I Need To Take Back the Light Inside You Stole

Well HELLLLOOO there,

Long time no see, right? I know, I know, this is a common conversation starter that we ALWAYS seem to have every single time I get the nerve to type one of these bad boys. It has been almost a year since I last was able to post something clever and adorable. As this year comes to a close, which by the way, I just started being able to write 2014 instead of 2013 on my papers, I have been really looking back on events and, well, crapola that has taken place! Let me just tell you, it has been an absolutely messy 2014, but with that being said, it has been pretty wonderful, too. I know how much everyone loves picture books, so how about I do something similar to catch you all up to speed? Get ready...we are about to go through a highlight reel of the last twelve months-ish. I will keep it to the good stuff. As you can tell by the first picture, it is going to be a BUMPY ride!

January 17, 2014
It's safe to say that I decided to start of the year with a bang (and a ding).
JUST FYI, the back roads of Selma are a pretty sketchy place...
I pee'd my panties twice...okay, six times because I was terrified.
That's a whole lot of underwear, just FYI.

February 15, 2014
You probably can't tell, but I am crying tears of joy over.
My Guardian Angels gave me a MacBook for my birthday!
JUST LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS! I hope to someday be just as beautiful as it.
Little did they know that I threw my other laptop (Bertha) out the window just four days before!

February 19, 2014
"Guess whose back, back, back. Back again?
MAXI'S BACK, BACK, BACK. TELL YOUR FRIENDS!"
Eminem dedicated that song to her. Go ask him.

February 19, 2014
So, on the same dadgum day I got Maxi back,
I forgot how un-athletic I was and, well,
I tore my ACL.
But I am still smiling over there with my ice pack!
Don't ever try to be a ballerina when you're running to first base.
No matter what Nike says, just don't do it.

I think it's safe to say that I need to tell the story about the last picture. Right now you're thinking, "Haley a ballerina? Chyeah right..." Before I do that, I must say that so far I have been beyond blessed this year, well, despite the endless amounts of "boo boo's" I have caused and obtained. Literally, I have started carrying band-aids and Neosporin around with me because I already know something is going to happen once I step foot out of my apartment each and every day...and I don't even TRY to wear any shoes with laces anymore - too risky! Okay, so for the story, on our first game of our intramural softball season, we were the Underdogs by the way, and on my first hit of the dadgum season, being that I was beyond excited, I ran as fast as my thunder thighs would take me to first base. Well, the fella on the other team was completely sprawled out on the base, similar to this:

The only difference between the two was that the game took place at night.
So, it was really dark. Yeah...everything else is exactly the same.

Me, still excited about the miraculous hit I made, I decided the best way around homeboy on first was to completely jump over him, much like a ballerina. I mean, at this point there was just absolutely no way I was gonna let him get me out. Absolutely no way, so:

I looked exactly like this until suddenly I realized...
"Wow, I am really not a ballerina."

And as Mr. Searcy taught all of us in our eighth grade science class, what goes up must always come down...and boy did I ever. My body slowly began shifting back towards earth at the same time that homeboy decided it was a good time to get up. Without even realizing it, my right leg found a new home inside the hood of his sweatshirt while my left foot tried to stabilize the rest of me. Right as I hit the ground, I heard something that sounded like the noise small sticks make when you step on them in the woods, oh, and the stupid Ref screaming "OUT" - totally not cool, blue guy. But I quickly bent down like a pregnant woman whose water just broke while screaming, "WIL... SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT!" My redneck was showing:

This had to have been the face I gave Wil...
because I know for certain it is the one he gave me back.

But being the strong, independent woman that I am, hehe, I just walked off of the field and sat my happy loving tail on the bench. One of the players girlfriends was a soon-to-be-Physical Therapist, so she started looking at my leg while basically stopping the game saying that we needed a doctor. Now, back to that whole independent thing....I don't do doctors. They always want to stab me with things or tell me, "Well ma'am, you could potentially have the incurable disease known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or even Raynaud's Disease, which could potentially make your fingers and toes fall off when affected." Being the fifteen year old that I was when hearing this, I was all like, "Cool story, bro." But I also have this thing where I hate getting looked at and nothing being wrong. Yes that sounds stupid...but I don't like feeling pathetic.

Well, four and a half seconds later, a golf cart with a HUGE tub of ice, she must've thought I lost a limb and needed it to be placed and salvaged on ice, came bee-bopping down to where I was sitting. Now, let me give you a quick view of the scene. I was totally fine - cool, calm and collected. She was asking me questions about my life and school. All was well. She then began some stress test thingy on my leg...then compared it to the other leg...the one that kept its crap together. Now, I know from watching Grey's Anatomy and sitting in hospitals with my parents that you always watch the persons face who is examining you. Don't even dadgum blink. So I watched her...and yes, the game was still going - people were screaming, hitting balls into the outfield, but I heard none of it. She then glanced up at me...and I knew it all was about to get real so my heart slowly stopped. She said, "now, you see the difference in this knee and in this knee when I do this? This knee gives while this knee has resistance." I just kept nodding. Look, I know nothing about knees...I was hardly able to tell the difference...so all I could do was nod! "Being that there is no resistance in this knee means you tore your ACL." She looked at me and quickly knew that I didn't know what that fully meant...so she kept talking. "You will need to get an MRI before we can fully declare that," and this is the part she gently released on me, "but you will have to have surgery to repair it."

I, Haley Danielle Moody, am only really scared of a select few things. 1) Flying on planes, which I have gotten better at, but I don't know about the whole "flying over oceans" thing, and 2) having RANDOM PEOPLE CUT ON MY BODY WHILE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING DADGUM ABOUT IT. I have watched the movie, Awake, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3vl_EO-5k (please go watch this trailer, it's really quick....but I need you to understand what was going through my brain.) I actually watched it with my mother many moons ago. She was super thrilled about it, but I barely made it fifteen minutes in. I quickly marched my butchers outside, but I still heard him screaming and crying. Except one thing...he was under anesthesia and unable to tell them that he could feel everything. Well, I had nightmares about it for weeks. But thankfully, some other amazing events took place in-between this date and the day I was being dragged in to have my surgery, so my mind was able to forget for a while.

