Category Archives: Stories

My Four-Year-Old Baby

www.l2dragonwind.com turns four today. :D

It all started with Neopets. (I feel like every good story should start with that sentence.) My dear friend Chelsea, who I met in a guild, ran several of hew own websites. Through her I learned about HTML and CSS and running a website. I practiced on the pet pages and pet lookups. My interest began to grow and through Chelsea’s websites, I ran across some bloggers.

There were several that caught my interest and I began to follow them. I loved their style of writing, and how I instantly became interested in their lives and yet they were complete strangers. They expressed their emotion so easily and unashamedly, creating beautiful pieces of writing to share with the world.

I wanted that. I wanted to be able to share my thoughts and opinions other than on a piece of paper in a pink, glittery diary (which trust me, was not my scene). At first I thought that I couldn’t run my own website. I didn’t know anything about servers or domains or anything about anything. But I wanted a website. So I looked into some free-hosting sites and started my first website at the end of my 8th grade year (2008).

It really wasn’t much besides my angsty teenage thoughts and weird encounters with friends. Whatever site I used doesn’t exist anymore, of which I am fairly grateful. I’m not sure I would want to read some of the things I wrote about. But it was a start.

I went through several different phases after that. I quit for a time, I continued for a time. I switched websites, from other free-hosting websites to subdomains. I blogged sporadically, finding inspiration one day and then the next I would run completely dry. After years of blogging on and off, having to switch content from site to site, I realized I needed something permanent. I needed something that was completely mine, and I found it here.

I still go through periods where I don’t blog often – but I know that it’s here, and I know that it’s mine. I always have somewhere to go when I need to just think. When I need to write.

Some days I feel like I’ve spent my whole life blogging, and other days I feel like I just started yesterday. It’s weird, thinking that this blog has seen me graduate, buy my first car, meet my boyfriend, and get engaged. It’s seen many of the good times and many of the bad times. I’m not sure if I’ve inspired or motivated anyone like those first bloggers that I followed, and I know that most days my writing isn’t beautiful pieces of art, but I’m grateful all the same for the site that I’ve established and the many friendships I’ve created. <3

Thank you, 2014

2014 has been such a wonderful year! I’ve had some pretty monumental life changes and I think that these struggles and triumphs have made me a better person. It’s hard to think that Christmas is already over and that tomorrow is going to be 2015.

I finished another year in my finance degree, with a 3.9 GPA. Not the straight A’s that I wanted, but I worked my butt off for the grades that I got and am still really proud of what I’ve accomplished both semesters while working 30 hours a week.

My beautiful, wonderful, amazing roommate decided to quit her job and move home, so I searched desperately for someone(s) to take her spot. Unsuccessfully. I searched for a while with two girls that were a bit bat-crazy before I decided I would cut my (financial) losses and just live on my own. One of the better decisions I made, because I love my studio!

On March 29th, as we celebrated our four year anniversary at a fancy restaurant, Andrew proposed. :love: Speechless and shocked and totally in love with him, I said yes! This year has been full of wedding planning and my heart is full with so much love, I can’t even begin to explain or describe my feelings. I am just incredibly happy with him and I can’t wait until August 8th of 2015!

I got an internship at a marketing company over the summer. It was a great learning experience, but most importantly, it paid really well! ;P I was able to save up some money for the wedding and get valuable learning experience as well, even if it’s just how to work with drama-loving-women. Sheesh.

In July, after wearing glasses for as long as I can remember, I got contacts. A big, scary step for me, but one that I’m glad I made. They’ve been great to wear so far! I still keep trying to push imaginary glasses up my nose and I still wear my glasses on occasion, because I do miss them at times. ;P

At the beginning of August, Andrew and I took a road trip to Ohio to visit the infamous amusement parks, Cedar Point and King’s Island. It was so much fun planning the trip and booking the hotels, and doing it all ourselves! I can’t even describe how much fun we had (or how much sweets we ate!) but if its any indication of future vacations, I can’t wait!

The last half of the year wasn’t as exciting as I focused on my classes and working, but Andrew and I had our engagement pictures taken and I squeezed in some more wedding planning. We both should’ve been models. ;)

Overall, what a wonderful, wonderful year. I’ve been very grateful for the wonderful people I have in my life and the wonderful memories I have to share. I hope that 2014 has been as good to you as it has been to me. Have a happy new year’s eve!