Welcome to my cauldron of creative musings.
Let us remember that we all require space.
Sometimes a little; sometimes a lot.
Those quiet times hold such delicious potential; the roots do strengthen, as the vine prepares to blossom.
Shh. Close your eyes. Listen.
And allow yourself just to be.
Wonderful things are on the horizon, are they not?
. . .
SnapDragon is a teacher, painter, writer, and mom.
Follow her Two-Bit Musings and more on Snippets of SnapDragon.
A weirdo-artist rant from a SnapDragon near you.
. . .
I like who I am. Really, I do.
But it’s hard to be a thinker sometimes.
A dweller. A stew-er. An inspired little nugget of a human.
Even as a kid, I was dominated by my own thoughts:
Should. Should. Should. Should. Should. Should. Should. Should. Should.
The only time I’m truly at rest is when I’m asleep, or sick.
Well, maybe that’s not true. I watch high-quality television. But I’m not really relaxing. I get so wrapped up in the magic of the story that I inevitably turn my brain to my own creativity. My stories. My characters.
There they sit, just waiting.
For me.
. . .
In my thirty-four years I still have yet to understand time.
24-ish hours in a day.
Focus on what matters, Snap.
Don’t be someone you’re not.
. . .
Who are you?
I am a mother; partner; homemaker;
reader; blogger; poet; fiction-writer; photographer; painter; draw-er;
friend; family member;
listener;
patron of the arts;
collector of funky clothing, jewelry, and postcards prints;
traveler;
non-meat eater;
anti-religionist;
occasional crafter;
unapologetic snacker.
(And probably a few other things that have slipped the old skull.)
. . .
So I guess what I’m getting at in this toilet-paper-of-a-post is this:
I can’t do it all.
Not everyday, anyway.
No one can.
So I have to stop wasting the precious time I have feeling regretful. Feeling antsy. Feeling like a fraud of an artist because I’m not churning stories or paintings out each day.
Because the process itself–the living, the loving, the dreaming and nightmaring–the coffee breaks and heartfelt conversations–the slipper slides and magazines and sweat-pant days–they bring us to that pinnacle of inspiration, whenever it may arrive.
Deep breaths, yo.
You got this.
. . .
SnapDragon is an artist who invites you to follow her craziness on Snippets of SnapDragon.
I’ve been eating barbecue chips like they’re goin’ outta style, yo. (But that’s not what this post is about. Better read on. . .)
. . .
Hi.
I’m perched here in our RV, cozied up in fruit-punch-colored sweatpants, the dim hum of the heater droning on in an inexplicably comforting way.
It’s unseasonably cold here in PA, so The SnapDragon Family is playing inside today.
Oh well.
Time for thinking.
Time for dreaming.
Time for resting these weary bones.
. . .
After reading a post by a friend of mine, I’m thinking a lot about control.
And, how very little of it we have in our lives.
Infancy. Toddlerhood. Childhood. Adolescence.
Family. Society. School. Economics.
Then, at last: Adulthood.
Adulthood. Which, generally speaking, is the bulk of our time spent on this planet.
(pause)
(Cue another cycle of circumstances beyond our control.)
. . .
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Dear Reader:
All I can control are my own actions.
All I can control are my own actions.
All I can control are my own actions.
. . .
I want to be:
-Patient. Because wouldn’t I want someone to be patient with me? I’m a flawed human being, just like the rest of ‘em. Sometimes it takes awhile to learn, to get it right. And that’s okay. It’s okay.
-Kind. Again: Golden Rule. Life’s much better when you’re kind. We’re so much prettier when we smile. Plus, people always remember how we made them feel. And I want people to feel valued. I want people to feel loved: friends and strangers both.
-Curious. There is a ridiculous amount to learn in this world, in this universe! Why would I not ask questions? Because I’m afraid of looking stupid? Stupid is as stupid does, Mrs. Blue. I’m going to spend my days learning, and growing. The journey never ends.
-Authentic. I spent far too many years hiding pieces of me. People-pleasing. Dogma-abiding. Apologizing for being human. I. Am. Human. This body is finite. It’s amazing. It’s dirty, and requires a rather unfair amount of upkeep. But it’s mine. And, I hope to use it in ways to spread joy: both to myself, and others.
. . .
And there we have it.
Another snippet from your girl SnapDragon.
(smiles and waves, and grabs another handful of kettle-cooked goodness)
‘Til next time.
. . .
SnapDragon is a homebody who enjoys putting stamps on envelopes.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for all things whimsically-authentic.
A List.
. . .
1. I’m an artist. A writer. A teacher. Feelings of paralyzed inspiration are, unfortunately, just par for the course.
2. I’m tired. While my terror-filled nightmares have made way for frustrating-scenario-type dreams in recent years, I still ain’t gettin’ much rest. Please. I just want one night without a cerebral shit-show.
