11/09/2016

This is my new anthem after the mess that happened yesterday. I will use this to lift me up and remind me that we always rise up; we will always get back to where we need to be. This is just a bump in the road. This is just something that needed to happen. God never puts too much on you then you can handle or too much in your life that will break you. This won't break us. It will strengthen us. I will continue to believe that because I have no other choice. I have to continue to move forward no matter how many steps back this country took last night. It will be okay. I know it. Remember these lyrics and inspiring words when you feel like just giving up when it gets hard because it will. We are in for a long, hard, bumpy road. But we will get through it; we will prevail. Love always wins in the end.

Rise Up by Andra day

You're broken down and tired

Of living life on a merry-go-round

And you can't find the fighter

But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out

And move mountains

We gonna walk it out

And move mountains

And I'll rise up

I'll rise like the day

I'll rise up

I'll rise unafraid

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

And I'll rise up

High like the waves

I'll rise up

In spite of the ache

I'll rise up

And I'll do it a thousand times again

For you [4x]

10/02/2016

I cannot believe that today is my 28th birthday. I am amazed that I am only two years away from 30. I have mixed feelings about that. I love my birthday in every way and I am so happy to be growing up. I feel like a grown up now. I mean saying you're 28 has a way of making you feel that way. But I'm also not where I thought I'd be at this age and only being a couple of years from thirty. My twenties are almost over and I'm still living at home. I never thought I'd be that girl but I also never imagined I'd have a bum ankle so I guess you never know where life will take you.

9/11

Never Grow Up

I just heard this song for the first time. It was on an Instagram video for a four-year old's birthday and it just spoke to me. I mean this is how I feel right now as I navigate my life. It's amazing how I long for my childhood and when things were so much easier. I know no matter how much I tell my future kids not to grow up too fast and not to long for adulthood they will fall into the trap. They will grow up and realize that childhood was some of the best times in their lives. If I could go back, even for a day, I would because I had a great childhood with my brothers, sister, friends, and family. We had some great times that I'm really missing this summer as I struggle and deal with some issues. 

~Teralyn

Buxton Peak Who Is Ian Taylor

Who is Ian Taylor? Ian Taylor is the main character in Buxton Peak Book One: Who Is Ian Taylor? by Julie Spencer.

Buxton Peak Book One: Who Is Ian Taylor? is the beginning of a love story that forces Ian Taylor to let go of those who use him, embrace those who love him for who he truly is, and find strength in his music when everything around him falls apart.

Cleveland Cavaliers: NBA Champions

Today the Cleveland Cavaliers did what no team has ever been able to do: they came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors and win their first championship. When the clock hit zero the tears started. I was so emotional and happy for the team and Lebron James. I am a Lakers fan through and through but I have been a Lebron James fan for the past six years. I like what he stands for and the way he conducts himself so whatever team he ends up on I will root for. I can't believe they actually won. When they got into that hole I just about gave up on them. I did not watch Game 5 because I couldn't stand to see them play so horribly or lose the championship. I knew if they won that game they had a chance and I could continue to watch. I've only felt that way about the Lakers but the Cavs have made me a fan. I was a fan when they lost last year and I am a fan right now. If they never win another championship in my lifetime I'll still be a fan of the team and Lebron James. Today, June 19, 2016, the Cavs won their first NBA title and it feels good to say that they are champions. Today was a good day.

~Teralyn

Rihanna's Anti World Tour

One week ago on April 20, 2016, I woke up and looked at my phone. I had an email from Tidal. I read the first few lines and saw that I had won two tickets to Rihanna's Anti World Tour. Of course, I was beyond shocked. when I entered a few months earlier, I never imagined that I would win. A notification popped up when I opened the app so I entered. There was no harm in that. About a week before I got the email, I had resigned myself to not winning and not being able to go to the concert otherwise. I live in Utah where artist that I listen to and love do not normally come. So when I saw that Rihanna was coming here I really wanted to go. She is one of my favorite artist all time. I have been listening to her since she started making music eleven years ago. That email made my day. It made my week.

Cedar Fort Internship

Back in January, I got the email I agonized over for most of my Christmas break. In December I applied for an internship at Cedar Fort Publishing because I wanted to get some experience in a publishing house to help me decided what I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm debating against being a freelance editor or working in a more traditional setting such as a publishing house or for a company editing their material. I got the internship and over the past three months and I have been doing that. I've proofread pieces as well as copy edited and source checking. I worked a lot with acquisitions, reading manuscripts from the slush pile. I also got to go attend meetings which gave me insider insight into how the company treats their editors and what to expect working for the company.

Officially Done

I am officially done with school! I am a college graduate (again)! I do not have to deal with the stresses of school anymore. No more literary analysis and constantly wondering if I have a thesis. No more endless reading and homework assignments. But seriously it was great going back to school to get my English degree. I learned so much and have become a better writer and editor with what I've learned and the feedback I received from great professors. I met some amazing people and made some great friends this time around. I interacted with my classmates this time around and it really did make the college experience that much better. Having personal relationships with my professors also helped me succeed and do well this time around. 

I had a lot of support and I enjoyed my time in school but I am happy to be done and moving on to better things. I can now put all of my focus on writing and breaking into the publishing business. My time working on Essais has given me the confidence I need to go out there and try. I feel like I have the skills to do it and to succeed at it if I put my all into it. The future is bright. 

