2012 has been less than ideal so far. New Years Eve consisted of getting a lap full of a very cold alcoholic drink, having beer spit on the back of my head and my back, being stepped on, run into, and inappropriately touched by a creepy old man, and others. When a drunk guy fell on a table and I got hit pretty hard in the back with a beer bottle is when we decided to call it a night. It was one I won't forget anytime soon.
On the second of January a life-long family friend lost his battle with cancer. My heart was broken in this moment. He and my dad had been friends since before the third grade and they went to Vietnam together. He was like an uncle to me. I have so many great memories of him. From going fishing to mowing his lawn. When he would call the house to talk to my dad he always made a point to ask to talk to me as well. One summer I stayed with him and his long-term girlfriend so I could work at the horse ranch right down the road from him. I was only about 15 and I'm sure I drove them nuts. He was a great photographer and he gave me my first camera, along with a book about photography. Somewhere there is a picture he took of my dad and I standing on the waterfall at Alley Spring with our fishing poles. He was always there, at family gatherings and family reunions. He always had a hug and a laugh to share. I will always remember his home, his warm voice, his beat-up old orange truck and his red suspenders. I am blessed to have known him.
I am determined to turn this year around and make it a year full of accomplishments and less moping and feeling sorry for myself. While I know I will have my moments of feeling sad and need time to grieve, I can't let it get me down. It's time to take charge of my life and make it what I want it to be. Something I can be proud of! More on that later...
I should probably introduce myself. My name is Amanda. I grew up in a tiny southern Missouri town. The kind of town that if you blink you'll miss it. I loved growing up there. It was a quite place and I rode my bike everywhere. Now, I can't visit without feeling like I'm going to have a panic attack. It has been taken over by drugs and I can't let go of the bad memories. I am an animal lover. I have had a variety of pets, from kittens and horses to snapping turtles and bearded dragons. And who could forget the king snake? I now live in another very small town about 45 minutes from the old one. I currently have 3 very spoiled dogs, Layla - the miniature dachshund (thought she's too big to be a true mini), Smoke - the blue and tan minpin (and we think greyhound) mix, and Wile E - the wild boar mini dachshund, and then there's Gus - the American bulldog. I love music, musicals, horror movies, rock crawling, fishing, swimming, sewing, crocheting, baking and singing. I suffer from chronic pain, due to nerve damage as well as hyper active nerves and muscle deterioration. Every day is a struggle, but I somehow get through it.