3. I’ve got too many wires. Internet everywhere. Calls. Texts. Newsfeeds. Emails. Insta-whatever. Zoom meetings. How is a person expected to keep up?
4. The news.
5. Unrealistic expectations are eating my sanity. And it’s my own doing. I’m constantly judging myself. Clean the house! Exercise! Purge all of the clothes, books, and trinkets you no longer use! Post a blog! Work on your novel! Paint! Relax! Why won’t you relax, Snap?
(she blinks)
I’m trying, love.
24 hours sometimes seems like nothing at all.
. . .
SnapDragon is fresh outta sorts today.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon if you want to read the ramblings of a weirdo.
SnapDragon asks herself a few pressing questions. (‘Cuz she can, yo.)
So I sat down with amateur blogger SnapDragon X., to ask her a thing or two about life. She wore an over-sized teal dress/shirt thing, which she said seems to have become her unofficial uniform as of late. Her polka-dotted leggings undoubtedly completed the Practical-Mom outfit. Plus, there may or may not have been a smear of child-snot on her hip. But, who’s to say?
Question 1: Why do you blog?
I blog because I find it satisfying. Like a journal, it helps me clear my head. It helps me articulate those crazy swirls of thoughts that tend to give me anxiety. But more than a journal, having an available audience adds a layer of. . . accountability, I suppose? Anyway, it’s almost a form of therapy for me. Plus it’s pretty dope to connect with other bloggers.
Question 2: Not counting people, what three things in life make you happiest?
Travel. It doesn’t matter if it’s a town in Pennsylvania, or a stroll in Venice. Seeing new places makes me feel more alive.
Food. I mean. . . come on. Yes we need it to live, but it’s so much fun. And tasty. Going out to eat is truly one of my favorite activities. Calories be damned.
Stories. Whether it’s on the screen or in a book, I just can’t get enough fiction. I’m obsessed with characters. It astounds me at the power they have on our psyche; their influence is timeless. I mean, Ebenezer Scrooge? Frickin’ ingenious.
Question 3: What brings you stress?
Feeling rushed; clutter; when someone’s trying to talk and the TV’s on; being even a minute late; thinking I’ve hurt someone’s feelings; animals in distress; being misunderstood.
Question 4: What three things do you hope to accomplish throughout your life?
I want to be a published author. I want to see my work on a library shelf, or in a magazine.
I want to complete at least 15 years of teaching high school, preferably in an urban setting. I’ve got six so far.
I want to have my own art show. Nothing fancy. But I want to actually have the balls (ovaries?) to put my bizarre paintings on display, and have key players in the local art scene dissect every inch of them.
Question 5: Describe your perfect weekend.
Sleeping in. Egg and cheese sandwiches. Artisan markets. Iced coffees. Craft beers. Watching a brilliant show like BoJack Horseman. Laughing with my two best girls. Talking with my oldest brother about the perfection that is Pink Floyd.
Simple pleasures, yo. They make this world go ‘round.
. . .
SnapDragon is a writer, reader, and appreciator of the complementary breakfast.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for more tiny tidbits of whatever.
Woah! Maybe Snap’s got something to say after all?
(she shrugs and smiles)
. . .
Hey hey hey!
I got notified by the WordPress fairies that I have over 500 followers!
I feel like a cool kid! Like the belle of the ball!
Like. . . the world is my friggin’ oyster, yo!
(whispers: “Wait . . . Who’s SnapDragon?”)
. . .
So stay tuned for more Two-Bit Musings.
More Desert Island Picks.
More treasures from the Book Nook.
More art.
More fun.
More half-witted reflections on this fumbling, bumbling experience we call life.
‘Cuz we in this together, love.
And I thank you.
. . .
SnapDragon is a writer, reader, painter, collector of funky earrings, and old-soul drinker of coffee, in all of its glorious forms.
Follow if you dare. (Or if you’re bored. Either one.)
Hi.
. . .
Hello there, Dear Reader. Whoever and wherever you are, love.
How magical it is that we’re meeting here in cyberspace. Complete strangers, living our little lives.
Perhaps we’re a continent or two apart. Or maybe we’re neighbors unbeknownst.
Yet we’re in each other’s homes, in each other’s lives.
Here. Now.
And maybe by the time your eyes skim these uploaded words, your blue light glasses trying their damndest to let you read just one more post, chapter, or page, I’ll have curled up beneath the comforter and drifted to a much-needed dreamless sleep.
And yet our words stay up. Alert. Dedicated.
Alive.
. . .
Who:
SnapDragon X. Writer of fictions, writer of poetry. Lazy painter of cartoonish women in the nude. Homemaker just barely keeping her head above the dishwater. Out-of-the-traditional-classroom educator. Atheist. CD-lover. Former makeup-wearer.
What:
Experiencing feelings of preoccupation; dysphoria; anger; bloat. Also: bliss; synesthesia; rebirth; gratitude.
