I'm not really ignoring this blog - I've just been spending a bit more time on the other one lately.  Come visit me over there!

Cheers!

Scrablag the scorpion is keeping us all very entertained!!  He's much more active than he was during his last visit, and for some reason he likes to get out and about midmorning.  Great for watching him taunt kitty!  I did think he might be dead the other day.  He stood up in the corner just like this for a really long time and didn't move at all.  After a while I looked again, and he was tilted over to his left side, with his tail still in the water.  Hmmmm.  I had to dash off to work, but when I came home for lunch he was running laps again.  We decided he was just meditating.

Don't bother me, I'm meditating in my water dish

Just try and get me, giant feline creature!  Bwa ha ha ha...

Scorpions are actually very cool and easy to take care of pets.  My coworker said she'd still rather have a dog, and I said, "But I don't have to pick up scorpion poop!"

Cheers!

Now, why is it again that people around the world dislike Americans more and more these days?

Oh - maybe it's things like THIS.  Yuck.

Please forgive me - I've been hyper blogger today.  Too much caffeine on an empty stomach or something.  That and the world is really getting to me these days.

Ahhh, I see it's a full moon.

Must mean one thing - I need to crochet more!

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I know I'm providing you all with a bit more "newsy" things these days, but being the news junkie I try not to be, I can't help it.  Hopefully the news I share is a bit more interesting than the average cut and paster.  By the way, I won't ever cut and paste an entire article like some folks do - I figure if you want to read it, you can click on the link and do so.  No force feeding here.

Anyhow, today on Common Dreams I see the following article:

Global Warming Approaching Point of No Return, Warns Leading Climate Expert

His comments rocked the Bush administration - which immediately tried to slap him down - not least because it put him in his post after Exxon, the major oil company most opposed to international action on global warming, complained that his predecessor was too "aggressive" on the issue.

Somebody has been messing with the Mount St. Helens volcano cam!!!  Either that or they moved it really, dangerously close.  Wow.

Okay, I know they didn't move it.  But compare it to the photo below.  Unless you're Badaunt, who should just compare little sliver "things."  ;)

Our mountains are severly lacking in snow this winter.  Here you see Mount St. Helens, with a summit of over 8300 feet.  That's it.  Not much snow.  Most of the ski areas are closing as what snow was there has been melting.  I wonder if we'll have a dry summer, too?

Hmmmmmmm.

Yes folks, it's true - the scorpion has made his triumphant comeback, much to the dismay of kitty.  And now, due to the provision of food for the crickets, they live longer and chirp!  Even more dismaying for kitty.  She sees them hopping around in the tank, but cannot get do them.

DRATS!!!

And now we can spend hours of mind-numbing fun waiting for the scorpion to move.  He does from time to time.  Really.  And Nolan even saw him eat once.  One thing is for sure - he keeps getting bigger.

I kind of like the crickets chirping, it's like nature in our home.

On CNN today:

Oil drilling planned for Alaska preserve

(Insert swearing and curse words here)

Now, a quote from yesterday's find on Peak Oil:

While some folks desperately cling to the belief that oil is a renewable resource, others hold on to the equally delusional idea that tapping the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve will solve, or at least delay, this crisis. While drilling for oil in ANWR will certainly make a lot of money for the companies doing the drilling, it won't do much to help the overall situation for three reasons:

1.  According of the Department of Energy, drilling in ANWR will only
lower oil prices by less than fifty cents;

2.  ANWR contains 10 billion barrels of oil - or about the amount the US
consumes in a little more than a year.

3.  As with all oil projects, ANWR will take about 10 years to come
online. Once it does, its production will peak at 875,000 barrels per
day - but not till the year 2025. By then the US is projected to need
a whopping 35 million barrels per day while the world is projected to
need 120 million barrels per day.

Here's an interesting subject I bet you're not thinking about - PEAK OIL.  You probably ought to.  Sticking our heads in the sand won't work here, folks.  Consider these quotes:

Friday at last woohoo!  But wait.  I'm off today and work tomorrow and Sunday.  The weekend means nothing.  Sigh.

