PhD Program

First a thanks to my graduate level friends Shauna and Holly who reviewed my doctoral goal statement for errors and critique! I count on ya'll casue you "have been there" and understand the stress of postgraduate education. Shauna's from Florida (my old college roommate) and Holly is in Virginia (my old neighbor)

Thanks Ladies!

GRAD SCHOOL AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!Except this time I'm a doctoral candidiate for a PhD in Psychology. I have chosen a select program and have a few back up's. I have to do this.....have you felt that if you didn't complete something in your life that you would regret it? Well, this is how I feel about getting the doctorate (and about my books and writing). Its 12 classes and a disseration and comp exam. Wow.....except that writing is my strong point and I already have an idea on my Disseration!!! The hint to ya'll is simply this, I am a behaviorist....I believe the environment affects behavior and motivation. My specialization is motivation. To bad I can't motivate myself eh???? HA!

Music: Duran Duran~Hungry Like The Wolf
Mood: Hmmmm: SICK with a darn cold and cough but Im still writing....dedication I tell you! =)

Slainte

Heidi

Madness and Genius

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Madness is linked to genius level IQ's and creativity. The latest report says Van Gogh, Mozart, all had the madness. The article implied that for creative geniu's madness kills them early in life....even Edgar Allen Poe had madness, but in reality arent we all mad at some pont in our life? I know I am or I wouldnt be desiring a doctorate and to be a professional author, professor, and researcher. Whats wrong with me?
LOL


Slainte!

Heidi

MUSIC VIDEO: Insane Clown Posse~ Lets Go All The Way (Originally by Sly Fox)
Mood: complacement and exitement (interesting combo)


=)

A Short Story Published....

http://www.emergingwomenwriters.com/emerge/

Here is the short story..this retains my copyrights and will be seen again in book one.