My sweet friend Haley Poole, actually I should give you a little back story on her - she's worth it. She hailed from Texas during our middle school years. I remember walking in chorus and seeing her quietly sitting in the back. Jamie Spann and I took the liberty of sitting next to her and introducing ourselves. Once she told us she came from the beautiful plains of Texas, we both looked at one another, then looked back at her before asking, "well why on earth did you come to Andalusia?" Her stepdad was transferred to the airport to basically make it a better place...at least thats what I believed happened. Unfortunately, she moved back to Texas about a year later, but we have been best friends ever since. It's that kind of relationship where we potentially go six, sometimes seven months without talking, but when we do, it's like we just chatted yesterday. After my mom passed away, she came to visit me. I was actually in an incredibly weird place at that time. All I had the energy to do was lay in my bed and occasionally get up to potty. It is safe to say, I probably didn't show her the best time.  Want to know what kind of friend she is? She sat with me the whole time, making sure I ate and peed on a regular basis, turned on movies for us to watch and just kept me company. That was probably the most perfect thing that I could've asked for. Well, she turned twenty-one eighteen days before I did...and on that same day, she found out that she was taking a trip to Las Vegas...and bringing my buttcheeks with her! I literally started screaming and jumping, which almost got me kicked out of my apartment. The next day, I told my teachers I was going to be missing a few days of class at the beginning of March due to a conference that was potentially going to help me get a job after graduation. They bought it, and a few short weeks later, I was sitting on a plane next to a guy from Boston. It was right before 6 a.m....and although I had only 3 hours of sleep, I was wide awake and terrified. Have you ever seen the movie Final Destination. Well, that particular clip with the plane crash was all that was flowing through my mind at that time. Here it is if you're feeling extra froggy, http://youtu.be/RFZg21g5_RY, but if not, here is a quick glimpse:

I was literally sitting there sweating plane-sized bullets.

But thankfully, homeboy next to me, who was over 50 years old and working this beautiful accent, started talking to me. I was probably drowning him with my sweat! He helped me get all the way to beautiful Texas, and then all I needed was the bathroom. To put it lightly, I had been working through a stomach bug all week. I don't know if it was the turbulence or the strawberry muffin I ate at the Atlanta Airport, but what when down was coming back up...and I just couldn't throw up on him, you know? Of course everyone took their precious sweet time getting off the plane, like they made these life changing memories on a two hour flight or something. When it came my time, I ran as fast as I could...even with a torn ACL. Wshooo, four nonstop bathroom visits later, everything got better:

STOMP, STOMP - WE'VE ARRIVED...
And then went straight to find some Dramamine.
She didn't want to smell like throw-up when we reached Vegas.

The next few days were some of the best I've ever had in my entire life. Ready for our photoshoot? Oh, and these are in no particular order. Blogspot isn't all about that "in the order in which they occurred" life. Forgive the scatteredness:

Made it to Vegas and found out how fabulously famous I am.

The beautiful water fountains at the Bellagio.
I actually couldn't look away from these,
forcing my eyeballs to water,
which made me look incredibly emotional about the whole thing.
I mean, maybe I was...

This is the ceiling in Caesar's Palace.
I took pictures so I could do the same to the ceilings in my future house.
Okay, just my sewing room and my HUGE closet.

This was part of our dinner at Nobu.
Okay, okay. I will be honest...
I pretty much ate all of that.

CELINE DION IN CONCERT.
Of course she sang "My Heart Will Go On".
I cried my eyeballs out like an emotional wreck.

The Little White Chapel in Vegas, clearly!
Don't worry, guys!
I didn't get hitched...well...

This adorable fake horse was at the Chapel.
We talked about running away together...
But he couldn't really run..
Or move.

Now, I don't let people see me dance,
But one of my favorite songs from Something Borrowed started playing.
I had to have a dance moment for the fact that I. Am. Rachel...dadgum it!

I don't know if you watch the show Pawn Stars,
but this is where it all takes place!

The beautiful Viva Las Vegas sign!
Pssh, and the lady said my camera wasn't good enough to pick up the florescent lights.
HA, I showed her!

I discovered that I don't know how to play anything in a casino!
So I sat and took pictures of everyone..
until the lady yelled at me for having my camera out.
Plus that Asian guy was being creepy..

See what I mean!?!
Who, as a stranger, looks directly into someones phone camera?
He was asking for trouble.

Mrs. Angie and I had a blast with all of the statues.
And boy were there tons...

Vegas - 1. Haley P. - 0

We decided it was best to leave this statue alone.

We got all dressed up for a night out in Vegas.
Poor H.P.
She can't take me anywhere.

Eating at this wonderful place called Ollie's.
They fed me "ollie" could eat.
Haha, get it? "Ollie".

We were picked up in Vegas by a limo!
Thats when we knew we were fabulous...
Okay, we already "knew".
But it was definitely confirmed at that moment.

This was inside the Bellagio!
Like, HOW DO YOU EVEN DO THAT?
"Oh, I'm gonna go build a beautiful rainforest...inside a building."

My flight home.
Texas sure is beautiful,
day and night.

A few weeks after, things started getting really real. I just want to say one thing, thank GOODNESS my sister came with me. Hospitals ask you a number of terrible questions before you have surgery. I'm sure they have to, but I literally was.not.prepared. It was just a few days before the surgery, and I had to make my final visit with the doctor before my surgery occurred. As I sat down at this tiny desk to fill out MORE paperwork, the lady behind the desk said to me, "I assume you don't have a will. Incase the situation arises, to whom would you like to leave your belongings." I looked at her and said, "I'm sorry?" She could see how uncomfortable I was, so she tried her best to re-state the question...as terribly as she could. "Incase there are difficulties during the surgery, who would you like to take ownership of your possessions?" I just paused...like...what am I supposed to say to that? I quickly looked at Alysson and said, "Alysson, if I try to write you out a will tonight, would you mind dispersing everything to it's rightful owner? Just make sure Adam doesn't get Maggie..." She gave me a go to you-know-where look, and I wrote her name down on the paper. Soon after, I met with my anesthesiologist, who also asked me a number of questions. Like if I was allergic to anything, and then a number of huge words that I had no idea how to break down. Once again, I looked to my sister. Finally, and this is where I had a panic attack...actually, a full body attack. Alysson had to pick me up off of the floor. He looked at me and said, "well, there are many ways that you could survive from this", like surviving was just a small chance. I sat there and didn't say a word. Luckily we were done after meeting him. I walked to the car and threw up - don't worry, it was my sisters prius. It is practically made to be thrown up in. After catching my breath, I looked at my sister and said, "Alysson. What is happening here. I don't think they have the right file. They are treating me like I am undergoing a triple bypass. 'You have a chance to survive this.' I should've said to him, 'great, hombre, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS A CONCERN!' I do not want to do this anymore. I will endure it all. I don't care about the falling down, and I was never good at running or sports anyways. Take me off the list, I am not doing this." We drove down the street as I stared out the window, and naturally, we pulled in Ulta. She bought me all kinds of beauty products to wear after I make it through the surgery. She really does know how to brighten up a situation, doesn't she?