Tonight Chris and I are going to the "Call Before You Dig Seafood Buffet" at the nearby Indian casino, through his work.  We've heard lots of good things about the buffet, and rumor has it they let you have two lobster tails!  Wow.  We're leaving early to head to some off-island shops, including the craft store where I can buy YARN.  I've got a list of colors for Nolan's afghan, which is under way.  Very exciting.  I hope to have it finished before he goes off to college.

Last night our neighbor, who is in the Navy, was telling us how about sixteen people in his squadron were busted for various drug offenses this week and may well be kicked out (or worse - selling drugs to high school kids = 15 years in, oh, Leavenworth prison).  These are the people keeping us safe.  Hmmmm.  What is wrong with the military that some members feel compelled to sell drugs?  Dumb bastards.

I've been neglecting the home that surrounds me here, so I better go take care of that.  The dishes don't do themselves, and the cat won't do the chores either!  Blast her anyhow.  She just lays around and sleeps all day.  All day, and all night.  She sure is cute though.

Cheers!

Bow down to the squinting cat!

Yesterday afternoon I took en extended drive on my way to pick up Nolan from school on a quest for some nice pictures.  The first area I traversed did not deliver, which was something of a surprise.  The angle of the sun in the afternoon created a glare, and the wind wasn't blowing from the right direction to make for big splashy surf.  But not to worry!  A few miles south it was looking better...

The scorpion is coming back for an encore visit next week!  Scrablag will be staying with us for at least three weeks!  We're all looking forward to staring at him for endless hours waiting for him to move.  I'll take lots of pics.  Nolan reports his enclosure has been redesigned into a stunning new habitat.

Kitty fears we will abandon her in our glee over the scorpion, but lucky for her the scorp isn't terribly pettable.

Hello!  Crazy windy day here in our neck of the woods.  I'm going to head out in a few to try and get some good pics by the beach on my way to pick up Nolan.  Just a few thought on music....

Sometimes rather than picking music to listen to, I like to fire up the old Musicmatch radio.  The best part is I can choose a particular genre of music, the listen away!  I've been stuck on the alternative country playlist lately, and have heard some excellent music.

Cross Canadian Ragweed - these guys rock!  That sounds dorky, but it's true.  I've never heard of them before, but they seem to be the big deal.  I'd love to see them live.

Split Lip Rayfield - I was so pleased to hear this band!  I haven't listened to them in a while.  If you like your country fast, then these guys can play it faster.  Again, I'd love to see them live.

Tift Merritt - my brother has been singing the praise of Tift, and it's true!  She's fantastic.  Of course, any music my brother likes I like.  I taught him well.

Robert Earl Keen, Jr. - great humor here!

There are loads more, but it seems I'm running low on time.  Gotta run!

Signing off after a fairly lazy day!  Back to the grind tomorrow, and work is always crazy after a holiday.  It seems everyone in town feels compelled to return their library books in the book drop when we are closed!!!  Yikes.  But that's okay, scanning books doesn't require a whole lot of brain-power on my part, so it will be a good day.

I really need to keep my shoulders down when I crochet!!!  I catch myself all hunched up every so often.  I finished a lovely poncho for sock monkey (verrrry fashionable), and started an afghan for Nolan.  The sock monkey project was great for trying out a few different stitch techniques.  I'll post a picture soon so you can see him in all his glory!  He's very swass.

I played Tetris on PS2 for a bit with Nolan tonight.  I haven't played in quite a while, but had been hankering for it lately.  It starts to drive my eyes nuts after a while though.  Gaaaaaaah!

Enough.  To bed.

Looking for something to cheer you up on a soggy day?  Then it's time you got over to

The Institute of Official Cheer

You're welcome!

We were a little slow here in our house, but finally got around to seeing Shrek 2 last night.  Ba ha hah ha ha hahah ahaah ahahaha ahaha

I just finished the rough draft of my first column for Subter.com.  What a great feeling!  I'm thinking about next month's topic already....

