Punxsutawney, PA!

Haven’t updated this sucker in months! Well, everyone, I went back on the road.

This time, to a famous Borough, called Punxsutawney located in Pennsylvania. Famous for what? You might ask.

Famous for Groundhog Day, of course. Let’s start with a little backstory on Punxsutawney.

Punxsutawney. What a peculiar name, right? How the hell do you even pronounce it? Here’s how (Click dat ->): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDz8LXVnDKY

I spent a good while trying to pronounce it correctly. My Gypsy Mother insisted on mispronouncing it, although I corrected her consistently. Punxsutawney was home originally to the Lenape (Delaware Indians) and the name “Punxsutawney” stems from a Native name in Unami – it translates to “town of the sandflies” or “town of the mosquitos”. Our main goal in this sweet, small adventure, was to see the famous Punxsutawney Phil.

 

Healthy Looking Groundhog

Every February 2nd, Phil’s job is to predict the weather. If Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he’s predicted six more weeks of winter. If not, he’s predicted an early spring. With the help of the infamous 1993 movie, “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray (love that guy) and Andie Macdowell, Phil has become quite the celebrity.

A special group, called the Inner Circle (I like to call them “the Cult of Phil”) takes care of Phil all year-round and they plan annual ceremonies.

 

Inner Circle

Our main goal was to see Phil. You may be thinking, “He’s just a groundhog!” I know. I’m well aware of that. But, he’s Phil! And it would have been too damn cold to visit Gobbler’s Knob in February just to get a prediction. It was about a 5-hour drive from Reading, PA to Du Bois, PA – a nice smooth ride. Instead of staying in Punxsutawney, we decided to stay about 45 minutes from the borough. Du Bois was nothing to holler about, but it was manageable. We stayed in a Best Western – a peculiar Best Western.

It was about a 5-hour drive from Reading, PA to Du Bois, PA – a nice smooth ride. Instead of staying in Punxsutawney, we decided to stay about 45 minutes from the borough. Du Bois was nothing to holler about (except for a hole in the wall cinema, in which I’ll get to that), but it was manageable. We stayed in a Best Western – a peculiar Best Western.

Peculiar (to me) because I had never seen a playground in a hotel.

We stayed on the first floor and the hallways were awkwardly long and narrow. It had the tendency to place one in a creepy world that didn’t exist or… did it? The laundry room was a few steps away and the beds were extremely comfortable. Syfy channel has definitely upgraded and the bathroom was well cleaned.

We arrived in the evening time and decided to ditch staying in the hotel and venture to Punxsutawney. It was about a 50-minute drive and along the road, there had been roadkill galore. The restaurant we intended on going to had been closed so we took a detour at a restaurant called, “The Burrow”. Didn’t turn out well so we took yet another detour to Wendy’s, and I regret eating those fries — super salty.

The next day smoothed in and I didn’t really want to get out of the bed.

It was way too comfortable. The Gypsy Woman insisted on taking full advantage of the hotel gym — I complied. It was enjoyable. My little feet and short legs never ran on a treadmill and I was quite satisfied with my experience.

 

Working Out.

After a nice workout, we hit the town and I found that it wasn’t as lively as I expected.

It was super… super… quiet.

We attempted to find all 32 of The Fantastic Phils of Punxatawney statue. We drove and stopped, ran and snapped, drove and stopped, ran and snapped for almost a whole day. Twas’ a great workout. The Gypsy Woman was more concerned about her photos with Phil. I just wanted a good two or three.

Gobbler’s Knob, which is where they hold the big event every year, had such a beautiful scenery.

Gobbler’s Knob wasn’t as big as I imagined but I’m sure the land was a lot longer than my eyes could see. After a cute 11-15 minute ride, we decided to go to Phil’s Burrow – his little home. On our way there, we found a few other Phil’s and only two tourists like ourselves.

Behind that Phil is the real Phil!

Found across the street from Phil’s Crib

I found this pretty rad.

Most of my time in Punxatawney, I spent eating. A lot. Yes, I gained weight. Wasn’t much to do out there but eat anyway and enjoy the scenery.  We drove around a lot, in which I enjoy tremendously.

Olive Garden, Ruby Tuesdays, and Cracker Barrell were all terrific.

Overall, I give this trip a 6/10 just because I was where the trees were.

And the food.

The Merchant House Museum, NYC!

“Should I take the L train to 3rd avenue and just walk the rest of the way, or take the L train and transfer to the 6 train and walk only 4 minutes. Do I need exercise? Hmm…” I debated with myself.

The L train was a smooth and moderately filled ride. And the 6 train came as soon as I reached the platform. Today was finally the day I set aside my back pains and whatever else held me from venturing to this historic home.

It took me about six minutes to reach the house and if you didn’t pay attention to your surroundings, you’d definitely miss it. Incognito yet blatant in its seniority, the Merchant’s House greeted me with a “hello, come in”. Climbing up the steep steps, I found the bell and pressed once.

Upon entering the house, a silhouette of a very petite figured woman stood down the hall.

“Hello! Welcome!” Said a faceless, friendly woman. The rugs were a maroon color and I started my way down the hall towards her. Growing closer, I found that she was an older woman who seemed to have been working there for years.

She shifted her glasses and said, “Yes, come in from the cold. It’s freezing outside!”

“Yes, it’s pretty cold out.” I couldn’t help but smile at her – her gentle elderly voice and calm demeanor rubbed off on me.

“Are you a student?” She asked.

“Not yet, but I will be in the Fall. I own a travel blog that needs updating.” I fumbled in my bag and pulled out the $15 for admission.

“Oh, that’s nice. Thank you for choosing to come visit. Is it just you?”

“Yes, just me.” I grinned. We had a short chat, she filled me in with the house and where the tour began. A book was placed in my possession; it detailed the information about the house’s layout as well a ton of facts about the Tredwell Family.

Post Cards.

Donation Birdy House.

I was directed to hang up my coat downstairs where the tour started. While walking down the steps, I felt a significant churning, like I was melting into another time.

Found at the coat hanging section.

The silence settled me and I focused in on immersing myself in the home that had been built in 1832. A short version of the history behind the Merchant’s House goes a little like this: Seabury Tredwell was a wealthy merchant who decided that 29 E 4th Street would be a swell place to reside and raise a family. He bought the house for $18,000 from Joseph Brewster (the builder). There lived him, his wife and his 8 children, along with his ever changing servants who were Irish immigrants. He resided in that home until his death which occurred in 1865. Not only is it known for its past history of the Tredwell family, it’s also known for its haunted reputation. Gertrude, the youngest of the Tredwell family, never married and lived her entire life in that home until she died at the age of 93 in 1933. Many folks believe that she is protecting her family home.

The self-guided tour began in the kitchen downstairs. Somehow I felt like a woman from that era would zoom past in front of me and begin baking. Everything looked as if it was in its right place.

A bucket of coals that the servants would carry. Nearly broke my damn arm.

The next room I entered was a sort of study and the style resembled the living room upstairs.

Antique Teacups owned by the Tredwells.

Silverware.

And at that moment, from the corner of my eye, I caught half of a tall woman gliding across the opened door. I was not startled — I was impressed.

“I see you.” I stated loud enough for Gertrude to hear but with respect the silence of her home. I stepped out of the study with hopes I’d see her, but no luck – as usual. In the hallway, I found a few more interesting chronicles of history.

Drawing of Union Square in 1850. Thought that was pretty cool.

Cobble Stone.

Servant’s Bell.

Help support the Merchant’s House Museum. (I donated a dollar and you can too!)

I took myself back upstairs to the first floor. It was delightful to hear the classical piano music playing, it flavored the experience.

First-floor Hallway.

Chandelier in rear parlor.

Rear parlor.

Front parlor. (Wish I took a better photo.)

Seabury Tredwell.

The famous piano that Gertrude still plays in spirit.

I tried to capture the tranquil moment in my mind — took mental pictures. The house has a way of bringing the gentleness out of you. Each step I took upstairs, the creaking that the steps made, cause me to feel as though I’d ruin the historic house. So, I took sweet steps.

