About Me

Hello everyone!

My name is Hayley, and before I get into blogging for A Thousand Lives, I want to talk a little bit about myself.

I am 22 years old, from Omaha, Nebraska. Life here has been pretty good to me, but I’ve also had the chance to travel around the states a bit… but I can’t wait for the day I start traveling to other countries. Most recently, I’ve traveled to Loganville, Georgia and Destin, Florida. I’ve never spent a holiday on the beach before, and spending Thanksgiving and Black Friday on the beach was better than any sale I’ve ever been to!

I’ve always loved to travel, and some day, I hope to go to London, Italy, Ireland… and pretty much anywhere beachy. Most of my mom’s side of the family has been to Mexico and though I never had the chance to go with them, I hope I do next time! Some other places I’ve been include Reno, Seattle, Orlando, Mississippi, California, and Salt Lake City. I’ve been to Utah many times over the years, as my dad, stepmom, and two half sisters, Lexi and Abbie, all live in Layton. It’s beautiful there, and the last time I went was in January 2013. I definitely hope to go back soon.

Enough about travel and dreaming about lounging on the beach with a Badass Coffee in my hand (sigh… I miss you, Destin!)

Music has always been a huge part of my life, ever since I was younger, I’ve been singing and playing piano and clarinet… I ended up in color guard for the marching band in high school for first semester, and playing clarinet in the symphonic band for second semester. When I was younger, I learned a lot of smaller piano tunes by sight and by ear, and up until I actually started taking piano lessons, I actually learned some other songs by watching YouTube covers and tutorials! I remember that’s how I learned to play Unfaithful by Rihanna, and a few more that I can’t seem to remember right now.. Anyways, moving on. I started piano lessons in seventh grade, and continued into high school. Eventually, I tried out for the school talent show (variety show, whatever) and actually made it into the lineup! Even though I had huge stage fright and was scared out of my mind, when the song was over and the crowd erupted into applause, there was never a better feeling.. Except running backstage and sneaking into the crowd with my grandparents, so I could watch the rest of the show. That definitely was a huge relief.

I have a pretty big family. My parents are divorced and both are happily remarried, and with each new parent, I now have a lot more siblings! Mostly girls… my dad is so lucky. Ha ha. I have one fully biological sister, six stepsisters, four half sisters, and one stepbrother, but to me, they’re all just siblings. Two of my half sisters, Elle and Mackenzie, my stepbrother, Hunter, and one of my stepsisters, Katy, all live in Georgia with my dad and stepmom, Shanna. I know I mentioned it before, but Lexi and Abbie, my other two half sisters, live in Utah, with their mom, Stacie and her family. And the other 5 stepsisters all live here in Nebraska, and my one sister, Lauren, lives in the same apartment as me and my boyfriend of two years, Isaac. Those are all just siblings and parents, I have plenty of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins to go along with all of them! But with all of the craziness in my family, it definitely keeps things interesting, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I am currently also working on a podcast called The Book Hangover with my friend Ariel, where we read books together and review them, as well as posting weekly blogs! I have always been a bookworm, and I figured what better way to put my thoughts out there than to record conversations and discussions about it with one of my good friends? We just started the podcast a few weeks ago, and I would say we’re doing pretty well. Currently, we’re reviewing the House of Night series (one of my favorites, no shame), and in past episodes, we have also reviewed I Was Here by Gayle Forman and Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. On the blog for the podcast page, I will also be posting more book reviews there, if anybody is interested in seeing what else I’ve read and what I thought about it.

As for this blog, A Thousand Lives, my best friend Kammie helped me find the name, but also reminded me of one of my favorite quotes (about reading, of course).

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. A man who never reads lives only one.” -George RR Martin

I loved this quote when I first found it, and still, it’s a favorite of mine. I love the fact that it’s so relatable for me.. I always feel like when I finish a book, I’m leaving their world and returning to reality… even when I don’t want to. I feel like I’ve stepped out of someone else’s life, and back into my own. I get super connected to characters and every time someone gets hurt in a book or dies, it’s almost like I feel personally attacked and I cry like they were my real friend… because, let’s be honest, who said they can’t be? Fictional characters? Pfft. More like friends for life.

And on that note, I hear a book calling me now. See you next time!