Unkempt, Unruly, Untamed...

I've never blogged before. The fact that I almost chose "Unkempt" as the font for this blog, should hopefully indicate that this is going to be a crazy adventure. Writing was one of my biggest passions from probably age 4 through college. I went to writing camps, was published in a National Anthology of poetry (even though it was one where you had to order a copy for $24.99 to see your work, I'll trust my "Windows to the Soul" made it in:), and even lived on a Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico for a Jan-term, taking an Open Range Writing class where we wrote 8-12 hours per day. It was FANTASTIC!

Grammar used to be my specialty...but I'm finding as I trek from 30 to 40 that perfect grammar seems to impede my ability to get all my crazy thoughts on the page, before old age memory deletes them. So I'll apologize to you teachers in advance:) I write like I talk, so this may be a little William Faulker stream of consciousness-esque, minus the sound and the fury.

So why write? Why read this Jen'scapades, other than for ridiculous, "only Jen could have ended up in that situation!" stories?

I'd like to learn FROM you and share with you about what I'm learning about FAITH, LOVE, HOPE, and JOY....along with those beautiful things, inevitably come some cynicism, hurt, dislike-tred, faint-of-heartedness, and disappointment.

I have a zillion thoughts running through my head...11 years worth, since that Ghost Ranch, to be exact...so stay tuned, expect something raw, untamed, unruly, and possibly even unkempt. I find that so much beauty can be found in the unexpected, the unplanned, and the uncontrolled.

My seatbelt's off, hands in the air, hair blowing, and "Unwritten" blaring on the radio...

"I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned...
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find...
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten..."

Wishing you dirty windows to open and see the world anew,
Jen