New Year, New Renovations

My blog is boring. I know it is. All I really blog about is book reviews and how much I'm failing at my book-reading goals. It started out fun, and I still sort of enjoy it, but it's too limited. Why not blog about other things?

Hence, the new name and design. 

It's inspired by one of the most beautiful songs ever written, in my opinion ("Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, the original/1971 version, of course). This was one of those movies that I watched over and over again as a child, probably every day for a year and many many times in other years. Our VHS tape of it is probably ruined from overuse. Hey, I was a kid who was in love with chocolate (STILL AM) and thought Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory existed until an embarrassingly old age. 

But I digress.

The lyrics of the song have deeper meaning than chocolate-making, and especially resonate with me now. I think many of us (especially students) focus so much on their future and getting to a certain happy, enjoyable, ideal life situation that we forget to appreciate where we are now. Which is something I'm working on. Okay, I'm living with my parents when I wish I had the funds to pay for school AND my own place, I'm getting tired of being tired and stressed, and this hour-long commute to school is becoming unbearable. But what I should do is enjoy the time I have with my family in their beautiful house and neighborhood, appreciate their willingness to help and my opportunity to get a higher education, and use those long commutes as a time to reflect. 

Another thing that's bogging me down is my graduate school application process. I got to a place where I was extremely overwhelmed and afraid of not getting in anywhere. While being rejected at all five schools to which I'm applying would disappoint me for a time, I need to consider and be aware of the possibility that I will be doing something else next year. At first, the idea terrified me-- my biggest fear is failure. But feeling sorry for myself wouldn't get me anywhere, nor would it lead me to becoming a licensed speech pathologist. So I've decided that I don't NEED to get into a graduate program right away if it just doesn't happen. It would give me the opportunity to stay at my awesome jobs and earn some more money first to actually pay for it.

Anyway, to spare you further ranting, I will leave you with the song that inspired my renovated blog and my new attitude: