Another Random Story!

Hello again lovely readers! I'm back from my hiatus! Or rather, the combination of being busy, as life tends to get, lazy, and not taking the time to write.
I will attempt to do better...

Today, I have another random story for you! As a fan of the supernatural and fantasy-inspired, I thought it might be fun to play around with it a little bit. Enjoy!

Just a little inspiration for the story overall...

It actually works out pretty well to be deaf in my line of work. The position of executive assistant to a tribe of banshees tends to have a lot of turn-over amongst the hearing. Well, that and the ensuing madness tends to keep one from being able to perform basic job functions... Luckily for me, I don’t have that problem. The hearing, that is. Well, not the madness either.
Also, the perks to handling the affairs of a supernatural business and keeping everything quiet – no pun intended – are rather luxurious. Travel expenses covered. And not cheap motels either, we’re talking The Ritz here. Rare, mystical and expensive holiday bonuses and gifts, especially on the demon holidays. Being raised Catholic doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a pagan holiday gift every now and then, does it?
Plus the banshees are almost exclusively female and more interested in luring their male victims – achem – I mean, clients. So sexual harassment is pretty much a non-issue. Not too bad for my first job out of college.

Faedra approached and signed, ‘Ready Julie?’ I nodded. Board meeting time. I grabbed my laptop and my phone. The ‘listening’ app was an invaluable technology for my line of work. While I could read lips probably better than most, I’m not exactly fluent in the seven tongues of Faerie. And Ancient Demonic was an absolute bitch to try and conjugate into English. On top of that, when you have a dozen representatives of the various supernatural clans at the monthly board meeting fighting over this client contract, that revenue chart, the other upcoming ritual sacrifice… let’s just say having a translating app that tracks the conversation is a complete life-saver for taking accurate meeting minutes.

It was halfway through the meeting that it happened. I looked up from typing to see the beings around me looking around and up at the ceiling, true terror in their eyes. And when you see a Garthurian warlord, all grizzled stony skin and razor tusks, with fear in his eyes… I’m not gonna lie. It makes you pee your pants a little. And that’s when the lights went out. The alarm I couldn’t hear had an emergency light that glowed red, creating crimson shadowy monsters of the party. Like my nightmares needed any more fuel to work with…

Everything happened at once. Most of the creatures flung themselves up from the table, preparing for battle and looking toward the door. I was in shock, sitting unmoving in my chair, hands still poised over the keyboard, pale in the blue-white glow of the screen. The fey underlings ran out through the board room doors only to be mowed down by some kind of glowing gold orbs. Their lithe muscled bodies shook with the impact as if they had grabbed hold of an industrial-grade electric fence. They fell, lifeless, to the floor, sections of their limbs crumbling to dust.

You know how they show fairies in the movies as these tiny cute little girls with pixie wings and delicate features? Well, real faeries aren’t like that at all. There’s a reason many of the supernatural creatures I’ve run up against use them as bodyguards. They’re tough. And more than a little bit scary. I tend to give any creatures that can take down a full-grown Fangor beast with their bare hands and without breaking a sweat, a large berth. But the glowy orb thingies took them out just like that!? If I couldn’t move before, I was definitely frozen now. I was finding it hard to take full breaths. I felt lightheaded. Is this what hyperventilating is?

The half dozen banshee executives around me, as one, took stance, opened their maws to inhuman proportions and the next thing I knew, the frosted glass walls of the board room were blasted outward in millions of shards of glittering projectiles. God, I was glad I couldn’t hear that.
I saw movement in the darkness of the room beyond. Dozens of them. Countless shadows moving in contorting jerks, skittering across the floor and up the walls. I saw a flash of a few figures in flowing robes in the hallways beyond.

Xandrathil turned to me. ‘Get under the table, child!’ she signed. She grabbed my arm and pulled me with her. She ripped back the carpet under the table to reveal a heavy wooden trapdoor with carved runes. I could tell they were of goblin-make but I couldn’t read them. Maybe my translator… damn it! I forgot my phone! I looked up to grab for it but it was too late. The trap door was hauled open and Xandrathil was pushing me down inside. She forced a scroll of parchment and something small, round and hard into my hand, squeezing it closed. I stared into her violet eyes, bewildered. She gave me a hard look and mouthed the word ‘Go!’ And then I felt a boom there was darkness as the door closed above my head.

I stood frozen for a moment on the stone stairs, heart pounding in my head. What the fuck!?

The adrenaline seized me and I pushed against the door. They couldn’t abandon me like this! What was I supposed to do!? The wooden door may as well have been a stone ceiling above me. Absolutely unyielding. Then I felt it. A horrible shuddering rumble above me. Then a blast knocked me sideways to the dirt floor below. My entire body hit hard, my head only slightly cushioned by shoulder as my arm contorted out. I felt a snap. Fire shot through my elbow and lanced up my arm. The pain was intense but brief as the blackness ebbed across my vision and swallowed me whole.

