BEDiM 2013 : DAY 21

(A Blog Every Day in May 2013 Challenge Entry)

Today’s prompt:

Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives

Hmm... I will have to take a glance to see what posts are officially “favorites”, but that would be based on view count, and I don’t believe view counts = fav/most popular. I could see which have the largest comment count, but again I don’t feel that would necessarily portray accurately either. Most commented posts would surely exist within the A to Z/BEDiM Challenges. Maybe I will add the little widget/gadget for the sidebar, anyhow, for shits and giggles.

I will give a listing of links from a variety of my older posts (there aren’t many of them) that I would like to share/revisit that I felt were important to me for varying reasons.

A Look Back

1. An Intro: Because I always feel it’s best to start from the beginning.
2. Pseudo Wars: An emotional piece spawned within the heart of NaNoWriMo.
3. Into the Grey: My first “controvertial” piece that may sully one’s thoughts they have of me. I’d recommend the follow-up to that post as well.
4. The Secret Truth of the Heart: Disclosing some very, very personal feelings/beliefs.
5. The Bridge: Raw analysing of a “breakdown”.
6. Idle Musings: A heartfelt discussion of the aftermath of The Bridge.
7. Initiative: Just Act Kind: The post I skipped around for months, but finally got partially out during the A to Z Challenge. A post that I feel is very important to me (the post I mentioned I had planned in my The Secret Truth of the Heart post) that I wish to revisit and expand upon once I'm not doing daily challenges.

Unsure of how many I was supposed to list, but seven is my number, so seven it is. I would only post once (maybe twice) a week when starting out, and when I was looking at them I felt they all held a varying degree of importance.

If able to take the time to check them out that would be awesome, but if not I understand. I'm not the briefest of individuals.

For those not participating in the BEDiM Challenge (as I will likely happen upon your posts), do you have any favorite blog entries you’ve made over the months/years?

BEDiM 2013 : DAY 20

(A Blog Every Day in May 2013 Challenge Entry)

Doesn’t look like an easy out this time around.

Today’s prompt:

Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.

Technically, I suppose I could refer back to the multiple posts about self confidence or money, but I will attempt a different topic. Which to choose, which to choose. So many struggles and life issues.

The Long Way Home

While I usually hang out with my brothers on Monday, after hanging out with my grandmother, tonight I had to call the evening short. I was attempting to write my blog at my brother’s place, but all I got out was the above. Something was feeling off. It was stuffy, I was feeling excessively tired, and just the overall atmosphere wasn’t sitting well with me.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun time when arriving. My five year old niece had called me up asking when I’d be coming over, because we were going to grill. It was really cute, and I look forward to seeing both my nieces on Monday nights. They always ask me to watch their shows/movies with them and I feel bad when I turn them down. Whether to write, game with my brothers, or some other random reason. I need to focus more time with them when I visit.

Tonight I actually watched some of their shows with them, but soon after felt like I best hit the road. I was leaving a good four to five hours earlier than usual. The risks are already increased with me driving at night, but being this tired even more so. Best not push my luck. Especially with thunderstorms passing over again.

First I had to make a pit stop to my grandmother’s to pick up my watch and slap bracelet I left over there earlier in the afternoon. It was a quick hi and bye, and then I was back on the road again.

During this time of year they love doing a lot of road work, but luckily almost all of the construction being done is farther South than anywhere close to me. Except tonight it seems. On the way home, one of the major ramps I take looked to be closed off. I had already passed up familiar alternate routes, so I took the only exit available before my needed ramp.

I’ve always been curious of the road. That may sound odd, but I have used the exits before and after and am quite familiar with them. This exit, however, I’d never taken. It would be an adventure I figured. Find out where the heck the road led to. It was between two exits I’ve taken time and again, I would be able to find my way to one of those roads simple enough.

Wrong.

There was one road I thought I knew right off the bat, but I bypassed it thinking that the current direction I was going would do well enough to get my to my destination. Again, I was wrong. I eventually came to a “T” and what was that in front of me? A lake. Long Lake Road should have explained this all to me, but you know... whatever. Long Lake Road apparently turns into Valentine Lake Road. Fancy.

I knew going right would take me out of the way more so I chose left. Never mind that “Road Closed Ahead” sign off on the side of the road. It would be made more prominent if it were closed, right? Yeah, no. So I took a journey down this lake-side road, curious as to where it would bring me — secretly hoping to the main highway.

The area seemed rather nice. From what I could tell through the downpour in the dark. There was definitely some kind of development taking place; curious as to what. Then I saw the dreaded white and orange signs and barriers sprawled out across the road. Crap. By this point I’d already driven almost fifteen minutes in unknown territory. Now I’d have to backtrack. Thankfully, I only took a few turns.

So back I went. With the storm, and my car’s reliability being gravely uncertain, it felt like there was a good chance for some bad Stephen King mojo to go down. I’m not too keen on being lost in a storm driving a shitty car with barely any gas.

Once I came to the road I thought sounded familiar, I figured why not. I already drove to some random dead end, why not continue the adventure? So off I went. Eventually there were signs for the main highway, and for a brief moment I contemplated ignoring it. I felt pretty sure I knew where the current road lead.

As luck would have it I played it safe, and finally got back on the main highway. Good thing too, because I was apparently heading North instead of South. Destination: Home was in sight.

So my thirty minute trip was increased by an hour. It’s all good... at least this real struggle was able to be resolved tonight. Could have been worse. I could have had my car breakdown in the middle of who knows where.

Have you ever taken a route you’ve never been on before and gotten lost? Any current real life struggles you are battling?