"The work never matches the dream of perfection the artist has to start with." William Faulkner

I have to admit, I don't like writing. I don't know where this feeling has come from but I have never really enjoyed the art....unfortunately. Reading On Writing by Stephen King has given me something more to think about though. I have enjoyed reading what he has had to say on he topic and it has given me hope to improve my own writing. I don't know how much writing I will be doing, other than what it is required of me in school or at work, but I can still apply the tips and tricks toward that.

Maybe one day writing will become enjoyable for me, but for now I will just stick to reading it. :)

"You've got to seize the opportunity if it is presented to you" - Clive Davis

To: Local businesses

From: Kourtney Auger

Subject: New Local Business Opening

A new place to grab a cup o’ joe -- and meet with clients!

Just what you have been waiting for, a local place in town to meet with current and future clients, customers, other business owners, or friends. Opening next month, our new cafe will have a private office room that is free that can be reserved in up to four hour increments. We also offer 10 other tables in the coffee shop to catch up with friends or chat with other locals.

If you are interested in checking out what we have to offer, please attend our open house on Saturday, April 30th from 9am - 2pm at Fresh Baked located in the Center of Dunbarton (you won't miss it...). We will be offering some free baked goods, coffee and other treats.

All those that attend will be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift certificate to use when the store opens officially the following day!

Hope to see you there,

Kourtney

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Kourtney Auger

Owner, Fresh Baked

"The entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and actualizer. He can visualize something, and when he visualizes it

he sees exactly how to make it happen" - Robert L. Schwartz

It has been my pipe dream for as long as I can remember, to open up my own bakery/cafe and "towny" shop. I don't really know what to classify it as but I envision it having a pastry cabinet, people placing orders for baked goods, and old timers in the town hanging out and gossiping while drinking their coffee and eating. I also see the walls lined with things the towns people have made as well as eccentric items you would only be able to find in a hole in the wall place such as this. From homemade chapstick, to knitted blankets and wooden rocking chairs, it would be a place where people could lose themselves for hours on end, either catching up with old friends, people watching or curling up with a book they have pulled off of one of the shelves.

I really hope that some day this vision becomes a reality for me. It is something I have thought about for a long time. I have even had the carrot of opportunity dangled in front of me a few times and there is always something that doesn't go as planned. I guess I could just argue that this means that it's not the right time or the right place yet. For now, I suppose it's on to focusing on school and waiting for the right opportunity to come around.

Image credit goes to: these guys

" Challenges are like cleaning your closet. You have to empty all the contents and make a mess before productivity and order become your hallmark..."

... Life's junk is but a collection of things; jackets without hangers, if you will. The most inspiring thing some can say is 'wow, what a clean closet.'"
--- Brenden Murphy

Stuck Underneath

She didn’t want to clean out her closet, but that’s what her mother kept telling her. If she didn’t get it done by dinner time, she would not be allowed to eat. She looked over at the clock, 2:16 PM. There was still so much to get done, and a little less than three hours to go until dinner is ready. Back to sorting through all of her kid stuff she hadn’t touched in years. She was 12 now, this stuff was back from when she was in the single digits, a little kid.

Back into the closet. Clothes and toys piled high, at least a hundred feet. How was she supposed to clean all of this out? Dolls, overalls, dress up clothes...what is she supposed to do with this? Her 10 year old sister doesn’t even play with this stuff anymore.

But what’s that? Twine over in the corner, underneath the blue corduroys and gold princess crown? Why didn’t she remember seeing that before. For a minute she is irritated, thinking her sister had been in here playing. The anger quickly turned to excitement as she pulled on it and realized the the end was tied to her tea kettle. She had admitted she would never use it for tea time again, but right now she had a different idea. What if she could tie it up so it would pour the tea for her? She looked over at the clock, 2:22 PM. She could get it all done if she worked really hard after her break. Besides, she deserved one.

Sneaking outside, past her mom in the kitchen who was doing the dishes, she ran to her tree house out back. This was her favorite place to be, not in her bedroom cleaning out her closet. She was taking a break though so she didn’t have to think about cleaning. She pulled out the tea kettle and twine from the bag she had put it in, so she could make a clean getaway out of the house.

Leaning out the window beside her, she slowly started twisting the twine, through the branches and up and over. Balancing the kettle ever so carefully, she was able to tie it so it was just right. She looked down at her watch, 3:01 PM. How did the time fly so fast? She wanted to try and get a cup before she had to run back inside. 3:07 PM. Her contraption still wasn’t working and time was still moving, seeming faster than ever. One last try and then she promised herself she would go back in. She pulled on the end of the string. Perfect, it poured the water just like it was suppose to.

3:10 PM. Time to head back up to her room to see if there is anything else in that old closet that could add to her latest project...

Artwork used by permission of the artist, Lisa Rae Winant. "Untitled", 8x8 oil on panel.

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." - Flora Whittemore

There is a small annoyance in my life right now: Grad School. This whole process has been so overwhelming for me and I'm not entirely sure why. Between deciding what I wanted to study (I'm still not sure I have made the right choice), finding a school and then applying, I feel like it has been this crazy decision that will decide my entire future. Am I really ready to make that kind of decision right now?

I am not convinced. I am a mere 22 years old. Who is to say that the decision I make right now that I want to go into counseling will be what I still want to do when I am 60? or 50? or 40? or even tomorrow? This whole thing just boggles my mind. And of course you could argue I could always go back to school if I decide to do something different later, but really...after so much time and money has been invested would I really want to?

As I sit and revise my personal statement right now (...again), I wonder about how much the statement "I really would love nothing more than to get my master's in counseling" is really true. With the deadline today though, I need to make a decision soon. I am going to submit this application regardless, but I'm just so uneasy about it. I am horrible with making decisions but I feel like this is one where I should really know for certain.

I suppose once I find out if I get accepted or not that will help me make my decision. For now though, it is back to revising...and as much as I hate editing, it seems like such an easier task than thinking about all of this.

Image credit goes to: http://www.sfnewshub.com/?p=537

First Day of Class

It's the last first day of my undergrad career that I will experience. I am sitting in my Media Writing class and I just created this blog. I'm excited to try and figure this all out, and possibly even keep up with a blog. I guess we will see how this works.

PS. This is my cat Rita, helping me prepare for the first week of classes :)