Honestly, the mannequin scared the hell out of me.

The bed that Gertrude died on.

I lingered there for a bit and took the next flight of steps. The third floor was strictly for staff, so visitors had to keep trekking up until the 4th floor. The 4 floor was the servant’s quarters. As stated in the booklet as well as the board you see below, the servants were an important asset to wealthy folks like the Tredwells.

Ad seeking a female Irish servant.

Servant’s room.

Outside of the room sat two small chairs, and my back pains took me to them. In those quiet moments, I indulged myself on an imaginary account in which I pictured seeing the life that the servant women lived. How they were treated, how they treated each other, the way they looked, and the things they learned — all bubbling my head. My back pains screamed, “okay, okay!” I said to myself and departed downstairs.

Coming downstairs.

Rugs that resemble that of the Frescoes.

It was nice visiting!

Before leaving, I chatted it up with the staff member and questioned more about the livelihood of the Merchant’s House — how much longer until they build the hotel next to it. She replied, “We haven’t heard anything yet. For years actually, nothing.” And I felt the worry brush through her words. The existence of this historic house is on the verge of being completely fucked because of money. The unfortunate reality hit me, many men, women, and children all across the world come to New York City for the culture and the history. New York City would be shifted with the loss of the Merchant’s House. And, unfortunately, the decision to stop building hasn’t been changed — only a matter of time.

If you’d like to help donate to this beautiful museum, visit: http://merchantshouse.org/support/

If you’d also like to get more information regarding the price, hours and directions just visit: http://merchantshouse.org/visit/

To the history buffs, I suggest you visit this gorgeous home. I rate my experience a solid 10/10.

As always, thanks for reading guys!

Would You Kindly…
Follow me on Instagram @kashepherdauthor 
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With Love,
K.A. XOXO

Bravo Farms in Kettleman City, CA!

Now, this is the part of my California journey I completely forgot to mention.

After a long, bitching ride from New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Louisianna, and Georgia (with Alabama and Mississipi on the trail), the Gypsy Woman and I finally arrived in California. The sun greeted us with bright, beautiful smile after we slept in the car for another short/long night.

That day, I was beside myself for some odd reason – more excited than usual. We took off in our silver/gray car with the road ahead of us and a longing for finally resting our eyes on those lavish trees.

Our bellies rumbled, “Grr… grrr… grrrr!!!” It forced us to listen and we found a Denny’s. In the beginning of our travels, the Gypsy Woman refused to try Denny’s, previously, she was told that Denny’s was a grease feast. But my words convinced her to try it – she did. She loved it. And it was high time we tried the Denny’s in California. The breakfast left our bellies satisfied. While driving out, something caught my eye from across the street. It resembled that of a western town, a place you’d walk in and be transported into another time, another era.

“Ma, let’s go there!” I called while pointing. When I hopped out the car, I expected to see a cowboy pop out from behind a barrel. It was especially lonesome, strangely. A wild, wild west playground covered the outside and I found myself running up and down and around.

 The playground.

I had never seen a wooden barrel in person.

As you can see, that balcony led you to a much bigger destination. I found that Bravo Farms was a giant mall with a smokehouse, ice cream shop, antique shop, and little knick knack shop. Upon entering the second floor, the air conditioner blared and country music with a tang bounced in the background. My eyes gleamed as I scanned the walls that were covered in antiques. I’m talking everything, from old-school record players to roller skates.

I regret not buying those skates.

Smart ass remarks to hang in your kitchen. Only cost $5 (from my bad memory, don’t quote me on that, kay?).

Heard this animatronic game making all sorts of noises. Was tempted to play. 🙂

Antique Mannequin.

Onto the lower floor – I enjoyed just staring at the animatronic head.

I don’t know if you could see it, but Mr. Froggy is frowning.

Waldo’s up there!!!

I didn’t think, “Oh how cute” when I saw this. I thought, “I want to be that pig.”

Antique.

The little owl!

A very friendly worker assisted me on some wine tasting. Five different wines for $7. I was pretty tipsy upon leaving.

