Finals for school happened. Anneka getting a spot on the Jr. World Team happened. Karlie somehow managed to grow up (she turned 2!!!! =O ). Taufie turned 10. Just…wow…

I have also found out a lot about myself and I’m doing things to make me better. If you have talked to me recently, you should maybe be able to figure out what I’m talking about. Maybe. And if you don’t know, that’s okay. Just know that I am getter better and better and am doing a lot of things to get extra better. I have never felt this good/happy in my life. I feel like I am also making really positive changes in my life.

So I have to set goals, and TRY to actually accomplish them. Goals for this summer are as follows:

1: Getting out of the house more. I have discovered that I really am a hermit and that I need to DO something productive this summer. So I am going to get out more. Be a part of civilization. Even if it’s simply taking Karlie to the river or going to the library to get some books to read before bed. I need to get out.

2: Exercising. Another way to get out of the house. Also a way to get rid of all of my stress that seems to just keep piling on. Also a way to improve my self-image. It’s not horrid, but it could be better. So thus, several birds-one stone.

3: Traveling. No, not to France or New York or anything like that (thought that would be AMAZING). Mostly just the local area. I realized I really don’t know the area as well as I would like to, probably because I don’t get out much. So I want to get lost in San Marcos. DO the typical sight seeing in New Braunfels and Gruene. Maybe see what is even in Lockhart to do. I do happen to have three complete days off from work (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) and two days I only work evenings (Monday and Tuesday, 5pm-9pm).

4: Cooking. No, seriously. I want to cook more. I don’t cook much at all during the semester because to be honest I don’t have time/willpower to do so. So I want to cook. Plus it kind of goes hand-in-hand with the exercising thing. You know, since eating better is better for you and helps with the weight loss thing. So yeah, cooking.

5: Training. Also odd sounding, coming from a person who has been showing since she was 3 and training since she was 7 (Mickey Dog!) and is now 20. Yeesh. But I have SOOOOO many things I want to teach my AMAZING baby girl. First and foremost, finish her agility training so she will be A) ready for the movie and B) ready for her first show in like August maybe hopefully? That’d be cool. I’m kind of excited really. Also I want to teach her some neat disc dog stuff, just for funsies. Right now I’m just teaching her how to catch the darn frisbee! But yeah. More training needs to happen.

So that’s my game plan really. And I hope to be able to keep it up. Of course, I am terrible at following through with my goals, clearly. I said I’d blog once a week. It has definitely been more than a week.

On another note, I have another “real” photoshoot on Friday! A co-worker is leaving for Denver and want’s some modeling-ish pics to add to her portfolio. I need more people than my best friend for my portfolio. Maggie, I love you dearly and you know this, and as amazing as your pictures are, I just need more. This isn’t the end of our random photoshoots I swear! I just need variety and I know that you know this to be true. =) (EDIT*** She cancelled =’( she had to finish packing because she

But yes, I think so far I am actually moving forward with my life. Instead of stagnant, which is how I have been feeling for awhile. Sure, grades weren’t what I was expecting. I don’t really know how or why they ended up sucking, but I’m going to own up to the fact that they sucked. I really did work my butt off, and somehow it wasn’t enough. I guess I’m still trying to juggle work, classes, studying, training, and learning how to NOT be a hermit. Oh, and also I am trying to add sleep in there somewhere as well. Sleep is needed, unfortunately. Waste of time in my opinion. =P

OH! And before I leave ya’ll, I would like to say that my bay girl has turned into a completely different dog since I got her. She was distant, didn’t want to snuggle at all, food aggressive, dog aggressive, just angry at the world in general. Now she knows all sorts of tricks, and I keep teaching her more! She is PLAYING with the dogs at work instead of trying to eat them, and most of the time her and Teddy an be around each other when the both have bones and she won’t go try to steal his. Her progress has been amazing and she has changed my life as much as I have changed hers. I love my baby dog, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

Well… I think that’s it for now… Thanks for reading!

~Aubs

But there really is no destination in life. Sure, right now I want to be done with school since it’s been getting me really down lately, but if I skipped to there, I’m more than positive there would be some new goal I would want to be at. The cycle would never end until eventually there would be no new locations to jump to because I had reached the end of my life and I could only look back and regret not savoring the small things.

