Words

It never fails to amaze me, how a simple sentence, casually written, can hold the weight of a dozen or so years. How in a moment, you can behold something simple, transformed into truth you never intended.

I love words. They are exquisite, trixy creatures, full of mischief and sympathy. Were I anything other than me, I would certainly long to be, a string of characters, forming elegant, simple prose.

The spores! The spores! Close that window or you'll let in the spores!

The air is stale tonight, as though someone has left the windows to the Earth's atmosphere closed up for too long.

My evening's plan to drink some beer and curl up on the couch stopped at one Octoberfest in favor of water, although I wish I had orange juice instead.

I reek of anxiousness. It comes out in my tissues as I blow my nose. When I stand outside, facing the wind, onlookers surely see my eagerness to be swept far away. For all the contentment yesterday brought me, today I am filled with urgency to claim unrealized dreams.

None of this goes beyond subtle discomfort, mind you. The lesson to be learned this year is patience, and my life will not let me get around it. I will feel longing, it seems, and have to learn to work towards tomorrow (or someday) one day at a time.

It is probably fair to say that it is actually act of working towards my goals that makes me even more anxious to see them come to fruition...a good sign, I suppose. I have long neglected my posts here on the blog because let's be honest, there's only so much a person can delve into personal things, and my novel has turned into a memoir/commentary on socioeconomic economic conditions relevant to me and many of my peers. I am cheating on my blog with my book, and it feels quite nice, actually. My apologies - I will make a commitment to popping on with updates a tad more often.

Just as that is said, I am feeling myself inspired to spend some quality time with my mistress, so I must bid you adieu.

Breathe lightly, and for god's sake, someone open a window!

My Glass Slippers

I feel a bit like Cinderella right now. The apartment is mine, until the stroke of 10:30pm, and then, regrettably, I must flee to the safety of my bedroom, dashing so quickly that I leave peace and solitude behind. There they shall lie until I can pick them up again, in another quiet moment, destined to happen eventually, but hope for its quick arrival is fitful at best.

These glass slippers of mine are not uncommon. Many find them and wear them, and are glad when they fit just right. It is not riches that buy them, and no exquisite jewels bedazzle their gentle crests; Instead, they are found only with time, that precious mystery which so governs our lives. Yes, in time, I will walk comfortably in my glass slippers again. Until then, barefoot privacy will have to do.

It's been a day.

My dad had a shirt when I was growing up that said a Pixel is worth a thousand words. Graphics puns are fun, don't you think? Well, since this is pixelated, I will have to agree, and hopefully it will suffice. If you can't make out the text, the key phrase is, "You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help."

New Additions

Here they are, in their internet debut.

Kitten labor services, please be informed that although I will certainly be exploiting these little sweethearts and their adorable faces in MANY photographs, they will never be harmed or disturbed in the process. This gig is rewarded with much love and good food/company.

To everyone else, please meet the most lovely and handsome, Cali and Hobbes.




Hobbes, is the orange tiger stripped (mackerel) tabby, and Cali, his sister, is the grey and brown mackerel tabby, who sports a few golden, calico-esque spots. They are the most recent additions to my life and home, and are little bundles of amusement, joy, and yes, just a little bit of aggravation. Generally speaking though (after only a few days of knowing them), they bring far more joy than stress to life.
Kittens, of course, come with a whole batch of hurdles to tackle. Luckily, Cali and Hobbes, are both taking very well to their litter boxes, and have made a great transition from being essentially feral kittens (living under my dad's deck) to being happy, well adjusted indoor felines. They still tend to shy away a bit when approached to quickly, but Cali loves massages, and Hobbes has been known already to sprawl out and enjoy a good belly-rub. I'm guessing that within the week we'll be on pretty familiar terms.














Tavi, is a big fan of our new friends. Sadly, they come at a time when one of his childhood cats (at home with his mum) may be on the verge of passing away. She is quite old, and has lived a full life...and although its really going to be difficult when she goes, I'm sure it will be peaceful. She is in good hands.

