Stuck in a Moment

This post is something I’ve been working away at and wasn’t actually sure I was going to post until I read this post and this post by Susannah Conway. I’m among the countless people who have been inspired by Susannah. Her honesty, her bravery, her ability to be vulnerable and truthful and accessible, have made me look deeper into my own heart and mind, explore my own vulnerabilities, and try to open up and share more. And although I can do that – and have finally started to do that – in a journal, it’s not quite the same as laying it all out there for the world to see and hopefully have people understand and relate, and to come to that amazing realization that you’re not alone. Whether you’re happy or miserable or indifferent to the world, blogging has created this incredible global community of like-minded people who are exploring their own selves and talking about their journeys. 

I've been dealing with some weird, uncomfortable feelings lately. Unhappiness and uncertainty...I wouldn't go so far as to say depression, because I've experienced actual depression and this isn't as bad. It's just...a lot of swirling, negative thoughts that I don't like and don't want.

Sometimes it’s really hard to read people’s blogs, or Facebook and Twitter feeds, and hear about their happy, shiny lives, because my life is so…well, not happy and shiny. My life isn’t what I thought it would be at this point, and seeing/hearing about people taking adventures I want to take, hanging out with friends when I hardly see my friends, going places I long to travel…weddings, babies, buying houses, going to parties, having happy, quiet moments with their loved ones...all of it is hard to swallow at times. I don't begrudge these people their happiness, and I'm happy for them, but it doesn't stop me from feeling envious or occasionally feeling sorry for myself because I don't have any of that, and I want it SO BAD.

Being a writer is a lonely life. I live inside my own head so much, and even though I enjoy my alone time, I also wish I had friends around. I’m insanely lucky to share an apartment with my mum, who’s also my best friend, but there’s a double generation gap between us (she was in her 40s when she had me) and as much as I adore spending time with her, sometimes I just want a girlfriend my own age who I can go out with. I want to go dancing and go shopping and go on road trips and be silly and take a million pictures and stop worrying about all the things I need to do.

I know I’m incredibly blessed. I have a family I love, two precious nephews and a niece on the way, I have traveled even though I desperately want to do and see so much more. My lifelong dream was to be a published author, and I’m about to publish my third book. I know how lucky I am to be living my dream - not many people can say that. I love my job, I love what I do, I love getting to create worlds and people and situations, and I love that I get to entertain people, and hopefully touch them. I wouldn’t trade that for the world, but…I want more. And I don’t think it’s selfish or greedy to want more. I’m getting the career aspect of my life under control, now I want the personal aspect. I want friends and a man in my life. I want to feel that crazy, passionate, all-consuming love, and I want to be the centre of someone's universe. I don’t want to be lonely anymore. I’m tired of that almost desperate feeling I get where I just want someone to do something with. I want to leave these four walls and see what’s out there in the rest of the world, and really live. 

One of my best online friends and I have talked about the fact that we wasted a lot of our 20s. I know your 20s are a time of self-discovery and figuring things out, but it took me a really long time to figure stuff out, and I don’t really feel like I have a whole lot to show for my 20s. Mind you, it’s not like it was 10-20+ years ago, where life seemed to end at 30, and if you were alone you were clearly a spinster for life and you had to settle down in your spinsterhood and be a boring old dud. Now it seems like life begins for a lot of people at 30, or even 40 and beyond for many people. That thought gives me hope.

For the last year and a half, I feel like I’ve done nothing but work. I’ve taken a few days off here and there, but it’s mostly been work. It’s me sitting right here day after day, same routine, same view, same panicky feeling of trying to get everything done but only ever adding to my to-do list instead of diminishing it. I feel like there’s so much to do that I can’t stop. But it’s completely neurotic because among the stuff I feel I have to do is really just stuff I tell myself needs to be done. I have three blogs - now, who in their right mind has three blogs, I ask you? It’s insanity! But they’re for different purposes - I have a book blog, in which I review books, have bookish discussions, and host authors; an author blog because I’m an author and I feel like people might be interested in that process and my books; and this little blog that isn’t reading-and-writing-related, but is just about my so-called life. I also try to keep up with social media, make friends and connections online, visit other blogs (book blogs, writing blogs, and personal blogs), design graphics for my books and websites, and then there’s the procrastination like Pinterest, YouTube, etc. And then of course, there’s my actual job, which is writing books, articles, and stories, editing them, revising them, marketing them. It’s a never-ending job.