Graveyard Surprise (c)
Glancing through the dimly lit graveyard I attempted to focus my sight on the dark haired gorgeous man I was attempting to save. Save from what Sydney? Save Aiden from yourself or from himself? Argh. I was attempting tom save him from me, oops, from himself. Did I actually say that?? Well, I indeed was in working with the forces of nature to save a soul and bring peace and happiness to someone who lacked those components for years. I walked over to him as he sat in front of the headstone listing his brother’s name. I reached my hand towards him and waited for him to grasp my hand as he stared up at me.
“Aiden,” his name rolled with ease from my tongue. I stood before him, still, with my hand extended waiting for him to accept my help from the damp grass on his graveyard seat. I knew his khaki pants had to be wet by now, after all it wasn’t possible to sit through the wee hours of the night in a graveyard in khaki pants and not droplets of dew from water soaked air dampen your clothes.
“Aiden!” I called him once again and still no response from the man sitting before me. I knew him well enough from the team to know he was stubborn and I was discovering that he was just as stubborn as me if not more so. Now that would be a problem. Two stubborn people working to help each other, well one of us would have to back down at some point for peace to develop. I can tell you right now it wouldn’t be me backing down. Aiden slowly rolled his jade green eyes towards me and I was at a loss for words. His eyes were so beautiful, so breathtaking that he seemed to look through you when he gazed upon you. Heck, he was gazing at me now, I had finally been granted his attention. Lord have mercy on me, that one look from his eyes accompanied by a flash of his smile told me that after all my careful planning, that I indeed would be the one backing down to him. Oh my, not good at all.
A small mischievous grin revealed malicious intent from the face of an archangel as he grabbed my hand. I felt the moist heat of his hand as he placed it in mine. Instinct told me to help him up, after all that am why I was reaching my hand out to my fellow colleague that right, my colleague, my teammate. Using what strength I had I was able to pull Aiden up from the ground. Instantly I found myself in a situation I never expected.
What is a girl to do when a good looking teammate and friend is faced to face with her in a dark graveyard in the wee morning hours with a fog rolling around at her feet and a ravenous need to feel her teammates lips on her own? Ill tell you, the first instinct most women would have had is to run like hell out of the graveyard to the comfort, security, and safety of their vehicle. I’m not every girl though; I’m a paranormal investigator and so the rules, which apply to many people and many ideals, don’t apply to me. This is a blessing in some situations and a hindrance in others. Trust me on this, I would much rather not have to contemplate Aiden's tasty lips on mine, but thoughts of his mouth encompassing mine was way to vivid for me.
Graveyards to me are like any other social gathering place. Gatherings of specters, vampires, ghosts, sprits, fairy, even immortals have been known to show up along with a few zombies and ghouls. I bet you didn’t such creatures existed, well welcome to the real world. My world is the world that governments and society don’t what you to know about because it would change the whole existence and social latter if the things that go bump in the night truly existed. Here I was standing in a place where such creatures could devour me without a second thought but I wasn’t alone after all. I had Mr. Beautiful with me, could he defend me against such terrible night creatures? We'll, I'm not absolutely user he could, but he could save me from that and myself would be an accomplishment especially since I started out trying to save him. I guess it takes salvation to know salvation.
None of the creatures of the graveyards and the night scared me, well scared me too much anyway except for maybe the creatures with the big teeth such as the vampires. After assisting Aiden up and staring into his eyes I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him again. The scent of the warm summer air and Aiden's own scent sent shivers down my spine. I have to admit at this point, with those jade green eyes staring into mine, I was being sucked into his world. Emotion washed over me as I began to open my mouth to speak. Feeling as if I was falling into the tendrils of Aiden’s world, I quickly looked away. I felt Aiden’s left hand gently guide my face back so that I was looking into his face, his eyes, and being given a chance to read his soul once again.
“Aiden, I don’t think…” My words were hushed by the softness of his lips as he kissed me tenderly. I must have looked surprised because he looked pleased. I hope he wasn’t pleased because he had kissed me and taken me by total surprise.
“Aiden,” my voice was soft and he put a finger to my lips to encourage my quietness. Calmness seemed to overcome him and he released my hand and placed both of his hands on the side of my face.
Oh Lord, he’s going to kiss me. What am I going to do? I asked myself with such a nervous stomach that the butterflies that were a permanent part of my stomach butterflies that fluttered and landed as if they were homing pigeons in flight.
Kiss him! Kiss him you fool! Kiss him!
Sometimes I feel like shooting myself when I answer my own questions in a way that I had never expected. With Aiden it was different though, something was different between us as opposed to me and the other guys in the team. Aiden seemed to understand me.
The sound of wind rushing through the trees in an unnerving frenzy and pulled my attention away from the warm lips that had locked deep upon mine. I didn’t want to pull away from Aiden and his make my toe curling kiss end, but something sinister was coming. I could feel its arrival from deep within my psychic self and from the air around me. I watched once again as the leaves swirled and quickly closed my eyes as if I could push what was coming out of my world. If only that was true.
Aiden's strong arms were now around me and I gripped him close as I reopened my eyes and looked around me. Most people's instinct tells them to look around them, completely around them to see what was going on, but my instinct was paranormally trained so I looked upward. I gripped Aiden as close as I could and felt the sweat beneath his linen shirt and his heart pounding.
Looking up was my mistake and I inadvertently looked strained my eyes as I tried to focus on what was occurring in the swirling breeze. He landed softly, without noise, without motion. He was magnificent and that was a tough act to beat considering Aiden was a "10" on any sane woman's scale of male perfection. His long dark hair and dark complexion caught my attention as he neared me and I stretched my neck to look closer. Aiden held me tighter in his arms and bound me to his chest as the stranger approached.
I wondered what kind of stranger wore a long leather overcoat and tall black boots in this humid southern weather until I thought about out entourage and our outfits as paranormal investigators and spirit releasers. Strange, the wind had settled and the as the stranger moved closer to me I began to recognize him or at last he looked vaguely familiar.
Lord above have mercy on me.
I was looking at a direct duplicate of Slate, but that was impossible because Slate was an only child. My mind whirled with possibilities until the man spoke.
Two words articulated quickly from his mouth in a thick Scottish accent, "Bloody hell!"
Arching a brow, I knew exactly who I was looking at as he smiled and long fangs emerged, a chill ran down my spine. For once in my life, I wanted to run for the safety of the church because I had shared a blood oath with this immortals identical twin. Damn my luck, I was forever boned with a vampire without being bitten, in a distant way anyhow. Just my luck!

By Heidi C. Dahlquist
Published 3/05

The Gift of Gab

Me talkataive????? Hmmmm, the answer to this relative question is YES!!!!