And finally the dreaded day arrived. I had my alarm set for 4:45, in the DADGUM morning, so I could get up and scrub my leg with this disinfectant was before hitting the hospital at 6. Once we got to the hospital, panic became an ongoing feeling. Actually, typing this out is making me just as nervous as I was that day. After signing in and stating that I wanted my own room after surgery, then there was the wait. OH, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE. Well, our team had another softball game, and I figured, "why not spend potentially my last night alive watching what took me down in the first place?" Well, another guy on my team has had multiple  ACL surgeries. Three to be exact. I don't know how he did that. He must've had it done in an alleyway or something, but of course, he decided to come and talk to me about his experience. "It's not that bad! The only thing is that I was actually able to feel everything." See, I knew that movie Awake was FREAKING ACCURATE! He walked away and I started crying in front of God, Adam, Wil Hart and Rob Maddox. I hate hate HATE crying in front of people, especially men! But they were so incredibly nice...and actually made it all better. But still, the thought of being awake never left my mind. Back to what I was saying earlier. After waiting in the hospital, they finally took me back to get ready for surgery. I had to take off everything and put on this gown-like-thing with my booty hanging out the back. So much for wearing my lucky underwear. Soon after, a lady came in and noted the leg that was to be fixed:

Nothing would've been worse than them cutting open the wrong knee.
Well, I guess them completely cutting it off would potentially be worse...

She was so incredibly nice...nice enough that I finally had the courage to ask the one question that was burning a hole in my mind. "Ma'am, what are the chances of me waking up during this party? This guy said he did while he had his surgeries, and I watched this movie called Awake, and I actually don't know if you've seen that, but I don't think I will be able to survive that. And if I don't survive, my dog may be homeless." She started laughing before saying, "that is actually a very popular rumor. But actually, your anesthesiologist will be in the room with you, regulating everything. So the likelihood of that happening is slim to none. Plus, I will be in the room with you. I like you already, and I don't tend to like a lot of people. But I won't let anything happen to you, okay?" As soon as she said that, I sat back on the bed and started breathing as regularly as calmly as I could, which still sounded like I was having an asthma attack. Soon after, my sister came in my room after working the night shift, and following behind her was the nurses who were going to take me into surgery. After acknowledging that they each knew one another from work, they finally realized I was what they came after. "Okay, we are ready to get this party started. Give your mom and sister a big hug." I don't know if it's the dramatic female inside of me or the fact that this was literally happening, but I began crying while I hugged my Aunt Patty and then my sister, who I whispered to saying, "I don't want to go. Get me out of here." She quickly said, "It's all going to be okay. We will see you very shortly."

I was definitely being the Katherine Heigl in this photo.
Dear Hollywood, I am currently available for any leading rolls involving kissing Gerard Butler.

I quietly sobbed all the way to this room I had to wait in until the operating room became available. In that time, another lady joined me. We were both hooked up to everything, except she was knocked out. I laid there, wide eyed as a deer in headlights, wondering if I was supposed to already be asleep, too. Approximately four minutes passed by before I just had to ask. The lady watching over both of us looked at me crazy before saying, "some people do, some don't, but it isn't necessary." "Great," I thought, because I was far away from sleeping. About thirty long minutes later, they wheeled me into the operating room. I think 9 or 10 people were standing around me. It felt like I was the one in a coffin looking up at those who came to see me off at my funeral. One really cute guy started talking to me; I think my heavy breathing was a sign that he needed to calm me down before I passed out without any meds. "So where are you from, Haley?" I could feel the drugs taking over my body, slowing me down, but I wanted to prove them wrong. "I come from Andalusia, AL. It's a really small town that pretty much only has a Super Walmart. That was an exciting day when we got that Walmart." He laughed and said to the others that were entering the room, "Guys! This is Haley Moody. She's from Andalusia, which has a Super Walmart!" Soon after that, my eyeballs rolled to the back of my head....at least that is what it felt like. And shortly after, I was in another room full of people who had just came out of surgery, and one of which who was screaming at the top of his lungs. He's the little bugger that woke me up. And for some odd reason, I was trying to get out of the bed. I remember this nurse, who didn't have a face I don't think, hollering at me, "Haley! You need to sit still or you are going to fall out of that bed." I am pretty sure I laughed at her and said, "yesssum." Apparently they didn't have a room for me at the time, so I just had to hang out in this room, which felt a lot like one of those medical centers during the war; I am specifically picturing the movie Pearl Harbor:

I'm the second guy who looks like a mummy.
They did everything they could to keep me contained.

When they finally found me a room, they began rolling me to it, which consisted of passing the waiting room where my Aunt Patty was sitting. Somehow I managed to completely sit up and wave vigorously at my aunt. The nurses weren't happy with that shenanigan either. I am pretty sure I slept most of the afternoon, except those few moments when I woke up and sang "Let it Go" "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" and "I See the Light". Yeah, my Aunt Patty won't let me forget that one, either. 

But here are some photos that my wonderful friends and family took of me. Also, thank you for everyone who came and sat with me. It meant the whole wide world to me...and more. Oh, and I am really sorry about throwing up. I don't do well with anesthesia. Again, a scrambled mess, but enjoy:

The day I got out of the hospital.
Adam clearly decided I could walk out on my own without crutches.
I think he believed in me a little too much.

I know, I know. How gross, right?
But seriously, LOOK. HOW. HUGE. MY. FOOT. WAS.
A plane could've landed on that thing! 

The doctor told me to rest...
And boy did I ever.

I wasn't able to physically get in the shower...
But I needed too.
That's what sisters are for, right?

About the time I started singing.
"Let it go. Let it go!"

High and fabulous.

I just realized,
I am not a very cute hospital patient.

My first day at therapy.
I only cried twice!

One week after surgery, I was headed up to Nashville with my friend, Stephanie Marvin. "Stay in bed," they said. "Don't drive all that way for a concert," they said. Who did they think they were talking to? The thought of not going to see Demi Lovato in concert never even ran through my mind. I. Was. Going. Gerard Butler kneeling down on my doorstep wasn't stopping me either. So Stephanie and I painted our fingernails all sorts of neon colors, threw some cute outfits on and headed to Nashville. AND I HAD THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE. I mean, a woman spilt soda down my back, and I almost fell down the stairs because I wasn't that far advanced with my crutches, but when Demi started talking and singing, I swear she was singing at me. Stephanie doesn't know this, but one time, I even started crying. It was like all the perfect things in the world wrapped up in one. I will shut my mouth and allow you to see for yourself:

Started the day off strong...
and SUPER swollen!!!

We partied all the way to Nashville.
And no, I wasn't on any drugs!
Just 2.5 hours of sleep!

LOOK HOW ADORABLE THIS COFFEE IS!
I almost didn't want to drink it...
But I did. :)

Met up with my long lost lover, Michael!
He showed us around Nashville...thank goodness.
We were so lost.

WE MADE IT!
We were surrounded by young kids,
but we were totally louder than them.

And clearly more adorable than they were.

Oh. My. Stars.
I may dye my hair pink, too.
What do y'all think?