However…with all the being said…I feel like a bit of a broken record here, because I’ve mentioned this several times in the last few weeks, but I really do believe that 2013 is going to be my year. When I push aside the negativity and other bad stuff, I feel hopeful in a way I haven’t felt in a really long time. I’m ready for change, and I’m going to embrace it. I’m going to open myself up to good things - new people, new places, new adventures. I’m going to try  to take a step back and not put so much pressure on myself when it comes to work. I’m going to live more in the real world and not so much online or in my own head.

I can’t wait to be able to share fun posts and not just depressing ones (like this one). I want to be one of those people with a happy, shiny life. As I said before, I don’t begrudge them their happiness, it’s just hard sometimes when I barely remember what it’s even like to be happy. But it’s going to happen…I believe that…I have to believe that, for my own sanity.

    

U23D

On Wednesday night, Amanda (my sister-in-law) and I went to see U23D in the theatre. It was originally released in 2008, but it didn’t come to my city’s theatre. The movie is a concert that was filmed in Buenes Aires during the Vertigo tour.

U2 has been my favourite band for many years. They’ve gotten me through good times and bad. Unless you have a favourite band, you might not understand the impact one can have on your life. I lead a pretty lonely life as a writer, and I don’t have many friends, but U2 has been there for me through everything. When I’m lonely, they’re there, when I’m happy, they’re there, when I’m sad, when I’m angry, when I’m celebrating, when I’m grieving, they’re there. They have a song for every mood and every occasion, and they’re always my go-to band when I need a pick-me-up or on a day when I’m mad and feel like holding onto that mad. I was listening to a U2 song when I found out my Grama died. They’ve been the soundtrack of my life, and for that I’ll always love them.

They’ve also been a big part of my relationship with Amanda. Things between us haven’t always been easy, especially in the beginning, but U2 has been one of the things that brought us together. I’m not sure how it came about but one day many years ago I discovered one of her favourite songs was With or Without You, and then came to realize she didn’t know it was by U2. We got talking about their music, and found out we had more in common than we realized.

In 2005, we went to our first U2 concert. We were about 18 rows from the stage, on the side, and it was one of the best nights of my life. People say seeing U2 live is like a religious experience, and I’d have to agree. It was uplifting, inspiring, and just mind-blowingly amazing. Three months later, we saw the band again, this time from the 300s (aka nose bleeds), and seeing them again was like coming home. That was the Vertigo tour, which was when U23D was filmed, so it was really exciting to know the setlist and remember little bits and pieces of the show that carried on throughout the entire tour. 
 

Getting in line at 6am paid off!

Our third time seeing the band was July 2011. I had tickets for over a year and a half because Bono was injured during the tour and they had to postpone part of it. When it finally rolled around, I definitely needed a U2 fix. I had general admission (floor) tickets, and I was determined to get inside the pit. On their last few tours, they’ve had a catwalk that stretches out in a circle from the stage and some fans are inside, some outside, and the rest are in seats. I knew the spots inside the circle were coveted and that people would be lining up early, if not camping overnight, so we were in line by 6am. I think that shows what a dedicated fan (and general crazy person) I am, that I would wait in line in the scorching July sun for twelve hours to see my favourite band. It was so worth it though because we made two new friends, one of whom had been to tons of U2 concerts and took us under her wing, and helped us not only get into the circle, but into the third row. It was amazing - every U2 fan’s dream come true, and certainly mine. I won’t go into much more detail because I’ve talked about it, and them, before (here, here, here, and here, just to name a few), but it was incredible.