~Teralyn

Essais Launch Night

Last Thursday, we had our launch night party where we presented the published copy of the journal I've been working on all semester. It was a lot of work, very stressful at times. I lost a lot of sleep worrying about how it would turn out but the finished product makes it all worth it. It was a great experience but it was so stressful and crazy and everything. I spent so many hours in my faculty advisor's office going over things for the journal whether it was making selections for submissions or editing or whatever was necessary. As stressful as it was I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The experience I gained is invaluable and will help me so much going forward. I learned that I can lead; I can be in charge of something as big as a journal. I know what I am doing and it helped give me faith in myself. I wouldn't have been able to do this without Christa D. Albrecht, Lydia Renée Kerr, Deirdre Nickel, and Landon Roper and the rest of the editing staff as well as faculty in the English Department.

~Teralyn

NaNoWriMo Winner

I haven’t been on here to post in a while because I’ve been working on my story for NaNoWriMo and I have been working on the journal and going to class. The last month has been one of the busiest months I’ve ever had in my life. Launch night for the journal is next week and school ends in a couple of weeks. I’ve been running around (in my head) doing everything to get the journal to the printer on time which meant making sure it is typeset correctly and that everything looks great. While also making sure I stayed on top of my school work for my senior seminar class.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)

NaNoWriMo began today. This is national, worldwide, event where you’re required to write at least 50,000 words in one month (the month of November) and this year I’ve decided to participate. I found out about it late last year so I decided to try to participate this year.

It's Never Too Late

When saw this picture it made me think of myself and my circumstances. It's never too late to decide to do something new. Just because you've put time and effort into something, it doesn't mean you're tied to that dream. If it isn't a good fit, then move on and try something else. In my case, I just had to accept what my true dream was even if it doesn't seem noble enough or seem like it will help the world like being a lawyer. I am a writer. And that's that. It is what it is. My passion is in writing. So I am dreaming a new dream and going for what it is I want with no fear for how it will turn out. It'll work out the way it is supposed to work out. Until then I'm going to keep writing and making up stories I hope will one day touch and help people.

~Teralyn

Moving On

I moved to Utah in September of 2005, almost ten years ago. Since I’ve been here I’ve lived in the same duplex. Ten years in the same place. It was the stability I needed after all the moving I did when I was younger. I hate change. I hate it so much that I don’t even like to change my room around. It takes me too long to get back comfortable so it really bugs me. But some change is good even if you hate it.

First Day of My Last Semester

Today I started the first day of my absolutely last day of my undergraduate career. And I can honestly say that I am ready. I’m ready to get my second degree and be done with school. The first time I graduated I wasn’t quite ready, maybe I was unsure of what I wanted to really do even though I’d decided to go to law school. I was unsure of if I would be able to do it that is. I still had that thought in the back of my head about being a writer; my mindset was that I could always be a writer after my career was over. This time I feel like I will have the degree I was meant to have in the first place.

Editor-in-Chief, yay!

Today Christa emailed to tell me that I got the editor-in-chief position of Essais, a literary analysis journal at my school. I’m so excited for this opportunity but also really nervous. Being the editor-in-chief means I am responsible for everything. I am responsible for getting a great journal out by the end of the semester. If it doesn’t turn out well then it is on my head; everyone would be looking at me wondering what went wrong. But even this couldn’t or wouldn’t stop me from taking on this task. This is a great opportunity for me to see what it’s like to run a journal and be in charge. It’s also a chance for me to see how I will respond when I am in charge. I am a quiet person until I get to know you. I don’t step up to lead very often, frankly it frightens me but I’m not going to let that scare me away. I can’t wait to get started and see what this experience brings.  

~Teralyn

Pray for Charleston

Last night, June 17, a man walked into the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and opened fire after sitting with the people at bible study for some time. He killed nine people. For someone to walk into a church where people are studying the bible is just beyond words. As Cornell William Brooks stated, "There is no greater coward than a criminal who enters a house of God and slaughters innocent people engaged in the study of scripture." What has this world come to? How have we gotten back to this? I feel as if we are reverting back to the days of Jim Crow. This shooting is reminiscent to the church bombing in Alabama that killed four little girls in 1963. 

The Terrible Twenties...

I am so guilty of this. I have spent most of my twenties up until now worrying about not doing what I thought I should be doing. I thought I should have my life together by the time I was 25 years old. I thought I was a failure because I changed my mind about what I wanted to do. I decided that being a lawyer wasn't for me and I felt like my life was falling apart because I was 23 and didn't know what I wanted to do. But now I realize that I do not have to have it all together. I still don't have it together. I have no earthly clue what I want to do with the rest of my life besides write and help abused and neglected children. I can't figure out what it is I want to do because I still don't really know. I have a general idea. Your twenties are supposed to be be for you to figure out what you want in life. And that goes for every thing from what job you want to pursue to the romantic relationships you want to try. To how many children you think you want to have. I know I want to adopt from the foster care system, at least one or two children and maybe have a child or two of my own. I still have a few years to figure out what it is I want to do with my life and then some. Life is unpredictable and messy and frustrating. It does not come wrapped in a neat little bow or with written out instructions. You just have to take it one day at a time and figure out what it is that works for you.

Dante's 3rd Birthday

My nephew celebrated his third birthday last Wednesday. I know everyone says this but where does the time go? I was just getting pictures of a newborn baby now he's three and talking and walking. He is the cutest little boy and I love him so much. I bought him a Spider-man costume for his birthday and it arrived today. His mom sent me videos of him with it on and some pictures that i posted below. I cannot wait to meet the little guy. Hopefully I'll be able to go to Louisiana in July and see him.

Creative Creations and Writing

Since January, I've been working on two baby blankets for my boss Kristen and my friend Heather. Kristen is due in June and Heather is due later this month. I was worried I wouldn't get the blankets done in time for the showers but I was able to finish both blankets. In the last few months, I've finished two crochet blankets, two fleece tied blankets, and two novels. A productive semester if should say so myself.