I’m not sure how long it was before I woke. It couldn’t have been too long, but my mouth felt dry. I sneezed out dirt and sat up, my left arm throbbing. I made to move it but the pain in my elbow made me cry out. I tenderly touched it, finding the parchment and… what was it? A stone?... still in my right hand.

It was too dark to read the inscription on the parchment. Not too dark to see it’s outline in my hand though. The stone, or whatever it was, was pitch black. Even in so little light, it shone like a glob of oil in my palm. I rubbed my thumb over its surface. It was completely smooth except for some scratch markings around the bottom edge. How strange. I stuffed it and the paper in the small front pocket of my slacks, pressed tight against my hipbone.

Looking up, I could see a dim glow of light at the end of what seemed to be a narrow dirt tunnel I was in. I took a shuddering breath, forcing back the tears threatening to come. I swallowed hard and embraced my resolve. I can’t go back. I can only move forward. Just move forward, Julie. I braced my broken arm as best I could, stood up, though hunched in the cramped tunnel, and stalked forward. Well, I thought, I guess there was one good thing about this… at least I got my lunch break today…

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my little story snippet! 

Feel free if you want to leave any comments below, I'd love to hear your feedback!

How to Make Moving Suck Less

This post is inspired by my recent run-in with moving apartments (hence the two-week hiatus - miss me?) Also, since I've moved every year for the past, oh say, six years, (yay college...) I feel I've picked up a few things during all the moving.
Today I have decided to share with you all my tips and advice about moving and how to make it more efficient (and thereby suck less).

Let's face it - moving sucks. Yeah you might be moving to a new and exciting place. Or maybe you're moving out of necessity. Regardless of the goods and bads of WHERE you're moving, the moving process itself is tedious. Unless you are in the military and they pack your junk for you - or if you have the moolah to afford a packing and moving company, most of us get to pack our own crap and haul it to the new place.

SO, here's a quick and dirty guide on how to do it better!

1. Get Rid of Crap!

Before you start the packing process, you have to first get rid of the junk! It's like Spring Cleaning but with your whole house! 

Be honest with yourself: have you used it in the past year? Will you REALLY use it in the next year? If the answers are no, get rid of it! Sell it, donate it, give it to a friend or throw it away!

Hahaha! Rick-rolled!

2. Time Management!

Seriously, give yourself time to pack. The more shit you have, obviously the more time you need to pack it all up. 

Also, if you're moving across country - make sure it's SECURE and not going to break along the way. If you're just moving someplace close-by (like we did - same complex, new apartment), then know things can be packed a little more loosely or for the temporary moving needs - in other words, not moving far? Laundry baskets and suitcases are perfectly viable "boxes"

Order how you pack things:

1. Crap you hardly use but want to keep - ex: boxes of pictures, Christmas decorations, etc.
2. Crap you use sometimes but won't use before the move - ex: guest bedroom things, books
3. Crap you use a normal amount but might not use before moving - pack but maybe don't tape the box yet
4. Crap you use regularly - wait until the day before to pack but keep an "immediate need" kit for quick use - ex: bathroom stuff, clothes you'll need
5. Crap that has special needs - if it's in the fridge or freezer, wait until the last minute to pack it, if you're bringing it at all

3. Stay Organized!

You're not much of a planner? That's ok. BUT if you want help in the long run, you need to have a little planning and organization to keep the sanity. Keeping organized will also help the unloading process go SO much smoother.

Maybe SLIGHTLY excessive... but damn it! You'll know where that crap is!

Things to keep in mind when staying organized:

• Pack similar things together OR pack per room - "Bathroom" "Office" "Master Bedroom" are much easier to know where to unload. Also when it's labeled "Books" you know it's going to be heavy
• Write the room or items on the box - For easier unload. You can use index cards or just a sharpie to the box, whatever you like best. Word to the wise though, especially if using a moving company, don't write TV, computer, laptop or other expensive items on the itemized lists - keep it general as "living room" or "office supplies" to cut down on temptation factor...
• Make an Immediate Need bag - moving far away or not going to have a lot of unpacking time on move-in day? Pack a little suitcase or box with a couple sets of clothes, toothbrush and paste, phone charger, roll of toilet paper and any other items you're going to need right away. Sheets and bedding are also good to have handy since most other things can wait but you'll want to sleep somewhere the night you move in.

Side note - there are LOTS of great organization lists and tips for moving on Pinterest. Try not to punch your computer in the ensuing overwhelmed rage...

4. Recruit Helpers!

Whether it's in the same town, a new state or a rocket-ship to Mars, if possible, try to recruit some friends to help on the moving day. OR if you have a moving company helping, make sure you have everything in order when moving day comes.

Helpful tip - offer incentives! Money is always good but then again, so is food! Are you a good baker? Sweets are excellent incentives for getting friends and acquaintances to lend a helping hand. Or, if you're my brother, pizza seems to do the trick. Alcohol is also a good incentive - for those of drinking age of course! 

BUT, keep in mind for the incentives to be truly helpful to your cause, they need to come at the END of the work. But you know, to each their own...

5. Moving Day!

It's the big day!