As for what I thought of U23D...If you’ve never seen U2 live in concert, this is the next best thing. It’s like being in the first row, only better because you get to see things you wouldn’t even from the closest vantage point. Close-ups of Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry, different angles, and things you’d never see otherwise. When Bono reached out toward the camera, it took everything in me not to reach back – it was so real. They did a fantastic job of producing it. It really was like being right there – I got just as emotional as I normally do at their concerts (when we were leaving, Amanda said she knew I’d cried, and I was like ‘duh I always cry when I see them live' lol). Also, Amanda is 21 weeks pregnant, and I wondered how Baby G would react to the loud music, and apparently she didn't move until With or Without You came on, and then she started kicking. I thought that was incredible - we think of that as 'our' song, the song that brought us together, so for the baby to kick right then was really fitting. We've created a U2 fan in the womb!

This was exactly what I needed. I’ve been saying for a while that 2013 is going to be epic, but let me tell you it hasn’t felt too epic the first few weeks. It was nice to get out, have some fun, see my favourite band, and feel that hope that only they have the power to instill in me. There are rumours that they’ll be releasing a new album in September (and maybe more than one, which would make me burst from over-excitement). Plus there’s the fact that I’m currently looking for signs that mean I’m supposed to go to Ireland this year (you can see what I mean by that here - 6th one down), and I feel like seeing U23D and knowing the band might be releasing a new album(s) this year are signs (they’re from Ireland). It may sound silly, but anything that keeps me going and keeps me believing can’t be a bad thing, right?


    

The Facts of Me

The Facts of Me is hosted by I Wore Yoga Pants to Work. The idea is to share fun facts about yourself - things people might not know, things that define who you are, or just zany little facts. I think this is such a great idea and when I discovered this (thanks to my friend Michelle at Book Briefs), I knew I had to participate!

*****

 

I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I was always making up stories and songs when I was little. However, I didn't want to go to school for it, so I went to school for early childhood education, and spent a few years working in schools, daycares, and then being a nanny. Finally I did correspondence with a school in the States for print writing, but I still didn't publish anything for several years. I started selling short stories online, then writing articles, then finally published my first book in January 2012. I've published a book of short stories and another novel since then, and my third novel comes out this April.

My mum is my best friend. She’s the most amazing person, bar none. We live together, share expenses and the work around the house, and have a blast together.

My brother is ten years and three weeks older than I am. When I was born, he wanted a sister (my parents didn't find out my sex). I was born the last day before Christmas vacation and my parents got a call in the hospital from one of my brother’s teachers saying he wouldn’t leave the school until he found out he had a sister so he could tell his friends. I’ve often wondered what he would have done if I were a boy.

I was almost pickpocketed on a subway in Paris when I was 17. I was so shocked, I slapped the guy and he and his friends ran off the subway screaming and cursing at me and my friends in French like we were the criminals.

When I was in my early 20s, I met a girl online, we became fast friends, and within a few months, we travelled across country together. We covered a good chunk of Ontario, plus 9 States in as many days. People told us both how dangerous it was (either of us could have been axe murderers, according to family and friends), but we didn’t care. It was EPIC.  

I believe in signs. And when I go on a kick about something (right now it’s Ireland…I will be going to Ireland this year no matter what), everything becomes a sign. Like, Ooh that guy has an Irish accent, it's a sign! or Hey, they mentioned Ireland, it's a sign! or They’re playing a U2 song on the radio, it's a sign! or Look, this movie is set in Ireland, it's a sign! You get the idea. It's bizarre, but that's just how I am.

I get so much mail (mostly books - I’m also a book blogger) I’m on a first name basis with my mail lady.

U2 is my favourite band, and I’ve seen them three times. The most recent time, July 2011, my sister-in-law and I had general admission tickets and stood (sat/slept/wandered) in line for 12 hours and managed to not only make it into the pit, but also into the 3rd row.

I love taking pictures and I just discovered the macro setting on my camera last year (it was a real ‘duh’ moment - how did I not know that before?). I’m obsessed with finding things to take macro shots with. I just bought a new Canon PowerShot A810 a couple weeks ago and even though I’ve been taking plenty of pics with it I’m looking forward to nicer weather so I can get outside and play with it.

I was in the delivery room when my youngest nephew was born. It was the most amazing, beautiful, disgusting, life-altering thing ever. My sister-in-law, brother, and I all let out a cry at the same time and the baby whipped his head around to look at us, and in that moment I swear his personality was defined...he's been surprising and astonishing us ever since.