This is where Demi told me she was always going to be there for me, no matter what.
She only told me...
"Haley Moody. You are amazing. And you are a Warrior."
And I cried.

When we finally landed in Nashville.
She was thrilled that we didn't wreck!

I was simply thrilled that I could stand without falling over.
And that I wore a long dress.
IT WAS FREEZING!

I'm sorry about all of my screaming.
BUT I COULDN'T BELIEVE SHE SANG THIS SONG.
I scream like s frightened girl...always.

Just cried. And Cried.
She sang this one to my soul.
Right into my soul.

As you can see, 2014 came with a great deal of setbacks, but with those setbacks, I discovered that I am a warrior....thanks, Demi. We all are warriors. We all have so many setbacks and challenges that keeps us from doing what we truly want...keeps us from believing in who we truly are. School is a setback. Professors and other students trying to tell us that we can't succeed. Jobs can be a setback. Co-workers trying to put so much on you, then taking the credit when it all gets done. Dressing rooms can be a setback. Enough said there, right? I am here to say that they are wrong. Everyone who tries to put a label on you, well, they are all wrong, too. You can do anything that you want, as long as you truly and deeply want it. I've had a bunch of people critiquing my writing lately. And when I say lately, I mean this entire year. All their hard notes and rude remarks forced me to believe that I shouldn't be trying to get a degree in English, that I shouldn't even consider writing as a field to work in, and forced me to push writing to the back most area of my mind. But who are they to tell me that? Who are they to tell me that I should stop doing what I love? Here I am, finishing a blog that I started in March. And here I am, smiling from the inside like a fat kid who loves cake. 

Believe in yourself, because even when you don't, I do.

Love always,

Haley

"'Cuz now I'm a warrior
Now I got thicker skin
I'm a warrior
I'm stronger than I've ever been
And my armor, is made of steel, you can't get in
I'm a warrior
And you can never hurt me...

Again."

Warrior - Demi Lovato

She Had The Most Amazing...Smile.

 Hello my shining stars, 

Have you ever been so passionate, or more than likely obsessed about something that you legit are contemplating the notion of drowning yourself in it on a daily basis? Don't be frightened quite yet...it was never anything suicidal. In ninth grade, I remember being obsessed with the band Boys Like Girls. Oh my gosh, do you remember them? I bought the t-shirts, yet never went to the concert...yeah, I was THAT girl. Every day I would find a way to push them into every conversation I had. The cheerleaders didn't like it so much.  But every single solitary day, I woke up, ate my Cinnamon Toast Crush, then listened to "The Great Escape" and "Thunder". Then one day I woke up and was over the whole shenanigan and on to the next one: Taylor Swift. I went through the exact same routine. Obsessed over it. Bought it. Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Then I sorta forgot about her a little while.

This is my other half, Haley Poole.
We used to get pretty wild on Wednesdays.
I do need every one to take a moment and look at my thighs! BOOM!
THEY. WILL. BE. BACK

As high school continued to roll on by, so did my obsessions. Lets list them, shall we? Heath Ledger, then he had to go off and die (I just want every one to know that I cried for three weeks straight. We were supposed to get married. We talked about it and everything...in my dreams.) Then I went through a punk stage. "Lil Mama and AVRIL LAVIGNE". I loooved that girl. I even secretly asked my hair dresser to put a pink streak in my hair back in the ninth grade. Let me just tell you, my father shut that down real quick.

Just hanging out with some cast members from Juno and Flavor of Love.
No big deal :)
Oh, and by the way, I am not high. I just got back from the eye doctors office.
Take a moment to imagine the looks on their faces when I walked through their front door that morning.

But when I wasn't obsessed with the boy I was dating at the time, I knew something was strange. So I became obsessed with other things. Chick flicks, Twilight (not the books, the movies...I still have a poster of Jacob on my wall. I must admit, it scares me at night when I have to pee), going to the beach, then going to the movies, music, and dreaming about SLEEPING. I HAVE A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. Legit, mothers, daughters or brothers who were twice-removed from the family tree: I have spent the last five years of my life getting very little sleep. Sometimes because I am scared, others because I just can't, but for most of high school, it was because I wasn't allowed. Listen to me as I say this and take me and understand the words that are coming out of my index fingers: sleep is important. Don't let anyone ever take away your 1) Shine and 2) Sleep. I wish wish wish I could rewind and get 8 hours a night instead of three when I was in high school. I am super serious right now. Any time is nap time (except for when you are driving; I tried that and it wasn't so good) so catch up before it's too late and you look like me: baggy eyes at the age of twenty. Trust me, no cream can fix this, aha. I'VE TRIED THEM ALL. Anyways, back to not lecturing you. But there was one more obsession I had...and I could almost call it love.

As a little 11th grade nugget, I can honestly say that whole year was a horrific blur. Not all of it, but a good plenty of it. I had amazing friends...ones that I truly didn't deserve and I still don't! They are so great, and like I always say, they are gonna change the world some day. But for a while, I single-handedly allowed someone to push them out of my life. What did One Tree Hill teach us all to do when someone you love walks out of your life? Exactly: you fight.for.them. Actually, lets take a moment to discuss this cute little thought, shall we?

Men and Women of all ages. We are all going to fight with the ones we love...maybe every single day and maybe once in a lifetime. Either way, we all screw up. And if you're like me...you screw up multiple times an hour. What can I say, I am like a dadgum box of screws (HAHA, that's SO FUNNY!). But there is someone out there for all of us. Someone who is going to take those screws and make something beautiful out of them all...something beautiful out of us. So, I don't care if you are wrong, I don't care if she accidentally broke your FAVORITE football game or if he hit a pothole while you were putting eyeliner on in the car. GO. AFTER. THEM. Every single day is a fight in a relationship. I am not saying that I am in a perfect one, but I am in one. I fight every single day. He may not know that, but if he is reading this, he will soon find out. HEHE, surprise? :) I can't even go to SLEEP if I feel like something is wrong. I will turn on my light and text him until my melatonin kicks in and my fingers forget how to type. I am ALWAYS the person who apologizes first...and I have been all my life. I can't breathe unless I do...and I need my air. I know they say being in love means never having to say you're sorry, but I do it anyway because most of the time, I am. I know I am a struggle to be with, ahaha...I'M LIKE A FREAKING ROLLERCOASTER THAT GOES UPSIDE DOWN NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE YOUR STOMACH GETS IT'S CRAP TOGETHER. And that feeling is worth apologizing for.

Adam has to deal with this everyday. Every. Single. Day.
Wow, well it's safe to say he deserves an "I survived" shirt every evening.
HAHA. I am so funny. Oh boy.