So I say Carpe Diem, seize the day. Remember, life is about the journey, not the destination. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. When the world turns it’s back on you, you turn your back on the world. When the first door shuts, climb through a window. Whatever slogan get’s you through the day. Just find something small to enjoy today. It could be the fact that hey, it’s pouring down rain in Texas. Or it could be that the cute guy/girl sitting across the room looked at you and smiled. Or maybe for once your hair cooperated and looks amazing. I don’t care what makes you happy, find it. If you can’t find something, make something amazing happen. Last night I had an amazing time at work with my baby girl. She’s really something else. And I gave a home to mouse who’s probably going to die in the next week or so, because his brothers ripped most of the flesh off his back and he can barely walk. The store isn’t allowed to euthanize them, even if it would be the kinder thing to do, they have to treat them. So Alastor is living with me until he either gets better, or passes. But he will have had a home, and someone who loves him before he goes, and isn’t that all that matters?

So today I cherish the fact that I am alive, that it is raining and my parents wont have to spend another small fortune on bad quality hay from out of state to keep the cows alive, that I have given a home to a helpless animal, that I have the most amazing dogs in the world, that I have just as amazing friends who I would give anything for, and that I have this Java Chip Frappachino which will keep me awake through History class.

Life is about the journey, not the destination.

~Reigh

I’m really excited about most of these pictures. There are very few that I am not 100% happy with, which is probably a good thing, right?

Good day today, I’m hoping so at least.

~Aubs

It’s not a picture, but it’s a video and I think it counts! =P

I love my doggies so much. They are always going to be there for me and they won’t ever stop loving me and I will never stop loving them. I was so skeptical of Karlie at first. I mean, we went through some pretty hard stuff together (ie her bolting out the door the first night I had her and me spending 2 hours chasing her down as she tried to get hit by cars. I also skinned my knee and got a bunch of glass in it. I have a pretty good scar from that.). But she’s my baby girl and I love her so much. I can’t wait to be able to get some hard core agility training in her, she’s going to be amazing.

[Still not sure how I feel about not going to Nationals with Taufie this year. I don't think I want to think about it too hard right now. I'll end up crying again... That's a post for another time.]

So now it’s just a matter of taking life day by day, and remembering that “life is about the journey, not the destination” and that “it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”. Just got to keep remembering those 2 quotes and I just might make it through this semester unscathed.

I’m gonna go eat my Poptarts now.

~Aubs out

I apologize now for the randomness =P

Well, today is day one of Spring semester. Thankfully I got 14 hours of classes after the tuition mishap. Now I know to not wait till the week before to try and get tuition paid. Oh well. All’s well that ends well I suppose. Now to get all unstressed so maybe I can eat something without puking it back up and sleep more than an hour or two.

For now though, some Starbucks to keep me awake through my 2 classes today and maybe a tiny bit of writing. I knew I should have brought a book…. *sigh*

Speaking of books, I read the Hunger Games Trilogy recently. OMG. So amazing. I was a bit of a skeptic to be honest, it seemed like a kind of stupid plotline. No, it’s quite fantastic. I highly recommend it. Also, I got a wonderful gift card to Barnes and Nobles (I’m pausing here to cry a bit at the loss of Borders) and I used it the other night as a bit of retail therapy for the whole tuition mess. 12 new books are coming! I’m pretty pumped. Nothing soothes the mind like a new book.

I shall leave off with an amazing quote by the great Albus Dumbledore =)

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

It fits with my theme for this year- Life is about the journey, not the destination =)

Ya’ll have a good day!

~Aubs

And Happy Birthday to ME!!!! I turned 20 on New Year’s Eve so that was all kinds of fun! It was the first birthday I didn’t spend at home and I had quite a bit of fun! Because of people being in various places and going various places, I had TWO birthdays! It was pretty freaking sweet. I can’t say it was perfect, there were some things that were…upsetting I suppose one could say, but overall? Great experience.

And about 2012. Everyone says it’s a clean slate, a fresh beginning, that you can start all over.

But let’s get real. You can’t completely start over. If you’re dying of cancer, January 1st doesn’t cure it. If you’re heart is broken, January 1st doesn’t automatically repair it. If you’re in a dead in job, January 1st doesn’t guarantee a promotion. If you’re homeless, January 1st doesn’t magically produce a house for you to live in and make you able to pay the mortgage. Their is always a little chalk dust residue left on the blackboard. But that doesn’t mean the residue should hold you back, if anything, it means you should press forward even harder. Fight your battles, party like you don’t care whose watching, love deeply like you’ve never been hurt, and work your butt off. True, sometimes you have to walk before you can run and baby steps are needed, but still, you have to have the courage to take the first baby step.