So you've pared down all the junk you have to everything you're bringing with you. You've gotten it all packed up and organized for where it's going to go (and labelled!), today is the day to DO IT! ... more in the Nike sense (you dirty minded you...)

Here's a few things to keep in mind for Moving Day:

• Have Patience!

Your peppy smiling faces are total BULLSHIT!

Not always an easy thing when tensions and stress are on SUPER level. But, try as best you can. Especially if you have a significant other or family to deal with during the packing and moving, take a deep breath and try to keep your cool. 

       

• Dress Comfortably

Workout clothes, sneakers and a good place to keep your keys (or purse) - moving IS a workout, so be prepared to get those steps in and strength training! 

• Be Prepared to Unpack the Necessaries

Whether that means getting your prepacked "Immediate Needs" bag out or if you have a box of the same purpose, you're going to need a few things unpacked right away.

Think toilet paper and soap.

Think shower curtain hung.

Think bedding and pillows.

Think clothes for a few days.

Think needed kitchen items (cups, plates and utensils especially)

           

• Be Prepared to Go Shopping (for groceries mostly)

Surprise, surprise, you're all moved in and you hardly have ANY food. So unless you plan to eat out for a week (expensive), be ready to go to the store. You may also need kitchen, bathroom or other items your forgot or that got lost or broken in the move. 

Now all you need is twelve bottles of wine...

And that's it! You're all moved in!

But, before I go, here are some:

Helpful Tips

• Save money for the move - if you know it's coming up, save a couple hundred dollars. You'll need it for packing supplies, a moving truck (probably) as well as for those Helper incentives we mentioned
         
• Borrow/Dumpster dive for boxes - if you work for a tech company, like I do, computer boxes make excellent moving boxes. If not, borrow from people who have extra OR go around to large stores like Walmart and more often than not they have a blue "dumpster" specifically reserved for broken down boxes. Great place to get boxes FREE so you don't have to buy them from U-Haul or elsewhere. I don't advise getting boxes from the actual dumpster or liquor stores though since they're often covered in nasty stuff.
         
• Play music/listen to a book - or put on a rerun of your favorite sitcom in the background. Upbeat music, like when you exercise (exercise!? what is this foreign word?), is super helpful during the packing process to keep your mind entertained while doing menial work. Also helps lessen the stress.
       
• Take Breaks! - as often as you need, take a break. Like when studying for a big test, you can't cram it all at once and expect it to go well without stress. Every hour or half hour, take a 5-15 minute break. Break during meals and maybe watch a little TV or read a book. Take a little time to go for a walk and get out of the house for a bit. That's why you started planning early, see? Don't get too burnt out or it'll make the process even longer!

That's all for now! Have any other helpful moving tips you think I missed? I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice in the comments section.

Thanks and best of luck on your move!

He Liked It, So He Put a Ring on It... (A Guide to Early Engagement Expectations)

Most importantly and first of all, CONGRATULATIONS!
I'm assuming if you're now engaged, that you actually WANT to be married in the sometime future. So awesome!
(for those who are wearing the rock for any of the following reasons: gold-digging, public proposal made you feel the pressure to accept, feeling obligated but don't really like the dude, you got knocked up and your parents are forcing you to have a "shotgun wedding" - go home and rethink your life. Or rather just your engagement. You should love your significant other, desire to be with them, and be committed. If that's not you, you might want to seriously reconsider - the future of your marriage is at stake. So serious business, people.)

So, now that that's out of the way, a few quick notes:

1. While I will touch on the start of the Planning process, this is more intended as a Guide for What to Expect during your early engagement period. I'll do a full Planning post later on, so keep an eye out for that when it comes if you want to know more!
              
2. While I may say a pronoun (him, her, you) that may not necessarily be applicable to you, I mean no offense by it. I understand every person has their own significant other and individual circumstances surrounding their future marriage, planning and so on. So just take that with a grain of salt, as needed. And possibly with a tequila chaser. Goes with the salt.

Alrighty then, all on the same page now? Swell!

So today we're talking about what you should expect now that you're all twitterpated and making that BIG next step. You're engaged! You said yes! WOO! Yes, you're engaged! Oh my goodness... so much to do, family, expectations, wedding, life, GAH!

Settle down! Take a deep breath and keep reading! I promise it will all be ok. I won't let you down.

All the Feels - What Next?

Let's just put it this way... Prepare to feel:

Emotional - Any big step in your life is bound to be tied to many emotions, often mixed. While engagement typically involves lots of happy, excited, lovey-dovey emotions, don't be surprised if there are others vying for your attention as well. Maybe you're a little sad because your mom, who passed away a couple years ago, won't be able to be there. Maybe you're annoyed because of the way he decided to propose (let's just say that for me, being sweaty in tennis shoes and being eaten by mosquitoes wasn't 100% ideal for me...). Maybe you're worried because your family is old fashioned and he didn't ask for their blessing before popping the question.

Overall, there may be lots of emotions swirling around in your head and making you feel overwhelmed. THAT'S OK. That's normal. Embrace it and carry on.