This weekend has been a whirlwind of adjustment...even including a run-in with many ticks. I'm glad to say we've all made it through. Tavi especially had a wild ride - or run, rather, as he participated in the Tough Mudder competition in WI this weekend. He did great...lots of cramps and some beaten up knees, but that's life in a nutshell, right? If you're not sure what Tough Mudder is, definitely check it out here. It is a very impressive course, designed to push participants to their limits. If you're interested, I'm fairly certain there are still plenty of events still open for registration.

That's all for me tonight. I'm beat, and still recovering from a bit of a summer cold.

Stupid summer cold.

Anyone catch THAT reference?

Kitten(s?)

Yeah, that's right. Tomorrow. :)
I couldn't be more excited!

Well, I probably could, with a few more changes...but that's NOT the point.

More to follow shortly!

A Very Brief Introduction

My name is Whimsy.
I am the unlikely daughter of
Prudent and Carefree.
Nights long past gone
Created everything I am,
But nowhere near all that I will be...

On Writing

The story has to come from somewhere.

In the meantime, often the writer feels lost, searching in vast expanses for something entirely intangible, feeling that it will come, but hardly knowing from where or when.

This, quite possibly, is why many great writers turn to journalism. The story presents itself, organically as the world turns in front of them. They must wallow in trenches and hike daunting distances, mind ready to pounce at the hint of any detail worth collecting. Their journey is difficult, certainly, but differs from the quest of a novelist. The novelist requires patience of another suit.

Patience is a tricky thing. And sometimes, it is best to forget about. But other times, a writer must cling to it like the life raft with a slow leak in the middle of the Atlantic that it most assuredly is. Hopefully, in time, a story will pass by, pick them up, and whisk them off to Productivity. If not, then they will drown...and with any luck, that will be an even more interesting bit of inspiration than they had hoped for to begin with.

I am clinging to my raft right now. It is yellow (a color I despise, as it is bad with my complexion, and reminds me of agitation and uncomfortable hunger for things other than what currently are), and although it seems sturdy enough, I know that the sharks of my own mind are circling nearby, waiting for a storm.

This is a good thing, I think - as long as the storm makes it onto the page.



Also, on an unrelated note, I made this in Michigan this weekend. My back is now completely charred as a result. Camping is always a good distraction. :)

Young Eagle

Nothing super special to say today. In fact, I'm rather busy getting ready for Great America with everyone from work tomorrow, and prior to I was working on a personal motion graphics project. Nonetheless, I wanted to keep up with the posting, so here is a photo from Alaska. It was taken outside of Ketchikan, near a Bald Eagle's nest. It is a young Bald Eagle, and you can just start to see a bit of her color coming in (I'm assuming she's female, as the female's are larger than the males, and already this one is quite large).

Enjoy!

Hey, You!

Yeah, you.

If you're reading this, and you enjoy reading this, then I have to ask...are you following my blog yet?

Your answer should be yes. And IF its not, well then you are EVIL. PURE EVIL. People like you make blog writers like me cry ourselves to sleep at night (or really early in the morning, as is often the case).

It's okay though, because this is a wrong that can easily be righted. All you have to do is click "follow" at the upper left corner of this blog, or down at the middle of the right-hand column. From there you choose which existing provider you would like to follow with (google, yahoo, etc.) or simply sign up for blogger yourself. THEN, I can feel appreciated and know that all of this finger exercise is NOT in vain, and YOU can be a good person again. Plus, you'll be making my day, which, is kind of a big thing (almost like hanging your kid's crayon drawing on the fridge).


SO, you know what to do.

That is all.

Thank you! :)

Paint Fumes

This has been an incredibly unique day.

