99 Dreams I Have Had

I've decided it's time to buckle down, bite the bit, and go back to school. It's time to finish SOMEthing. I'm about 2 n a half quarters away from an AA, so I'm gunna finish it out. If I can get away with it, with the credits I have, I'm thinking of the bus. admin. who knows. I have to call some counselors/figure out where does online schooling around here. Sooo, hopefully I can afford to enroll for spring.

Why the rush to finish? Well, I'll tell you. I was thinking today about how its always been a dream of mine to own a cute little bookstore. And I can picture it in my head: Two parts.

The main part: dark browns- the shelves, the floors, the couches and chairs hidden away in corner. Then pops of color, every color- pillows, lamps, side tables, rugs, maybe even a red main counter (which I want to be a big semi-circle out of the wall) There will be a small espresso/bagel shop. And I think my book shop will NOT sell non-fiction...the most non-fiction I'll get is some biographies and LOTS of travel. Otherwise, all fiction. Books have always been my escape from reality, and thats what I want my shop to be for everyone who visits. I want to fill the walls with pictures of beautiful places all around the world, hopefully many of them taken from my own camera (like I need more incentive to travel!). I want a cat and a dog who both wander around and don't know a stranger. I want lots of windows, so if I live somewhere sunny and warm-its always light and airy, and if I live somewhere that gets a lot of snow in the winter-people can look out and yet still feel nice and cozy. I want a guestbook with a polaroid next to it, so people can sign it and leave notes next to their faces.

The second part: a childrens place. Childrens books everywhere. I can't decide yet if I want it all completely colorful..or if I want it to be a fantasy land with castles and enchanted forests and magic carpets among the clouds. Either way, I want it to be a place where children fall in love with reading. Where their imaginations can run wild and free of the violence that is so often seen now in all the video games and on tv. I want a place where kids stay kids longer, unlike the real world.

Mostly, I want a shop where people want to continue to come back. I can grow old there, and have lifetime friends that come visit during summer vacations every year. I want a place where people can relax and be themselves and have a smile on their face, or have a place to escape to when the smiles aren't coming so easily. I don't think this dream is so much about owning my own business or becoming successful..its about being surrounded by what I love, and, hopefully, spreading that love to others, which could help them, which could make their hearts happy, if only even for a few hours. That is something I could be passionate about for my entire life.

And what is life without passion?