<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573</id><updated>2011-09-17T07:44:01.130-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Unfinished Business</title><subtitle type='html'>Every day I find out something new about myself and others, and I realize that going through life, discovery is never finished or done with - it is continuous, sort of the unfinished business of the self and of the world, figuring out who you want to be, what you want to do, where you want to live, to visit, who you want to be friends with, what you want to believe in, support, stand against...the questions are endless.  It is the unfinished business of the soul =) corny but true.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>34</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-5774389067915344290</id><published>2008-07-09T20:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-09T20:16:37.909-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Anyone out there?</title><content type='html'>What is the point of this blog?  How do people read blogs?  I think mine becomes lost in space-web space and then no one can find it.  Well probably, no one is looking for it and this lovely blog ends up being just me, writing and reading and wondering if anyone will ever visit...=)  Who knows...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-5774389067915344290?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/5774389067915344290/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=5774389067915344290' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/5774389067915344290'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/5774389067915344290'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2008/07/anyone-out-there.html' title='Anyone out there?'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-9035221402845075465</id><published>2008-07-09T19:59:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-09T20:14:07.365-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Weiner Dog Terror or Sweet Leyla?  Depends on who you ask...</title><content type='html'>So for the past week and a half I have had the pleasure of taking care of my parent's new puppy: Leyla.  Boy was I excited when I first received the news.  Little did I know how "wonderful" it would be.  Even more, little did Greg know how greatly difficult it would be for him.  This cute little weiner dog of bounding energy has terrorized us and enriched us for the last week and a half.  To give you an idea of lovely Leyla, who by the way is not potty trained, we are going to have to rent one of those little carpet clearners from HEB.  Greg's and my conversations when I walk in the door is,: Audra - it happened seven times today.  You can guess what you think that means... Anyways. I am going to miss her when she leaves but OH MY GOSH, I will be so grateful - WAIT- scratch that - Greg will be so thankful to not have to clean up after her all the time.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A month or so back I considered getting a puppy.  What was I thinking???? Sigh. Just think - picture bubble appears out of no where: 3 dogs and 2 cats - all in one 2 bedroom apartment.  Right - IMPOSSIBLE.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-9035221402845075465?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/9035221402845075465/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=9035221402845075465' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/9035221402845075465'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/9035221402845075465'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2008/07/weiner-dog-terror-or-sweet-leyla.html' title='The Weiner Dog Terror or Sweet Leyla?  Depends on who you ask...'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-6037795830825054624</id><published>2008-07-04T20:52:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-04T21:09:17.270-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hike into hell</title><content type='html'>Today is the 4&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;th&lt;/span&gt; of July - independence day.  In a burst of seeming ingenuity, myself, Greg, and a friend decide to trek out to &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"&gt;Pedernales&lt;/span&gt; Falls, a drive into oblivion for a day of hiking, hot, and watering holes.  Getting out of the apartment late, got us started late.  From then on out it was one thing after another, and it was anything from an "independent day." (&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;lol&lt;/span&gt;) First off, without printed or recollected directions we drive on and on, only to at one point say (after passing &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;Pedernales&lt;/span&gt; river 20 miles back) that we have gone too far. No really! Who would have thought.  &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"&gt;With&lt;/span&gt; the help of the cell phone, a friend at home in their apartment gets us directions - again - the dependence  thing... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What I failed to mention thus far is that along with three people, there was three dogs - my two and my parents 5 month old puppy who we are taking care of.  Ironically, on day of independence I was anything, I mean Anything! but independent. I was chained, pulled, twisted, half-tripped, driven insane, the list goes on, by these three dogs. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Picture this: Three people walked down a very disappointing hiking path as they hold three &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"&gt;extendable&lt;/span&gt; leashes that would twist and tangle and trap the three as they walked.  Not far into the walk, the dogs give up, literally stop walking and lay themselves down on the hot gravel.  Thus the journey only gets better...we have to take turns carrying the dogs to give them breaks.  How ridiculous is that!!! It is hilarious thinking back because we had to carry the dogs. &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"&gt;Ha ha&lt;/span&gt;.  They are such wimps - I have turned them into these weaklings that are more like toddlers that dogs that can live in the wild.  Sigh, thus I must carry them when needed, coddle them when needed because it is my fault, because they would definitely not survive in the wild.  What a sight that would be, the three dogs starving in the wilderness, sitting in the same spot, whining and waiting, thinking I am coming back, food in my arms. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luckily, the hike is over and it was without a doubt an experience. Though, I have certainly learned a lesson.  Can you guess what it is?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-6037795830825054624?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/6037795830825054624/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=6037795830825054624' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/6037795830825054624'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/6037795830825054624'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2008/07/hike-into-hell.html' title='Hike into hell'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-5663452755303184462</id><published>2008-06-28T13:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-28T13:38:12.506-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The neglected blog/the neglected creative self of me</title><content type='html'>It has been so long since I have even thought of this blog and now that I think of it, I feel as if I have been missing something.  Day in and day out: work, eat, tv, sleep and then repeat the pattern all over again.   I have not written or done anything creative - instead I have stifled myself. I have only myself to blame.  The whole point of this blog is interesting really.  I write for me but in the end I hope someone sees it because that gives me a sense of satisfaction.  So I guess in reality I don't just crave the sense of creativity but the sense of validation and hope that people like the way I write.   I'd like to write one day - the only glitch is, that I like this type of writing where I can write whatever comes to my head about a particular thing or another.  That would be a job!  I could travel like Carrie in Sex in the City; however I would definitely not been close to being as fashionable seeing as I don't have the fashion guts to branch out, and as seeing that I really don't even have a clue as to my own fashion.   