Pocket Frogs, iPads, and boredom

I've been wanting to blog for months now.  I lay in bed writing posts in my head, but then can't decide where to put them.  I have three blogs.  They all suck.

Truth hurts.

But intothethickofit is where I want to be.  Where I want to live my life, and where I want to write.  So, I'm going to give it a shot.  The afore-mentioned iPad should help things there.

At night when I'm trying to relax, I'm playing this game that's no longer supported on my iPad called Pocket Frogs.  People.  It's so addictive.  It's passive though, so you don't have to play every x many amount of hours or get x many points or anything like that.  It's collecting, and making happy, and breeding (no frogs actually have sex on screen).  I love it.  It's peaceful, and no pressure.  It's better than even the word search puzzles, because I have to think a little, but not strain my eyeballs out of my head.  Good stuff.  You should check it out.

I'm rereading what I think is my favorite Nora Roberts book ever, which is saying something as I've read all her books multiple times.  But I love The Witness.  What's your favorite book? Share with me.  I'm always looking for new stuff.

I'm not going to wax poetic.  I'm going to see if I can even keep up with this shit.  Plus, I've got to prep for B's boyfriend coming over tonight.  It's a mental exercise in sanity.  

Christmas Music

Christmas music is a huge thing for me.  I have a fairly impressive iTunes library, and I'd say probably 30% of it is holiday music.  I used to start listening to it in September and finish in February, so I got my money's worth.  I still love it.  Not as much as I did five years ago, but it's a huge part of the holiday season for me.

I know that music resonates with a lot of people.  It certainly does for me; it can change my mood faster than anything else, including my prescriptions!  Listening to holiday music does tend to make me melancholy - the memories tied to my favorite albums are several years old and mostly tied to another lifetime, to be honest.  I'm finding that finally, after 6 years of being here in this state after 'the big move', I can enjoy the music again and only have pangs of sadness.  Mostly they're good memories now.

What are your favorite albums?  I love Amy Grant's first Christmas album - it brings back memories from my childhood; it was one of the first tapes I ever owned; my Nanny got it for me for Christmas one year and I wore that sucker out!  I also love any Harry Connick, Jr. album for Christmas - those bring back memories of my mama - she and I used to dance and sing to those songs, especially this one, and it still makes me laugh to think of it. 

I tend to go for the classics, although I do love Pentatonix new holiday album.  I'm slowly converting Chris to Christmas music too.  I have been listening only for a week or so this year; I'm trying not to burn him out.  

I hope that as you prepare for your holiday season - however you celebrate - that you're enjoying the tunes of your season.  

Big Event

I have an event - my first really - as a tatter coming up.  Brandeberry Winery is hosting a Girls' Night Out next week, and I get to be a vendor there selling my tatted jewelry.  I don't have thousands of pieces, but hopefully I have enough to give people a taste of what to expect from me.

I'm so nervous.

I wonder if I'll sell anything, or if people will like what I've made.  I wonder if I'll have enough change (if I'll need change at all).  I wonder if I've made things in the right colors, or if I've just messed it all up and I'm going to embarrass myself.

I know I need to just take a deep breath and plunge, but I've felt so off since my time in the hospital this past fall.  I've not shared a lot of the details of that time, but things haven't been the same.  I'm not feeling as creative and my personality feels different, too.  It's a huge adjustment.  Hopefully this will all come together and give us some money for Christmas and give me a little boost in my confidence - and who I used to be.

So here are some of the pieces I will have for sale next Wednesday.  If you see something you're dying to have, let me know; I'll either make you a new one or hold it back for you.  Prices vary but are very reasonable.  I have been tatting more and finishing more projects since the booking of the event, so that's a good thing!

In with the old...but not all of it!

So I found the old portion of the blog where we just brought Mel home, and imported it into here.  Life has changed a LOT since then - so do not be surprised if you don't know these people (including me).  I still have another 8 years of blogging somewhere on an external hard drive, and that portion I will import ASAP.  But now we have lots of old stuff to review, and cute cute pics of little Melanie.

Also, I have some other stories to tell you tomorrow.  Can't do it today - gotta work at the library, which I am not complaining about.  Plus my husband has two days off in a row, which is a rare and spectacular miracle!

