Hi guys, it’s open link night at dversepoets.com – tonight I don’t really have the time to come up with a poem, so I’m posting one of my old ones. This hasn’t been edited or anything since it was written in 2005, so please respect that. Here you go..

Shining like Diamonds of Reality
by Karen Maeby Bates — all rights reserved
written on: Wednesday December 7, 2005 @ 1.17 am

I find it a lot easier to shine
when I see the sunlight glistening off the snow.
The white snow sparkles like glitter.
Diamonds: They shine.
It’s the inner beauty of things, that make me happy.
The smaller things, the smaller but more important moments of life..
My eyes are wide open to variety.
Hand me over the craziness, boxed up, ready for me to open
and explore.
Just give it to me already.
I’m not very patient when it comes to these things.
My mind is left open for all adjustments.
I will always accept anyone of any kind.
My friends… all different. I love them.
I feel the changing every day. Every day changes.
Every day – things change.
Why can’t they stay the same?
Why can’t life just be stilled?
Why can’t time be honest to us?
It would be too perfect of a world. Our world.
God’s world.
He gave us the remedy for cause and effect,
“The plan” – if you believe it exists,
and how everything fits where it belongs.
What you are doing are is exactly what you’re supposed to be doing.
The diamonds shine now that I’ve found myself on the path.
I see the sunlight, the answer to it all, with my eyes.
My eyes see it all.
I am no longer covered, my eyes are bare.
I am seeing, and realizing, what I need to see.
The smaller things amount to more than the bigger,
but the smaller things make up the bigger picture, after all.
I have come a long way to be where I am today.
Things change, things happen for the good and bad.
Everything happens for a reason..
That’s one thing I’d never change about life.
I make it as memorable as possible by writing the precious moments down. 
The diamonds, my eyes, shine as I see myself surrounded in happiness.
The snow glistening in the afternoon sun makes me smile.
Melting, my heart melts.
As the snow falls to the ground,
covering up what was left from the rest of the year…
What happened to the old? It’s covered over.
A true new beginning has been formed…

with more time to take chances, make changes, open doors and close them…
Meeting friends, new goals, new options, a brand new chance to make changes about yourself.
There’s just one thing I’d never change about me: my entire life.

The last couple of weeks, or I should say entries, have been nothing but poetry… so it’s time for a real update about life.

I don’t know if I even really mentioned it but in August I got a job working at the college bookstore in Clearwater. I finished my last day Wednesday of this past week. It was a temporary position if anyone was wondering since I went from having a job to no job.

It goes from being the school rush (a couple 2-3 weeks) to absolutely no one in the store. It’s crazy. It’s opposite of what regular retail is like.

So, this week of my last day… I had a couple of interviews. One went the opposite direction – no job-y. The other one wasn’t exactly what I was looking for (or I should say, fitting to me and worth it), so I still need to let her know…

Through a million and one Craigslist ads, I hear back from a few.. and a few more than what I did the last time I applied to anything. Today I had yet ANOTHER opportunity to come my way and I kind of start tomorrow or Monday! It’s another eBay position, of which, I am wanting to do so that I can become even better at it. Helping sell brands via online seems to be my thing right now, maybe it’ll help me develop more skills. Perhaps.

Anyway, I also had my ex-boss from NC email me back asking if I wanted to do long distance eBay selling! AWESOME right?! I’m not sure how that works out but I’m extremely appreciative that he’s asking me to work with him again.

This whole week, I’ve been nothing but positive and positive has come out of this being positive (makes sense, yeah)?! So, I am going to keep riding that positive train and keep thinking forward that good things will happen.

The other day Dan and I went to Frenchy’s on Clearwater Beach. It was one of the best days in a while… the ocean breeze, not a lot of people, the place was crowded, doors open, fans on, sun going down above the ocean, band playing, yummy seafood (she-crab soup + cajun fish) great walk on the beach and one song I was singing in my head:

If your on the road trackin’ down your every night 
Playin’ for a livin’ beneath the brightly colored lights 
If you ever wonder why you ride the carrousel 
You do it for the stories you can tell 

All the stories we could tell 
And if it all blows up and goes to hell 
I wish that we could sit upon the bed in some hotel 
Just listen to the stories we could 
Yes I wish that we could sit upon a bed in some hotel 
And listen to the stories it could tell

- Jimmy Buffett, Stories We Could Tell

It’s almost like a dream living in Florida where it’s beautiful and warm and right where I’m settled (feelings). The city is beautiful at night, it’s still so warm and cozy and such a relaxing atmosphere. I think ‘here’ is why I’m able to write a lot more than I used to.. I just love those semi-cool days where the windows are down, I blast Jimmy Buffett and just listen at the noise from outside…

And, today.. we went to Tampa and was reminded yet again why I’m happy to be here. Hyde Park was our adventure after we took care of some errands. Hyde Park is an awesome cute little place. It may not have the prices of things that we can afford, but gorgeous boutiques and inside/out.

October 10th marks one full year for Dan and I. It’s been an insane but great year and I love him more and more every day!!! I’m looking forward to more years with him if he allows it… since I bring home the crazy. Ha. I’m also looking forward to October…even though I’m not quite sure how I’m going to deal with not seeing the leaves change colors. It’s going to be different being in a warm state during the winter, but alas, Dan and I are really looking forward to it!

Anyway, I suppose that’s all… There’s some photos for you to look at before you go. :)

PS -

Please don’t forget you can buy my poetry book ‘Maeby, it’s only the beginning’ on Amazon.com (EBOOK – Kindle store). It’s $2.99 for ONLY poetry and $5.95 for poetry AND PHOTOS. Purchase it… HERE.