The solstice was yesterday and the light has begun returning to the world. Must've gotten it right again this year.

Did you ever stand frozen in doubt and unease in the beauty salon wondering if you should get bangs or not? I suppose it's really no surprise that I have. I did this only to turn away and leave without executing any change at all.

Still, I have an appointment to get my nose pierced and I have no doubts or concerns about it. Mostly it's a decorative and (I think) very attractive option. It also has merits for stimulating an acupressure point believed to relieve menstrual pain. I'm looking forward to testing that claim. Apparently, the acupressure point only exists on the left nostril.
 

It turns out that staying up late has its merits.

Oh it's not like I didn't know that really. It's just that you tend to forget these things when you are responsible and have a job and crap like that.

I stayed up late tonight because of a draw of the cards so to speak. I drew a really cool person for christmas as my secret santa-ee. For that reason, I felt compelled to create as cool a present as I could for that person. Well that means I have to ship that gift ahead of me as it is large enough to have to be checked as baggage and checked baggage on the airline I'm traveling this year is like $20 for the first bag and I don't even want to think about the bags after that. That meant staying up late tonight to finish it as much as possible so it could be washed.

I have dogs. They dogify everything. That can be icky. It needed to be washed.

So, I stayed up late and found out that the college TV station out here plays a show called "EC's Jook Joint" late at night on Tuesdays. I love the blues. I love jazz. This is so cool. Only trouble is that I can't sing along because A.) I will wake everyone in the house and B.) I suck.

I need to get out more and go to the wonderful open mike nights around here. We have a lot of jazz and blues bands out here that I've never heard. Of course I am a little spoiled after years of Stevie Ray.

Oh well.

Crap

I've got to go to bed. See you all later.

 

I love Christmas trees. Well, to be fair, I just love trees and really most greenery.

I love it that we get to give them jewelry for the season. Pretty sparkly things to make them shine and glow. Pretty blue lights and silvery bright clear lights. For my taste, that's just about the prettiest thing to see during this season... except pictures of snow in other parts of the country maybe.

Like most people in the world, I have to watch my budget quite carefully this season. We drew names on one side of the family so I really only had one gift to make (a quilt) and one child to get for so I made that too (a journal in a can). I only have one or two gifts to give on the other side so the youngest who is an adult already gets a handmade gift too (Journal in a can strikes again) but the other I have no idea what to give.

Maybe someone out there has a suggestion. Maybe we can swap suggestions.

The giftee:

College Economics Professor, really busy all the time, two children in college, divorced, single, two cats, owns her home, likes to exercise, loves the law and order type shows. Any ideas? Something I can make is preferable. I'm not superwoman and it's two weeks until Christmas and less until the Solstice.


 

It's cold in the house and I'm alone in it. Dan had a shoot today and I just can't warm the whole house up because I'll be using one stinkin' room in it. Well, I could and Dan certainly would tell me to but I won't. Besides, it's getting just a few hours away from bedtime and we'd just have to cool it down again to sleep.

Sorry, interrupted by the dog who begins whining the moment her food bowl is empty.

Where was I? Oh yes, cold. It's not supposed to be cold. Well, sort of I suppose but not really. I mean that it should be colder than Summer for instance but not cold enough to SNOW (which it did last night). I do live in Louisiana and I did flickr the region to look for any obvious pictorial abnormalities (such as cats being eaten or puppy kicking contests) and the only one I actually saw was a flickr post for the same time last year and it was of snow as well so it's not like I wasn't aware it could happen. I just didn't think it'd happen AGAIN. WHAT, for goddesses' sake, does the government actually DO out here?

I do wish to say that I have never had a larger group of people band together on my behalf to save me a sizeable chunk of taxes before in my life. This is where it gets to be good to live in a red state. I was reminded over and over again by every person I met last month to file for my Homestead Exemption. That saves you a lot of taxes out here. They, meaning the assessor's office, actually sent a representative to my house to be sure I had done it.

You know, it's never more apparent how fundamentally your friends impact your life than when you realize your very manner of explaining yourself has changed because of them. I can never again explain that "they" said this or that, or "they" did some experiment and found... ever again without saying who "they" were or are. It's somewhat unfair if you ask me. Although the friend who's influence on my life caused this to happen will occasionally let me off the hook by asking if "they" are the same ones who broke his mother's arm one day. I usually agree that they are one in the same. It's just easier.


 

Well, I made my contest entry. It probably isn't any good or will be thrown out on some technicality. Oh well.