Bravo Farms was very clean and the scent made you want to buy something. So much to look at and admire, and the staff workers were very friendly. I wish I could have stayed longer to try the food.

Overall, I give this place a solid 9/10.

Check out their official website: http://www.bravofarms.com/

As always, thanks for reading guys!

Would You Kindly…
Follow me on Instagram @kashepherdauthor 
Like my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KAKickAssTravels/

With Love,
K.A. XOXO

My Visit to The Redwood Forest!

Recently, I went on a vigorous and spiritual adventure with an adventurous and spiritual gypsy woman.

I’m not joking. Seriously, it happened.

The first stop in our damn near two-week trip was Georgia. Now,  I’m not used to long trips, although I loved the thought of traveling until I actually became a traveling woman. I went stir crazy the first half of the trip and I just wasn’t feeling it. Georgia was just another state, but the hotel was pretty comfortable. From Georgia, it was New Orleans, which isn’t worth writing about. And from New Orleans it was Teaxs, which isn’t much to write about either (except we visited a very special individual), but that’s all.

Okay, I got that out of the way. The main point of this post is to explain my experience of how remarkable The Redwood Forest was. Located in Northwestern California, the Redwood Forest is a United States National Park. In total, there are four parks and together, they protect 45% of all coast redwood old-growth forests.

Three words: Giant Fucking Trees.

Whilst driving in the middle of the night, I noticed the extreme shift in the environment. The height of the trees seem to have been towering more and more, the deeper we drove into the night. The branches leaped over the road and the darkness grew darker. And at that point, I knew I fell somewhere far from what I was used to. The town we squatted in was Crecent City which is practically the last town in the vicinity. The nearby towns were Klamath, Trinidad, Mckinleyville, Arcata, and Eureka. Throughout out journey, I grew accustomed to mainstream music (The Weeknd’s “Starboy” is stuck in my head) and going deeper into forest land, the stations shrunk to about two-three. Country, unheard of rap music, and wild-ass Christian services. Very entertaining, might I say.

The hotel we stayed in was Anchor Beach Inn, and it was placed right next to the ocean and the sea lions were making a statement as we checked into the hotel in the wee hours of the morning and evening. I enjoyed how old-school the hotel was, I love antiques and the feeling of being in a different time era. Being able to step out the door and see the ocean was liberating. On our drive to The Trees of Mystery, we caught the gorgeous North Pacific Ocean right out the car window. It was absolutely breathtaking:

A photo doesn’t do the ocean justice. I felt the power of the ocean and grew immense respect for water as well as all of the elements that make up this planet.

The best part of this entire trip was in fact, visiting the Trees of Mystery.

 

Paul Bunyan & Babe The Blue Ox

I’ve never heard of Paul Bunyan and at one point, I believed he was a real person. Until I googled it and found out he was actually a character who was a giant. So, you can imagine how blown my mind was. Yeah, you can laugh if you like, believe me I did. Along with Paul Bunyan, I discovered interesting things in the gift shop and just before the trail I eyed this statue:

Wood Carving of Yurok Indian

Don’t know much about that statue, but I can tell you that the Yurok Indian Tribe is predominant in Northwestern California. Along with the Yurok Tribe, there’s the Karuk, Hupa amongst many others. I met a man of the Yurok Tribe and was given an understanding of the life on the other side of the country. We’ve decided to keep in touch; it’s not usual that you meet someone from a completely different setup than you, especially if you’re a city gal like myself. I took these cool photos in the gift shop as well:

Bigfoot’s Imprint. (I became a huge Bigfoot enthusiast on this trip, and I plan on going to the Bigfoot Museum.)

Kick-Ass Bigfoot Statue. 

Interesting Geode.

After a dashing time in the gift shop, we made our way to two different trails. This it the first trail on the first day and I captured these cool photos:

From Below.

Now, onto the second day in the Redwood Forest. These photos were taken at the Trees of Mystery Trail! (Don’t want to ruin the experience completely for those of you who intend on venturing out there, so I’m limiting how many photos I post.) Check it out:

(Tree was too giant to take a photo. Seriously.)

This tree fell and other trees began growing on top of it. Crazy, right?