Okay I am just getting my feet wet so I will be back in a while.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-5663452755303184462?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/5663452755303184462/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=5663452755303184462' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/5663452755303184462'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/5663452755303184462'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2008/06/neglected-blogthe-neglected-creative.html' title='The neglected blog/the neglected creative self of me'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-8405962919873176943</id><published>2008-06-28T13:29:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-28T13:30:34.289-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Back from the dead</title><content type='html'>Just trying to see if this works...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-8405962919873176943?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/8405962919873176943/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=8405962919873176943' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/8405962919873176943'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/8405962919873176943'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2008/06/back-from-dead.html' title='Back from the dead'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-4494485499266843679</id><published>2007-04-12T21:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-12T21:15:06.372-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Nothing</title><content type='html'>I was listening to music on my drive to San Antonio, and I realized that music can be a dangerous thing.  It can make you think about what you might not have thought about otherwise.  It sucks you in and spits you out - leaving you to deal with the consequences.  Sometimes it's good, but other times, not so much...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-4494485499266843679?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/4494485499266843679/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=4494485499266843679' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/4494485499266843679'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/4494485499266843679'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2007/04/nothing.html' title='Nothing'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-6332098397963481803</id><published>2007-03-23T10:24:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-03-23T10:29:55.907-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Car Troubles Tumble down</title><content type='html'>People say that bad things happen in 3's.  So where does that leave me?  Three weeks ago I had to replace my timing belt for the 2nd time! The 2nd time! Cna you believe it?  Well then I hit a bunny driving in the pitch black darkness of the never ever known world on the way to Shiner, TX. It was like a scene in the Blitchware project movie that came out a few years ago.  And then yesterday, oh YESTERDAY.  I have a million leaks in my car which amount in cost to more that my car is worth. Then this morning, a flat tire. &lt;br /&gt;Sigh. I cannot be eloquent or properly expressive.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-6332098397963481803?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/6332098397963481803/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=6332098397963481803' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/6332098397963481803'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/6332098397963481803'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2007/03/car-troubles-tumble-down.html' title='Car Troubles Tumble down'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-5979253531666987619</id><published>2007-03-07T12:14:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-03-07T12:19:52.756-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Predicament</title><content type='html'>I am in a position that means I must set a good example.  Therein lies part of the problem. Many in my profession find themselves out of a job because of what they have let loose on the waves of the internet.  With the trend of society: journals like this, facebooks, my spaces', and personalized websites, all splatter the internet with personal information and photos.  Am I supposed to hide myself away in the pages of a book or paper copy of a newspaper because I am afraid that something I say or pitcture on a page with offend someone, or make me seem like a bad example?  Where does that leave me??  I must censor my language, censor my hobbies, censor my technological interests - all of these things because someone could take it the wrong way.  How do I have a life but at the same time safeguard my self against harm?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-5979253531666987619?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/5979253531666987619/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=5979253531666987619' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/5979253531666987619'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/5979253531666987619'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2007/03/predicament.html' title='The Predicament'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-1146821632847299892</id><published>2007-03-07T08:58:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-03-07T10:20:38.040-08:00</updated><title type='text'>They taught me to teach, but they didn't teach me this.</title><content type='html'>All this time I thought we were in it for them,&lt;br /&gt;Because teaching is for them to learn to&lt;br /&gt;Claim their education and make something of the&lt;br /&gt;Dirt that our world has started to become, but&lt;br /&gt;Education, teaching, aren't all that and nothing more, but are&lt;br /&gt;Filled with sticky situations between the &lt;br /&gt;Group of women and men, mostly women, that can't seem to &lt;br /&gt;Internalize that we are all in this together - that&lt;br /&gt;Joining what we know and drawing on the&lt;br /&gt;Knowledge of our own education, our own&lt;br /&gt;Learning, we can become as a collective much&lt;br /&gt;More, not only for our own selves, but for the students who&lt;br /&gt;Need tools to enter the world with, but instead of this&lt;br /&gt;Open discussion to improve learning, we let&lt;br /&gt;Politics pollute the collaboration and our &lt;br /&gt;Quest to educate becomes laborous, leaving us to &lt;br /&gt;Rescue ourselves from our confusion that has&lt;br /&gt;Seeped into the lonely room we teach in. &lt;br /&gt;Team mates cease to be part of a team and everything&lt;br /&gt;U thought was possible becomes difficult.&lt;br /&gt;Values aren't shared and delussions you once had&lt;br /&gt;Will collapse under the consistant&lt;br /&gt;Xerox of undermining and resistance to togetherness.&lt;br /&gt;Years in our career will pass away until&lt;br /&gt;Zero of this matters. Instead, only them - the kids. the reason I am here.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-1146821632847299892?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/1146821632847299892/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=1146821632847299892' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/1146821632847299892'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/1146821632847299892'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2007/03/they-taught-me-to-teach-but-they-didnt.html' title='They taught me to teach, but they didn&apos;t teach me this.'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-1726002796914250459</id><published>2007-02-14T18:50:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-14T18:50:35.752-08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>dsgfdsgfdsgdsgds&lt;br /&gt;&lt;greg.mov&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-1726002796914250459?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/1726002796914250459/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=1726002796914250459' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/1726002796914250459'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/1726002796914250459'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2007/02/dsgfdsgfdsgdsgds.html' title=''/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-116000452786656118</id><published>2006-10-04T16:28:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-10-04T16:28:47.876-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Haven't posted in a while...