Last time I posted about the ring I got for Christmas. I think that’s what my 2012 will be about: Journeys. No, not the shoe store, though I do ADORE those shoes (in case you were wondering), but rather the events that happen in life. The ups, the downs, everything that’s a part of the rollercoaster. So I made my goals for this year:

Blog more- I have found that blogging is a bit cathartic, and it gives me a weekly goal to maintain: One good picture a week, one good meaningful blog a week.

Take better care of myself- Typical, I know. But I need to. And I’m not just talking lose weight, eat better, blah blah blah. I’m talking about that, plus my mental health. Another reason for the Blogging goal is because I need to take care of numero uno first. I’ve been so caught up in so many things, job, school, friends, family, everything, that I’ve forgotten about me. So I’m blogging in order to clear my head and preserve that clear headspace.

Train more- I know living in San Marcos and working as much as I do training the dogs is hard. But it needs to be done, especially Karlie. She has a world of potential, and I am so excited that she has chosen to trust me after all she’s been through.

Love more- I feel like I’ve loved too much this past year, but I haven’t, really. People are going to hurt you, that’s inevitable, but you have to learn how to grow and I couldn’t. So my goal is to grow, to learn, and to love again in 2012. You never stop loving somebody, not really, they always have a small piece of your heart, but you can move on and love someone else, and that’s what I need to do. I’ve closed all my doors, put up huge walls, and refused to let anyone in. It’s time to take the wall down, or at least open the door a crack so someone could attempt to get in. I’m ready for my baby step.

So there’s my New Year’s Blog. Happy New Year everyone. I’m 20, and I’m determined to be at peace this year. What are you going to do?

“Life is about the journey, not the destination.”

~Aubs

P.S.- I love taking pictures of Amanda’s dog! Motion is too cute =P

But I’m trying this again. Call it a New Year’s Resolution if you will. At least once a week I need to post a picture and at least once a week I need to post a meaningful blog. I have a new camera, so I have no excuse to not take/post pictures. And I think typing a meaningful blog would be helpful to organize and put down on words what I’m thinking. It will at least help me from going crazy I hope…

So now a picture of Karlie! Since I have a bunch =)

Karlie is ridiculously cute!

There, one picture. I’ll be adding more I’m sure.

Since it’s after  Christmas, I’ll do a bit about that. Lots of Harry Potter stuff, gift cards, clothes, just general awesomeness. But then there was this ring. And I know the giver didn’t intend for it to be so profound of a gift, but it was. It’s a rater simple silver ring (and if you truly know me, you know I don’t go for simple lol) but the inside is inscribed. Now I’m also not the type for motivational mumbo jumbo, but this really spoke to me.

“Life is about the journey, not the destination.”

I’ve been SO worried about the destination lately. What I want to accomplish, where I want to be in 10 years, the type of person I want to be… I’ve forgotten that I have to get there first. I have to finish this year to get to the next, I have to finish next semester to start the next movie project, I have to graduate college before I can start working on my own, I have to write my ideas and thoughts down and form something like a novel before I can get published. There is so much I have to do before I can think about being anything, or being anywhere in 10 years. Those 10 years have to pass. William Ernest Henley had it right:

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

I know now that I have to play more of the role in my own life, however I cannot change the past and should not dwell so much on it. Mistakes have been made, and yes, the memories are bittersweet, but I think I am better for the those mistakes. I have grown, I am not the person I was a year ago, or even 6 months ago. I’ve changed, and I think, for the better. What ever happens, happens. I must accept this, and try to enjoy everything and learn from everything that happens.

I leave you with another picture, this one is little miss Ella Bella!

And, as a final note, Norbert passed a few weeks ago. We think he jumped off his rock ledge and paralyzed himself, but we’re not too sure. So rest in peace my little lizard, chase cricket’s to your hearts content!

Norbert

So with being sick and my internet being none too reliable, Picture of Day has been hard to keep up with. I’ve been TAKING pictures…just not always been able to post them. Ugh.