Okay, that’s all the photos I’ll disclose. Trust me, it’s worth the $16.00, and that includes the Sky Trail which was one hell of an experience.

The fudge cakes were amazing (try it!) and the End of Trail Native American Museum was quite the encounter. Tons of artifacts and stories that brought you closer to the culture of the Natives. Went to the Fisherman’s Restaurant – fried, fried, fried. If you like fried foods, GO THERE. If not, just walk across the street to the Subways and call it a day.

Overall, I give the experience a hard 9/10, only because I didn’t stay long enough, unfortunately. I intend on exploring more of the four parks the next time I swing by that beautiful, historical place.

Caught this bad-ass parrot we encountered while leaving California.

He said, “Hello!”

As well as these Elks who were caught just chillin’ in Elk Cabin. Yup, you can rent a cabin and wake up to an Elk in the backyard.

Ass Shot.

For the venturous and wild person, this is a definite go-to.

| Thanks for reading! I’m turning this blog into a travel blog, considering that I love going places and I want to share my experiences with others. Spread the word, comment, like and, Kick-Ass! |

K.A. XOXO

 

A Vision Extended

A vision extended
These two eyes can see clarity, no pretending
No need for opinions
I’m not buying and you don’t need to lend it

When the curtain closes
The show of vivid dreams and aspirations begin
You can clap loud and applaud before, during, or after it

At the end of the night, they crack open to the sun’s beams
And you begin to see everything is as it seems
But you can implant those seeds
Manifest those dreams

I am not perfect
I know what hurting is
But my naive sense of sensibility has saved me from internal death one to many times
And it has led me to a vision extended.

Observational Nature: NYC R Train to the 2 to the 3

Looking through another glass.

There’s a pair in front of me, blabbering about something they both know little to nothing about. The male finds her attractive but she’s waiting on prince charming – you could tell by the distance she’s sitting from. She has a sort of extra protectiveness about herself that’s shown in how close her knees are pulled into each other and how tight she clings onto her bag. And she’ll never know the potential this guy withholds.

Hold on, Transferring —

One of the worst aspects about the MTA is transferring; reason being that the train you’re rushing for could possibly be running with delays or running on the express track (vice versa). There’s always a nibbling at the back of your neck, hoping the train would be there and praying it doesn’t fail you on that job that you’re fighting to get/keep. Forget the weekends, they look like migraines.

And turn your focus to the only human in this train car diagonal from me. She is of Asian descent and seems to be adept in cooking, as well as many other surprising life hacks. The woman looks like one bad ass chef who knows all sorts of Mediterranean and Vietnamese dishes. And her haircut is something I could never pull off. She dresses timid, simple – yet her black and white floral designed shirt speaks a wild side that is packaged away as a sort of heirloom.

And hello fellow traveler! What do we have here? Hmm, a man/boy who speaks all the marijuana wonders of his world. He has a touch of quirkiness to him, yet he holds a dash of.. innocence and failing hope in his eyes.

Oh! Farewell lonely train commuters, I have to catch a train that’s coming in about 8 minutes (so they say).

(C) 2015
All rights belong to and stay with the author K.A. Shepherd. This poem (as well as many other pieces of writings), may be shared with friends on social media networks, but may not be tampered, published, or sold to make profit in any way without the author’s consent.

Observational Nature – NYC 4 Express Train

My take on the lives of people I walk past everyday. 

There’s a woman diagonal from me and her bag says, “gotta love a good sale.” and I know she’s gotta love a good credit card bill. A man just walked by; hoodie on his head, red flannel, begging for money. He isn’t hungry in the way any decent person would wish him to be. And an agitated Caucasian man with a dirty sense of life to him, prepared to get off so he could capture the drug flag – or he was just sick of seeing the same remedial routine that people live off of.

An older gentleman sits next to me with a face of exhaustion and a briefcase that says, “I have a master’s degree in historical arts,” but that’s just one of the many degrees he could entail. And diagonal from me are four women who won’t be friends in the next four years or less; it’s a co-worker thing, I guess. What bonds them are their jobs and their divorces and their addiction to buying useless shit at K-Mart.