</title><content type='html'>i will write when i have something to say =)&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-116000452786656118?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/116000452786656118/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=116000452786656118' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/116000452786656118'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/116000452786656118'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2006/10/havent-posted-in-while.html' title='Haven&apos;t posted in a while...'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-112370189949328717</id><published>2005-08-10T12:18:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-08-10T12:24:59.496-07:00</updated><title type='text'>I would like to introduce you to...</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6563/748/1600/copper1.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6563/748/320/copper1.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6563/748/1600/P10100521.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6563/748/320/P10100521.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6563/748/1600/P81200111.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6563/748/320/P81200111.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;So these are my animals. The one with the fluffy ears is Amber - she is the oldest at a year and 8 months. Silver is the other dachshund - he is a dapple at one year and 3 months, and last but not least the kitten. His name is Copper (yes there is a trend in the names. i wanted them to all get along) he is only 5 months old! Anyways - wanted to introduce you to them.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-112370189949328717?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/112370189949328717/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=112370189949328717' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112370189949328717'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112370189949328717'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/08/i-would-like-to-introduce-you-to.html' title='I would like to introduce you to...'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-112369264220448276</id><published>2005-08-10T09:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-08-10T12:17:46.520-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Work</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;A horrible place or a place to embrace your interests and use your strengths...Work. Right now I work in an environment that leaves me empty at the end of every day. It is temporary, but not so temporary that I can leave and never come back. It is that kind of permanent temporary-ness that provides income until something better comes along or your life takes a new direction. I have a month left - a month of staring into a computer screen, hurting my eyesight even more than it already is and pretending to work through the hours and hours of absolute boredom. Boredome is good when you are watching tv and sleeping. Boredom is not good for 8 hours out of the day when you must smile and look your best and you are getting paid for what you do, which in my case, A LOT of the time, is nothing. I am not saying I never have anything, because I do, but when I do it is a lot, and it comes in spurts. One minute it is here, the next minute is gone. The trouble is that once I begin on something I do it with efficiency and it doesn't take as long as I would like it to. So I have resorted to not doing stuff now so I can do it later, or only doing part of it now and finishing it another. It is incredible unsatisfying. I am just complaining/venting, so forgive me. However, the point of all this is that if you can do something in your job that you like, that you enjoy and that allows you to eat and live and all of those things, then DO IT!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-112369264220448276?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/112369264220448276/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=112369264220448276' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112369264220448276'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112369264220448276'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/08/work.html' title='Work'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-112369153254801196</id><published>2005-08-10T09:20:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-08-10T12:18:12.550-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Life Mottos</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;"&gt;Enjoy life! Live it the fullest, Make every moment count! I don't know if anyone realizes it but that is near impossible, or at least extremmely hard to achieve. I look back at my day and I have wasted so much time. On hte other side of things, you can never live every minute to the fullest, perhaps it is just the moments that count that you must make sure you savor. Recently I have decided on a few things that I know make my life so much happier. I cannot have them right now, so where does that leave me? No where except in limbo, knowing what could be, but just NOT having it. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Arial;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Arial;"&gt;You have to give if you want to receive. Is that true? Is it a generally accepted notion? I would say so, at least from my sphere of perception. So what happens if you are always giving and barely ever receiving? it is probably okay to get fed up, tired and just resentful. Maybe the best people in the world would keep on giving without worrying about themselves, but not me! When it comes to people this is true for me. There is only so much you can deal with, that at some breaking point, it all falls to crap. Sure, it is easier to be lazy and let the other person do all the work, all the worrying, all the planning, all the effort, but COME ON! That leaves you no where, because as hard as it is to put in effort, it will actually leave you feeling better about yourself, because by putting in some effort you made the other person feel good as well. That should make it all worth it, but sure that isn't always the case, it depends on the people. Anyways - my point is that giving is good, but if you don't get anything back from the other person, giving is shit. It is about the same as laying yourself over a puddle so someone can walk on you to not get their feet wet. Giving and receiving go hand in hand, side by side. There is no I will walk in front of you or behind you, lagging. No way. The sad thing is that we don't live in an ideal world, and so shit happens, which means you have to try real hard not to give in to laziness and selfishness. Otherwise your life won't be what it can be. It won't be complete. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-112369153254801196?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/112369153254801196/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=112369153254801196' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112369153254801196'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112369153254801196'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/08/life-mottos.html' title='Life Mottos'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-112321122136580334</id><published>2005-08-04T20:06:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-08-04T20:07:01.376-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Unanswered phone calls</title><content type='html'>what's a phone for?  really?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-112321122136580334?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/112321122136580334/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=112321122136580334' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112321122136580334'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112321122136580334'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/08/unanswered-phone-calls.html' title='Unanswered phone calls'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-112312622672897404</id><published>2005-08-03T20:09:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-08-03T20:30:26.733-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Parks, missing, pets, selfishness, work, boredom, ice cream</title><content type='html'>Tonight I went to the Blues on the Green out at Zilker Park.  