A Brand New Chapter

We already know that our lives are books. We know this through traditional speeches given to us on certain occasions: first day of school, first job, high school graduation, post-high school job/getting accepted to college, college graduation, and so on and so forth.

Those are life's major chapters, but we go through minor chapters in our lives as well, such as moving to a new city or moving to a new house. In my particular place, one chapter is closing and another one is beginning as I get ready to move once again.

Moving isn't a new thing to me. I've been moving around since I was a baby for my dad's job or watching over our old house until it sold, whatever the reason was. I moved last year in July from Pennsylvania to Las Vegas, to a small apartment almost on the far outskirts of the city, and now, I'm getting prepared to move again.

My current apartment is lovely, don't get me wrong. It has a spacious kitchen where my best friends and I all sat on the floor and got into some pretty heavy conversations about our pasts. There's the small little dining nook with a blue accent wall where we'd play cards or sit and talk while we got ready to go out on Friday nights. The open living room had enough space for at least six of us, if not more, all crowded on my futon or air mattress when we had our "girl parties," as Riney referred to them. Then there's the bathroom with the garden tub my mother would die for, and the master bedroom with a walk-in closet that could easily sleep three people. It's a gorgeous place for starting out, and it's served its purpose well, but now, it's time to move on.

My lease expires at the end of this month. After that my rent skyrockets by $65 a month, which it's ridiculously high already, I think, for a one bedroom, anyway, but real estate IS all about location, location, location. Now that I'm on one of the best Berkshire Hathaway teams not only in Nevada, but in the entire country (our team is called Brown Blankfeld Group - come check us out), I could have an agent helping me find a place. Our one property manager set me up on a search, and we looked at properties last Saturday.

I found a few that I liked, but one I really fell in love with. It was a courtesy listing, which meant the owner used a Realtor just to list the property and see if she got any leads. I loved the place, and it was closer to work, which was something I was strongly looking at. I put in an application, got accepted, and that was supposed to be that.

Yes, that would be that...in a perfect world.

As it turns out, I'm not as entirely sold on this property as I thought I was. After consulting with my boss, the office manager, and the property manager, I decided to take a look at ONE more property...and after looking at it, I knew THIS ONE was THE one.

It's a gorgeous 1st-floor unit in a gated community two blocks from my job, straight up the road. It has a GORGEOUS kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel appliances. The dining room is a separate little area all of its own, as is the laundry room. The living room is sunken in with a fireplace and everything. There's a small hallway into the bathroom, and the hallway boasts linen storage, which is perfect for my towels and washcloths. The bathroom itself has a much larger tub than I have at this complex, with gorgeous tile accents. The master bedroom is tricky. It looks like it's just a room with a mirror. Surprise, though, as the mirror turns out to be a door to the closet!

As soon as we saw the unit, I was sold. I had to get my application in that day. I had to; there was no other choice. Luckily, the agent was a Berkshire Hathaway agent as well, and we met up an hour later for me to turn in everything. I checked my email today, and there was a lease waiting for me to sign sitting pretty in my inbox. Needless to say, I got accepted!

I'm really excited. I'm going to go over the lease with my boss on Monday, and then sign it and hand over the signed lease and most of the funds this week. I'm going to try to see if we can split up the cleaning deposit at all, or even possibly get it waived, but I'm really happy with my decision.

I'm just trying to remain positive that everything will go smoothly until I get the keys!

Book Review: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Writers

By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark and Susan M. Heim

"Chicken Soup for the Soul" books are each part of a collection of inspirational stories on topics relatable to readers, ranging from being a dog lover to being a devout NASCAR fan. One of the collection's newest additions is Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Writers.

Writing, for those actively doing it or considering it as a career, can be challenging. Several authors write about those challenges in this compilation of 101 writer stories - including a story from former Johnstown resident Jody Iachini Severson.

Severson's piece, "Ask, Listen, Write," tells the tale of how an eighth-grade writing project made her act on her own advice: ask, listen, write. She describes the experience she had in gathering her family around to tell their stories and then relaying those stories on paper for her English teacher.

The project earned her an A and the English award for her class. Thinking it must have been a mistake, Severson confronted her teacher, who told her it was no mistake, and that she was a gifted writer. It was in that instant that Severson was truly inspired to continue writing.

She goes on then to tell a story of tragedy, a story of what was her life inspiration, and how these instances inspired her to write. Her piece ends with her advice to writers and the overall theme of the piece:

"Everyone has a story to tell; you just have to ask, listen, and write."

This engaging book guides writers through struggles with writer's block, rejection, and much more. For any writer, even those already on the highway to success, this book is a must-have for their collection. Be prepared to be inspired!

Book Giveaway

I'm thinking about doing a book giveaway or something on both my Tumblr and here. I have quite a few spy novels and detective novels, and other numerous books that I simply don't read anymore and don't have the space for. Space is crucial, especially as time nears closer for when I move to Vegas. What do you all think? Let me know in the comments!