I’m addicted to buying books. ADDICTED. It’s become an unhealthy obsession. Before last year I was struggling so much financially that I couldn’t afford to buy any books but last year I was able to and once I started I couldn’t stop. Someday I’d like a library like the Beast’s in Beauty and the Beast.

 

My bedroom walls resemble that of a teenage girl’s. They’re plastered mostly with posters of U2, a few prints of Camelot (knights, ladies, etc), sparkly blue stars, and glow in the dark stars (that still glow, even though they’ve been on my walls for about 15 years).

On the same trip to France that I almost got pickpocketed, my best friend and I bought so many souvenirs we had to buy an extra suitcase. Like, a full-sized suitcase.

I’ve only had my hair cut professionally once in the last 3-4 years. Otherwise I cut it myself. 

Also, my hair is naturally curly, and right now (because I haven’t gotten out the scissors in about a year...yeah, I know that’s bad), my hair is just a few inches from my bum. I have to beat it into submission to get it to behave, but I’ve found that the length weighs the curls down a bit so they don’t spaz out so much.

So, those are some fun facts about me. If you're participating in this event, link me up in the comments and I'll come by your post. If you're not participating, feel free to leave me some fun facts about yourself!

    

Welcome, 2013! Let the awesome begin!

I don’t really know how to describe 2012. It was better than some, and I wouldn’t even go so far as to say it was worse than others, it was just…a lot of the same. A lot of monotony. However, I’ll take that over tragedy and heartache any day, so I don’t feel right complaining. But…there were times it felt like these four walls were closing in on me and that nothing would ever change. I got tired of the same routine day in and day out, but I didn’t really do much to change it…I didn’t know what I could do.

2013 will be different. I can feel it. I can feel the possibilities, the change in the air, the change in me. 2013 is going to be EPIC, I just know it. I haven't felt this hopeful in a really long time.

A few highlights of 2012: 

 *Achieving my lifelong dream of becoming a published author in January, and then publishing two more books throughout the year

*Going to Cobourg with my sister-in-law to meet Gail Vaz-Oxlade

*Watching one of my best childhood friends get married and having my other best childhood friend as my date

*This is out of chronological order, but…Jenn’s bridal shower and bachelorette - day drunk, old friends, crazy dares, and dancing

*Going to Watertown for a day of shopping

*Finding out I’m going to be an aunt again!

*Spending so much time with Logan. I didn’t get to see Noah nearly as much as I wanted to this year, but Logan was here a lot between Amanda going to school and then working. I got to see more of him this past year than I ever did of Noah at that age, and I feel like I got to shape his mind and turn him into the crazy, wonderful little person he is. He was so receptive to everything I taught him, and he’s just the best baby ever. I feel so blessed to have both him and Noah in my life, and soon another little niece or nephew!

2013 Goals

Get healthy

I say this every year, but this is something I have to do. No more excuses. I'm going to do this differently than usual though: I'm not going to put as much pressure on myself as I usually do. I'm going to work steadily but not make it my main focus or become obsessive about it, because that's always my down-fall - I burn out. I'm actually going to be talking more about my health-related goals in a post later this week. 

Journal 

I’ve journalled on and off since I was little but I’ve never really stuck with it. My Grama kept journals from the time she was a young woman until she died. We have dozens of them, and I cherish them like you wouldn’t believe. I want my children and grandchildren to have mine someday, but it won’t be worth it if it’s a few random, inconsistent entries. I’m determined 2013 is going to be the best year ever, so it’ll be incentive to keep a journal regularly. I’ve actually already started. :-) 

Take more pictures 
There were times this year when I was really camera-happy, and I even learned a few new tricks just from playing around, but next year I really want to use my camera as if it were an extension of myself. I want to capture moments, feelings, memories, and even if no one but me ever sees the pictures, they’ll be my little moments in time to look at and remember. 

Go out more! 
Go out, have a life, do things, LIVE. I didn't do enough living in 2012. I want to have adventures and take chances and laugh til I cry and dance and be silly and HAVE FUN. I'm tired of being a hermit, I'm tired of letting my social anxiety hold me back. Life is meant for living and I need to get out there and live it! 

Make this blog more of a priority 
The times when I go for weeks without posting are usually because I don’t really have anything to share. 2012 was a pretty quiet (read: boring) year in my personal life, but I’m determined to change that in 2013, so I will be posting about my adventures, posting more pictures, and talking about projects and maybe even sharing a few recipes or how-tos.

I feel like 2012 was the year I really got my professional life started. I wrote almost non-stop, published three works, and wrote several others to publish in 2013. I feel like I'm getting that aspect of my life under control and it's all coming together nicely, and now 2013 is the year to carry that on but also get my personal life going. It can't all be about work, and I'm ready to detach myself from the computer a bit and have some fun!

Wishing you all a healthy, happy, love-filled, prosperous, AMAZING 2013!! <3

    

One year...

I know the whole point of August Break is to take a break from blogging and post pictures and not have to come up with something to say, but I can't let today go by without talking about this.

Today is the one-year anniversary of my Grama's death. My Grama was an amazing woman. She was smart and funny and creative and pretty much the nicest, sweetest, kindest person you can imagine. Everyone loved her. She was one of those people you just fall in love with the instant you meet them. I saw it happen countless times. She was one of my best friends - a kindred spirit - someone I could count on, trust, and talk to about anything. 

I lost a piece of my heart the day she died. Life hasn't been the same in the last year. She was the heart and soul of my family, and so much of my mum's and my life centred around her. I miss her so much, and sometimes it's still hard to believe she's gone. 

So much has happened in the past year. I achieved my dream of becoming a published author, and it breaks my heart that she wasn't here to see that since she was my biggest supporter and my biggest fan. When I finished writing my second and third novels, I just sat and had a meltdown both times because I wanted to tell her so badly and knew how proud she would be. My nephews have grown so much, and she would have enjoyed every story, every photograph, every visit. I'm constantly thinking 'I'll have to remember to tell Grama that' or 'Grama will love that picture'. Still. Sometimes I wonder if I'll do that the rest of my life. 

Anyway...it wouldn't feel right not to remember and honour her today. She's a huge part of the reason I am who I am today, and she continues to inspire me even though she's gone.

U2 has been the soundtrack of my life for many years, so I thought it was fitting that I was listening to them when I got the news that Grama had died. I was home alone while my mum was at the hospital with family, and I was basically pacing around going crazy, making and taking phone calls, waiting for the inevitable. I came to my room, sat down, and put on Kite by U2. As soon as it started, I knew she was gone. I just knew it. But the words were so soothing, so comforting, so appropriate, it was like she was saying them to me herself. The song wasn't even over when my mum called to tell me. 

This version in particular breaks my heart because Bono had just lost his dad. It's so raw and emotional and powerful. This may sound incredibly messed up, but even though it hurts to listen to this song, I make myself listen to it on a regular basis especially when I'm feeling numb - the pain reminds me that she would want me to be happy and live my life. 

"Something is about to give

I can feel it coming

I think I know what it is

I'm not afraid to die

I'm not afraid to live

And when I'm flat on my back

I hope to feel like I did

...

I want you to know

That you don't need me anymore

I want you to know

You don't need anyone or anything at all

Who's to say where the wind will take you?

Who's to say what it is will break you?

I don't know which way the wind will blow

Who's to know when the time has come around

I don't wanna see you cry

I know that this is not goodbye"

 

 

I went wandering...

Talking about this isn’t easy for me because it makes me feel incredibly vulnerable, and I always worry about people judging me…but I want to be completely honest here, and maybe along the way someone who’s going through the same thing will read this and take comfort in knowing they’re not alone.

In my last post, I talked about having social anxiety issues. I’m incredibly shy, and I have trouble doing things on my own. I rarely go out alone because of my issues, but I’ve decided it’s time to start taking steps to change that...baby steps. I know that baby steps will eventually turn into leaps and bounds if I can stick with it and be strong. I’ve overcome so many obstacles in my life, I can overcome this too.