Tons of Austinites lounged out on the lawn listening to soulful beautiful voices with the sunset as a back drop...people had their dogs and it was just a great atmosphere.  i missed my dogs - they didn't come.  Eric, Beth and I brought a picnic so the dogs would not have been good but still you can still miss them.  Speaking of missing, I miss Greg.  I miss the blog.  I should definitely write more.  Shoulda Coulda Woulda... Anyways.  It was lovely doing something tonight other than sitting at home reading or watching tv.  Lindsay would love it here in Austin - the music, she would love the music.  Lindsay if you read this, You should get a dog if you move here.  We will be closer then, and maybe then I will actaully see you.  I am sorry I never came to visit you.  I should be ranked in the top 10 of horrible friends.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I think that I have a bad selfish streak.  Is that allowed?  When is it allowed if so?  Sometimes I catch myself thinking of myself and wanting things to be convenient for me more than someone else.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Today at work I talked to my boss in her office for the first time in more than two months.  she told me when my last day was at the job.  unfortunately it was much earlier than I had hoped.  i had hoped to stay and earn a little more money.  the sad thing is when I was talking to her about certain items that Gretchen (who is taking over fully after I leave) will have to do, and I didn't feel like there was enough stuff.  The past two months she has been :working" remotely maybe about two weeks total, so needless to say she hasn't been around much.  I have been bored. certain times I have been busy, but bored most of the time.  i hate being bored when there is nothing I can do - no tv, no book, etc.  If for no other reason then to leave my boredom behind, i can't wait to get away from this job.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I learned recently they have ice cream for dogs.  One is called Four Paws, however I discovered that it has cancer causing perservatives in it, so disappointing, but discouraging.  There is one other type called Dogsters, and I tried to research it and could find a site that would let me search locations.  Four Paws is in a grocery store 2 miles away from me.  My doxies would love to have ice cream!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-112312622672897404?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/112312622672897404/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=112312622672897404' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112312622672897404'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/112312622672897404'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/08/parks-missing-pets-selfishness-work.html' title='Parks, missing, pets, selfishness, work, boredom, ice cream'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111680773566936624</id><published>2005-05-22T19:16:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-05-22T17:22:15.683-07:00</updated><title type='text'>I apologize</title><content type='html'>I want to write.  I have so many things to say.  The problem is that I can't seem to say them.  I am blocked.  So I am sorry.  I cannot say anything write now about the many thoughts that are swirling through my head.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111680773566936624?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111680773566936624/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111680773566936624' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111680773566936624'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111680773566936624'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/05/i-apologize.html' title='I apologize'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111594168984386850</id><published>2005-05-12T18:36:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-05-12T16:48:09.873-07:00</updated><title type='text'>There is a tide in the affairs of men.</title><content type='html'>Less than two days away - the BIG moving day.  It is amazing how much one person can accumulate in a matter of two years.  Seriously amazzing.  I have never thought of myself as a packrat, my mom yes, but NOT me.  But, now that I have spent the last three or so days packing, I am starting to doubt myself.  However, there is hope, because I can come up with a rational and logical use for everything that I keep, whether it has a present use or a future one.  I mean really, I am going to be a teacher, and I don't know if you realize this, but teachers dont make very much money.  So, in my mind, the things that I have accumulated are for a good reason - I will need them in the near future and I will not be rich enough to buy everything over again.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My excuses aside, packing sucks!  If anyone ever said packing was fun, they should just go jump off a cliff, because I am sure they would find that just as stimulating.  I cannot wait till it is over with, the packing, the moving and then the unmoving and then the unpacking...What is even worse, is that I might be moving again in 7 months, which isn't that far away.  Hopefully I will gain practice this go around and learn best practices for next time!  Yes!  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My stomach is tied in knots.  I dont know if its because I am packing and moving and I dont know how it will turn out, or if its because I am moving into a one bedroom apartment, or if I fear being lonely, or if I don't know what is going to happen to my relationship with Greg, or if I fear stepping over into the abyss of real life, because even though I have one semester left, it isn't a real semester and real life is just around the corner, or if I feel like my parents are abandoning me in a way....It's no wonder my stomach is tied up in knots, it is surprising I can even function.  =)  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I wish I had a friend near me who I could do fun things with, who liked doing similar fun things with me.  It's such a sad state of affairs. There is a tide in the affiars of men -- name the source of that quote!!!!  Hah that quote is extremely fitting.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111594168984386850?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111594168984386850/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111594168984386850' title='7 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111594168984386850'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111594168984386850'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/05/there-is-tide-in-affairs-of-men.html' title='There is a tide in the affairs of men.'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>7</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111587042197569379</id><published>2005-05-11T23:00:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-05-11T21:00:21.986-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Right way and the Wrong way</title><content type='html'>Toilet paper.  There is a wrong way and a right way, no way around it.  The wrong way is when the paper falls underneath the roll and so when you go to use it, it is hard to get to.  The RIGHT way is when the paper falls over the top.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111587042197569379?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111587042197569379/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111587042197569379' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111587042197569379'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111587042197569379'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/05/right-way-and-wrong-way.html' title='The Right way and the Wrong way'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111397125955137436</id><published>2005-04-19T21:25:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-04-19T21:29:04.220-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Sharing with others is an essential aspect of our existence.</title><content type='html'>It feels awful when people you value and care about don't take the time to listen to what you believe in.  Sometimes you only become sure of what you believe when you talk to someone you trust about your thoughts.