Worried or Overwhelmed - Going hand in hand with that emotional side, there are many reasons the glittery joy may fade sooner than expected. There's a lot of stress and anxiety that goes into planning a wedding. Of course, you may choose to elope, or maybe you already have your perfect wedding already planned with your significant other (S.O. as you'll see them referred to in many many other blogs and magazines and soul-sucking "help" books), or maybe you know you want a simple jog down to the courthouse with a handful of your best peeps and call it good. 

However, whether it's traditional or non, marriage is an important milestone for most folks. That means there tends to be a lot of pressure internally, by family and friends, you S.O., your S.O.'s family... you get the picture. 

And though it may feel like a giant clash is in your future over whatever minute detail comes to pass, take a deep breath and remember that in the end, it's about you and your S.O. That's it.

Hunny-buns, Mother told me to give you this gift if you refused her seating chart again...

Rushed to Start Planning - "Everyone knows..." "Tradition dictates..." "In following good wedding etiquette..."  For the most part, whenever you see or hear something like this, just slap on a smile, nod and then do whatever the f...udge you want to do anyway. Truth: Weddings (on the scale they are nowadays) were NEVER that big until a little thing called the Roaring 20's came along. Then everyone had to out-do each other. If you're following "Tradition" you'd get married in your front 'parlor' in your best church clothes, just you, your S.O., the preacher man and maybe your parents. 

Honestly, you have plenty of time (even if you want to get married within the next couple of months), so settle your shit down and don't freak out about planning yet, ok? You JUST got engaged for goodness sakes! Tell those planning pushers to take a chill pill and give you some space for a minute or two.

Annoyed... at the same twelve questions that everyone and the FedEx guy are going to ask you - Just a fair warning to you all - you will be asked to show "the ring" to EVERYONE! Yes, even the FedEx guy. Not lying, that totally happened to me.
Side note - whether you have a ring or not, is TOTALLY fine. Don't feel bad if you don't have a ring yet, or are going non-traditional and decide not to have one. It's your and your S.O.'s life, and your choices. Don't let other people make you feel bad about something that is supposed to be symbolic anyway.
Then prepare to be asked by practically everyone and their dog:

• "Oh, congrats! Can I see the ring?"
  (sees it) (proceeds to tell you how much they love it, even if their face is lying to you about their judgy true feelings)
           
• "Wow! Are you excited?"
  This is a stupid question. But surprisingly one that gets asked more than you'd think. While it may feel like they're subtly trying to probe you for deeper answers aka "are you totally preggers?", test out the smiling in the face of stupidity and feel free to gush happily. Unless it's a really close friend or family member you trust, don't reveal any doubts or negative thoughts. Everyone and their dog don't really need to know - plus they may just gossip about it later. Those bitches. The dogs, I mean.
      
• "When's the wedding going to be?" Can you say: um, I just got engaged YESTERDAY, dude. By the way, it's totally fine to say polite answers along the lines of seasons you enjoy and 'think' the wedding may be (you can always change your mind later), that you're still talking to the S.O. about it, or that it's all still new and you haven't talked about it yet. Or, you know, the less polite answer of "None of your damn business, nosy bitch I hardly know, and NO you're not invited."
                   
• "Am I invited?"
  (usually followed by joking laugh) - refer to answer options from the bullet point above.
             
• (insert advice here)
  In case you were wondering, EVERYONE has an opinion about wedding planning (says the person writing a blog about engagement and wedding planning...) and though most mean well, a lot of it will be stuff you either don't want to hear, don't care about or don't want to worry about yet. You JUST got engaged for goodness sakes! So again, smile and nod and say "thank you" but don't feel any obligation to do anything they say. Even if it's your family telling you - though they may have a little more say than the FedEx guy. Then again, maybe not. That FedEx guy sure is worldly after all.

So... What Do I DO About It?

Great question! So glad you asked. Here's my expert advice:

First of all, RELAX!

This is something I actually didn't do when I first got engaged. I was so excited and so overwhelmed with all the feels (refer to section above) that I jumped headfirst into planning. By the time I slowed down and took a moment to process the excitement and good advice I read about later (telling me to relax), I'd missed that opportunity. If you're like me and you've already jumped into planning mode, that's ok. Know it's not the end! And still follow this advice (you know, if you feel like it).

If you just got engaged, my BIGGEST first advice is to relax and take a couple weeks, or even a month, depending on how soon you're wanting to get married, and ENJOY being engaged. Enjoy staring at your ring all the time, enjoy dates with your fiancé (yes you will get used to saying that - it's the 'husband'/'wife' that's weirder later on), enjoy the attention, and enjoy not worrying about planning for a little while. You have PLENTY of time.

Honestly, you may even make a rule of "NO wedding planning" until a designated time you both agree on. Save up those ideas in a box or on your phone/computer for when it's time to start.

DO Plan "You" Time

Don't forget to schedule time for yourself. That means time to relax and refresh, NOT to do more planning on your own. Go get a massage, go enjoy a day with the girlfriends for mani/pedis (you will be showing off that ring hand a lot, so if you like the pretty nails, not a bad idea - though not REQUIRED as so many planning-pushers will tell you).
Also don't forget to still go on dates! Planning is stressful so don't let yourself get so worked up and so dug into the future that you forget to enjoy the present. You both need time "away" to enjoy each other without the stress for a bit. 

