My name is Natasha and I live just outside of Washington, DC, in Southern Maryland. I love to learn, and never hope to stop! I currently have a MAED (Master's of Arts in Education) in Curriculum and Instruction. I received this degree from the University of Phoenix, and I have a BS in Biology from Old Dominion University. One day, I want to get my PhD! I am currently an Instructional Specialist for a very large, very successful high school in my little piece of suburban heaven. I am happily married (10 years this August!!!) and have a son and daughter. In my free time, I try to do fun things with my family, such as go to baseball games, out to the movies, or to our local bookstore where my entire family can spend hours paroozing the shelves and relaxing in the atmosphere. I am extremely passionate about my own writing. I love to write and am currently finishing my first novel. I love music and use it for inspiration. I have had many experiences in my life that have changed me. Instead of letting all of those experiences turn me into a person I am ashamed of, I have taken them, learned from them, and moved forward to create a much happier - more unique me. An example of this can be seen in my journey of self-discovery once I met my husband. My husband and I were married our senior year in college. Soon after our honeymoon, I discovered I was pregnant. I was planning on becoming a Genetic Counselor and getting my PhD, so to find out I was pregnant required me to assess who I was and what I wanted from my life. Starting to get excited about the prospects of starting a family, I suffered a miscarriage. Instead of pushing forward with my education, I realized I wanted more than anything to be a parent. 11 months later we welcomed Elijah to our family.
I grew up in a single-parent household with my mom, who is an avid reader. We would spend hours at night just reading while in the living room, then we'd discuss our novel. I can remember becoming obsessed with paranormal novels when I was around 8 years old. I would read Christopher Pike books day-in and day-out. I will never forget the first book I read of his was Remember Me. I loved that book so much, I read it again later that summer. My favorite book is The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I took a class my senior year in college in Women's Literature. It was a class that fit into my summer load and since I needed a literature class, it worked. This class turned me back onto writing - something I did in high school, but moved away from. I loved this book because of the way the professor introduced the novel to us, and had me hooked from the beginning. My favorite genre is Paranormal and Paranormal Romance. I have discovered I love books that create a world that are outside the boundaries of our reality and involve some kind of romance. I love Stephen King, Charlaine Harris, Dan Brown, J.K. Rowling, and Stephenie Meyers. I have recently discovered Maggie Stiefvater and Nicholas Sparks. Every book I read leaves its imprint on me, a constant reminder of the book and the story the author told. Recently, the most inspiring book I've read has to be The Twilight Saga, for no reason other than it's gotten my attention and reminded me how much I love to read. I love to buy books wherever I go - the bookstore, the drugstore, Target, and if all else fails amazon. Many of the books I have purchased have come from there. I will buy from just about anywhere.
Nat Neagle Blog
Beauty Brat Blog
Aukele - A Page Turns Moderator
I started reading for leisure in January 2008. I had just graduated college, and realized that I had much free time on my hands and got sick and tired of watching TV!! My favorite book is probably The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It was the first book I picked up to read of his, in my sophomore or junior year of high school. My favorite genre of books is probably Fiction. Within fiction I do love love stories. I also enjoy reading about other cultures, specifically Asian cultures through fiction. My favorite author is probably Nicholas Sparks right now, just because he is the author I've read the most books by and he has a knack for writing a good, yet, easy read! The most inspiring book I've read is The Shack by William P. Young. It makes me feel like, wherever I am in life, there is hope. It is never too late for anything. I find myself continually pondering on an idea or a scene in the book and relating it to my every day life. I purchase most books through used book stores. I really hate paying full price! Although I do pick up books from Borders and Barnes and Noble. Online, I purchase books through Amazon and Better World Books.
In my free time I enjoy being with my family (specifically my nephews that live on the same island as myself). My fiance and I also enjoy BBQ'ing with friends, enjoying the beach, watching movies together and eating sushi. I enjoy volleyball and really love music. I was taught how to play piano when I was 7 and have sang since I was 12 or 13. I am most passionate about protecting our largest organ, skin. Skin cancer is probably one of the most preventable cancers, and many people are caught up in their tans than what could be their consequence years later. My was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma in December 2006. It was a little bump on his head that was removed; however not all of it had been removed. It later manifested in his throat area. He went through multiple surgeries and treatments including radiation, chemotherapy and hyperbaric treatments. He was deemed terminal in January 2008. Since my parents were not together and I was the only child, I became my Dad's sole caretaker. I accompanied him to numerous treatments, he had PICC lines, G-tube, Tracheotomy, Open Wound treatments. Plain and simple it was bad. Many people who did not watch Dad go through the changes would be horrified by his outer appearance the first time they saw him bringing themselves to tears - thinking how it could happen to someone they knew, someone so full of life and charm. My dad passed April 2009. My goal is to help spread the word about skin cancer prevention because I would not wish this (even on the people I disliked the most) on anyone.
Aukele and Bob's Cancer Blog
Glamortude Blog