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111397125955137436?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111397125955137436/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111397125955137436' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111397125955137436'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111397125955137436'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/04/sharing-with-others-is-essential.html' title='Sharing with others is an essential aspect of our existence.'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111388774026164067</id><published>2005-04-18T21:36:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-04-18T22:15:40.263-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Living Alone</title><content type='html'>ALL BY MYSELF...DONT WANNA BE...ALL BY MYSELF...&lt;br /&gt;or so Celine Dion likes to sing it, but she doesn't have to be so negative!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In less than a month I will be living alone.  I have never lived alone before, so while I am looking forward to the experience I am scared shitless that I will stalk through my apartment at dusk with my sharpest knife in hand on a mission to discover any bad guys who might be lurking behind the next counter or past the next one wall of my small one bedroom.  Good news though!!!  My mighty doxies will protect me with their ferocious teeth and mean growls; I am sure never to be harmed. &lt;br /&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;On a more serious note, it is interesting how living alone is often looked at as a growth opportunity.  People say, "You should live alone at least once in your life just so you know you can." WHat is that??  Just so I know I can do what?  Defend myself against the loan gunman who stalks my front porch.  Just so I can come home and say "Walls I'm home!"  What is the point, really!  I think living alone is overrated. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; However...I will say that I am honestly looking forward to the experience, because I am embracing the idea that it WILL be good for me.  What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, they say - who is THEY by the way?  Who actually says that? Probably the spectators on the edge of the road who watch the head on collision of a civic and a dodge ram.   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Living alone could lead to mental disturbances on the otherhand.  Sitting on the couch watching American Idol and talking to yourself because you have no one else there and then before you know you are your own best friend.  Time passes and you arent even talking out loud anymore, it's all in your head.  Good thing I have dogs, HAH!!  I can talk to them lol!  THat makes it sooo much better doesn't it.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I feel positive about it though.  I think I am going to like it.  And...I am sooo soo excited!!!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111388774026164067?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111388774026164067/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111388774026164067' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111388774026164067'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111388774026164067'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/04/living-alone.html' title='Living Alone'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111267175990776112</id><published>2005-04-04T20:20:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2005-04-04T20:29:19.910-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Certainty</title><content type='html'>Is anything certain in life?  If you name something like God, you have to step back and say, well....  If you mention something like love, I will call you insane.  Friendship - never certain.  What about familial love?  No I would have to say, it is not certain.  Watch the news enough and you will agree.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Death...looks like it might be the only thing, but for the sake of this blog, we are going to temporarily disregard it after this admission.&lt;br /&gt;Why can't anything be certain?  Who knows right?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I find myself in an almost ever present state of worry, anxiety about the "dreaded" future.  The what-ifs of life.... What if I am with the wrong guy.  What if my parents die too soon.  What if I lose the people I care about.  What if I don't have any friends that care enough to work to maintain our friendship.  What if I die young and never get to do the things in life I couldn't even begin to dream existed.  What if my life is filled with so many what-ifs that what I am living now passes me by without me even knowing.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Too bad you can't stop thoughts sometimes.  It would be nice.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;juxtaposed against a starless sky against the backdrop of spring's new grass. my life, and the silence.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111267175990776112?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111267175990776112/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111267175990776112' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111267175990776112'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111267175990776112'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/04/certainty.html' title='Certainty'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111068857560414260</id><published>2005-03-12T20:36:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-03-12T20:36:15.603-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Unfinished Business</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://audraclare.blogspot.com/"&gt;Unfinished Business&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am going camping tomorrow.  I will let you know how it goes.  Wish me luck!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111068857560414260?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111068857560414260/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111068857560414260' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111068857560414260'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111068857560414260'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/03/unfinished-business.html' title='Unfinished Business'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-111034765419768013</id><published>2005-03-08T21:45:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-03-08T21:54:14.196-08:00</updated><title type='text'>It has been a while I will admit</title><content type='html'>I am going camping and hiking this weekend, only one night of camping but it is camping nonetheless.  The days can't go by slow enough it seems; it is Tuesday only, and I feel as if it should be Friday.  But, back to CAMPING!!  I think I am most excited about going on this adventure with the dogs, and greg, of course, but the dogs!!  They are going to be so distracted by all the forest noises, etc.  I have also never built a fire, so suffice it to say, that should be an interesting experience in itself.  If the dogs are bad I shall just confine them to the tent and they will have to peer out through the mesh window, scratching pathetically on the nylon fabric.  I only hope that the dogs don't poke a hole in the air mattress, because I dread laying on bumpy cold ground.  So if you haven't already discovered this for yourself, I am not exactly going to be "roughing" it, but more like a level above roughing it, because an air mattress will be involved.  But, I am not going to count my chickens before they hatch, because the air mattress may deflate and my night's sleep will be an event to look back on.  This camp ground doesn't know what's coming.  And after we leave it won't know what hit them.  So if by some chance you are in Austin and camping, and its night time, and you see two neon circular shapes in the distance and low to the ground, you have, coincidentally, arrived at the exact same camp ground as me, because those would be my dogs.  I decided I was going to equip them with night gear: neon necklaces.  They are dark coated, and I dont want to lose them.  =)  Look out wilderness (with electric sockets and running water) here we come!!!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-111034765419768013?