A year ago, I was getting better. I went out on a fairly regular basis, and even ventured out alone. During the periods I didn’t feel like going out, I went anyway because I had a purpose: visiting my Grama. She was one of my best friends, and I visited her at least once a week, more if I could manage. Then last August she died and a little part of me died, too. A bright light went out in the world, and I was so lost. My heart was broken, and on the days I wasn’t drowning in grief, I was completely numb.

I reverted to my old ways, but it was worse than ever. I didn’t want to go out, and the only times I went were with my mum or friends who understand my anxiety. Nobody but Mum knew how deeply I was grieving - it felt like nobody even really cared. The whole world moved on while Mum and I were stuck grieving the loss of someone who was basically the centre of our universe. And it wasn't the first time, either...but that's a story for another day.

Lately I’ve been desperate for change. I know it’s not healthy to live like this, and more than that, I don’t want to live like this anymore. I’m tired of letting life pass me by, and I want to start really living. I don't want to let my fear hold me back from all the wonderful things I know life has to offer.

I also mentioned in my last post about the Exploring the Senses course, run by Susannah Conway. I feel like this is the nudge I needed to get out. So…baby steps. Yesterday I was watching a group of high school boys kick a soccer ball around across the street. I just watched them for awhile - laughing, carefree, playing like little kids - and I couldn’t help but smile. While I was watching them, I also noticed a beautiful rose bush near the wall of the school. That just proves how unobservant I am - it’s across the street (mind you, it’s a city street, so that’s a fair distance), and I’ve never noticed it.

That sparked an idea. The kids at that school planted a flowerbed last week, and I was curious about it because we can’t see it well from our window. I decided that I would head out, wander around, and take some pictures. As sad as it sounds, I really had to psych myself up for it. It’s only across the street, but I was serious when I said I don’t go anywhere alone. My first thoughts were, ‘What if something happens to me? What if people see me taking pictures and think I’m weird?’ And then I realized a) It’s ridiculous to think something’s going to happen to me any time I go out, and b) Who the hell cares if people look at me and think I’m weird? These are just excuses to remain stuck in this rut, and I'm tired of excuses.

So I was actually starting to get a bit excited about my little adventure, and then the skies started to darken…and darken...and it started to pour, and then storm. I couldn’t believe it. I was so disappointed - all that anticipation for nothing. But, by the time I finished dinner, it had stopped raining and mostly cleared off. Despite that, I thought ‘maybe tomorrow will be better. Or the weekend.’ It only took me a minute to come to my senses, get dressed, grab my camera, and head out. And I’m so glad I did.

To most people, this would seem really insignificant, but to me it’s a big step. Now I just need to keep it up. 

The flowers that started it all

 

On a side note (and I feel kinda stupid for admitting this): a few weeks ago, I finally figured out what the macro setting was on my camera, and how to use it. I've only had this camera for...oh, two years...so it was about time. I've had so much fun using the setting, and I keep looking for things I can take close-ups of. I'm obsessed. I had a lot of fun with these flowers, and when I got home and uploaded the pictures, I actually thought, 'wait, I took these??' All around, a good night.

*****

I went out walking

Through the streets paved with gold

Lifted some stones, saw the skin and bones

Of a city without a soul

I went out walking

Under an atomic sky

Where the ground won’t turn

And the rain it burns

Like the tears when I said goodbye

Yeah, I went with nothing

Nothing but the thought of you

I went wandering

…

I went out there in search of experience

To taste and to touch and to feel as much

As a man can before he repents

~The Wanderer - U2~

 

Happy Birthday Bono!

I mentioned in yesterday's post that one thing you need to know about me is that I love U2. They've been my favorite band for many years, and I've seen them live three times (the most recent being just 10 months ago).

I know a lot of people don't like Bono, and think he's a pompous ass, but I love him. Sure, he can be a little full of himself at times, but he's got a wild imagination and big dreams. He wants to change the world - what's wrong with that? He's passionate and compassionate, and he has a talent for singing and songwriting that's unparalleled (in my humble opinion). 

