
this advice has has helped me in countless situations. i can't even begin to tell you...
...during my first year of college i was at a satellite campus. normally, the university requires two years before you can move to the main campus. i had the courage to ask and i was transferred after one year.
...when i went to buy a bed and breakfast with very little change in my pocket, i took a chance and asked the bank and other small-business-loan-fund-organizations to take a risk on a guy with a big dream and a big heart. they did. maybe regrettably, as my payments aren't always prompt, but they did.
...when i asked the editor of a magazine if he needed a 'resident innkeeper' to write for his magazine. he did, and now i'm published, in a real magazine.

if i wouldn't have asked these questions for fear that i would have heard 'no', i honestly don't know where i'd be. but because i asked, i have a college degree from an amazing school, i own my own dream business and i'm published.

i don't know why i'm thinking about this today, but i am, and i hope you don't mind me sharing. today i find my head and brain are very confused. they are somewhere lost in the clouds. i can't seem to concentrate. my heart is heavy, but full and delighted at the same time. and i'm not sure if i'm going to throw up or if i have butterflies in my stomach. do you know this feeling?

if you've been following along on facebook and/or twitter you know that i've finally emptied my shoppe of christmas and i'm planning for new things and the spring (hence, all the gift shoppe pictures).
i think this is why my head and heart are a bit bewildered.
even the weather has me perplexed. it's the end of january and it's 51 degrees and sunny outside. it's wonderful and amazing and i'm not complaining, but it gives me pause.

on top of all of this, over the past couple of days i've been receiving a flood of the most amazing emails from new and old followers of the blog. your words have utterly warmed my heart and have left me completely twitterpated. word can not express my gratitude.

i suppose i feel like i'm on the verge of something great. that in some weird way i'm ready, or being pushed towards another dream, and this has me so excited. yet, i'm scared and cautious. i have responsibilities here. i have bills to pay. i have job to do. i have to remain focused.
thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to do what i do. for listening to my stories. for excusing my often poor grammar and spelling. for looking at my pictures. and for your amazing words of encouragement and praise.
thank you, more specifically to wonderful people like shannon who has featured me on her blog today. her kind words and comments from her followers had me crying like a baby as i was sipping on my coffee earlier today.
thank you to donna who inspires me with her stories (most recently this one) and her journey. her help, support and friendship over the past several months has been invaluable.
and thank you to the newly discovered 'life as an artistpreneur' who reminded me this morning that it doesn't hurt to ask, that i should not fear the word 'no.' that you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.'

thank you. thank you. thank you.
here's to a beautiful today and an even brighter tomorrow!







