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/111034765419768013/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=111034765419768013' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111034765419768013'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/111034765419768013'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/03/it-has-been-while-i-will-admit.html' title='It has been a while I will admit'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110740356113025895</id><published>2005-02-02T20:04:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-02-02T20:06:01.130-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Anyone out there?</title><content type='html'>I am curious...does anyone read what I write?  If you happen to read this leave a comment, dont have to leave a name, just wanting to know if I am just writing for myself.  Though, that would be fine, it saves paper. =)&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110740356113025895?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110740356113025895/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110740356113025895' title='8 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110740356113025895'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110740356113025895'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/02/anyone-out-there.html' title='Anyone out there?'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>8</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110714956270412448</id><published>2005-01-30T21:28:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-30T21:32:42.703-08:00</updated><title type='text'>It wasn't beautiful but he loved it.</title><content type='html'>It wasn’t beautiful but he loved his life&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He smoked a pack a day to quench his addition&lt;br /&gt;Leaving a smile of yellow stains and an aura of stench&lt;br /&gt;That followed wherever he went.&lt;br /&gt;But he loved it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;He never kept a job worth keeping&lt;br /&gt;Or any girl for that matter.&lt;br /&gt;He couldn’t stay put&lt;br /&gt;But he loved it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The doctors poking and prodding&lt;br /&gt;His thin frame listless in the bed&lt;br /&gt;The last days of life pained&lt;br /&gt;The way he didn’t say goodbye.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It wasn’t beautiful but I loved him.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110714956270412448?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110714956270412448/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110714956270412448' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110714956270412448'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110714956270412448'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/it-wasnt-beautiful-but-he-loved-it.html' title='It wasn&apos;t beautiful but he loved it.'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110628372884250779</id><published>2005-01-20T20:53:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-20T21:05:05.103-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Hope</title><content type='html'>If you are standing in the middle of a parking lot that seems to hold no other life than the mechanical soldiers that go in and out of the stores, and you look down at a crack in the cement to see one beautiful flower springing up towards the sky, you know there has to be a reason to hope, a reason to smile. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110628372884250779?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110628372884250779/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110628372884250779' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110628372884250779'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110628372884250779'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/hope.html' title='Hope'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110617308862794195</id><published>2005-01-19T14:10:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-21T16:33:04.253-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Two-headed dachshund</title><content type='html'>Sitting on the couch today, eating my chicken broth and crackers, quite a delicious meal, I look over at my dogs.  Some thing is different I realize.   My dog Silver now has two heads, his second head poking out of the area of his stomach.  Of course I know that it is my other dog Amber's head, but it is quite the picture.  Silver is practically on top of Amber, and she is content to be his pillow, squashed beneath all eleven and half pounds of his body.  This is not the only instance of perverse laying, it happens often.  More than once I have been looking for the two of them, and I see one on the chair, and then after seaching everywhere - everywhere is merely the small expanse of my apartment.  Anyway...it turns out that both dogs were on the chair but they were so contorted as to appear as one dog.  Well the point of this was that it is usually very funny, but it must not seem very funny in writing or then again maybe it is just funny to me cause they are my dogs...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110617308862794195?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110617308862794195/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110617308862794195' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110617308862794195'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110617308862794195'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/two-headed-dachshund.html' title='Two-headed dachshund'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110600132723230371</id><published>2005-01-17T16:23:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-17T14:35:27.233-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Here I go again...</title><content type='html'>I tried to do a questionaire online the other day that dealt with religion.  It asked a series of questions about your beliefs, etc, and then at the end it would pair you with a religion.  I, however, did not make it to the end, in my case it was the second question, and if I am being entirely honest, the first question. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have realized that as a consequence of questioning the Catholic church, as well as other organized religions, everything I have ever believed in has been thrown into question.  When I am asked what do you believe happens when a person dies, I can think what I was taught in Catholic school, but since I am not sure about that, what can I say.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How do you know what to believe in regarding particulars about God and faith if you dont have a religion to tell you?   What do I base my beliefs in?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As of now I am lost without a religion, and without a religion I don't know where that leaves me.  What do I think will happen to me when I die?  Is there still a pergatory?  etc...  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Up to this point I think I have leaned to heavily on the church to give me my beliefs, and now I don't seem to have anything to lean on.   I blame this new realization on the questionaire and Mr.Anonymous...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110600132723230371?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110600132723230371/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110600132723230371' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110600132723230371'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110600132723230371'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/here-i-go-again.html' title='Here I go again...'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110565629976887513</id><published>2005-01-13T14:43:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-13T14:44:59.766-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Band-aid For Your Pain</title><content type='html'>Just a moment&lt;br /&gt;I will cure your pain&lt;br /&gt;Take a seat&lt;br /&gt;Wait an hour or two perhaps&lt;br /&gt;Just a minute…&lt;br /&gt;A bandaid is on its way&lt;br /&gt;Just forever…&lt;br /&gt;I have to heal myself&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You don’t have forever…&lt;br /&gt;I don’t either&lt;br /&gt;Where does your wound lie---&lt;br /&gt;Has it festered&lt;br /&gt;Mine is infected&lt;br /&gt;That’s why you must wait&lt;br /&gt;I will cure your pain though&lt;br /&gt;Here, rest your head on my lap, relax&lt;br /&gt;I will fix your life piece by piece&lt;br /&gt;Someday maybe&lt;br /&gt;Probably never&lt;br /&gt;I have been already waiting forever&lt;br /&gt; on the guy next door to cure mine.