Let me explain what I mean when I talk about me and the gift of gab. My family and close freinds have been amazed fro years at how I manage to meet neat people and start up conversations within a 10 square foot area of myself (especially in Busch Garden's Irish Pub...."Grograns" after I'd been drinking Stout Ale).

Well, my secret is simple...why the heck not talk to people? Why not learn about them? Maybe they are a future character or maybe they are just really cool!! Yes, I have met some not so interesting people, but if you give people the chance, they will tell you very interesting things about themselves and I for one am curious!

So...gab gab gab gab gab.......its fun and best of all its free unless your at a local pub buying drinks and I would caution agaist that...ya never know who you'll wake up next to the next morning!!!

Yesterday, I was at Bush Gardens, in the Irish shop, In Ireland, (after watching the Irish Dancers and attending beer school) the artifical country of course giving the sales person a lesson on the trinity knot, triquerta, and the Harp of Dogda, and Celtic Mythology...I had to entertain someone with my new knowledge!!!!!

Hark! I hear people running for dear life from my stories..not quite the truth, but it sounded fun anyway.


Heidi!

Slainte Cairde!!!

PS..I had yet another poem published this weekend...2 in the same weekend!!!

GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More Rhyme and Reason

OK...
Last night I had so many thoughts running through my head, thoughts of poetic justice, thoughts of poetic creativity. Out of the mass of words came two poems.
I just can't sit down and say, "Oh, I think I'll write some poetry today!", becasue that does not work for me. Something has to trigger my creative mode and I have to "FEEL" what Im writing for it to work. I guess thats the artist's mode, and yes, writers are artist's too!!! Our palate is a blank page instead of a canvas but it is still art work!


Heidi

=)

Poems.....

By Your Side (c)
Time after time,
I call your name,
Hoping, begging, pleading, that you hear my call.
I raise my hands to heaven, exposing my soul, summoning you to my side.

Come to me,
Stand by my side,
Love me as no other,
Never leave me for another.

Love me forever,
Hold me tight and whisper sweet nothings to me throughout the night.
Keep me safe,
Keep me tight,
Remind me I’m not alone during the night.

When the day breaks and the sun rises high,
Ill stand by your side.
When the sun sets and the night grows cold,
Ill be by your side.
When you’re sick and unable to breathe,
Ill give you my breath,
Ill keep you safe,
Ill keep you warm,
All because you’re the one I love.

By Heidi C. Dahlquist
March 20, 2005


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Echo of Time (c)
Echo’s of the past remind me of dreams erased,
and of the times I chased,
chased not only my dreams but glimpses of who I am.
Lost impressions of who I wanted to be fill my mind,
Screaming in my ear what I failed to be.

Failed dreams of days and people gone by,
I’m frozen in time,
Frozen in the past,
Locked in who I wanted to be,
Disappointed in what I ought to be but cannot be.

My heart screams to the heavens,
Hoping time will change,
Hoping my dreams can survive my broad range.
Bring me success,
Bring me happiness.

Let me find the peace I desire,
Let me fulfill my destiny and finally retire.
Let me cry no more,
Keep the tears that tore my heart in store for me no more.

By Heidi C. Dahlquist
March 20, 2005

More Published Poetry!!!!

I have had another poem published...YEAH!!!! Check out this site to read my new poem...

http://www.emergingwomenwriters.com/emerge/

Let me know what you think about my website (My first attempt at web design, so have mercy!) and my writing!!


Slainte!

Heidi

=)

Gaelic Phrase for Me!!!!

Take the quiz: "Which'>http://www.zenhex.com/quiz.php?id=710">"Which Random Irish Gaelic Phrase Are You? "

Pog mo thoin
Pog mo thoin - 'Kiss my ass.'You're one tough bastard, and if anyone doesn't like it, they can kiss your ass. You enjoy fighting and causing grievous bodily harm. Hey! What are you lookin' at, punk?

Gaelic Phrase for Me!!!!

St. Patrick's Day

Hail All Irish!
Slainte!

St. Patrick's Day is a day most of us associate with Ireland and beverage, especially the intoxicating kind! My question is this, do you really know who St. Patrick was? Do you know why the holiday is named after him? Please read the following for enlightment....