BUT WAIT WAIT WAIT! Don't let this boy fool you! He is a piece of work, too! You know that movie "The Blindeside"? Adam is Sandra Bullock! No, he isn't a woman...and doesn't design the inside of homes. This boy is like an onion. Every single day, you will find me gently pulling back layers trying to uncover and understand him better. LET ME JUST SAY, some of these layers are incredibly difficult to get a hold of...but I never give up. Wanna know why? Like that little Asian girl off the commercial says, a princess is always faithful and never gives up. I think she was calling me out.

But my obsession has nothing to do with this. Lets go back to 11th grade Haley. I was putting on my makeup one morning, realizing the dark circles were taking their form on my face rather early, when suddenly I was singing along to this song I had heard before...but never coming from my Sirius XM television station. I whip my chair around to find the title "Into Your Arms" by "The Maine." Like most teenagers, I began screaming at the top of my lungs and jumping around on top of everything important. My mother, who just got home from working nights, came running into my room asking what on Earth was wrong. All I could do was point at the blue screen. Frustrated, she says "Haley, you are going to have to say something human to me. I don't understand pointing unless you are doing some kind of disco thing. I mean, that's exciting and all...but you kinda missed those times." I stared at her and said, "mom! LOOK! It's the MAINE. This song. I downloaded it 6 months ago. BUT NOW IT'S FAMOUS. I KNEW OF IT BEFORE IT WAS FAMOUS! Maybe I made it famous?..." Before I could finish, she looks down at her gold watch and says, "You're going to be famous in the office if you don't leave right now, Haley. They have seen your face every single day this week and I don't think the line 'the train held me up' will work three days in a row." I grabbed my backpack and sped to school listening to the song over and over again. Listen, I had a long ride everyday. Well, with me driving it wasn't ever that long. Making it just in time for Mrs. Clark-Jones' class, I tossed my backpack in the corner of the class and ripped a hundred sheets of paper to begin writing notes to all my friends about my exciting morning. Mrs. Clark-Jones suddenly came over and whispered, "Haley, you don't have a bomb in there or anything, do you?" I almost said yes so that she would throw my Chemistry book out of the window. Too easy though.



This song was the anthem of my nearly-wrecked life. I made all my friends listen to it while we were in my car. In college, all of my friends learned to love it and even left me random voicemails of them singing that song while we were all on break. I made a blog *DING DING DING* named after that song because it has always seemed to describe my life in every situation, which is what I wanted this blog to be about - every situation. Everywhere I go, everything I went through, it was the one thing that said, "you're gonna make it" without actually saying those words. I have listened to this song backwards and forwards, literally...the video is awesome if you play it backwards, because it actually goes forward. (Mind-blown yet?) I also know that if you leave the right headphone in and take the left out, everything gets really quiet and it's just you and John O' for a solid seconds. For the longest time, I truly thought John O'Callaghan was speaking to me, talking about my eyes being sunsets and my long...ish...legs. But here I am, eating my Cinnamon Toast Cruch and wearing my "She has the most amazing..." shirt and wondering what happens in that moment when your crazy obsession turns into something of your past.

My answer: Life. Life always happens. It wakes you up from "the most amaaazing" sleep. Paints black circles around your eyes while you are actually asleep. Tells you the boy you love doesn't love you back. Cuts your clothes in your closet and makes them waaay to small for you. Tells you that you can't follow your dreams. Says that you have to grow up. Takes the people who you once found to be extraordinary and turns them into something ordinary. Allows the boy to never text you back. Gives you rain when you need a little sunshine. Yet, it shows you a sunset when you beg God for something more in your life. Opens a door when people close three hundred in your face. Finds that last birthday that your mother gave you hidden beneath the socks in your drawer. Gives you a Bible verse that makes you feel less crazy about the craziness in your life. And most importantly, it sends you friends who are going through the exact things that you are just so that you aren't alone...even if it's for just 24 hours. This world is full of blessings, heartaches, and fifteen-minute loves. I don't know about you, but through it all, I have never felt more alive. That day I heard "Into Your Arms" on the television, I drove 80 miles an hour to school without caring that a cop could pretty much arrest my happy-loving tail and more than likely lock me away in a dungeon for the rest of my life. Yet, I was alive (luckily). We sometimes forget about how fortunate we are to be alive. We take it for granted, forgetting those who actually died trying to live their lives. Yet here we are, dreaming about the places we want to discover, but wasting our happiness at the job we hate...or taking our happy-loving time with our degree...or mostly just watching life pass before our eyes. My Uncle Jim once told me "don't blink or wish your life away, Haley...because as soon as it is gone, you can never get it back and life doesn't give you do-overs."

So now it is Christmas break, instead of traveling home and remembering how easy your world used to be, remember how great it is. Never forget the tire-tracks we made in your backyard every single time we drove to your house, or the time we laid out on your pier, or the time you taught me that I should "keep my boobs high, but never let them fly", but always remember the past will always be there and the future is waiting for you to change it...or to just simply embrace it.

With all the love in my Christmas-struck heart,
Haley



"There was a new girl in town.
She had it all figured out. (Had it all figured out)
And I'll state something rash.
She had the most amazing....smile.
I bet you didn't expect that.
But she made me change my ways. (She made me change my ways)
With eyes like sunsets baby.
And legs that went on for days.

Oh she's slippin' away.
I always freeze when I'm thinking of words to say.
All the things she does.
Make it seem like love.
If it's just a game. (Just a game)
Then I like the way that we play."
Into Your Arms - The Maine

I Light Up When The Doors Are Closed

Hello lovelies!

Let me just say, these past two weeks have been like...like...well, do you remember that one episode of Spongebob where he is looking for one piece of hay in the HUMUNGO needle stack? Just in case you don't have a life and have never watched Spongebob:

Me too, Spongebob. Meeeee tooo.

I literally feel like a million different things are stabbing my fragile, translucent, moderately glittery skin lately. I almost feel like a dog with one of those collars on that zap them if they venture out too far. Wholly guacamole. Actually, do you have a moment for me to give you a break down of my week? I promise you will feel hundreds better about your life!

Okay, so on dadgum Monday, I had TWO FINALS. I just want to make note that Monday was the 18th of November...which means I still have a MONTH left of school, yet I am taking two finals. Granted they were both in the same miserable class, but I was just really frazzled and completely exhausted. Oh wait, vroooooom errrrrt, lets rewind really quick. My book for this dadgum class didn't come in until 5 days before the test...and I literally had 478 pages to read and lessons to review. I haven't had more than three hours of sleep a night in the past two weeks. And to answer your question, yes I am seeing rainbows and skittles falling from the sky right about now. But, I made a 90 on the written test and a one-freaking-hundred on the skills test, plus Adam took me out for Chinese afterwards, so all went well on Monday. On Tuesday, yeah, nothing happened...fast forward to Wednesday. Wednesday started off well. My editor called me, we talked like long lost soul sisters for 10 minutes and 58 seconds, no big deal. Everything was just really going well. I even had my morning cup of Starbucks, which means people actually enjoyed talking to me. I WAS EVEN BEING NICE TO RUDE CUSTOMERS! Are you seeing where I am going with this? Things. Were. Great.