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110565629976887513?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110565629976887513/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110565629976887513' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110565629976887513'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110565629976887513'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/band-aid-for-your-pain.html' title='Band-aid For Your Pain'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110546210549836318</id><published>2005-01-11T10:05:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-11T08:51:49.650-08:00</updated><title type='text'>In college, and on my way to being on a billboard for the typical college student</title><content type='html'>I have reached that stereotypical point in my life where I begin to question religion.  I guess in a way I should be thankful, because it must be better than blindly accepting.  However, I am not so sure.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does it feel good when you feel lost? no.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It doesnt feel good to doubt something you have always had faith in, or to know God exists but question his purpose in organized religion.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-- Now before i go any further I will say that I do attribute certain characteristics to God as I believe that he exists.  Some of these being love, selflessness, forgiveness, caring, understanding...The catch is that these are my own assumptions of God, with some basis in the stories from the bible as well as images that CCE and my parents have shown me.  Everyone must have their own ideas about what God is life, what he "should" be like.  WIth the different personalities given to God, it makes sense that people would think to worship God in different ways.   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That being said, I will be the first to say that I dont know the Catholic religion as well as I should.   But being raised Catholic I am attached to the traditions of the church.  Yes, I have always had some issues with certain teachings of the Catholic church, but recently i have become overwhelmed with the feeling that the church and other religions make a mockery of the true intent of God.  That leaves me feeling lost, on the one hand not wanting to abandon the church of my childhood, but on the other, wanting to be content with my beliefs and following of God.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What do I do at this point?  hm...well like in the movies (where my only experience with this lies) I made an appointment to go and see the priest of my church.  The end result of the meeting was total disatisfaction and frustration.  He didn't help me.  I take some of the blame because I went in their feeling lost without a true purpose other than to find guidance.  But he really didnt answer my questions and was very matter of fact.  This didnt sit well with me because I am driven by my emotions a lot when it comes to my perception of God (as with many other things).  And when I left the rectory I felt even more lost than when I walked in.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So where does that leave me?  I have been to other Christian churches and I havent been very comfortable in them because I am attached to the traditional ways of the Catholic church.  But, isn't there something wrong with other Christian "factions" as well?   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can I have faith without religion?  Is that possible?  Am I damned to eternity if I am not Catholic or whatnot?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Solution:  I could create my own faction of organized religion that fits my needs like everyone else has done and then I will be happy.  I will inflict my religion onto everyone else, throwing out threats of damnation to all those who dont follow my teachings, oops, I meant my churches teachings.  And of course, my teachings have stemmed from my own individual interpretation of the bible, because if I had formed a committee to decide on my church's teaching, we wouldnt have been able to come to the same interpretation, and that would have led to unrest in my church, and I dont want that.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I apologize if this is a bit negative, but I am lost, I am without a home so to say, and I dont enjoy it.  Where do I go from here?  Where does anyone who reaches this point in their life go?  Sometimes I wish I didnt question.  but then i realize that if I didnt question I wouldnt be me, wouldnt be the individual God made me to become.     &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110546210549836318?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110546210549836318/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110546210549836318' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110546210549836318'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110546210549836318'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/in-college-and-on-my-way-to-being-on.html' title='In college, and on my way to being on a billboard for the typical college student'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110504833232923339</id><published>2005-01-06T13:20:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-06T13:56:46.223-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The life you lead and the one you wish you could if you knew what it was...</title><content type='html'>There is a slot for everyone; you just have to find a spot that fits you.  It isn't surprising that knowing what you want to do and where you want to go with the rest of your life doesnt come easy.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Graduating from high school is one of those moments that leaves you feeling like you're at the edge of a ravine, one foot on air the other on rock, unsure of what is to become of you.  In our high schools there is generally no transition for students from school to career.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you decide not to go to college, you can stay in the job you had in high school, or get another job, but you will probably have a hard time finding one that pays well.  With only a high school diploma there arent many opportunities to earn much more than minimum wage.  And so if you decide to try for something else (college), you have to apply to college and most likely financial aid.  If you want to go to a good college you better hope you have a good gpa or high class ranking.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Say you get to college, if you choose that path, and must pick your major - the pressure. Unless you go to high school with a specific academic concentration, you may know very little about the major you choose.  And then as you go along and decide you despise your chosen path, you have to go through all the crap of figuring out what to change to, and then there is applying to a different college unit.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now, after all of this that you go through, what if you arent happy when it comes down to it.  You chose your career, or your concentration, because in some cases, a concentration doesnt coincide with a career.  But you arent happy.  It isnt what you want to do; you thought so at first, but you have changed and it's not what you expected.  Where to now? Back to school? To the drawing board?  OR...do you stay in the your chosen path and stay unhappy.  It pays the bills or it doesnt but you chose it and you dont want to go back to school or go back to job searching.  You live the rest of your life doing something you despise, waking up to an alarm clock that rings in the day of the usual and the mundane.  And then at the end of it all, where are you?  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Settling for something because you already made it to a certain point or because it pays well doesnt seem to be all it cracked up to be.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I sit in my desk filing papers, putting binders together, and answering the phone where more times than not I am asked questions I dont have the answer to, which I then have to redirect or search out, I am bored.  