I am learning more and more about who I really am. It used to be that I used my writing to explore aspects of myself, but that is becoming less of the norm. I am no longer living as Katie vicariously through characters and words on a page and am living real life as the real me.

It isn't always easy and I have struggles, but it is nice when you get that external validation. If you asked me at the beginning of last year if I thought I would be doing half the stuff I'm doing now I would have told you that you were crazy. Let me give you an example. Last year, after I bought my house, I purchased a dress. It was the melon dress that you see in some of my pictures. I tried it on, saw that it fit, and hung it in the closet. I never wore it. I didn't even wear it around my own house in private. I just owned it and thought that was the end of it. Now I wear it out, in public, in front of people, in front of people who actually know me. I go to church, as Katie. I go shopping, as Katie. I have a boyfriend, as Katie. I have a life, as Katie. WOW!!

That all being said, sometimes it helps to gain some validation and I got that twice this week. I thought I would share, because I have little going on that will be posted any time soon (planning stages of next novel).

Friday I went shopping. I found a store that carries my size called Simply Fashion. I walk into the store, and the sales clerk, some younger guy, says "Hi Katie". One, he remembered who I am. Two, he used the right name. Guess where part of my check will go every week.

Then on Sunday at church, I got a flower because all of the women got one. Cool, ain't it. To be honest, when they first started handing them out there was a little fear and trepidation that there would be a scene, that I would be passed up. But that didn't happen and I got my flower. The stem broke in half after service when I went to powder my nose, but that didn't matter, I wore it in my hair :) Coolness for me. Now to the next challenges of life.