Then 3 o'clock in the afternoon rolled around, which meant it was time for Poetry class. First and foremost, I just want you all to know that I have been giving this class a lot of effort and seriousness. I am not a poet...no big deal...I do other amazing things like write blogs, or draw beautiful pictures on the shower walls with soap that apparently doesn't come off - why wasn't that in the warning label? I mean they tell you not to get it in your eyes; why not say, "hey, don't get creative either" - you know, the important things in life. I really couldn't concentrate that day because they were talking about Kanye West (please take a hot second and watch this bologna, especially you, Devin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuBd3bDdALM) and how amazing they thought he was. #TeamTaylor. OH YEAH, ahaha, the reason they were talking about Kanye is because we were having RAP SONG day. Everyone brought in their absolute favorite rap song: all were either by Tupac, Kanye, Lil Wayne and some white chick that talked so fast and New Jersey-ish that I couldn't even focus. Each of their songs were so depressing...or violent...then, it was my turn. MUAHAHA.

My teacher/graduate student turned to me and said, "Alright, Haley. What rap song did you bring for us to listen to? You can play it then tell us two things you might would like to steal from it."

"Perfect. Okay everyone. I am about to make your day a whole lot brighter. I put a lot of thought into this song...literally, I went through all 3,000 songs on my computer. Well, one night I was singing in the shower and my roommate heard me. As soon as I got out, she quickly ran in there and screamed 'Oh my gosh - you have to use that song for your rap day in poetry!!!' After 2.7 seconds, I realized she was absolutely right. So, ladies and gentlemen, here comes the best 1 minute and 26 seconds of your life."

http://vimeo.com/6648485

That's right, I once again supported my homegirl Taylor Swift. After the song ended, I cleared my throat after looking at the blank faces of each and every outspoken and skillfully poetic individual in my class. "First things first, I would love to take the same humor used in this song and use it in my writing. This day and age, I feel like young adults, such as ourselves, take our lives so seriously. I know this isn't an 'official' rap song like everyone elses, but that doesn't make her any less of a singer. It more or less makes her an experimenter, OOOH, or what I would like to call an 'imagineer'. She is taking all the things people say about her, such as her incredible height, the fact that she *DING DING DING* doesn't cuss, and the fact she was still living with her parents, although lets be real, most of us and our besties did the exact same thing, and she is simply laughing at herself about it. How many of us can say we laugh at the things people tease us about." For the .8 seconds I waited, no one raised their hands. "Exactly! Next, I really like her use of rhymes and the way she asks questions and answers them...still in rhyme."

At this moment people are still quietly flustered by my choice of song...and apparently song writer, too. This one lady finally pops up and OUT OF THE FREAKING BLUE says, "I just really don't like her." Someone please tell me what that has to do with this song from a poetic point of view. You have no idea either, right? Before I could tell her to put the shut to the up, my friend and the love of my life, Noah, who also has beautiful pink hair and comments kindly on each of my scarves, straightens up and says, "Taylor Swift is amazing. She never claimed to be an 'amazing singer' - she's just one of the few who still has a good time doing what she is doing and is actually being 100% honest in all of her music."

Yeah...BACK DOWN, BARBIE DOLL!

In other news, Gerard looks quite charming here.

But homegirl had more to say: "Maybe so, but she has an absolutely annoying voice and only talks about her boyfriends. That isn't music...that is just an article in Entertainment Magazine." OH SNAP, homegirl has jokes. Before I could breathe and get my words together, Noah came to my rescue...yet again. Ahh, Noah.

"Have you heard her sing live?" At this moment I raised my hand and said, "OOH OHH OHH - I HAVE!" Noah quickly looked at me and smiled before continuing, "Exactly, sheeeee has. Taylor Swift is absolutely uh-may-zing LIVE. So what if she sings about her boyfriends? They are all individually part of her life story, and apparently millions of people are able to relate to her music, because in 2011, SHE TOOK HOME EVERY AWARD SHE WAS NOMINATED FOR AT THE AMA's. Any further points you have are invalid."

*Noah drops the mic and leaves.*

Totally kidding, but I tell everyone he did!
It makes the story better.



I reached across the table and touched his newly painted fingernails and said, "You are beautiful." But even after that spectacular moment, the day didn't get any better. After my class, I asked my teacher/graduate lady-person if I could have my poem back. We have to create a portfolio as our final exam. No big deal, I just need to have all of my poems so I am able to finish the portfolio before things get real in the college world. As soon as everyone left the class, she talked with me for 15 minutes about all the flaws and errors in my little poem. Actually, you are going to need a little background information about this class before you understand why that infuriated me.

My poetry class consists of approximately 8 individuals, all of which who believe and love different things. The "F" word is used in most of their poems, and mouths, like they are simply talking about cheese. Speaking of their poems, if they aren't talking about sex, they are talking about suicide, or alcohol, or doing hardcore drugs on Wednesdays, or my personal not-favorite, when the guys give us full details about PRIVATE interactions they have with themselves. This class is why I have to go home and hide in my bed until all the horrific thoughts go away. I bet I know what you are thinking: "Well, Haley...what do you write about then?" Oh my gosh - I am so glad you asked!

I, Haley Danielle Moody, write about the stars, the clouds, or being a dadgum mermaid in the deep, blue sea. Every time I have to read my poems aloud for discussion, they all look at me like I am an innocent little child who has never had to experience a difficult moment or horrific event. So, being overly frustrated and ready to punch them all in their esophagus's, this last poem was about cancer. Maybe it's nothing perverted or sexual, but it's dark...and I was so ready to show them that I am not someone who lets the dark times hold her down.

There I was, standing in front of my teacher, listening to her tell me she doesn't "understand" my poem...how it made her confused or something. All I could think about was the fact that I sit in class all dadgum day listening to them read their poems that make absolutely no sense, yet I still find and tell them things that I freaking LIKE. For instance, that very same day, she read us a poem about a woman who CUT THE TIP OF HER FINGER OFF, but somehow, the poem ended talking about Indians, soldiers and the KKK. Yet I am the confusing nugget in the bunch - YEAH, OKAY HOMBRE!

Maybe I just don't understand some things like they do, but me? I write things that a kindergartener would understand BECAUSE I AM IN THE MINDSET OF ONE! I have considered writing children books, but that is a topic for another day. But that is why it infuriated me when she said she didn't understand! I literally said everything except the word "cancer" BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME NOT TO SPECIFICALLY SAY WHAT I AM WRITING ABOUT IN MY POEM, and she literally asked me if I was talking about a stomach virus. I just started laughing...literally, I peed on myself from laughing sooo hard. I mean...I guess cancer can give you diarrhea. That is such a hard word to spell. I had to look it up, and the first link to appear said "Don't Let Diarrhea Ruin Your Plans!" Oh, they won't...at least not my plans to be a poet, psssssssssssssssssh.