OUT OF MY MIND.  But I get paid.  It keeps me coming back.  The thing is I could never do this forever. well unless I want to bore myself into an early retirement I cant afford because I am only 25.  =)  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Shouldnt you find something you enjoy, at least a little bit.  THe problem is that it's sometimes hard to find that thing; some never find it.  You should never settle.  but maybe sometimes you have to, sometimes it is situational, I realize this.  But you should certainly try.  You have to get something out of life.  And if you dont believe in God you better try and get something out of the life you have because you dont think you will have anything afterwards. And if you believe in God, you can still make the most of your life.  Wouldn't want to be wasteful now would you??&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The unknown is scary. Picking through the slots to find your fit may be "rewarding" but it isnt exactly the first choice, slightly tedious and frustrating.  When you find your slot, dont move! well unless you change as some people do as they get older, and you need to find another spot for yourself...is ther an end to the searching, to the discovery? I'm not sure, doesnt seem like it though.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;sigh. i need a nap.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;  &lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110504833232923339?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110504833232923339/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110504833232923339' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110504833232923339'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110504833232923339'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/life-you-lead-and-one-you-wish-you.html' title='The life you lead and the one you wish you could if you knew what it was...'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110498123350615214</id><published>2005-01-05T18:54:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-05T19:13:53.506-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Head versus Heart:  unrelenting emotions</title><content type='html'>There is a place I'd like to call home, but unfortunately it isn't possible.  I find myself stuck in niche, lost to myself  and to others.  There is something to be said for knowing, and not nearly as much for the not-knowing.  I would like to know at least a little bit.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do you ever find yourself sitting on your couch contemplating your next move?  whats the right decision?  But you cant really know what's actually right.  is it right for the world, for others?  when is it better to follow your heart instead of your head?  I seem to always find myself to be ruled by the heart, much to my own dismay.  Sitting on the couch cushion, I stare at the phone laying innocently on the coffee table.  Against my will, in this case my head's will, I make a call and reach a voice that i have heard many times.  With each comment made I hear myself saying what my heart is feeling and at the same time I hear my head saying, STOP!  STOP!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Damn, but I cant.   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Does that mean my heart is stronger?  I wish I didnt value the heart so much that I could just tell it to shut up and listen to my head.  Though...I dont think others would find what the head has to say much better.  Is it just females that go through this crap that is called the over-employed emotional glands of the heart, symbolizing love and caring?  I dont see that they are a great advantage, more like an embarrasing inconvenience to the peacefulness and contentedness of my life.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dont get me wrong, emotions are great sometimes, I just dont like it when they get away from me, because for the life of me I couldnt stop myself from saying what I want to say.  And, funny thing is, that even if I somehow! stop myself, I feel like crap because the result is this unrelieved tension and emotion that then festers and makes me feel worse.  Heaven forbid if I dont pick up that stupid phone and call again, just so I can relieve the pent up emotion only to feel even more crappy because I didnt get the response I desired.  At this point, without the response I desire, there is no hope WHATsoever for any happiness on my part, because I have stuck myself into a damn corner again.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;tell me it doesnt only happen to females!  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;hm. two slightly negative blogs in a row, i sure am an upbeat person...i will try to do better next time, =) i promise!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110498123350615214?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110498123350615214/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110498123350615214' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110498123350615214'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110498123350615214'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/head-versus-heart-unrelenting-emotions.html' title='Head versus Heart:  unrelenting emotions'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9959573.post-110490518835011096</id><published>2005-01-05T00:06:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2005-01-04T22:06:28.350-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Growing up...</title><content type='html'>In the mad rush of the holidays I was hit with the jolt that I am growing up. As my mom tore her hair out because of the misbehaving oven and my younger brother set out on the "mission possible" - annoying me, I realized that I didn't know how much I could take of it all. Three days, four tops, but after that I would need a break.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the past year I have come to the realization that loving your parents does not always mean doing what they say. Respect, sure I can handle that, give it freely, but complete obedience, that's a whole other ballpark, one that I will have to honorably excuse myself from thank you very much. I don't think my parents have really come to terms with my decision, lol, but unfornately for them, I am not changing my mind. Don't get me wrong, I love any advice they have for what they think I should do with my life, my friends, etc, but they shouldn't get their hopes up that I will follow that advice.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When does it get to the point where your parents don't really know what is quite right for you? OR when should they stop deciding for you and let you have a go at your own mistakes or, even better, your own successes?!?!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, all I know is that I'm not afraid to ask for help, but I'm also not afraid to say I don't need it. The thing is they don't always listen, and sometimes think complete obedience is the way to go...Which leads to the fact that I can only take so much of my lovely family over the holidays. =) I think I've realized Im growing up, but you see...I am also quite scared of this growing up that is occurring. I don't know if I am up to it, but I guess that is a question many face. It is the looming unknown of the future that lies ahead. Unless you are one of those people that have their entire life planned and don't worry at all... But, that sounds a bit on boring side of life, so I guess I must be grateful or end up bored. However, I am also a tad afraid that my life will be boring... ugh.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9959573-110490518835011096?l=audraclare.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/feeds/110490518835011096/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9959573&amp;postID=110490518835011096' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110490518835011096'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9959573/posts/default/110490518835011096'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://audraclare.blogspot.com/2005/01/growing-up.html' title='Growing up...'/><author><name>Audra</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12181651027565980648</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