And with that, I'm going to detach myself from the computer and work on some crochet for a while.  Chris and Nolan are playing a Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures battle.  Kitty is sleeping.  All is well.

Thank goodness we took those pictures of the snow to prove its actual existance here.  It is gone, G-O-double-N, GONNNNNNNE!  Such is life.  It was good while it lasted.

Napoleon Dynamite was just as good the third time around.  People quibble over whether there is any deeper meaning to the movie, but I think I've got.  The "pretty people" are far outnumbered by the average, normal, Napoleon, Pedro, and Debs of the world.  In fact, buying into the idea that being one of the "pretty people" will make your life better is letting them have power over the masses.  Reject advertising!  Be yourself!  Follow your heart, and all your wildest dreams will come true!

Not much else to say.  Today will be spent much as yesterday, a nice quiet day at home.  And tomorrow is a holiday for Nolan and I.  Wahoo!

Here for the record is the proof of snow.  It seems to have stopped now, and the last time I stepped outside I could hear water dripping.  Unless the temp drops a few degrees, I suspect it may be gone tomorrow.  But it is wonderful while it lasts!

Happy happy snow snow!

Ooooooooh!

Look at the size of the drift by the tire!  Wow.

I just stepped outside to look at the snow falling.  There is an otherworldly silence and light.  I love how the snow muffles all sound, and reflects all light giving the atmosphere a yellow tinge.

Absolutely beautiful.

Yes folks, it's true - we finally have measurable snow and it's still coming down!  Hot diggity!  We headed out for a little bit to Blockbuster and the grocery store to get a few things once it became clear the snow was here to stay for a while.  Chris did some e-brake skids in the K-mart parking lot for our gleeful excitement.  You see, he's from Montana and is really good at driving in the snow.  Nolan and I, on the other hand, are lucky to see snow like this even once a year!  We get very excited.  Super excited.  Obsessed even.  I'll post some pics a little later.  Maybe I'll throw the cat out and see how she likes it.  Heh heh heh

It's still snowing!

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Today is a sad day in our community.  The body of a missing 15-year old girl was found, and her "boyfriend" was arrested for second degree murder.  Elaine was one of our teen volunteers at the library last summer - a sweet, wonderful girl.

I hope he rots in prison and then rots in hell for the evil he has done.

:cry:

Tblog bloken too much.  It's driving me nutso!  Please visit my other blog when this one is down!

Librarianguish

Work today, see you all later.  And still no snow.

Dang!

My kitty is being anti-socialistic today.  I cannot believe she just stayed in the bedroom sleeping when I came home.  You'd think she was a lazy cat or something.  Now she's sitting on the couch, spacing out.  Not really sleeping, but...I think she's spying on me now.  I wonder who she works for.

I've been listening to the Gourds CD over and over and over and over and over....here's some great lyrics for you, from "Lower 48" on their latest album, Blood of the Ram:  "Married my cousin up in Arkansas, I married two more when I got to Utah."  I really love these guys!

Chris is convinced that online games like Bejeweled 2 and the like are actually secret government intelligence tests.  If so, I expect them to be knocking on my door soon to offer me a high level position because of my stellar score on Jewel Quest.  More plausible is that they are a plot to keep the populace fat and happy and ignorant of what's really going on in the world.  Hmmmmm....

I'm taking Nolan to see the Lemony Snicket movie tonight.  He's seen it already, but has been hounding me to take him.  We've read several of the books, so I'm looking forward to seeing how well it all translates.  Hey - there's a couple of ideas for my column.  Books into movies, and the trend towards comical misery in children's books.  I spent some time writing this morning.  This is really going to be fun!

The whole weather issue is still driving me nuts.  Snow, no snow,  snow, no snow.  Make up your mind already!!!  Today it's very windy, so that's something.  Allegedly the temp will be dropping again and all these clouds we have might relieve themselves of their moisture in the form of snow.  Whatever.

OMG - kitty is bathing!  Alert the media.  Of course, should I alert the liberal media, or the right-wing media?  Or maybe just the alternative media.  Ohhh, I don't know what to do!!