I woke up this morning to the sound of thunder, first loud, but distant, than increasingly, rather alarmingly quick and close. Jumping from bed, I ran to the living room to see if Tavi had left yet for work (he bikes), which, to my slight horror, he had. This was only horrific, because at that point there were seemingly gallons of water falling from the sky, accompanied by gale force winds, so that all of our neighborhood trees were nearly parallel with the ground. I called Tavi, who luckily found shelter in a parking garage.

Upon leaving to deliver Tavi his rain jacket and offer him safe transport to the train, I found myself a bit stunned to see some of the damage resulting from the short burst of a storm. Power lines down, stop lights out, entire trees blocking lanes of the road. How did this all happen so quickly?

I have to hand it to nature...it was an incredible bipolar move; from sunshine in the morning (reportedly - I was not awake in time to see it), to nearly tornadic - with a decent amount of destruction, and then back again to sunny, and stunning.

Anyway, I was able to shower and head to work about a half an hour early. The plan was to get in early and maybe take off at 5:30pm for a nice bike ride. Secretly, I will admit that prior to leaving I wished for the power to be off. Imagine my surprise when I drove over the hill on the way to my office to spot a fire engine parked near the curb, and a handful of firefighters examining our smoking transformer!

Long story short, we were out of power, and were all sent home. Free day!!! Hells Yeah!

I painted, which I've been wanting to do for quite a few weeks now, but simply haven't had the free time. And since I didn't take any photos today, I figure I'll share the painting, thus far. There still may be some details and textures to add, but more or less, its a humpback whale coming up to feed - roughly based off of a photo I took outside of Juneau, Alaska, with a few creative color enhancements. Oil on wood.

While you scope it out, I'll be sitting here with my right eye twitching, because I've spent entirely too much time with oil paint and turpentine fumes today! Guess that's how it goes...sit at a computer all day and gain a few pounds; paint all day and gain a few muscle spasms. ;)
And yes, Mom, I did/do have the windows open.

I hope you like!

Just Another Night (with a sunset and a moonrise)

If anyone in the Northern Hemisphere has had the pleasure of noticing the moon this weekend, I'm sure you'll agree that it has been stunning. A fine waxing gibbous, our lady lunar has had a rich, rusty tint, and has seemed at times even to be glowing golden. If she were one capable of giving birth, I might in fact be so bold as to tell her she seems practically pregnant in her beauty, especially now, as she reaches nearly 81% of her full capacity.

But she is far now, from the sun. And although we are but one planet, and she is but one moon of many orbiting our star, it is easy to imagine her as the perfect counterpart to that brilliant orb which daily graces our skies. And if she is his yin, and he her yang, then strange, how beautifully she shines so far from his presence, and conversely, how shadow cloaked she be when he is near. Lovers with a push and pull so great they must dance, forever, in a delicate waltz, dictating with their yearning the flow of our seas and the kisses which the oceans gift to the shore. Balance in love - how cosmic a quest!



I captured a small bit of sunlight this evening. In fact, I captured a few quick things, in an effort to shoot today - and every day. This shot is my favorite. Simple, but sometimes that's just right.

tummy

I have had a stomach ache for a week.

LAME.

Apparently, its nothing serious. Just a minor bug worth checking out, but made worse by feminine issues. Fun, eh? Anyway, I'm ok. But, I have been urged, yet again to visit a neurologist, so today I set up the appointment for that in August. We'll see where that leads. I'm guessing it will be somewhat like this:

Neurologist: "Hi Jen, did you realize you have migraines?"

Me: "Why yes, I did rather suspect as much from the regular searing pain in my head..."

Neurologist: "Oh, great! Well then, here is a list of common triggers. Check it and try to stay away from things that effect you. Medications are also an option..."

Me: "sigh." (I've already read most lists, created my own list of most triggers, and found the only things that effectively eliminate my "severe headaches" are baths in dark silent bathrooms and Advil Liqui-gels. I refuse to ever take long term or prescription medication for migraines.) Then I will hand over lots of money.


