Finding Myself Again

I used to write a lot when I was younger. I think as I got older and my life became filled with so many other tasks such as job, being a parent and housework I put writing aside for lack of time. I seem to have done that with many things in my life. Photography and reading as well as writing.

I am not complaining and I certainly don't regret my choices. I am finding however, now that my daughter is driving and becoming more independent she no longer needs me as much as she used to. This was a difficult concept for me to get used to. I cried the day she passed her driver's test. I was excited for her but at the same time I felt like I had lost a little piece of our relationship. I have since gotten over that feeling and I'm enjoying the extra time that I have for me.

I began working part time in January, going from 40+ hours a week to 32. I'm working 6 and a half hour days 4 days a week and only 6 hours on Friday. It's amazing how just having an extra hour and half to 2 hours a day has changed my life.

I have enrolled in several classes at our local Community college including a memoir writing class as well as working on getting a Project Management Certificate.

I have discovered my passion for reading again having completed four novels since Christmas. That's probably more than I have read in two years. I should also mention that part of the reason I have been reading so much is I received an Amazon Kindle digital reader from my husband, Richard, for Christmas. The thing is amazing. It holds up to 200 books and is the size and weight of a single paperback. But the very best feature, for me at least, is the ability to change font size. I can see it so much better than text on the page of a book. I love love love it. I can't say enough good things about it.

I started taking photography seriously again about four years ago and I am constantly taking classes and working on improving my skills as a photographer. I think I am a little OCD when it comes to cameras. I recently purchased my third digital SLR. A Canon 40D. It's a great camera. Will it make me a better photographer? Probably not, but one can always hope. And since it gives me great joy, I'm not going to worry about that too much.

I have started working out in the mornings and spending some time reading before I start my day.

It's been great finding myself again and life is good.