I will admit, as a planner and a bit of an obsessive-personality type, this was VERY hard for me. But also BECAUSE I'm like that, I realize the true value and need for it as well.

Communicate! (especially if you have worries or fears)

Generally, you just need to communicate. Always. In every relationship. Honestly, all sarcasm and snark aside, I believe communication is the #1 factor to successful relationships. Not that other things aren't important as well- love, trust, commitment, humor, etc. But this is especially good when you first get engaged and throughout the planning process, as well as in your marriage. Did I mention I think it's the best thing always?

Of course, keep in mind a little tact goes a long way. But when you have some worries and fears about marriage and wedding planning or general insecurities, don't hide them. Don't feel ashamed. Don't feel alone in having those feelings. EVERYONE who plans a wedding goes through it, I promise you. So talk to your person. After all, they're the one you want to spend your life with right? If you can't talk to them... well that would make for a rather weird relationship sitting in silence all day... what do you people DO with your time? Sheesh.

Try to have patience

I know, not always the easiest advice to follow. Particularly with those nosy dogs and FedEx guys and all their annoying, repetitive questions. But it's practice for when you're pregnant (if applicable) and fending off all those question-askers again as well as the ninja skills dodging the belly-touchers. 

And the Planning Begins...

Ok, I know I promised to have another, more fleshed out post about the Planning process. But for now, I'll just give you a couple quick tips to get you started. AFTER you take that time to enjoy the engagement, and amidst the wedding ideas and gathering, you'll start the planning. 

Here's the most important things to keep in mind before and when you get going.

Oh my God, where's the ring! I just had it on my finger!!!

Decide What's Most Important

Sit down with your S.O. after a little thought and make a little list of what you each think is the most important parts of your wedding you CAN'T live without. Keep in mind, when it comes to the details, people attending to your wedding aren't going to necessarily notice or remember the little details - they'll remember how the wedding FEELS to them. So think about how you want it to feel and what will make it that way.
For example, when the hubby and I did this, it was most important for me to have my close family there (not always a priority for everyone), good food was a must, and I wanted it to be casual. The hubs (that's totes a great nickname, don't lie) agreed with those points and added that he wanted elements that were unique to us as a couple (theatre influences and a LOT of How I Met Your Mother references ended up being just the key)

(apparently I like GIFs today... You're welcome)

In any case, decide what is MOST important and you must have. Then tell yourself that if a detail doesn't fall into the realm of those TOP things, it's ok if it isn't perfect or to cut it altogether. Because honestly, no one freaking cares if you have lilac satin seat covers with the ivory bows. I give you that freedom - the freedom to look at the little things and say "I don't care."
You're welcome.

Set a Budget

This is really integral to the rest of your wedding planning. First, so you don't spend your children's future college money on a one-day event. Second, so you can have a LITTLE less stress when the decisions come later. Yes, money is a huge stress factor. But if you realize how much you can spend and which parts are most important to you (see section above) then you can more easily say no to the ridiculously expensive crap that's in the "I don't care" category. 

If your parents are helping you pay for the wedding (or covering it entirely) work with them to set an appropriate budget. Keep in mind, parents holding the purse strings means they are entitled to more of a say on the wedding details. So understand there may be some compromises in your future- but hey, that's just practice for the marriage!

The truly, real, professional Wedding Budget Venn Diagram... pay attention.

Set a Date

Please note, this doesn't necessarily mean setting an EXACT date right away. It's fine to start out with a season or month you're thinking about. Maybe have a couple dates you'd be willing to do. This, along with the budget, are good starting points for the start of the planning search. Before you can plan for any of the other details, you're going to need to know when it is (weather, availability at your perfect venue, indoor/outdoor options, how many guests you want to pay for love and would bless your wedding with their presence, potential discounts for off-season weddings, etc.)

Keep in mind important dates to avoid - major holidays, family birthdays or death-days (you laugh, but this can be a real no-no for some people). Certain times of year cost more. Or parts may cost more. For example - have your wedding on Mother's Day weekend, know that flowers are going to be HELLA expensive. Just something to keep in mind.

Yep, Tax Day it is!

   
A Friendly Warning: When you start your wedding planning and "inspiration gathering" of ideas, beware the Pinterest. While incredibly helpful at times, it's a two edged sword. A beast with two heads, if you will. Yes, take inspiration. Yes, get ideas for things you like and don't like. Yes, gather the money-saving tricks and tips and so on. BUT, and heed my warning, dear reader, be careful not to fall into the trap of the beast. DIY is fun and pretty but have you ever been crafty? Yes? Well go ahead then, but choose wisely which projects to take on. No? If you have a crafty friend willing to help, that's nice. Otherwise, it's FINE to let the professionals do it. Or, decided if you want or need that element at your wedding in the first place.
Overall, just be careful not to get too wrapped up in the Pinterest-perfect wedding. It doesn't exist. The photos are lying to you. Like Photoshop. (Whaaa!? Next you're going to tell me there's no Santa!)