ALSO, I am now scheduled to go see a dermatologist. Yes, it seems to be a genuine waterfall effect. You visit one doctor, and they send you to five more! They are all in allegiance, I tell you!

And of course, the dentist...I know two people who will give me the evil eye if I don't go see the dentist soon. Grrrrr.


Anyway, that's my big exciting news for the day. Now I'm going to get a little sunshine and forget about the medical world for a bit.

Happy Friday!

Violent News

This evening, I happened to see the news. I don't often turn it on, as generally I prefer to seek out my daily dose of current events online, from choice sources, or barring that, listen to NPR in the car. But tonight I saw a clip, and although I was able to turn it off fairly quickly (thanks to the excuse provided by my tv diet), I was pretty shocked to see that the first three stories all involved extreme violence and death in the Chicago area.

Now, I am not naive. I realize this is, unfortunately, a fairly common place thing here in Chicago, and other cities worldwide. But what was difficult was that all three stories involved teens and children as the seemingly innocent victims (I say seemingly ONLY because there was little report into what happened previous to the stabbings, shootings, beatings, etc. - with the exception of one boy who was beaten to death for sticking up for a friend, which, of course, is heartbreaking).

Coincidentally, what I had been watching previous to the news coming on (for my hour of tv today), was a NOVA special called Ape Genius, which more or less detailed the few differences and MANY similarities that the ape brain has to the human brain in terms of social interaction. The characteristic that most resonates with today's news is the keen knack both apes and humans have for copying and mimicking actions that they watch. This, in humans, is a part of learning, which in our case is paired with teaching/a yearning to teach. Apes, on the other hand, learn entirely from this. They are not taught by other apes, in a proactive manner, instead, they simply learn by mimicking. Mindlessly doing what they see to reach said outcome. They do not expect to gain any further insight by repeating the steps of those they follow. Apparently, we do.

I'm not sure what exactly we are expecting to teach our children by beating others for honor and kindness, or stabbing strangers for minor offenses in the street, but we show them these things daily. Now they repeat them amongst themselves - sometimes living to continue the cycle, sometimes dying along the way. It seems perhaps we should consider what we are trying to enforce upon them from this repetition before we further it.

Ironically, another characteristic that sets apes apart from humans is their emotions. They are impulsive, often easily provoked, and in many cases, prone to violence. Researchers believe that this has prevented them from developing fully logical minds. This is not to say that they do not have logical minds, because, in fact, they do. The difference is their apparent lack of ability to use them to cooperate in the way that we do. It appears we have grown able to separate emotion and logic enough that we can function cooperatively in social situations in ways that they simply cannot.

Yes, certainly we are right in thinking so highly of our emotional control; We never act out in very violent, entirely impulsive ways.

I just wanted to draw a few lines here...give us all something to mentally munch on for a few moments. Feel free to gather from this what you will, then set the rest back down and read a book before bed to forget about it.

Ciao.


P.s. If you are at all interested in this intriguing special on apes, you can find more information here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/ape-genius.html)

A 732 Word Confession (of which I am actually pretty ashamed)

So, I've gotten into this somewhat self-destructive habit of late.

I get off of work, tired from little sleep the night before, and then go to work out in some fashion or another (biking, hitting the gym, swimming, etc.). Upon my return, I always want to work out more, as I'm trying to get back into decent shape for future endeavors (hiking, backpacking, adventuring, etc.), but don't because there are only so many hours in the evening. Next comes the self-destructive part.

While eating, I turn on the TV...and remain in front of it for a few hours too long. Now, this bothers me on a few levels. Not only was I raised to watch no more than 1 hour of TV a day and to pursue outdoor activities instead (so my relationship with the good 'ole tele is a strained one already), but I also have quite a few personal artistic goals that tend to slip through my fingers whenever I spend too much around the tube.