And the two women in front of me are connected by a random coincidence; just that they have a few things in common and so they think there’s a possibility to become best friends for life – a modern child like fantasy that’s usually smashed in a couple of months or years like the phantom existence of Santa Clause. And there is a women whose feet seem to speak her entire life’s’ struggles.

So many good looking foreign men with so little time or too much time. They gain inspiration from a totaled, disgusting place like NYC and I admire the admiration when they see a typical building light up. And there are many beefed up Frankensteins trolling the streets as well, with their planet fitness shirts and their bald heads that somehow always remain bald and their obsession with candy crush. Too many of them. And never in moderation.

Oh, the depression is running rampant on this train, like a hungry rapist who refuses to put his dick back in his pants after violating someone. It’s just there – hanging. No precise target in mind, just primal instinct. So the one Hispanic friend is left alone from her “friends” (coughs) gold digging whores (coughs) after they stumbled off the train in their stiletto heels and now, she’s dreading the loneliness that awaits the rest of her night. Although she has teenage kids, that can’t tape the longing for a partner. She still shares the bed with her youngest wishing she’d turn over in the middle of the night and get fucked like love.

(C) 2015
All rights belong to and stay with the author K.A. Shepherd. This poem (as well as many other pieces of writings), may be shared with friends on social media networks, but may not be tampered, published, or sold to make profit in any way without the author’s consent.

Native American actors walk off the set of Adam Sandler’s new movie over ‘offensive’ script

8 Goals I Will Accomplish Before I Die

There’s no need for an introduction, although I just did an intro by doing an intro.

1. Publish My First Short Story Compilation
For years, I have been blabbing about publishing a book and for years I have tried to complete a novel. Realizing that I lack the commitment to two or more characters for a long period of time, has directed me onto a path where I can publish some form of writing; short stories. Honestly, I’m too interested in whoring around with the many ideas I have twirling in my head to be tied down to one.

2. Create A Business
I have so many ideas for a business, but my recent and more prevalent idea has been creating a babysitting business. Since I adore children, why not utilize what I have and make some form of living off of it?

3. Sky Dive
For 3-4 years, I’ve been yearning to jump out of a plane. It’s an absolutely necessary goal that I want to accomplish. I see myself leaving all of my anxiety and fears in the sky; I want to feel the near death rush.

4. Travel Cross Country
I’ve always loved road trips. No matter how tight my legs get  or how crunched I feel, I want to keep going. New York City to California to Texas to North Dakota is how I want to do the trip. A straight cross. Living like everywhere is home, is the dream I want to fulfill.

5. Create An Organization For The Unfortunate
One of my biggest dreams is traveling throughout the world and assisting people who are in severe poverty. What’s success if you can’t share it amongst everyone? I want to touch people’s lives, show them they can ignite that flame of faith and perseverance. Show them that this life is worth living. And it may be for a moment in time, but as long as it happened, it never dies.

6. Learn How To Swim
I’ve always been afraid of completely submerging myself under water. But what kind of life would I live if I don’t face my fears? Challenges should build you.

7. Have A Child
The extension of oneself is one of the greatest examples of faith. To have a child in this crazy world, you must first be within yourself. Everything in moderation.

8. Love
I’m already doing it, but I want to die continuing my streak of love, spreading it amongst everyone who needs it.

So, what are your goals?
Comment below and as always, thank you for reading. ❤ 

My Plan To Defeat Depression

Recently, the clouds of sickness (or my boyfriend) punched me down with one of the worst stomach flu I have ever experienced in my 21 years of living.
At some points, I felt so sick that I couldn’t help but cry.
And in this time, I had missed days of this program that I was fighting to find reasons to stick with simply because I didn’t believe I was meant to commit myself to that particular profession.
Along with the combination of my nose shattering illness and a self doubt bar that somehow, every moment, had been filling up; I grew… depressed.
Not the kind of depressed you get over within 24 hours or less. No, the kind of depressed that it took everything in my body not to proceed with suicidal thoughts.
Take it from me, pondering on who you’re supposed to be in this life and where you’re lacking in skills makes the physical healing process slower than it should be.
So, for the past week or more, I have been rolling in bed fighting with myself.
Until, I woke up today and realized that there is a serious dilemma looming over every aspect of my life.
With that realization, I’ve decided to concoct a plan to mend myself back to health.
Maybe this can be a takeaway for you dedicated readers.