Where:
(she writes down her precise mailing address in neat, all-capital letters)
When:
All of the todays.
Why:
Doesn’t want to be someone who blindly goes through life, unquestioningly eating the fodder before her. Wants to consume the arts with abandon but also create with purpose. Wants her house, her clothes, her tastes to be unapologetic reflections of her chipped-teacup kind of soul.
How:
Sixty seconds. Sixty minutes. Bit by bit by bit by bit by bit by bit by bit by bit by bit.
. . .
SnapDragon is a weirdo artist who self-identifies as a curvy-petite badass.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for musings from her outspoken, RV-traveling, book-and-TV-obsessed life.
How absolutely lovely; how absolutely cruel.
. . .
SnapDragon is a writer, artist, and also ridiculously sunburn-prone.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for creative musings, book suggestions, and other general shenanigans.
Take a peek at Snap’s latest RV Adventure!
. . .
. . .
Well hey there!
Thanks for stopping by, and taking a moment to live vicariously through the words of a stranger named SnapDragon. (I mean, that’s why we read anything, am I right?)
Anyway, The Sweet Husband, Baby Snap, and I are on a two-week road trip, spanning from our little nest in southeastern Pennsylvania, all the way to the Gulf Coast, and back.
We’re fairly new to the RV scene, and learning the tricks of the trade as we go.
(It’s a journey, after all!)
So let’s hop to it, shall we?
. . .
Foreword
Okay. So, I should probably start by saying this first leg of the trip was a bit of a bummer, because it was soaked in rain. Like, not the kind of lazy sprinkle where you squint your eyes against a frigid, nuisance mist. I’m talking monsoon-style, buckets of rain followed us for almost six days straight. Which, of course, was super cozy when we were tucked in for the night, the constant drumming on our rooftop rocking us to sleep. But as for enjoying the sights? Well, we tried our best, yo.
. . .
Scenic Stop #1: Edisto Beach State Park in Edisto Island, South Carolina
Sadly, I don’t even have a photo from our one-night stay here. As I said, there was wicked rain. We did, however, manage to take our new electric bikes out for a brief spin, during the half-hour or so of dry weather.
(I felt the need to mention this spot, since it’s a State Park. I have a deep respect for all things publicly-owned.)
Scenic Stop #2: Lake Wateree State Park in Winnsboro, South Carolina
All right! (claps)
Check out this dreary, yet lovely scene I managed to snag. It was nice to look out at the water, even for a few minutes.
And we did see a crane-like bird moseying about! Everyone knows how excited I get about animals.
And that was the end of our stay in Wateree, yo.
Scenic Stop #3: Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah, Georgia
Ahh. So here we got a little bit of a break in the weather.
On a search for the park office, I found myself on a very long walk. Trees such as these were all around. The damp air was quiet, and I smiled as I thought of an idea for a short story.
. . .
See? I told you this first part of the trip was perhaps a little less than blog-worthy.
But that doesn’t mean we aren’t having fun!
#family #coziness #preciousmoments #gettingoutofthehouseduringapandemic
And Part 2 promises to bring more to the table.
Stay tuned!
. . .
SnapDragon is a teacher, writer, painter, wife, and mother.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for her Two-Bit Musings and more.
Snap’s unleashed the music box.
. . .
The coffee is hot, with the atypical treat of flavored cream. I warm my hands on the ceramic mug.
Alexa sits upon her shelf, sharing a mix of musical moments: Moments that make me smile, and that remind me of the mysterious beauty of college life.
Friends. Books. Bliss.
Savoring it all.
Röyksopp, yo. A new love.*
. . .
In my worst moments I feel like a fuzzy little growth on the rotten milk jug of society.
And in my best?
I’m dancing, singing, and feeling the beat within every ounce of my 5-foot frame.
I feel like a good friend; a good daughter and sister; a good wife; a good mother; a good artist. A good teacher.
A good person.
Yes.
Because that’s really all I want. To be good.** A good cog in this sometimes cold, sometimes terrible, relentless machine of life.
. . .
I have the blessed curse of an artist’s life.
The colors; the swirls; the tingle on my lips; the dreams; the nightmares; the folded papers; the seashell sounds; the eyeliner revelations.
This world. . . is a giant coloring book.
It’s a tidy little sketchpad with textured pages.
It’s waiting for icing. It’s waiting for delightful little ribbons. For clusters of balloons and glass jars full of candies.
It’s waiting.
So what are we waiting for . . . ?
Let’s dance.
Together. I promise it will be nothing shy of extraordinary.
. . .
SnapDragon is a writer, currently working on everything and nothing.
Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for tidbits of her strawberry-flavored journey.
. . .
*Dude. Check it out. I stumbled upon them on an “Instrumental Chill” playlist. And now I’m obsessed.
**Yep. East of Eden. Please read this book, at least once in your life. I have so many books on my reading list, and yet I might just dive back into this one. What a gem.
Snippets of SnapDragon 
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