Dream A New Dream
Clown Faces…
I recently had a conversation with a friend I’d not seen in a while about depression. She thought she was feeling depressed and I shared with her my own struggles with depression and she was totally shocked. Most people seem to think I manufacture rainbows and butterflies and when they discover that I’ve struggled with depression they’re shocked.
What shocks me is that people are surprised, it makes me wonder if perhaps my own clown face is a little too well painted on. However, I was so proud of her for opening up to me. I’m so glad that we as a society seem to be more willing to discuss mental illness, but there is still a major stigma associated with it. My depression at its worst came in the form of post partum depression where I was seriously contemplating suicide. Luckily for me, I sought help and had excellent out patient care, much like you’d find at a PCH Treatment center.
The truth is, more people than you realize are probably walking around with a bottle of anti-depressants in their purse (myself included). Which is why it’s so important to be mindful of the people around you, because sometimes it’s hard to tell who may sparkle like a star to the world, but on the inside is fading and falling apart.
xo
The preceding was a partnered post, all thoughts and revelations, my own.
Plastic Surgery & Motherhood
I grew up in Miami, a town where beautiful sun kissed people is the norm. Growing up I always felt like I’d somehow been born in the wrong city. With my porcelain skin, freckles, reddish hair, and green eyes I tended to stick out in a crowd. I never had any major body issues and where I lacked melanin I made up for in self confidence. In my early twenties I moved away to another city where beautiful people and the sun were also pretty commonplace. However it wasn’t until I lived in Las Vegas that I began to think about plastic surgery. At the time it was just a passing thought, like when I got “older” I’d have myself refreshed or something to that effect.
Ten years later, two boys, and a weight loss of one hundred pounds my thoughts towards plastic surgery are more of a something I really would like to have as in-right now. I’m not nearly as old as my twenty-something self pictured, but my body could use a little refreshing in certain areas, like my stomach and breasts. The cost of breast implants isn’t nearly as scary as it used to be, but as a mom, I can think of a ton of ways that money could be better used, but as a woman, I can’t think of many. Which of course, I think is an inner struggle common to most mothers. I also think it’s so important to not loose the woman you are to motherhood. The two after all have to go hand in hand, and when they’re both in sync life is so much better. The surgery I’m talking about to, isn’t anything that would dramatically change my appearance, I don’t, and never have had the desire to look like Barbie, but I’d certainly wouldn’t be against having her never sinking bust line!
The more I think about it, the more I want to get myself “refreshed”. I mean, why wait till I’ve become the older woman I pictured in my head? Logistically mothering two boys with a husband on the other side of the world I don’t know how I’d be able to swing it, but I think it’s something I’m going to explore a little bit more.
Love & Saggy Boobs,
nicóle
Photo: weheartit.com
The preceding was a partnered post.
Free Yourself!
The Broken Destiny -Author Interview with Carlyle Labuschagne
I love to sit and talk shop with other writers, which is why I’m so happy to share a recent opportunity I had to interview debut author Carlyle Labuschagne about her novel, The Broken Destiny, which will be released later this year.
Judging from your website and book trailer, music feels like it is an integral part of your writing. Do you listen to music while writing? Did any song(s) help inspire Broken Destiny?
Music keeps me alive, like the blood in my veins; I would surely die without it. I listen to music every minute I am awake. Pity my singing ability is zero (LOL)
Music that I meditated on while writing The Broken Destiny – Bands , Muse , 30 Seconds to Mars, Paramore, Silversun Pickups, The Bravery, Civil Twilight, Sia and Linkin Park.
The songs that stand out for me – Muse with butterflies and hurricanes
Thirty seconds to Mars – R-evolve, Hurricane and Beautiful lie.
Sia with Breath me.
Paramore with We are Broken, and Paramore with When it Rains
Civil Twilight – Letters From the sky
What an awesome list! We’ve got very similar taste in music, I love all those bands!
What is The Broken Destiny about?
Overcoming your fears, obstacles, believing in one’s self. Loving one’s self . The Broken Destiny is about a girl who has to find her true self to unleash her destiny towards greatness. Every person has good and bad, and everything comes down to a choice, and sometimes making the wrong choice is actually the write choice at the time. To grow, to learn to love yourself. The only person who can hurt you is you. You are your worst enemy. Don’t change who you are for the sake of satisfying others, in the end it hurts only you. Your path is one of greatness and being true to yourself is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others. But it is often only through experiencing who you are not, to know who you are. To know the light you have to have experienced the dark. But always remember everything you go through, no matter how hard - is for a reason.
Where and when does Broken Destiny take place?
The Broken Destiny takes place 300 years after World War Three has destroyed earth – The Broken reside on Planet Poseidon, the purple planet.
What character surprised you the most while writing?
Oh gosh, Ava, Enoch, Troy, Sam the most, but really all the characters do at some point, while writing book two – I wanted to kill half of them off for making me so mad .
Authors always know little secrets about their characters that the reader, may not know…could you share a little secret about one of your characters?
Deep down Sam is a softy, no matter how hardcore she seems – she has a heart.
How many books will there be in this series?
I am aiming at four.
Where did you grow up?
Around all parts of Johannesburg, South Africa.
If you could spend the day with anyone in the world living or dead, whom would you choose?
My husband , I’d spend the entire day with my husband – outdoors.
Who or what inspires you?
There are many people I look up to, My Mom and Dad have worked themselves from nothing – giving their kids the best lives they could.
For Writing I draw inspiration from music, people and the environment.
The world has many gifted people who do amazing things weather big or small it is their actions that inspire.
What are your three most favorite books?
At the moment…
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Do you like to snack on anything in particular when writing?
Coffee and vitamin water.
Did you learn anything about yourself while writing this novel?
Most definitely, I surprised myself by overcoming many obstacles, the language barrier, my grammar was terrible (I am Afrikaans). Spelling. I guess for the first time I found out what I was made of, how far I can push myself. And deep down I learnt who I was – I learnt to like myself and grew more confident in my abilities , now I believe that whatever my dreams I can achieve them.
Don’t be crippled by fear. Let love and passion give you wings ~ Carlyle Labuschagne
The Broken Destiny will be released later this year. Follow Carlyle on Twitter , Goodreads and Facebook for updates.
Thank you so very much Nicole for this opportunity to tell readers about my book, my life . I wish you great success on your journey, as you have been part of mine – you have a place in my heart – forever. ~Carlyle Labuschagne
You Say You Love…
I came across this quote during one of my lazy meanderings through the internet. I was immediately drawn to the words…but was left with furrowed eyebrows because this certainly didn’t sound like Shakespeare, I mean, the cadence is all off and totally unlike Shakespeare in every way…I honestly don’t think he wrote it…but either way I liked it…
love & pretty thoughts made into sentences…
nicóle
photo: weheartit.com
My Week So Far…
My week so far: Took a train, almost fell down a HUGE slide at a fair, hurt my foot, I’m allergic to something, broke out into a rash…I itch all over.
I’d post a picture-but I don’t have enough hands at the moment. Scratch, scratch.