Anybody feel like kicking me now as well?
 

I'm writing for this month's short story contest. I'm very excited but must go. No time to waste. Write write write.

To paraphrase one of my favorite rabbits:

No time to say hello, goodbye, must write, must write, must write.
 

Now you may say that the statement that "Bagels are good." is subjective but I say it's objective. I mean, has a bagel ever attacked anyone in a dark alley? Do they plot for the overthrow of the good ole USA? No.

Now, that they taste good is debatable but still true in my opinion. One of my oldest friends introduced me to bagels when I was a tender 18 years old. I also ate my first lox. Yum.

My tastes are slightly different now. I was introduced to a delicious combination in the vehicle of a book. How appropriate. Now I eat bagels (everything) with cream cheese and liverwurst. Yum. I'm even thinking of substituting mascarpone for the cream cheese. Double yum.

Go ahead you liverwurst haters, you bagel opponents! I can take it. I love bagels with cream cheese and liverwurst!!! I admit it!
 

Since a friend of mine is showcasing music that *he* likes, I thought I'd mention a piece of music that I find appealing.

First let me say that this particular piece does not apply to anyone currently in my life but is, rather, indicative of a *type* of music that I fully appreciate. It is music that tells a story or even gives a voice to something that might otherwise go unsaid or even Undersaid.

Today's musical choice is a song called "Suffer" by The Waterboys. Thank you Waterboys for helping me to say something once when I had no voice.

I'm gonna suffer for you no longer
I'm gonna suffer for you no more
I'm gonna write you out of my life
and shut the door
You tried to drive a wedge between me and my friends
You pushed me to the edge time and again
I've been living in your shade since I can't remember when
Now I'm bringing this charade to an end
I'm gonna suffer for you no longer
I'm gonna suffer for you no more
I'm gonna write you out of my life
and shut the door
There was subtlety and skill in your manipulative ways
You chipped away my will so you could make me stay
You soothed me with your voice until I obeyed
but I'm making my own choice from today
You used the tongue of love like a boxer uses fists
You contained me like a glove or a creeping cloak of mist
You guaranteed the stars but there always was a twist
Now I see you as you are - Egotist !
I'm gonna suffer for you no longer
I'm gonna suffer for you no more
I'm gonna write you out of my life
and shut the door
I've got a ticket in my hand and I must be moving on
but I want you to understand that from the moment I am gone
I release and let you go - you owe nothing now to me
I'm not angry anymore - I'm free !
I'm gonna suffer for you no longer
I'm gonna suffer for you no more
I'm gonna write you out of my life
and shut the door
 

I don't even know any more. It seems the bots at wdc care more about whether I actually write my blog lately than anyone else, even me. Okay, Okay. Maybe I am just feeling sorry for myself but it's my prerogative. It's sort of selfish to expect anyone else to do it, right?

I love having guests at my house but that can be demanding. What shall we eat for dinner? Lunch? Breakfast? I mean, I don't eat something for every meal. I'm not sure I even eat every day. Sheesh.

Do you mind if I use your:

Washer
Drier
Kitchen
Living room
bathroom
porch

No! Go right ahead! (Just stop asking me! and don't touch my STUFF!)

Will you make some of those delicious crepes? What???? Do you mean SCONES??? Sure!

And for the last time, Osa (the black dog) is a GIRL and Wilbur (the blonde) is a BOY. Do I have to tie a friggin' bow on them?

Okay, I know I'm being petty but I'm an introvert and it's hard to get used to.

Now on the up side, I finally get to play some board games and chat about fun things with someone besides just Dan who is uninclined to do much of either after a hard day at work. I even get to scrapbook and craft in general. That's a lot of fun.

I just have to get used to a bit of a lifestyle change... and remember, Mom will be here all Winter this year. Maybe then she'll make herself to home.
 

Sweet Anne is the lovely lady who tattooed my right shoulder today. I now have a lovely pair of Celtic dogs cuddled up on my shoulder blade. One is brown the other black. I love them.

It was painful but there are those who say I secretly like it. I will not comment at this time.

Dan's sister Daverlee got a really nice kitty on her shoulder. It's not new to her either. She has like 4 or 5 other small ones already. I was surprised by how quickly both of them went on. Anne was funny and had me laughing so I was worried about ruining my piece but it turns out that she could probably tattoo a writhing snake.

Well, just thought I'd write to reassure anyone who reads my blog that I'm fine and all is well as well as more colorful than yesterday.