          

That's all for now! I hope this post helps you in your Early Engagement period and reminds you that you're not alone in the crazy ups and downs that come with everything pre-wedding related. Keep calm and remember - it's just one day. All will be well.

Thanks! Feel free to comment below with any responses you may have, questions, and (of course) comments. That's why it's called the "comment" section, after all. *mind blown* See - learning all kinds of awesome things today. You're welcome.

Random Story Time!

It's that time again! I have a new random story to share with you all. This time I was playing around with 3rd Person Limited POV (if that means anything to you, good. If not, don't worry about it) as well as some fun dialect writing.

Enjoy!

(ps - note that the pictures are more to give you a feel for the setting than anything else - they're not direct inspiration this time. Really the story stands alone but I figured pictures are pretty and stuff...)

They weren’t s’posed to be on the lake. He didn’t know about Yuri, but if Meemaw caught him out here she’d skin his hide. He could just imagine her voice, shrill with worry, “Sekai Jorgenson! How many times I gots to tell you to mind ya Elders!? You daft, bloody whelp of a boy…” Best she didn’t find out. Asides, he knew the ice-berry bushes on the far side of Deep Lake would be burstin-full and they had to get ‘em afore dark. Meemaw’d want a good batch for her feast pies. He just realized, with some chagrin, that they’d spent too much time girlie-flirting in the snowy meadow with Ghara and Pili. Now he regretted it. Well, just the loss of time. Not the flirtin’ part. Sekai rubbed his mittened hands together to make a little heat and scuffled along after Yuri, praying no one’s looking out to the lake-side today. 
         

It made sense to cut across the frozen lake, he told himself. Like Yuri’d said, what was the point of going around if they could save a couple hours skimmin’ cross the ice-top instead? With how cold this winter’d been, the ice musta been deeper than a full-growed snowbear standing on its tiptoes. Then again, each step they took Sekai could hear the ice groan and crackle deep b’neath his thick fur-wrapped boots.
          

“Yuri, ya’sure we shouldn’t just cut along the edge-like?”
                  

Yuri looked back at him with that defiant scowl, “Lawd, Kai, you in’t scared, are ya?”
                 

“A’course not!” Sekai puffed up his chest. “It’s just that I don’t care much fer a swim if ya catch my drift.” Yuri didn’t bother to respond, instead scoffing and trudging along once more.

Sekai couldn’t help but look back the way they’d come, the dim orange glow of the town-fire in the distance. Little wisps of smoke rising from the round huts. His mouth watered thinking of the juicy haunch of meat roasting over Meemaw’s cook-fire at home. It’d still be there cookin’ up when they got back. He took a deep breath, feeling the dry frigid air crackle around his nose hairs as they froze. His face-skin felt tight as tanned leather. The icy air steeled his nerves a bit and he slugged along in Yuri’s wake.
                    

“Da hell?” Yuri stopped of a sudden, craning his head to a spot over’t the middle of the lake, “Wassat?”
            

“What’chu talkin?” Sekai hurried over to his friend to get a better eyeful. Yuri pointed to the shadow just over a stone-throw away. Was it a dip in the ice? It couldn’t be a hole, could it? No one’s ever out on Deep Lake. Well, except for the two them today. But in’t no one s’posed to be on the lake. Ever. Not for fish, not for ice, not for nothin’, not so long’s the Tribe Elders preachin’ forbade ‘em all. Deep Lake’s avoided at all costs cuz the Evil Ones, erryone knows. Nobody be cuttin’ holes out in the middle the lake. It just wasn’t done. But, then again, maybe it was just a shadow and nothin’ to worry ‘bout. “I dunno Yuri. Let’s just give it a wide berth. Don’t want no thin ice under my moccasins, d’you?”
        

“May not be a hole… Let’s find out.” There was that familiar gleam in Yuri’s eye. The same gleam before the grand honey-fishin’ sceme in the big greenhouse. Before they’d ran starkers through Old Winnoa’s garden patch and out into the fresh snow fleein’ the bee swarm, hands full of drippin’ honeycombs. Before they’d got the whoopin’s on top of the mass of swelling stings. This was a bad idea. And Sekai knew it. But then again, when could he ever say no to Yuri?
           

The air all round them was still and quiet. How strange. He shivered down to his spine. But it wasn’t cuz the cold. He didn’t feel right. Maybe the Elders were right to warn them away. Sekai almost turned around right then. But something nagged at him. He felt the curiosity fightin’ with his better senses. Then it won. Slowly, cautiously, he and Yuri struck out toward the spot. The ice didn’t seem any weaker here than where they’s at before. Sekai felt a little thrill as curiosity scared away the fear.
             

As they got closer, Sekai could see it was ‘nfact a hole. A splatter of ice-rubble littered all sides of the hole’s jagged edges. Looked like the frozen lake’d finally cracked open after all these frigid years. But it wasn’t that fact that startled him and turned his blood cold as the ice they stood on. Rather, it was the single trail of footsteps that led out. 

Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story today! Feel free to comment below any parts you especially liked (or didn't). I'd love to hear your thoughts! (Unless you didn't like it - in which case, I'll read your comment but I don't promise to love it.)

The Bucket List

No, this post is not going to be a riveting play by play of the acclaimed 2007 film with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. That being said, it WAS a good movie and you should go watch it... after you're done reading this post, of course.

No, today, I'll be listing MY bucket list. Or at least what it used to be and what's on it now.

For those of you not familiar with the concept of a "bucket list" - first of all, have you been living under a freaking rock!? And secondly, the general premise...

General premise... Ha! That never gets old...

... is that a bucket list = all the things you want to accomplish before you kick the bucket. Sentimental, I know. But that's really the gist of it. 

That brings us to a few weeks ago. I was looking through my old high school junk. I actually have a couple of boxes in the storage closet full of stuff I'll someday go through... or, you know, haul with me everywhere I move for the next 60+ years until one day I die and my children will have to sort through it FOR me - take THAT future children whose diapers I will change and thereby need reasons to get back at you or at least use as my stereotypical scapegoats!

My house they'll have to go through when I die... NO, I'm not a hoarder, I promise!
This is my modern art piece... uh, I call it... "Barnes and Noble ate my baby"

 ... Where was I? Oh yes...
While looking through my Senior Project binder, I found the "Goals I Want to Accomplish in the Next 15 Years" list.

It was pretty entertaining to see what I've accomplished in the 7 years since I graduated high school (yes, I'm a baby... yes, I'm old! Take your pick, readers). It was also entertaining to see the few items I would now consider pretty stupid.
I know what you're going to say - "but it says 15 years - it's only been 7" - yeah I know. So I've decided to take what I had and revamp it to share with you:

• The 8 Things I've Accomplished
• The 3 Things I'll Probably Never Do
• The 10 Things I Still/Now Want to Do

 

8 Things I've Accomplished (in the past 7.5 years)

1. Get accepted to a college/university of my choice
    Now let me just say, as an honor roll student in high school - this was a REALLY creative choice for my list. Let's just call it senioritis dumbassery. It's a medical condition, I swear...
Lucky for me, I DID get accepted to a private liberal arts school close to my hometown AND it WAS, in fact, my choice to go there.

Gotta love private school - I'm sure my mom was THRILLED that I became the ever-lucrative "English Major"

 2. Get a part-time job
     Whoa there, high school me, you're so darned ambitious! Again, rather difficult but since that time, I've had not one but FIVE part-time jobs (one I still do) and now a full-time job. Go me!

3. Take theatre classes and workshops
    As a Theatre minor, this was kind of a given. But at the time, I was starting school to be a teacher... which slowly evolved into being an English major doing my MIT (masters in teaching) laaater... which became the English major, Theatre minor now glorified secretary who writes snarky blog posts and acts in/directs community theatre shows whenever possible. Guess I always knew I loved theatre...

"What do you do with a B.A. in English?..."

ps - If you got that reference, we can be friends. If you didn't... I hope you have other redeeming qualities. Like a winsome personality or a karaoke machine.

4. Buy a new car
    Ok, this one is completed more on a technicality. While not a "new" car, I just this year bought my very own used car to replace the 21 year old beater I was driving around since I got my drivers license at 16. SO, it's new to me. That counts right?

5. Graduate college with honors
    Did I mention I was an honor student in high school? Yeah, I may have been a little grade-focused when I made this list... But good news! I graduated magna cum laude from my alma mater. I'm guessing for those of you who only picked out a few key words in that sentence (namely cum and mater), you probably didn't... Come on guys! What did I tell you about those minds in the gutter?

6. Learn to drive a motorcyle
    This wonderful bucket list item was shortly followed by a NEW bucket list item - "learn to CRASH a motorcyle" - good times... To be fair, I just laid it on its side... twice... and broke the side mirror... and road burned by ankle so now there's a nasty keloid scar... Ok, moving on!

Let's just say I'm not too keen to be driving a "donor-cycle" again any time soon

7. Parachute from an Airplane

    Just gonna throw out that I'm not sure why the "from an airplane" indicator was needed. But hey, I've completed this one twice! Want the proof (and why it's awesome) - see this blog post! Now don't backtalk me young man! You go read it now! ...Ok, good.

8. Get married

    Woo! Done! Check it off the list! ... No, I didn't get married JUST because the list said so... for reals... I kind of love him and stuff...

 

3 Things That WERE on My List that I don't really care about now

1. Learn how to surf

    While the idea of surfing does sound cool, I've decided with my particular distaste of the ocean (and things living IN the ocean), I don't mind taking this one off the list...

Ha...ha... no, really, that's ok. You go on without me.

2. Scuba dive in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Gulf of Mexico

    Ok, so for this one, I will say that I DO actually have my scuba diving license. The down side, though, is that I learned "how to SCUBA" in landlocked Eastern Washington which meant doing the written course and then the practical learning in a pool followed by my final test dive in a large lake. 