I am a leather belt master of liger style annequando.  I have special skills in magic and I know illegal ninja moves from the government.  Don't think I'll teach you, either.

So there.  Ha.

Now that's a big rock!

California is experiencing some NASTY storms right now.  Yikes!  I'm grateful for the weather we have now - COLD and clear.  But maybe snow on Tuesday!  Yeah, right.

I notice today in the news there are several interesting stories worth commenting on...

Libraries in Mississippi have banned Jon Stewart's book America because of pictures where the Supreme Court is depicted nude.  Here's a quote from the article:

"I've been a librarian for 40 years and this is the only book I've objected to so strongly that I wouldn't allow it to circulate," said Robert Willits, director of the Jackson-George Regional Library System of eight libraries in Jackson and George counties.

"We're not an adult bookstore. Our entire collection is open to the entire public," Willits said. "If they had published the book without that one picture, that one page, we'd have the book."

If this is the most offensive book this man has ever seen, then he obviously doesn't read much.  I wonder also if his library system has any manga circulating?  Especially Battle Royale.  Just curious.  [a quick search of their catalog indicates they DO NOT have that particular title, and not much other manga, either].

Biosphere 2 is for sale!  For just a chunk of change you could own 3.1 enclosed acres near Tuscon, Arizona.  I tried to visit there once (when it was operational), but they wanted a ridiculous amount of money to peer in the windows.  We just had a cold drink at the little stand outside, then left.  There's plenty of other things to do on a vacation to Arizona!

The upcoming inauguration festivities will cost over 50 million dollars.  I realize this is not tax money, but considering the fact we're at war and in light of the recent tsunami devastation, this is ridiculous.  Rather than show ourselves as a conservative, humble nation, let's have a big old extravagant bash and blow it all in one day!  Apparently the parties are showcasing military service.  Fifty million dollars sure would buy some supplies for the troops, wouldn't it?  Or think what it could do for tsunami vicitms.  But I suppose all the people attending have already donated generous sums for tsunami relief, so what does it matter?  If you happen to be in DC during the festivities, don't forget to turn your back for me.

Return of death squads?  Newsweek reports that our administration is considering the use of trained squads of Iraqis and Americans to go after insurgent leaders, just like they did in El Salvador.  How charming.

And finally....the KKK will be allowed to adopt a stretch of highway for cleanup in Missouri.  They'll be easy to spot as they don their white robes and bright orange safety vests.

That's enough for me!

Such excitement!  Today when Chris and I were driving home from Wal-Mart, we saw real live actual criminals being arrested by real live actual cops.  WOWZA!  At one of the main intersections in town, no less.  There were four or five yo-yo homies down on their knees with their hands behind their backs in a motel parking lot, surrounded by at least four law enforcement vehicles and the associated law enforcers.  Hopefully all the gritty details will be in the paper this week.  I want to know what kind of criminal elements are lurking around my town!!  They didn't look very old, either.  Huh.

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As for the snow issue...it's very cold out and we have cloud cover.  I'm still hoping for more than this morning's dusting (some sort of taunt from mother nature).  I thought I'd be happy with that, but no.  I WANT MORE!!!
************************* ************************* **********************
I must be going now.  Writing to do, and crochet, and just plain relaxing.  Laundry, too.  And tea.  Tea would be a good thing right now.

Toodle-oooo!

I woke up this morning and what did I see?  A bit of snow looking at me!

Okay, just kidding!!!  That's not my yard, but I sure wish it was!  It's actually my favorite mountain pass cam from northeast Washington, Sherman Pass.  Here's an actual picture from my yard -

Boy, I'm just going nutso now that tblog is up and running again.  Hurry!  Quick!  Make your posts fast before it all crumbles in a heap of hissing electrons....

