosque_morocco_shoes-167240258580568706 ) ...seriously, how cool is that?

As you may have guessed, I'm working on my rewrite for Tramp. I decided to start by retrieving more information and taking more time to look at all the pictures I could find of Hassan II Mosque that I could. It's a beautiful building. I'm Christian, but I can greatly appreciate the beauty of any house of worship. The mosque definitely deserve to be seen by all. Such gorgeous mosaics and windows and carvings and floors...I mean everything about the place is class and detail. Two things I greatly appreciate in good architecture and design. Honestly, I would advise you to take the time to look at the pictures, or, even better, if you are ever in Casablanca, Morocco, take the tour. They have several tours throughout the day Saturday-Monday.

Well, now that I've sounded like a travel company informercial...

Life is going.

I recently read in a Real Simple that the best advice one woman had ever been given was that she should never try to solve problems at night. She was told that it's always harder to solve problems facing the darkness. Everything is easier when you get to face the morning light. I thought that was kinda cheesy at first, but in the past few weeks, testing that particular bit of advice, I find that it's true. When I start worrying at night, I write a list or a quick note and then leave it for the morning. I tend to work out problems as I type away at work. It gives me more time to think about life and to reframe the problem. Things really do feel a lot less scary when you deal with them in the light. I highly recommend trying this one out yourself.

And with that...Good night.

Why I Need a Passport ( Or I Am Worth a Second Look)

Morocco, Morocco...how I long to visit thee.

Today I wrote my first article for a really cool company called Tramp Imperial Travel (http://www.moroccotraveltours.net/) that takes people on tours through Morocco. If you're wanting to travel there, check them out. I know I want to travel there. This, as I'd like to point out, is one of the reasons I need my passport. How does a person get to be 25 years old and never own a passport? Ah...This needs to be changed.

It's also exciting to be able to say that I am a freelance writer. I never thought I would be afforded an opportunity like this, and I am hoping that this will blossom into something good.

I also had a good talk with my mom this evening about one of my exes. I talked to him today for the first time in a long time. I miss the friend I had in him for years, but the guy I talk to now is never that guy. He's someone I don't recognize, and I sometimes wonder which version of himself he'll be when we talk or which version of him is even real. He's a human emotional personality chameleon. Every person he's dated has caused him to take on a new persona. It reminds me a lot of Julia Robert's character, Maggie in "Runaway Bride." He tries to become exactly what the other person wants. With me he was a hilarious and good Christian guy. After me he became a guy very interested in art and becoming a starving artist by drinking and doing every drug he could get ahold of (maybe he still does), then a guy super interested in health and vegetarianism, and then a guy who was obsessed with film and all it's aspects, and now he's a health nut who works out.

I miss my version, but at the same time...I'm glad that ended. In the past few weeks, I've been reminded of all the things I didn't do. Most of them were dreams I had that he told me I wasn't capable of, wasn't talented enough to do, wasn't pretty enough for, didn't have the right body type for, was too clumsy for...that I wasn't good enough.

But do you know who I am? I don't. And I'm actually a little excited about that. I've lived for many years thinking I was less than I am, but I'm something special. I'm worth a second look, and someday someone is going to say, "Hey let's go to Bali" or "Let's go to Canada or Paris or anywhere..." When that person comes along...darn it, I'm going to have that passport.

One last thing, because I haven't done this in awhile:

Favorite things of this very moment (10:24 pm CST):

• Unsweetened ice tea


• Sanctus Real's great song "'Til I Got to Know You"


• Knowing I fixed my computer speakers on my own


• Knowing my family is in the living room watching Disney's lovely cartoon version of "Robinhood" at this very moment


• That I finished and turned in my first writing assignment for Tramp Imperial Travel


• That I am actually, for real, no joke, a freelance writer


• Having several jobs (Tramp Imperial Travel, the pharmacy, Basket Beginnings, the last of which I probably forgot to mention, but I am working there off and on to cover for people over the rest of the summer starting with tomorrow afternoon)


• Owning my own copy of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows


• Hope