 

After a long walk to my car and replaying "Miss Movin' On" nearly 8 times, I realized something...something incredible. Why am I upset? I should feel sorry for them, because I, Haley Danielle Moody, listened to Peter Pan and NEVER grew up.

These few individuals grew up so fast so quickly...and so interestingly...that they forgot what it's like to dance to Disney songs in the shower...as a matter of fact, they look down on Disney. When I brought in Taylor Swifts rap song, one girl looked at me and said, "Is this some kind of Hannah Montana s**t or something?" I wanted to look at her and say, "no sweetie...Hannah Montana is now a stripper. I didn't bring you stripper music to listen to." I am probably going to need anger management classes for Christmas.

 

With all that being said, I am so glad to finally say that my Thanksgiving break has begun!!!!!! I mean, I am spending half of it at work, but that means I will have lots of time to play the Sims! I know that seems like a rant that I just went on about my weird ole days, but I have had so much on my heart these past few weeks that it almost seems painful to breathe. Have you ever felt like that? I have to wake up every single morning and remind myself...this is my life. It is time for me to take it back! There is this one individual in my life...and this person doesn't seem to see me as something wonderful like I want them too. It's fine that they don't...but the thing is that they should. I do know one thing, this lost, crunching feeling in my chest that keeps yanking me down and keeping me up at night, and it's not heartburn - I took tums and everything - it's time for me to do what my heart is telling me to do. I always push it aside...everything about it goes to the background because I want to please the entire world! Why do I always want to do something like that? That is waaaaaaaaaaaaay to exhausting for my sleepless mind. The thing about my mind is I have a fearless one that is terminated by lack of rest and negativity. Who knows where that came from...or why it found it's why into my soul, but all I know is...no one is going to fight it for me. And no one is going to fight it for you...except me. Just let me get a few hours of rest in first. I heard this song yesterday morning...the lady sang "Happiness is something we create". You know what, the lady from Sugarland is so right. So for this Thanksgiving... not only am I going to bed super duper early, I am going to show this one person what they haven't been seeing...and what they will be missing if they keep their eyes closed. Like Mr. Alan says, I am a Bombshell...and they don't stick around waiting for something that feels like a whole lot of nothing. And all you lovely ladies and gentlemen shouldn't either - it's time we get our friends and family in check, and realize there actually is a point for us to wake up every morning. Guess what that is? YOU GOT IT - for us to SHIIIIIIIIIIIINE! We are all so amazing, and even though people don't always see that in you, don't you dare give up. Look at me, I wanted to show the world that I am amazing so I ran a dadgum 10k. Even though I almost died, I wouldn't trade that day, or the 6 weeks of recovery, for the world. We are strong, amazing people that God created for a special purpose. I haven't discovered my purpose yet either...but it's out there. That doesn't mean it's going to be easy, we all know that from the dadgum Notebook, but guess what...when we are all old and grey (gray), we will be thankful we took that risk and stood up for ourselves. Now, go be amazing and put down your electronics. Your family won't be around for forever...go hug them and eat everything in site.

 

 

With all the love in my heart,

Haley

 



"I'm a fire starter, make your blood run faster
I melt hearts like water
Yeah yeah oh woah yeah
I'm a fire starter, I'm a sweet disaster
I melt hearts like water
Yeah yeah oh woah yeah
Yeah

I might look all innocent
But the embers are burning inside of me
And I'm ready to take that step, can't you see, can't you see

I'm a bad-ass jumping off the moving train
I'm a Jane Bond, putting all them guys to shame
I'm a wild card, I'm about to take my aim
You better watch out, watch out."

Fire Starter - Demi Lovato

 

"Just because I am lost doesn't mean I am losing" - Coldplay

"Be Careful of the Careful Souls Who Doubt You Along the Way"

Hello lads,

So a number of weeks ago, which all seem to be running together these days, I said that I had an amazing opportunity coming up. No, I wasn't modeling for Victoria's Secret, which is kinda how it sounded from the blog post. I mean, I totally understand the confusion. What can I say? Folks want to take pictures of my bod!


Adriana Lima probably won't happy knowing that I stole her bod.
Totally kidding, that's all me, baby. I'm on that "One Almond a Day Diet."
PSSSH...In my dreams!

After my amazing Victoria's Secret photo shoot dream that I woke up from at 6:15 on a Saturday morning (Please understand my emphasis on the fact that I woke up at 6:15 on a SATURDAY), I quickly began placing my face on...one inch of makeup at a time. I was absolutely frightened...so frightened that I had to remove and replace my makeup a handful of times until finally, I got the painting on the canvas exactly right. After I finished painting my face, I wiggled my way into a pencil skirt and a modest red top; I've always heard that red draws the eyes attention, but I sure didn't want anyones eye-balls directing at my ninnies...or really anything for that matter. I just wanted to get in and get the French toast out!

Luckily, One Tree Hill was on when I began munching on my granola bar. For the first time in all of my 20 years, I felt like I couldn't eat. Everyone who knows of and sees me understands that I am a natural-born eater. What can I say? I love food and it loves me...clearly since it never seems to "unstick" from my body...ESPECIALLY AROUND MY THIGHS! Okay, I swore I was never going to tell anyone this story, but here it goes anyway. LAST DADGUM WEEK, I was sitting at work in my favorite pair of jeans. I went to jump on top of my extremely high-chair and all of a sudden I heard a "riiiiippp". My thighs had rubbed together so much in those jeans that that particular area of my jeans had thinned out so so so much until...there I was...sitting at work...with a rather large, uncomfortable and completely awkward hole in my jeans. All because my dadgum thighs. I WILL FIND A WAY TO GET THEM OFF OF ME!!! I mean, those were my absolute favorite pair of jeans...that I got on sale. It's good...I am trying not to be bitter anymore. Except for the fact that I am doing the Khloe Kardashian Squat Challenge...and it hurts to walk, sit, breath, live...you know, just everything.

Clearly she doesn't have the "thighs rubbing together while wearing your favorite jeans" problem.
She has a pretty significant gap right there in the middle. IT'S COOL! I'm not bitter...

ANYWAYS, back to the original story. There I was, watching delicious Nathan Scott:

I truly think Taylor Swift was singing about him:

"And you've got a smile that can light up this whole town."

Oh man, he's beautiful. Just beautiful. Hopefully Adam doesn't see this...

Have you ever known something was going to happen, like an event, such as having your wisdom teeth removed or going on a terrible date OR knowing that school is going to start again, but you push it in the farthest spot of your mind, pretending like it doesn't exist or won't ever happen? Well, this is what I did, until I realized it was time to leave my apartment.