I did really enjoy it though. I would like to do it again someday - but the equipment is on the expensive side since I don't own it AND at this point I'd probably have to do a refresher course. 

But overall, if I don't scuba dive in all the water surrounding the United States, I think I'll be ok.

3. Attend a high school reunion

    High school on the brain much? Let's blame it on the "beer" goggles known as graduating in a month and already missing my friends. Though I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to going to a high school reunion, I don't know that I'd care much if I missed them either... Just being honest.

So, I was going to do a picture like THIS:

But decided against it.

So we're going to go with this one instead since at least everyone will understand it...

Bitchy? Perhaps... True? Hell yes.

And FINALLY we come to a small compilation of my current Goals in Life - or Bucket List, as it were.

                    

10 Things Currently on My Bucket List

Though I'm sure there are many more - both practical and boring as well as exciting, daring things I just can't think of off the top of my head. But here's what I have at the moment:

                

Travel Related:

                 

1. Go on a Cruise!

    We considered this for our Honeymoon but decided to save our money for a bit. I'm hoping, though, once our loans are paid off (or close) - don't worry, only 2-3 years away, we're focused! - we can celebrate with a cruise. I'd actually really like to do a summer Alaskan cruise sometime - I hear it's beautiful.
 

Um... but maybe not THAT cruise-line...

 

2. Visit New York and Washington D.C.

    Though I'm sure there are many wonderful U.S. locations to visit (I've been to a few - Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, New Orleans, podunk Washington) - I'd especially like to see these two both for their historical and entertainment qualities.

                             

3. See a Broadway show (or more than one!)

    Going hand-in-hand with the New York trip, you HAVE to see a Broadway show. Or, at least, I do. As a theatre person this is one of the 10 Holy Commandments of Theatritude. So unless I want Babs herself to come down from Heaven and strike me down for my heathen ways, it must be done at some point in my life... Wait... Barbara Streisand is still alive... Well, still!

Wrong Babs... Though that one would come down from Heaven and strike me down too...

 

4. Tour Europe

    Especially England, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy! I've already been to London and would LOVE to go back. Or live there. Definitely go back AND live there. But of all the places in the world I'd like to visit, Europe is top of the list. Cliche? Perhaps. But in the words of the immortal Rhett Butler, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." 

               

Creativity Related:

 

 5. Taking Lessons - Singing, Dancing and Creative Writing
     In the attempt at personal improvement, I'd like to get better in the creative areas I enjoy - singing, dancing (acting), writing and so on. So at some point, I'd like to take lessons for these things. Pretty much as simple as that.
                          
6. Finish a novel (and try to get it published)
    So... I've been working on various stories since I was in the 6th grade. I often have novel ideas and have even gotten pretty far on a couple. Then, of course, I get self-conscious and wrapped up in editing my work and end up scrapping the whole thing... but you know. Whatever.
SO one of these days I would like to ACTUALLY complete one of my stories and perhaps get it published.

 

7. Write a play (and try to get it publish)

    This one I actually HAVE done - I wrote a play for my high school senior project and directed it for a weekend of performances. And I LOVED it. I'd love to write another play or two. I have some particularly fun ideas with modernizing Shakespeare comedies... just saying.

8. Direct at least 10 shows in 15 years

    They say goals are supposed to measurable and attainable and all that other crap right? Well there you go - a specific number of shows I'd like to play a hand in directing. Luckily, I've done a few directing and assistant directing gigs so far and looking forward to a couple/few this season as well. It's gonna be Totally Awesome! And for everyone who knows me, know that I'm an awesome director mostly because I'm really good at being bossy. Comes with the firstborn territory.

 

 

Also, I'm dead sexy...

           

Home Related:

          

9. Be Debt Free!

    Remember that earlier point about attending a private liberal arts college? And the fact that I came out with an English Major, Theatre Minor? And the fact that I met my husband at college so we BOTH have fairly ginormous college loan debt? Good times.

In better news though, staying on a zero-budget (Dave Ramsey program, baby!) we're working on becoming debt free! Making our money work for us instead of being in debt until we have our own kids' college to think about... As it is, we have less than half our original debt amount, NO credit cards (and refuse to) and no car payments! So in another 2-3 years of throwing money at the beast, otherwise known as Alma Mater (be good, guys), we will be debt free! So definitely looking forward to that.

 

10. Have midgets (aka children)

... though there's nothing wrong with midgets. Midgets are fine too... actually it may be better if we have midgets given my dad's seeming affinity for people of little stature. Ok, I'm going to stop saying midgets now before the Political Correct Police (PCP... wait a minute...) come after me.

Not everyone wants kids and that's ok, but I always have wanted at least 2 kids to torment in the appropriate parental way - aka excellent mom jeans and dad jokes. We're gonna rock it.

 



 

And that's it! That I can think of. At the moment...
So, let me know what you think in the comments - like my bucket list? Think I'm missing something super important? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks all! Until next time... stay awesome (I'm just going to assume you are. So, you know, try and live up to your potential ok?)