Certainly, I realize that I am NOT the only American, or world citizen for that matter, with this nagging, mindless, spoon fed entertainment addiction, but it bothers me in particular, because generally speaking, I like to pride myself on my will-power. Clearly, I am failing in that respect this week. And although I know that being overly harsh on myself about it will probably do nothing but perpetuate a problem I have already begun to loathe (guilt makes some pleasures even more tempting), I am doing just that. The rebound affect is that I turn off the TV, and then promptly jump onto the computer to edit photos and organize artwork.

By the time I do, it’s usually around 11:30pm. Not terribly late, especially considering I've never been one to keep too strictly to "respectable" bed times (yeah, Dad/Julie, I mean you two and your 9:30pm early turn in), but definitely too late to make any real worthwhile progress when it comes to weeding through and editing LITERALLY hundreds of photos. Plus, I really have been trying to post on ye 'ole blog with some regularity, so that's another 20 minutes plus, depending on the post.

In any case, one thing leads to another, and before I know it, I'm rolling into bed (or more so grudgingly trudging towards bed) around 1:30am; Late, yes, but not TOO bad, right? Well, there's a catch.

Since I work at a gaming company, I am making the commitment to play more games, and my friend and boss, Mike, was kind enough to get me hooked on Tiny Tower, so my Ipod has accompanied me into the bedroom the past 3 nights. It takes very little effort (think 8 bit Sim Tower in an Iphone app, but a bit more clever), so I half fall asleep playing it...sometime around 2:00-2:30am.

Yes, I know. You can say it, but I'd rather you wouldn't, because I already know.

Tonight I was good. I went swimming, ate some food, watched just one short, half an hour of TV (I happened to have an episode of Sex in the City stuck in my head earlier today, so I gave it a quick watch while I ate my broccoli), and then started in on my artwork. I will be in bed by 12:30am at the latest, which is peaches for me.

As for the future, my goal as of July is to watch only 3 hours of TV a week. Movies are not included in that total, but will only be a reward, or for the exceptionally exhausting evenings, when the couch is my only friend in the world (we all have them, don't act like you don't).

Time is a tricky thing, and I find that personally, I really do ride a wave of dedication...I'm either 200% full of intention and focus, or lagging at a crummy 60%. Hopefully, July will be a worthwhile experiment in will-power, dedication, and balancing out time to my various crafts and pursuits. Have many hobbies to dabble in is great, until your childhood ends and you have to work 8 hours out of the day.

Anyway, I'll let you all know how it goes. If anyone else would like to join me in the TV diet, I'd be more than glad to have a comrade at arms (or two or three).

Now it’s my bedtime. Ciao!

p.s. As always, I want kittens. I feel like they would be a wonderful motivation to stay on a regular, healthy schedule...and would keep me very far from the TV. See...kittens make EVERYTHING better. :)

(random kitten image from reddit)

Hot Yoga

Oh man, can you feel that?

Its excitement, quivering through the air like electricity!

I just found out that the yoga studio that opened up near by offers wonderful hot yoga classes, both for fitness, and for more centering oriented Vinyasa styles. And both are on nights that fit my schedule! Yay!

For someone who used to dance all of the time, I've found that yoga is a wonderful alternative. And although I would like to get back to dancing on a regular basis (I AM aiming to with belly dance...but its been a busy few weeks since Alaska), having a regular yoga class again would be absolutely wonderful. I very much miss Pam and her graceful teaching style, but I'm sure I'll find a good fit at this new location.

Anywho, here's to fitness. Biking, gyming with Tav, back to belly dance and freestyle dancing, and soon to be hot yoga!

And here, also, is to kittens. Please, oh please, oh please! ;)

Dear World,

Dear World,

Often times, I look back on my life and wonder why I didn't have the sense to do what would have been JUST RIGHT.

I can see it now, just the perfect song to sing for home show back in high school. They would have loved it, and maybe that way my life would have taken a different route.

College...perhaps I should have danced and stuck to a writing degree. I would have loved it, and maybe that way my life would have taken a different route.