I had to drive thirty or so miles outside of Northport to a place called Sokol Park. This isn't your average Dream Park or Johnson Park where everything is in your line of vision...no. This park had so many twists and turns and round-a-bouts until finally I just turned up my Taylor Swift CD and followed a random car. Luckily they were going to the same place as myself.

Ladies and possible Gentlemen who take the time out to read my rando blogs, this is the moment I have been leading up to. I, Haley Danielle Moody, am the new contributing writer at North of the Living paper. Now, just so you all know, I am not much of a newspaper writer. I don't like the news, especially not these days. Seems like people are always dying on trains and airplanes or someone has some bad news to break to me about healthcare. BLAH! But the best part about this newspaper is...I can be as silly as I want to. Unfortunately...I didn't find that out until the next article I was assigned.

The very first article, the reason why I was at a park at 7:45 on a Saturday morning, was about a dog park being dedicated to a young boy who was killed in a hunting accident. Can I please tell you why this dadgum thing was very very very awkward? People were giving speeches about this young boy. It started off as a rather emotional event. I was like the random person at the funeral that none of the family members knew, so I planned to say "I am Uncle Johns daughter" if anyone asked.

After everyone finished sharing stories and thoughts about this young boy, I had to go get a quote from this one particular man...which was the boys uncle. Ugh, I hate talking to people that I don't know...especially in a situation like that. I just felt like a burden, or a stickler, or part of the dadgum paparazzi trying to snatch the life out of this man. So, I went to talk to these little girls instead, hehe! Every little girl wants to be in the newspaper, right? After I talked to them, they ran to their mothers and said "mama! Mama! Guess what? I am going to be in the NEWSPAPER! That lady (look at me being referred to as a lady) over there just told me I was!" I always knew I was a dream maker. But those two girls made me feel like I could take on the world. So I took my happy butt over to that dadgum man and said, "Hello, my name is Haley Moody and I am a writer for North of the River Living Paper. I am writing about this incredible event and I realized I was missing something: you!" He started cheesing like a cheeseburger and I knew I had him! Hahahaha!

Here is the second most difficult part. I went home after getting some coffee from Starbucks - Salted Caramel Frap is DA BOMB, just FYI - and  turned on Grey's Anatomy while I began writing the article. I worked and worked and worked...and decided then and there that I never wanted to do this again. I am not a newspaper writer. I pretty much just write whatever is on my mind...in a blog...not really concerned about anyone ever reading it, ahaha! But this? This article? It goes to 23,000 homes every month.
I finally got it to 250 words, like one of the editors asked, and decided that it was time to close my eyes and send it in. Guys, I was sending in an article...to my editor! I felt like Carrie Bradshaw off of Sex in the City!!!

The next day, I saw that I had an email back from my editor. Let me just go find it and tell you what it said. Blah, blah, blah...HERE WE GO - "Thank you so much for sending this so promptly. This is a good start, but there is still some work needed to be done on it. I will send it through our editing team and I will keep you updated. Thanks again!" This email just...wasn't what I was wanting back. I was wanting it to spit rainbows and strawberries, OH and unicorns with Heath Ledger delicately riding atop. I simply figured that I had gotten what I wished for...no more articles for Haley. Weirdly enough, I was sad about this.

A few short weeks later, I got an email from my editor. Let me just update you all on our friendship status. I seriously think we are "besties for the resties". The other day, we emailed each other back for hours talking about candy making us big as a house and Keurig Coffee Makers...oh, and Santa! Ahaha! She's like a pin-pal that I never expect to meet but hope that someday I will. But anyways, this email said "Go to http://notrl.com/ and look at the front page. You may recognize someone."

There. It. Was.

I don't know if anyone caught on, but my freaking name is on the FRONT PAGE!
No big deal: only 23,000 people saw this.
I am pretty sure I'm famous now! People are always pointing at me like they recognize me!
Oh wait...I left my pimple medicine on my face again.

 PS - I went to that Haunted House "Main Avenue Mortuary." I literally mean it when I say I went TO it. It was like Morgan Palmer's 5th grade Halloween party all over again. I got out as soon as I got in...except I didn't even get in. Mike Myers started following me around. I am sure he just liked following my booty or something...but I hate being followed. THEN...ALL OF A DADGUM SUDDEN, SOME FREAK OF NATURE FROM INSIDE STARTED POUNDING ON THE DADGUM WALLS. I was done. I walked my happy butt right back to Anna's red bug and sat there. You can absolutely call me a chicken..because I am! "BAWK BAWK".

Anyways, that's my story to fame. Totally kidding, but hey, maybe it will help me get my feet in the door whenever my happy-loving self GRADUATES from dadgum COLLEGE. Ugh, someday. Let me tell you, I am ready. Mostly because I hate living in an apartment...and hate the one I am living in. BUT I REFUSE TO MOVE AGAIN...well, until I get a house with a garden and bay window. Yes, I have a list of demands and a Pinterest page to accompany them. ( http://www.pinterest.com/hdmoody/my-dream-home/ )

Back to the newspaper story, yet again! I actually did another story over the weekend. Let me tell you, I cried whenever my editor messaged me back again. Can I please share with you what she said back? "THIS is FABULOUS!" I sat at work and cried like a pregnant woman watching that Sarah McLachlan commercial with the sad dogs. Oh my gosh, I'm nowhere near pregnant and it makes my happy butt cry every single time. If I had money, they sure would get every single penny just because they pulled my dadgum heartstrings. I use the word dadgum alot, don't I?

Well, I won't keep you guys any longer! I tend to talk a whole lot and I can't make it stop - it's like diarrhea. Too much, huh? :) hehe

I will end on a good note, though. The trees are changing colors and the weather is changing temperatures. I believe this is the time of season where everyone is falling in love with someone...or maybe just falling in love with scarves. Either way, one day wasted is one day you'll never get back. Enjoy life and love everything that accompanies it. Call your parents. Call your sister. Call your German grandma, hehe. We all have to do everything we can to be a happier, better "us". I have been working on this for a while. The very first day was the day I took a risk and emailed the lady at North of the River Living paper. I never wanted people to read my crap. Well, I did but I didn't. Here I am doing the dang thing, though. I took a risk. Now, I want to hear about all of yours.

Stay safe - wear seat belts - don't kill the fans of the opposing team.
 


                 Love Always,
                                Haley Bug
But the future of us all rests on the shoulders of your heart
Where are we going
Oh I don't know
But still I've got to go
What will become of us
Oh I don't care
All I know is I'll go anywhere
Pioneer
Oh pioneer
So young and brave
Be careful of the careful souls who doubt you along the way
Pioneer
You orphaned child
Your mother is adventure and your father is the wild.
Pioneer - The Band Perry

Let your heart not be troubled...