Thank You, Eber & Wein Publishing

So I would like to announce that I am Happy.
Not only am I Happy, but I am this much closer to success.
With every poem I write and story I create, and with every writing contest I enter and every book I publish, I become that much more happier, successful and most importantly, sure of my talent.

A few months ago, maybe around August, I entered some poetry contests and story contests. I entered one of my poems, 7:10 AM - a poem about a schizophrenic woman I had encountered some years ago. I entered this contest without any expectations. About a month or 2 ago I received a letter in the mail stating that I made it to the semi-finals. This EXCITED me in ways I can't even seem to remember. Well, today I spent the entire day Black Friday shopping for some Christmas gifts. I come home and my mom hands me an envelope with my name on it and the name "Eber & Wein Publishing" up top. The first thing that came to my mind was one those I'm-sorry-you-didn't-make-the-final-cut kind of letters (which I have gotten before) and I nonchalantly open it and to my dismay it said:

Congratulations! Your poem "7:10 AM" is a Second Prize winnrer in out most recent contest! This is a remarkable accomplishment of which you should be very proud, as your poem stood out among the thousands of entries we received....

All I can say is one word: CORONARY! I think I gave myself one because I jumped up and down and screamed and ran around and... was just flabergasted. I am SO incredibly happy. I won a prize check, my poem will be published in their anthology AND I get a personally engraved 2nd Place wall plaque mailed to me in 6-8 weeks. What an accomplishment, is right!

I thank my family for their support and for reminding me every day of my life that I am an amazing writer and to never give up my dream because it's written in the stars that this is what I was meant to do in this lifetime; write.

I thank my very few and close friends who have stuck by me and have also supported me in buying my book and telling me how much they can't wait for me to make it big because they believe in me. And I will.

I thank Eber & Wein Publishing for giving me such an opportunity to show the world that I love what I create and for giving me a chance to share that with other people. You guys rock!

And I thank myself - I thank myself for the determination in my heart, for having such a brain (that was blessed with my parents) and the ability it has to make me such a great writer and thinker, and for my ability to strive forward and follow my dreams no matter what. I believe in me. Always have. Always will.

I LOVE MY LIFE <3

No Guts, No Glory

"I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds, run the first part with your head, the middle with your personality, and the last part with your heart."

Everyday that I run, I run with my heart beating outside of my chest and my mind in the clouds; focusing on every beat my heart makes silently behind the music. Unbeknownst to me, I have learned after running for 10 years that it's all in your mind. Mental Stamina. Essential to every successful and motivated runner who runs not because he or she wants to see who is the fastest, but because he or she wants to see who has the most guts. Not everyone can run. Those who can, build up strength in their feet, courage in their lungs, determination in their heart, and heart in their minds.

George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian once said:

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."

Today was my first day training for a half-marathon. I have a great love for my 5k races, but I know I have it in me to be greater than that. I'm running against myself - against the best that's in me.

I wanted to share my 10-week half-marathon training schedule incase you (the reader) might be interested as well. Follow me on my journey - I will be posting here to let you know how the remaining 10-weeks follow. Not only am I confident, but I have LOTS of heart. It grows deep and strong inside my chest and pulsates with every breath I take as my feet hit the ground in audacity.

Runners unite.


10-Week Half Marathon Training Schedule

Week 1:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 3 mi, Thurs- 3 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 4 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 13

Week 2:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 4 mi, Thurs- 3 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 5 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 15

Week 3:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 4 mi, Thurs- 3 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 6 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 16

Week 4:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 5 mi, Thurs- 3 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 8 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 19

Week 5:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 5 mi, Thurs- 3 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 10 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 21

Week 6:
Mon - 4 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 5 mi, Thurs- 4 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 11 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 24

Week 7:
Mon - 4 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 6 mi, Thurs- 4 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 12 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 26

Week 8:
Mon - 4 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 5 mi, Thurs- 4 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 9 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 22

Week 9:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 4 mi, Thurs- 3 mi, Fri- Rest, Sat- 8 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 18

Week 10:
Mon - 3 mi, Tues- Rest, Wed- 3 mi, Thurs- Walk 2, Fri- Rest, Sat- 13.1 mi, Sun- Rest. Total = 21.1


I plan on running the NYC Marathon next November 2011. Excited isn't even the feeling.

She's a Wallflower

So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.






I have to stop writing now because I am too sad.