---

Stop Crying

Now, it’s necessary to unleash the chaos of rising emotions that are swirling inside of you; I get that. Which is why I say to cry as much as you need to so you don’t cry anymore.
For the past couple of days, I found myself crying at some point of the day. Either a few drops or a whole pool, so big you can wash 5 cars in (yeah, the tears can get that bad). Whether it be crying or screaming into a pillow, it is imperative for you to be aware of the feeling, address it, and let it go.
Crying takes a lot of energy – energy that you will most definitely need if you plan on getting out of the hole.
Cry and stop.

What Do You Have Now?
Taking the time out to see my life as it is has helped me so far, for the past 45 minutes.
Really seeing the obligations and responsibilities I have, seeing how it affects my life.
And in conclusion, I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING.
Saying I don’t have anything is a huge under/overstatement. I do have a lot to life for but I don’t have a damn thing to lose.
I have 3 dollars to my name, oatmeal and some water. And some clothes, in which I would love for my wonderful mother to wash.
I even have the luxury of typing that statement about my mother.
I have nothing and everything to gain.

Understand That You Need To Understand You
Pretty self-explanatory.
If you understand that you need to understand you, the kind of person you are, your patterns, your likes, your dislikes, cuts a lot of fat out of the meat you’re about to cook.
For example, I don’t like being told how much I’m supposed to get paid, being alone doesn’t bother me, and I am good at giving people advice.
If you watch what you do, and how you react to things, it helps a lot in your life.
You find yourself within yourself.

Allow Yourself To Ignore People
You need to finish that article? Or you need to read that book? You need to finish that work assignment your boss gave you?
“Oh no, but she needs my help!” I’m sure that person can manage.
No one needs your help as much as you need it.
You’re in dire need of something that will benefit for you.
Ignoring others can be vital to your health. Don’t worry about what people think about you, they’re going to talk regardless; good or bad.
Take care of yourself first and then everything else comes after.
If you’re a parent, this is a tricky one; children are like chronic infections, something you can’t fight off. There’s no cure to those midgets. But, you can get around this:
— Set aside at least 20-30 minutes for yourself (more would be great!). It is important to your health that you don’t get swamped with their diapers and lose your mind in their Gerber food.
— Meditate for 5 minutes (if you can!) in the morning and in the evening or whenever you get quiet time with the little fellow; when they’re not crying their brains out. Meditation helps a tremendous amount.

Do Something You Enjoy
Whether it be drinking that smooth strawberry, kale, and banana smoothie or kicking back and browning up your teeth with chocolate; do it. You need to do something that makes you happy to kick start you back on track. When depression hits, it can plummet your head into the second layer of the earth so when you get that break, you need to seize it.
— Exercising can help, I haven’t exercised in 17 days and when my phone screamed at me with that information, I knew it was a green light to bring myself up. 10-20 minute workouts for 5 days can change a lot about how you look and how you feel about yourself.
— Reading and writing has always been therapeutic for me. Try starting a new book, a journal or a story. It will help exorcised the demons that’s been lingering.
— Go somewhere new. Going new places and seeing new things can give you a new refreshing look on life. It can help you realize that there’s much more out there than we imagine. This world is not boring, it just has a lot of boring people on it. Don’t be one of them.

You Have Yourself
Keep in mind that, you wake up to yourself everyday. You might be lonely but you’re never alone because when you look in the mirror to brush your teeth, you will always have a companion staring back at you; a companion that’ll never desert you. It’s easier to accept that you’re like your own child; irreplaceable and inseparable. Depression is an emotion that can be bent into something entirely different and positive once you respect that you have the hands to do it.

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Just writing this blog, has really pulled my ass out of the muck and the mild; especially since I didn’t want to write. So, what are you going to do today?