Years of indecision, rash decisions, and trying jobs that didn't fit quite right. If I had taken more time to deliberate, perhaps THEN my life would have taken a different route.

But my path has been this, and when I look around, I see that the most prevalent blessing, the clearest positive outcome has been the people I know and care for. The people I've met, the people I've loved, the sisters I've gained, and the dear friends I've known.

So world, if this is my journey, to meet people and love them and have them love me right back, can I ask just one thing of you along the way?

Can I maybe do that while painting and photographing my way to prosperity and fulfillment? Cause I have to admit, that would be pretty grand.

[I know, I know, that means I have to paint and photograph even more. And that's ok, because I'm working on it. And enjoying it too! ;) Sometimes I just wish there were a LITTLE more instant gratification now and then. But that's human, right?]

Anyway, thanks for the trip. I've enjoyed it so far, and I look forward to what else is in store. Especially the bit about the traveling and backpacking all over to get the great shot and the great story. Should be pretty fantastic!

Yours always (respectfully AND incorrigibly),
Jen

Why am I still awake?

Often, when you live with another person, it can be difficult to find your own time and space. Tonight, I get both, and I am soaking up every moment of them. That means I'm staying up probably a little too late...and watching a guilty pleasure movie (A League of Their Own, to be specific). But tired is creeping up, and I'd still like to read before bed, so cross your fingers that I can stay awake just a little bit longer.

Oh, and thanks to all 1,000 plus of you that have read my blog. :) You are wonderful. I promise I'll come up with some more worthwhile posts soon.

Ciao for now,

Jen

Just a Quick, Lighthearted Gush

Since that last post was a bit more in depth and serious, I have to balance it also by saying that I am REALLY happy with Tav in our new place. It FINALLY feels like I have my own home...after years and years and years. Coming home is a genuinely heartwarming feeling and I am incredibly grateful. I just have to put that out there, because I really want to thank the universe. :) This feeling is LONG overdue and I totally appreciate it for all that it is.

Karma and the Backlash Catalyst

April; source of new beginnings, and the first full month of Spring.

This April has been action packed. Bursting at the seams with both positive and negative, the month has seen a handful of changes for both me and mine. When I take pause to examine it all, I am very grateful to be able to say that for my part, the changes have been positive, long over-due, and very much welcome. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for some of my dearest friends.

In the moments where we are still, as often must happen in the midst of our greatest conflicts, it becomes apparent sometimes that the patterns which govern our lives react to us as much as we react to them. Karma is a fairly widely recognized and accepted concept these days, and the more I spend time here on Earth, the more convinced I am that it plays a large role in our existence. More than that, I sincerely believe that Karma, or whatever force it may be, is not only a general part of our existence, but a huge contributing factor in our growth and eventual self actualization. Certainly, it is not Karma's presence alone which allows for expansion, but instead what we make of the circumstances it lends us.

To illustrate a bit further what I mean, I'll mention quickly a scene from the movie Evan Almighty, which coincidentally I watched/listened to on cable this weekend as background noise while putting away my dvds and living room furniture (in our brand new living room, which we absolutely love!). At the moment in point, God, played by the one and only Morgan Freeman, sits down with Evan's wife, whom is distraught because it seems her husband has gone crazy and her family is falling apart. Of course, God is dressed as a waiter in a diner, but his scripted, yet charming wisdom shines through as he tells her to "imagine what God might do if someone were to pray for strength, compassion, or patience. Wouldn't he most likely give that person the opportunity to be strong, compassionate, or patient?" This is all rather paraphrased, but the point remains. Whatever your religious beliefs or dogmatic pull, its an undeniable truth that most often, life actually does attempt to give you EXACTLY what you ask for in your deepest of hearts. It is through the experiences, turmoils and joys in each day that you are presented with the opportunities to learn your heart and how to proceed in its best interest.