U2's music has gotten me through good times and bad. It's been the soundtrack of my life through joy and sorrow, and there have been times when it's been one of the only things keeping me sane. Whenever I'm lonely, Bono is there whispering in my ear, singing about love and heartache and life and friendship, and keeping me company. When my beloved Grama died nine months ago, I was listening to U2 when I found out. She was in the hospital, and we knew it was inevitable, and while my mum and aunt and cousins were with her, I was stuck at home waiting for the news. I had just started to listen to Kite, and as Bono crooned to me about love and loss, I knew she was gone, and that was when my mum called. It seemed fitting.

"Something is about to give

I can feel it coming

I think I know what it is

I'm not afraid to die

I'm not afraid to live

And when I'm flat on my back

I hope to feel like I did

.....

Who's to say where the wind will take you?

Who's to say what it is will break you

I don't know which way the wind will blow

Who's to know when the time has come around?

I don't want to see you cry

I know that this is not goodbye."

~Kite - U2~

Not only do I love their music, I love the camaraderie among their fans. I've made some good friends on U2 fan forums; their music has brought my sister-in-law and me closer (she's the person I've been to all three concerts with); and I even met a great new friend in line at their last show (we only spent a day together, but we've been in touch every day since). I even thanked the boys in the acknowledgements of my novel. I didn't care how silly it may seem to some people, it was something I felt needed to be done because of all their music has meant to me. I also mentioned a few of their songs in the book, and how their music had become the soundtrack of the characters' lives.

My most memorable Bono moment: when my sister-in-law and I saw them in July, we made it into the pit in the third row, with Bono to our left. We were so close, it was a dream come true. Near the end when Bono came swinging out on his suspended microphone, he swung over to our side of the stage and stopped. I'd been having issues with my camera all night - sometimes when I pushed the shutter, nothing happened - and of course, it happened at that exact moment. I clicked and clicked and clicked, but nothing happened, and then suddenly I realized he was still there, hanging from his microphone, and looking at me...waiting for me to get my shot. My camera finally worked, I got the shot, and Bono swung away. Best. Moment. Ever. After that, I just switched to video so I wouldn't have to worry about my touchy shutter.

So, happy birthday to Bono, a musical genius, a man who has changed lives, and who dreams big, and who strives to change the world. 

 

Oh, How Pinteresting ~ #2

Oh, How Pinteresting! is hosted by Michelle over at The Vintage Apple. Here are some of the things that tickled my fancy this week:

Source: Uploaded by user via Marie on Pinterest

One thing you need to know about me: I love U2. Tomorrow is Bono's birthday, and because his music has changed me, I thought this was fitting.

Source: weheartit.com via Marie on Pinterest

I've always wanted a secret passageway. Now, a secret passageway with all these books? Huge win.

Source: solitudinal.tumblr.com via Marie on Pinterest

True story...for this girl, anyway.

Source: wild-and-precious.com via Marie on Pinterest

I love this. It's so airy and bright, and I can see curling up there and reading, working, napping, or just daydreaming.

Source: reddit.com via Marie on Pinterest

So true. This makes me laugh every time I see it.

Source: plumadorable.com via Marie on Pinterest

I need to try this! It's so beautiful and simple, and I have a few vases and glass jars that would be perfect for this. Now I just need to find the Pledge stuff (I've never seen that particular kind) and the glitter. When I do finally get around to trying it, I'll post my results here.

Source: familyfun.go.com via Marie on Pinterest

I love owls, and this is just too cute. Best part is, it looks like it would be pretty simple to make.

Source: thelifestyleguide.org via Marie on Pinterest

I'm in love with this. I can picture it in a bedroom that multiple children share, or for a teenager who has lots of sleepovers (I know I would have loved this as a teen). I can also picture it in a cottage, or in a party house where you have a lot of wild parties and don't want people to drink and drive - massive sleepover!

Source: Uploaded by user via Marie on 

Last week, my last picture was of Matt Davis. I decided that every week I'd end my Oh, How Pintersting! post with a bit of eye candy. I've been on a Matt Davis kick lately, so you're getting him two weeks in a row. ;-) He's just so yummy! I'm really nervous about the season finale of Vampire Dairies - they better not kill him off!

What were some of your fun finds this week?