It's Been a Minute, Huh?

Welcome back to the writing home of Tori (formerly Wickline) Foltz. 

It has been almost three years since I've written here. I miss writing so much, but life happened and adulthood took over and working became the priority-- far more important at the time than writing. I thought about making a new blog, because I have grown and changed so much from some of the things I've shared here in the past, but after pruning some old posts from unkind and harsh words, I want to continue my writing journey. Here. Where it all started. 

However, despite changing my mind a million times about what I want to do when I grow up, one thing rings true: I want to always write. 

I didn't actually stop writing altogether. I just stopped sharing what I had to say. I was tired of always arguing in my writing, and wanted to write things that were beautiful and different and fictional. I've dabbled with poetry. 

Amidst the pandemic, I've started trying out other forms of art. I discovered that I'm decent at painting, and enjoy doing it to calm down and relax. Last year I also got back into reading regularly, and have become more active on Instagram, where I review books and make friends that share the same love and adoration for fictional worlds that I do. 

This August will make two years married to my dear Patrick. We were engaged from March-August of 2019 and married on my late grandmother's birthday, August 8th. 

The world is brighter as Mrs. Foltz. The world is brighter being married to my best friend. 

After almost two years of teaching at a daycare, I find myself a strange and unexpected impasse. As of this week, I have a lot of free time on my hands, and am preparing to crack my knuckles and throw myself into searching for something new to occupy that empty space. 

It's a very hollow space, with little to no room to breathe if I spend too much time looking around, but the vacuum of space is very much the same if I think about it. Space seems to function and move forward with perpetual endings and rebirth, and so I will take lessons and do that same thing. 

I am back in college, working hard to keep high grades and learn. I'm officially pursuing teaching, which I should have done from the start, but I want to write a book. Maybe I'll have time to start doing that. I have enough credit to be considered a Junior, and I've received now numerous invitations to several esteemed honor societies for talented collegiate learners. (Yes, I am bragging. I have deep pride in myself for how much hard work I have put into school to be where I am today. The non-traditional route is proving to be so much better to me.) 

I am surrounded by people who love me. I don't feel like I'm in limbo with friendships, nor do I feel the need to ever be again. Growing with people is so much easier than growing alone. I love the family members that choose to love me, and have cut ties with the nasty ones. Weeding out the garden, if you will. I also find myself married into one of the neatest families, where any outing requires a minimum of three tables pushed together, and where the laughter is never ending. 

The last year has been insane for everyone, and I want to just write about some stuff that I've experienced. Everything from the shows I binged during lockdown, to having a broken leg and needing physical therapy during a pandemic. Joint experiences promote personal growth and can help people to feel like they are not alone, and coming out of a season of my life where I felt very alone, I want to help in any way I see fit. 

This Author is glad to be sharing her work again. I won't be consistent. I might not post again for months and months. But for now, I wanted to share that I'm still kicking. Still reading books and throwing them when they make me mad. Still writing, all the time, about everything. 

Some things haven't changed, though. Just a couple of weeks ago I dyed my hair pink, after bleaching my hair at home for the first time with the help of my best friend. Zero regrets. I also have a few more tattoos than I used to-- maybe I'll write about those, too. 

Anyways, long time no see, right? 

I hope to talk to you all again very soon.

-Tori  

(I also did not proofread this, nor do I plan to. Sorry in advance for any errors.)