Again, this past month I have witnessed one of my dear friends go through many personal hells, and as I have tried to be a good shoulder for her to lean on and base for her support, I have spent a lot of time pondering just what makes the universe center such a large chunk of wrath, so to speak, on one person. I think, that what I've come to, is simply, the need for change.

In her case, this change is a long time coming, thus, it is much MUCH more extreme. The change is not just in one aspect of her life, but many. And not just in the realm of physical or material changes, but emotional, and even so deep as to shake her personal core. And while it is extremely difficult to go through these changes, and none of us enjoy being in the midst of them, I think it is not only a huge tribute to those of us who make it through with strength and integrity, but also a huge part of growing closer to ourselves and our ideal futures (the futures we often don't even realize that we hold in mind for ourselves). This is why, I think, chaos does not always end well. Why sometimes terrible changes tend to spiral out of control. Some of this seems to rest in what our souls/subconscious's want...or have been repeating over and over, like broken records. If we can just break the pattern of sour thought, then maybe, just maybe, we can find the fresh start on the other side of backlash.

Karma really is just a catalyst for what we will make next.

Transitions

Tonight, while I compile lists of data for my current job (soon to be my old job) in preparation for the transition from old to new, I rest my feet on my favorite piece of furniture.  This small seat is the perfect height for a foot rest, and in fact, many would probably suggest that it is in fact more of an ottoman-like structure.  The truth though, is that this compact, four legged mini-stool, outfitted with rather ornate, geometric carvings, is a prayer stool (or meditation stool, as that is what I've most commonly used it for, as have my predecessors since its arrival in the U.S.) from Africa.

Now, I wish I could tell you exactly where it originated, or even delve a bit more into its cultural significance, but I can't.  All that I know of the stool is that it was picked up in Africa on a trip taken by a dear spiritual friend of my family (probably received as a gift while he was there), and in turn, somewhere over the course of my knowing him, he passed it rather graciously on to me.  It has been with me ever since (probably a good ten +  years now and counting), and has been the ground to my soul on many occasions.

The curve of this particular piece of furniture is glorious.  Its hand carved and crafted, and I'm sure, having just the slightest experience in woodworking, that although it is simple, its the type of object that many a woodworker could admire.  As you sit in it, you first realize that yes, this is wood, and unforgiving, but soon accept how wonderful that is.  It forces you to sit erect, spine aligned, while at the same time, allowing you enough support and comfort to relax and focus on quieting your mind.  More importantly, when placed beneath a desk as I have it, the stool makes for the most exquisite foot massage tool.

Sadly, (no, joyfully, really) I digress.  My point here is not entirely related to the comforts of this little seat, passed from person to person and country to country, but instead, the journey that it has made and how symbolic it has become for me in terms of transition. 

My stool, made of dark wood, standing only a few inches off the ground, has seen far more than I have thus far in life.  It was made with great love, as many endeavors are, and when it came time to transition, it did so gratefully and unassumingly, ready to meet its new fate and keepers without fear or hesitation.  And while I realize that hesitation is not always a negative thing (sometimes we are best to pause for reflection before conquering the new aspects of our lives), in almost every respect I aim to move forward with the same poise as this sturdy, lovable little stool.  Hopefully that will be possible (I certainly don't see why not, because I've put in my fair share of work, and am happy to say I've tried my very best to be honorable to every party involved, including myself) and years from now I will be able to look back and say that I learned best how to transition from a stool.

At which point my grandchildren will most assuredly look at me like I've gone batty and run off to play in the snow or tattle on me to my future grown up children.

Cheers to the prospect of that!

A crab, a wedding cake, and cable tv...

A little random, and some of you won't much care, but in my most recent internet wanderings, I came across Fol Chen.  This fun band from Los Angeles has a unique, catchy sound, and consistently strange, yet entertaining music videos.  Definitely an A for creativity, and I'm happy to see that they're getting recognition - their music has been featured on Weeds and CSI: New York.  But, don't let me or those silly shows speak for them...they can sing for themselves!