Also, the amazing little red camera is really about to die unfortunately. This makes me very very sad. It has had a full life though, almost 4 years of use and abuse and it’s on it last legs finally. It can’t quite seem to get anything in focus anymore. Poor baby is going blind…. =( So it shall be retired offcially and put in a shadow box because…. ***DRUMROLL***

I GOT A NEW CAMERA!!!!! It’s a Canon T2i and it comes with a lens, but I ordered another lens that has a faster shutter speed so I can take better action shots (i.e agility, dogs wrestling, kitten being a psycho, dragon being a beast etc…) and a bigger memory card. 256 megabytes isn’t gonna cut it anymore I’m afraid….but 32GB should be enough for LOADS of pictures =D Plus a 3 year warranty that also covers accidental damaged including complete submersion in water. Yeah, I dropped a big chunk of change, but it’s an investment, and it’s going to be worth it in the end.

I am really excited, and it will be here Thursday-Friday time period. I’m sooooooo happy!!! Finally I can get started doing some real work =D

So here are some of the pictures I’ve taken but haven’t been able to upload.

Bestest Buds Furever~

I'm pretty impressed that I caught this with the little red camera actually....

Bama is such a creeper lol

Again...Creeper Bama lol

Bama isn't sure what to do when Ella loves on her lol

I love taking picture of this dog, she's such a special girl and so gorgeous. She makes me happy =)

I also had my first semi official picture taking gig =) Here are some of the Officer Pictures of the Collegiate FFA Officers!

And I took Bama to the River… That was a BLAST!!!!!

Can you tell Bama wasn't a fan of the water?

But I don't wanna go Mom...

IT'S SO COLD!!!!!!

Finally out of there....

We got Ice Cream afterwards lol She was pretty happy about that

Funny dog lol

Karlie and Teddy  (My roommate Maggie’s RottenDog aka Rottweiler Cattle Dog cross) went to the river too!

Teddy is just really not good a swimming. Poor dude lol.

Go my little water rat, go!

And I got a Bearded Dragon! I named him Norbert! =) He has quite the personality.

He's so TINY!!!!

My awesome finger puppet!

-Does he have a cool belly or what?

Aren't we cute?

Well…..I’m pretty sure that I’m now up to speed with everything.  So here is my catch up, however there probably won’t be any more PoTD’s because the little red camera is pretty much dead. I might try to wrangle a few more out of it, but I might have to go through my pictures and post some of the amazing things it’s done over the past few year as a tribute to it. =’(

I can’t wait for my new baby though!!!!! =D

Signing out for the day,

Aubs~

Anywho, I didn’t get to post all of yesterdays photos because my laptop battery was dying before Biology class. So here is the rest of yesterday!

Reminds of that Mulan song "Reflection"....*goes off to go sing disney dongs all day lol*

It kinda looks like a nature poster lol

TURLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And now the AWESOME truck I saw!!!!!!! Only in the Theater department I swear….

Isn't it a sexy beast of a truck?

In other new, Aubrie did cook a FULL meal by herself for the first time. I made hamburgers (that fell apart for some reason…), Mac n’ Cheese, and green beans. It was yummy! Not too many left overs because we all ate it =) Though the grease did pop at me when I was getting a burger out and burned my finger pretty bad. I had to take my class ring off cause it was irritating it so much.

And we still don’t have a 4th roommate. And if she never showed up that would be fine with me lol. Stephanie, Maggie and I get along great. =D

Oh and yesterday after walking Bama around I figured I’d go say hi to the neighbors Andy, Levi and Juan are all super nice and their dog Chloe is a pretty red heeler/red tick coonhound mix. Their gonna have a slip n slide party and they invited us to come =) The best part about college? Acting like a kindergartner again. Nap time, slip n slides, bouncy castles, all that good stuff. I really want to go to Amazing Jump SO BAD! Though, a bunch of college kids playing on wall to wall trampolines just SOUNDS like a bad idea lol.

Well I think I’m done for now. Picture of the day will be up later! (hopefully!)

Signing out,

~Aubs

I knew it was going to be a hardish class. I knew it was going to be hot. What I wasn’t counting on, was that the gym wasn’t going to have A/C. No A/C and yesterday it got up to 112 on campus. I was melting. I might as well have been a puddle of melted skin and muscle over a pile of bones. It was SO hot!

Anywho, Pictures of the day. Previous Post was Sundays pictures.

Precious Memories:

The Theater Building Swamp:

More later!

Aubs