ABOUT SAINT PATRICK Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ.Saint Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing christianity to Ireland. Most of what is known about him comes from his two works, the Confessio, a spiritual autobiography, and his Epistola, a denunciation of British mistreatment of Irish christians. Saint Patrick described himself as a "most humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshipped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."Saint Patrick is most known for driving the snakes from Ireland. It is true there are no snakes in Ireland, but there probably never have been - the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the Ice Age. As in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and often worshipped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was probably symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. While not the first to bring christianity to Ireland, it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites. The story holds that he converted the warrior chiefs and princes, baptizing them and thousands of their subjects in the "Holy Wells" that still bear this name.There are several accounts of Saint Patrick's death. One says that Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17, 460 A.D. His jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits, and as a preservative against the "evil eye." Another account says that St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury, England and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin cityWhy Saint Patrick's Day?Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide. So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick's Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!For more detailed information about Saint Patrick please click here

thanks to: http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.asp

Current song I'm listening to: Let's Go All The Way by Insane Clown Posse......funky eh???

Slainte Cairde!
(Cheers Friends!)

Heidi

Today is hump day, ahhhhhhh, yes the wonderful wednesday! WE are half way through the week, almost to my favorite day, FRIDAY!!!!!

Tommorrow is a special day for me, tommorrow is MARCH 17......St. Patricks Day. You may wonder what is so special about that day ? Well, for me, it is special because of my heritage, becasue of my family. Yes, I just gave it away, I am Irish, well part Irish and Im proud of it. Tommorrow, I will join my fellow Irish friends for a drink at the local pub.....KELLY's Irish Tavern.

Now, Im not promoting drinking, but I will admit that I will be doing just that tommorrow....in moderation. My spririts are running high today and I was looking up my family geanology. I think family history is important and to me it's very special. I am proud of who I am. WE all should be proud of our family, proud of our unique customs. This world is about differences and we should be excited to learn about who are family is, who they were, and what special customs they believed were important.

There is so much hate in this world that for once, we need to forget that and remember that we are all special in some way. I wouldnt want everyone to be like me and have the same heritage becasue what fun would it be if we were all the same? We as society need to embrace our heritage and teach others about who we are and what we believe. Notice that I said teach and not force. Forcing our beliefs on others is not the right thing to do, but through education we can share our beliefs and heritage with the world. When people understand each other is when peace can begin to develop.

Slainte!!!!!!!
(cheers!!!!!)

Heidi

Music is the Food of Creativity

Is music truly the food of creativity? The answer to that question depends on an individuals belief system and when they are working with their creative genius if music inspires them.

I feel that music is indeed a food of creativity. When I write, my mind wanders into the world the music is creating. I have certain albums desginated to certain characters and I utulize that individual music when I write to them. If your wondering what albums I've been listening to as I write I'll list them.

To me, music is more than writing, to me music can help change mood. Have you listened to music that truly inspires you either from the lyrics or the music itself? I have always loved music and I used to know how to read music when Iplayed cello. I love the sound of the cello, its so deep, so mellow, and so relaxing to me. Id love to play again, if only I can remember how to read music.

Here is a list of music that I listen to as I write: Evanessance, Nickelback, Josh Groban, Godsmack, Michael Buble, Queen of the Damned soundtrack, Linkin Park, Duran Duran, The Cure, Enya, Scorpions, Queensryche..just to name the most popular ones......can you guess which album is related to Sydeny or in other words, which album makes me think of Sydney.

Slainte!

Heidi

You Raise Me Up!

Impresions from the past,
flow throughout my dreams,
Reminding me of who I am,
Reminding me of what I want to be.
I see you,
and you raise me up,
Up to where I can believe,
Up to where I am the shining star.
You raise me up,
so I can believe in hope,
so I can be me,
only you can see the true me.
When you raise me up,
I become my hope,
I believe in me.


My dream of the other night brought a visitor. In my dream, a message was conveyed. I saw my dear departed father, willing me to work harder, telling to hold on longer so that I can become stronger. I awoke with tears upon my cheek, tears staining my pillow. I felt my heart call his dad and plead, "Dad, dont leave me! Dad, please, please dont leave me alone!"

Just a memory....
Just a dream....


Heidi

Spring Weather

Spring has sprung,
the grass has riss,
I wonder where the flowers is.