I'm really hoping we can make it to ComFest this weekend.  It will depend on the car and the finances.  Something tells me it will be an event that we don't want to miss!

Hope that you and yours are all peachy and keen!

a lot of stimulation

There are extra people in my house.  People I want here.  People I love.

All of the people in my house are alike, except for me.  They like things like video games.  Loud head banger music.  Freaking out my cats.  Renting a zillion things at the library at a time.  Sitting with their faces in their phones all day.

I am SO overstimulated.

I need times with no tv's on.  Or just soft music playing.  Or just nothing going on.  That is so not happening.

So I read a lot of books in my bedroom.  Because otherwise, I'm not a nice person.

Just as an aside, I love my hot husband. 

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halfway finished

I'm not very good at things being halfway finished.  It's like I either want to quit, or I want to get it all done NOW and will run everyone down who gets in my way in the process.

I'm sorta stuck in the middle of that right now.  There is still a lot left to do, although we've accomplished a lot this week.  But I am so tired of my house feeling like something out of a horror movie that I just can't quit, which is causing sleepless nights and the rewriting of lists over and over so that they appear organized.  Also, there's the little problem of the carpet in one room smelling terrible still, even after the professional cleaning.  I just freaking HATE that. 

This week we've accomplished rehoming all extra cats, getting the carpets cleaned (and all other floors), Mel's room is completely clean (minus the smell), and the bathrooms are pristine.  Living room looks great - one more bookshelf to sort of reorganizie.  Kitchen needs touched up.  My laundry room needs some tidying up, but it's not too bad either.  My bedroom however still needs major help.  Our clothes are a hot mess, and I'm tired of living that way.  Plus our headboard needs some help.  I guess it's not all that much when you look at it in the big picture, but I'm just so ready for it to be finished so I can just maintain.  There's something about having a baseline.

I need to get the carpet in her room to stop smelling like someone died in there, though.  It grosses me out. 

The other things that are going on in life are my discovery of Jill Shalvis' books.  Yummy.  My favorite author of all time is Nora Roberts, but I've read all of her stuff - own everything but her last book, which I've already read - and will own that one as well.  I love the way she creates dialogue and characters with actual depth and a story with plot.  I've never found anyone that compairs to her.  Jill is carving a place, though.  i could  be interested.  I'll keep you posted. 

I'm also dealing with discovering new music.  Dealing with sounds heavy, but it's not heavy - just mind consuming.  I think about it a long time after the song is over.  I admit to being spoiled and having two streaming music services, and I use them both every single day.  That's what I spend my money on.  No shame about that either, as I don't spend it on anything else! I'll give you some recommendationgs later this weekend. 

I should get back to the lists.  Maybe if the house is finished my brain will relax enough to tell some stories.  That'd be good!!

I've lost it

The title of that could mean so many things, I know.  I've lost it.  So many of you are probably laughing.

I've lost the archives of my blog.  I think I have them saved on an external drive, but right now I don't have a computer at which to upload said backup onto this blog.  I'm going to keep posting and hopefully find the lost archives.  Sounds like a book or something.  There are a TON of good stories on the old blog. 

Ive lost the ability to not blog any more.  I've been laying in bed for like...a year now at night writing blog posts in my head, and then never putting them into words and posting them.  That seems like a waste of some good creative, theraputic energy, and I figure life is way too short to be dealing with that crap. 

I've lost - well, I'm trying to lose - my ability to care so much what everyone else thinks, especially of the opinions I have that may or may not be popular.  I'm not stupid.  I'm not the smartest person on earth and I'm certainly not claiming that, but I have thoughts that are worth sharing.  So, I'm going to share them.

I've lost a bunch of cats.  So I think it's time to tell Orlando and Taz's stories. 

I've lost the ability to have more babies - so the ones I'm so blessed to have are going to have their stories told. 

I've lost a whole bunch of unhappiness.  I have a husband that I just flat out adore, a little home I love, and a life that's pretty damn good.  I'm going to talk about it. 

So, while I've lost a lot of stuff, I've cleaned house to enjoy just about everything else in life.  I'm going to tell you about it, even if you is just me.  And I'm going to lose my mind once in a while when I do so. 

Won't that be fun?!