...it became a butterfly!

This sweet proverb serves as a reminder of hope for me. There are good and bad things that happen every single day(both of which will make up the subject matter of my blog), but for whatever reason, the bad things in life weigh on me much more. I need to find a way to keep the good with me. I am starting this blog in order to keep a record of everything that happens, but also to force myself to think about the good--to choose joy. I want to be able to come back to this when too much bad has happened. So, in keeping with another one of my life philosophies...this is just a bit of silliness really.

I am originally from New York(Long Island--though I don't have an accent which confuses most Southerners--not the city), and as much as I love Virginia, I will never be a Southerner. I am too nostalgic for New York and Northern culture, and too prejudiced against Southern drawls. I maintain that New York is the best at everything, especially food and baseball. I sometimes question why I left New York or why I haven't returned to New York. The answer to those questions are predominantly the weather(though with the snow Virginia got this year, I'm wondering if this is still an acceptable reason). I am also strangely obsessed with weather. As a friend of mine once put it, I am solar powered. I love the sun and warm weather. In New York, I just felt like the constant rain and cool weather were literally pushing me out of the area. Though I cannot return, I will always love my hometown of Northport and will identify more with New York than Virginia. Another reason I plan to remain in Virginia for some time is that I am a creature of habit and avoid change at all costs.

This has been a transitional year for me, which has been hard to handle. I am nearing the end of my first year of teaching. It has not been everything that I hoped it would be, but I guess I have the rest of my life to feel truly successful as a teacher. I do sometimes toy with the idea of becoming a chef. I love food, so I love making good food. I don't know that I love cooking as much as I love the result of my own cooking. Perhaps I should start taking some culinary classes? I think I have had enough changes of late. I do not do well with change. At this point, I am taking things slowly and am open to all options.