"Winter strikes quick in these parts..."

Hello, February!

And to celebrate the season, the Midwest is donning its best white attire and heading out with every intention of dancing the night away to a deep, bone chilling wind track (because everyone knows that the best entrance comes complete with an audio cue).  With any luck, she'll be the bell of the ball and woo someone charming, and warm, like New Zealand or Easter Island.

Personally, I am celebrating the season by nearing the end of my current read, Jeff Smith's graphic novel, Bone.  This classic tale of adventure is a first time thrill for me, and I am amazed at how quickly I've been able to digest 300 page chunks of the whopping 1332 page, multi-book, complete volume.  This should not come as too much of a surprise, I suppose, considering the primarily visual nature of the book, but its still a testament to Smith's storytelling prowess, nonetheless.

The end is now in sight, with only 263 pages to go, and as I find myself setting down the epic more frequently to prolong the inevitable, I can't help but be reminded of a page in the very first chapter of book one, Out from Boneville.  It actually came to me today, at work, amidst all of the talk of impending snow-doom and the prediction of accumulations up to 3 inches per hour.

The moment (and really, that's ALL that it is in the story), takes place at the end of the first chapter, as our hero, Fone Bone, meets some unexpected acquaintances in the unfamiliar territory of The Valley.  At this point in the story, the season is fall, and Fone is warned by a rather comically large (or is he?) bug that "winter strikes quick in these parts..." so he had better hit the road quick, or he will be stuck in the area...which certainly wouldn't be good.  Not long after this conversation (probably about 20 minutes, story-time), Fone can be seen walking hurriedly through the woods in search of water and an escape route, mumbling about the onslaught of winter and snow, when the following scene takes place.

Bone by Jeff Smith - p. 38 of Out from Boneville

I think most of Northeastern Illinois was envisioning this sort of epic downfall at about 3pm today, and its probably a pretty good thing that we were disappointed.  But good things (or at least cold things) come to those who wait, because now, at the ripe 'ole hour of 10pm, we have full on white-out conditions, and I am happy to report that I cannot fully see the liquor store that makes up the back wall to my back yard, not more than 50 feet away from my kitchen windows.  Thank you, winter.  Thank you, and goodnight.

What was that other thing I was gonna say? I swear it was relevant...

I will be in bed by 2am.

In the strange way that things happen, after what should not have been an emotionally taxing evening turned into just that, I found an apartment that I am going to allow myself to dream about living in.

The funny part about that statement, is that I am not even remotely (on a conscious level) actively looking to move.

I have moved many times in the past few years, I'm rather tired of hauling my junk about, and coincidentally, I have a rather nice home right now.  Along those same lines, one of my current goals is to save up a rather large sum of money this year in order to invest in building a "small house" on wheels so that I can avoid this whole rent scenario altogether and EVENTUALLY travel about the country in my own property.  But, as fate would have it, I stumbled upon a rental property, in *gasp* an apartment complex, no less, that managed to pull at my heart strings.  I was exploring the area where my new job will be via the streets of the internet (YES!  I landed a new job...an ART job!  2D Artist, baby!) when it occurred to me that I could...move closer?  And there it was.  Staring at me.  Perfect leasing terms, good price, good rating, beautiful amenities (including a GREAT gym), and a balcony looking out on a lake.


Sounds too good to be true?

Well, it probably is...in the respect that its apartment style living.  I now have a yard and two stories and a basement...goodbye to all of that (theoretically).  And it would involve moving, which, I must reiterate, I am not thrilled at the thought of.

But, for some reason, my heart is happy simply to imagine the possibility.
So that is what I will do.
It'll be like a bath...for my mental state. 

1:59am.

And that's a wrap!

P.s. The snow tomorrow had better be the bomb-diggety and beautiful beyond belief, or I'm have words with SOMEONE important.