Seriously now.  We have been totally gypped as far as the whole snow issue goes.  Did we actually get snow here?  Yes, a teensy eensy bit last night.  In fact, it was snowing when I went to bed.  But alas, when I awoke this morning and looked outside - NOT A TRACE!!!  Dang!  So off to work I went.  As did the entire population of our town.  Came to the library I mean, but not to work.  They all showed up with their returns between noon and 1:00, when I was at the returns desk.  To be honest, I've never had a day quite like it!  I was shell shocked!  Things had settled down by the time I returned from lunch, but I never quite recovered fully from it.  We also had one of our more interesting patrons in.  Our best guess is that he has Tourrette's syndrome.  He always listens to music on headphones (kind of loud), talks to himself in third person, and has over 400 items checked out and over 200 on hold right now.  Anyhow, he also has a "trick" he likes to share with people.  If you tell him the month, day, and year you were born, he can tell you what day of the week you were born on, and it only takes him a few seconds to figure it out.  Then he can tell you when the last time was your birthday was on that day, what day it will be on this year, and when it will be the same day of the week again that you were born on!  Amazing.  He was also able to tell Charlie and I that we were born on the same calendar.  Good heavens.

Tonight was our work after-holiday party.  It has become a tradition to wait until after the holidays to have our party, since everyone is so busy during the entire month of December.  It works quite well.  I'm sure you're all expecting tales of drunken debauchery and dancing on the pool table, but no.  I must disappoint you there.  These are librarians for goodness sake!!  We had a visit from two local clowns that are starting a "clown alley" to help promote clown-craft.  They were humorous, but there is something disturbing about clowns.  It can't be helped.  The highlight of the evening was the PLANT EXCHANGE, conducted in the manner of a white elephant gift exchange.  I drew #1, so was able to choose exactly the plant I wanted.  I was able to hang onto it for quite a while, but eventually somebody took it.  I teamed up with the woman sitting next to me, so we could help each other get the plants we wanted (in case of disaster).  The whole exchange started quietly, but before long people were reverting to cutthroat behavior - nothing too drastic though!  This exchange had a couple of catches though.  A plant became "frozen" (not available for stealing) after two trades, and at the very end of it all, the host lined us up for a picture, then had us hand the plants two down to the left!!!  After much confusion, everybody somehow managed to get the plant they wanted!  Ha ha.  Librarians are just so darn nice.  I think all that teamwork and customer service training has paid off!  We'll all still be talking to each other on Monday.  It was a great party, and we had a good time talking to eveybody.

Well, that just about brings us up to the present moment.  Time to go to bed soon, anyhow.  Lots to do tomorrow!!

Peace and blessings to you all.

Hellooooo...anybody out there?  Hopefully tblog won't crash before I finish this post.  Argh.  How annoying it is.  Thank goodness I've got another blog to post on, but sadly my tblog friends are absent.

Since tblog is having so many difficulties, you can expect to see more double posting on my blogs, and possibly more posts at the other location.  I shan't give up on tblog though (but I may not renew my super membership when it comes due).  That being the case, here's the post I wanted to post yesterday.

************************* ************************* **********************

Okay - I like snow.  I want it to snow.  I want it to dump enough snow tonight that work is cancelled tomorrow.  Chances of that are slim, but I can always hope!!  It was snowing earlier, but not sticking.  We've been getting rain, and if that freezes tonight the roads will be UGLY tomorrow.  According to the weather report for tonight, snow is "likely" and this is the little symbol they are using - .  At least it looks good!  It's a sorry substitute for the real thing, but it will have to do for now.

Ahh.  But on to other things.  Such as a report on my day in the big city with my brother.  As previously mentioned, we headed south to hear a great band called the Gourds.  The show was great!  I had never seen them live, nor had I really heard much of their music (though I really liked what I had heard).  They're from Austin, Texas, and their music has a definite tex-mex/cajun flair to it.  Okay, so it's the accordian!!  How could you not love a band with an accordian?  We took some pictures, though most were dark (we avoided the flash).  Here are a couple that turned out nicely:

That's the bass player, something of a character.  The irony here was that we were at a NON-SMOKING show.  Apparently that doesn't apply if you're a member of the band.  Must be that invisible wall that keeps the smoke from floating over the crowd, which they then take down the second night for the smoking allowed show.  We were fortunate to snake our way right up to the front, thus the good pics.  There was one drunk fellow in front of me, and when he left I snaked further forward.  After he returned he tried to trick me out of the prime real estate by asking "Can I please see your ticket?"  Yeah, right bub.  It's a tavern.  Besides, I'm shorter and people can see over me.  So there.