Just thought I'd post an odd spring poem that has made me laugh over the years. Yep, you heard that correctly, over the years. Today is dark and stormy here, again! I look out the window and see the black clouds roll in and the thunder claps and lightening stream across the sky. I LOVE it! I love stormy weather and when I lived in a few of the many states where tornados were common I chased tonados. Now by saying I chased tornado's I'm not talking about a metaphor, but the actual action of getting in your vehicle and hunting down the tornado. Talk about an adrenline rush!!! I love to watch the storms roll in and sit outside watching natures wrath approach.

Some people I know are terrified and will seek shelter immediatly, but then there is me and I seek the storm out. I have witnessed alot of rare and interesting weather patterns. WE need to face our fears and then they become our passions.....well sometimes anyway.

Sitting here watching the storm approach pushes my mind into creative mode and I picture dark places and figures, characters seeking shelter in dark stone castles or haunted houses. They sit clutching each other in fear and watch as lightening strinks a nearby tree and thunder rattles the windows of the thin glass that protects them from the outside weather.

Looking through the flashing light towards the cornors of the building, they see images appear out of nowhere. Images so grotesque that they try to hide their faces and whisper prayers of safety to their creator. Are the creatures in the cornors real? Or are they a figure of our imagination? Or perhaps our imagaination manifestated something real, something our nightmares are made out of.

The wind howls, promising to bring rain, but I sit and stare and imagine. What if? What could happen? What would scare me? Creativity inspired yet once again.

Slainte!

Heidi

A Rainy Day

Today brings rain to this part of the planet, providing essential food to the blooming spring flowers. The spring flowers are beginning to bloom, showing up for spring and summer. Year after year, the push aside the earth and raise their hands to welcome the sunshine.

I love the sumshine on my face and the feel of the heat it creates becasue it warms my body and soul. Today's agenda is simple, review my outline (consists of many notebooks), write a wee bit, and work on my new short story. I have a feeling that this short story will develop into something more, but the story is a beginning...like the spring flowers it generates new hope for the spring and summer.

Let the hope remain and let happiness fill your soul for now and evermore...


Heidi

Thoughts

Yet another day passes...

Last night I was chased by ideas...ideas for new stories. The strange thing is that bedtime is my most creative time of the day. Leaving me to scramble to find a notepad to write them down before I forget them. Ideas flood my mind and sometimes they are good and sometimes they are bad, but my ideas are always unique. I have always been differnt from others becasue of my fascination with creativity, my love of descriptive language and my love of stories. As a child and then as a teenager, my ideas drifted into mystery plots, danger, supernatural. My mind was my artists palate willed with color, and my colors were always set far apart from others. Ghosts and the supernatural realm filled my mind and I knew that I was different. When others told love stories, I told mysteries and I told ghost stories. How many children and teenagers spend their time telling storis, writing stories, and mystery and horror stories at that.

We all have fantasies, ideas, goals, dreams. I dream in color each and every night. I always remember my dreams and I have multiple dreams every night. Put yourself in my place for a moment and imagine that you dream as I do. Your dreaming in color and the dream seems very very real. Is it really a dream or is it reality? You see images before you, quickly passing, and the only hint of the truth is the idea that the ghost, the vampire, the fairy, the immortal, the werewolve, the murderer before your eyes is one of fantasy. You know that such things have been assumed to be fabrications of the human imagination....or are they? Are they real? Has someone in this big world of ours ever seen such a creature or had a supernatural expereince? In all the thousands of years that Earth has been in existence has something supernatural ever occurred? Well, the answer is that some people believe that these entities, these expereinces, these beings do exist on some level. Do they exist entirely in our minds? Or have they existed at some point in history leading fairy tales and legends to be created. After all legends are generally based on actual occurances.

The point is simply this, I am not like everyone else in relation to my imagaination. My ideas and dreams are created in the wonderful computer system we call the brain. I hope one day my ideas and stories amuse others causing my fellow humans to feel something. I want to generate feelings positive or negative or ugly or beautiful. My goal is that my readers feel something unique and new to them. Afterall, emotions and feelings are what make us human.

Slainte!

Heidi

Thursday March 3, 2005

I have a few ideas that I need to jot down in one of my many notebooks. I was reading about how difficult it is to be published....it kind of discouraged me, thne I thought NO..I will do it!! I have to do it! ITs my destiny!

PLease to those of you who have self doubt, fight it, be the best YOU can be.

Heidi