Also on the agenda was a visit to EMP.  Microsoft gazillionaire Paul Allen decided the world needed a rock music history museum, and thus the Experience Music Project was born.  We spent over three hours wandering through the exhibits, but didn't have time - or the inclination - to visit them all.  Our attention went to the retrospective of Northwest music, the Bob Dylan exhibit, the history of electric guitars exhibit, the Jimi Hendrix exhibit, and a quick run-through of performer's costumes (before they kicked us out).  Overall it was very enjoyable, and one of the things I liked the best was seeing actual clothing worn by actual rock stars!  It was very cool to get right up close to the outfits (we're talking about a foot away in most cases).  Including...

• Heart


• Kiss - full stage costumes
  
• Michael Jackson - the sequined glove and jacket
  
• Jimi Hendrix - including this one, and the orange and pink one you all know
  
• Eminem
  
• Devo
  
• B-52's - their wigs!
  
• Brittany Spears - oh boy!

Hmmm.  It's actually kind of difficult to find just the pics I wanted to link to.  So I gave up.  Too time consuming.  Blast it anyhow.  This is probably long enough for you all anyhow.

Big day ahead for me and my brother!  We're heading to the BIG CITY for some adventures, good food, and good music.  I'm looking forward to spending the day with him.  We're going to see the Gourds, a band I don't know well but really liked when I heard them on the radio.  We're also planning to eat at the Himalayan Sherpa Restaurant.  Best food ever!!!  We're also going to the EMP (Experience Music Project).  Should be a fun day!  I'll take my camera.

It's sunny, clear and COLD here today!  They keep saying it might snow this weekend, but I'll believe it when I see it.  I sure hope it does!  We don't get much snow here, so it's always a treat when we do. I don't mind driving in it either.  Kind of fun.  There's always the hope that it will snow so much they'll close the library and we can have a day off!  Yeah, right.

In other news, I have a new writing project starting up.  I have been invited to write a monthly book related column for a new e-zine starting up, Subter.com.  The editor had been reading my other blog, and invited me to be a contributor!  Who'd a thunk it?!!!  Just because I blog!  I'm very excited about it, and will let you all know when the first issue is up.  Should be early February.  This of course means deadlines and thinking on my part, but I'm looking forward to the structure and challenge.  What fun!

Well, gotta run, time to get ready for my big day!

Over the weekend I finished two crochet projects.  Woohoo!  The first is a mojo bag for Chris, and the finished size is about 5"x7".  The second is made from chenille yarn, finished size about 6"x6".  Sorry the second one is so dark!  The yarn is black with turqoise, purple, and green accent threads.  Very nice!  I'm giving that one to a coworker.  I'm especially pleased with the first one, and will be making more of those.  The yarn was very easy to work with, and I like the way it looks finished.

Tally-ho!

Naughty Badaunt!!  Because of you, I'm composing little songs with elves!!  Everybody should try it, so I'm passing on the link to all visitors to this blog.  It should be mandatory procrastination fodder for all who dare to think they might actually succeed with their New Years resolutions!  Bwa ha ha ha ha......

Make elf carols here

Okay.  Just kidding!  But it sure is fun, and you can listen to the song I made.  It's called "Librarian Carol."

On another note - I read an entire book yesterday!!!  WOW!!!  It was one on the Newberry Award list - The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo.  It was a cute tale about a mouse and a princess, a rotten rat (who turns out to be okay), and outlawed soup.  I liked it very much.  But the important thing is I READ THE WHOLE THING IN ONE DAY.  Okay, so it was a kid's book.  But it had over 250 pages!!!  Now, if I can just finish the other three gazillion books I have on my "to read" list....

Ha! Had you fooled, didn't I.  We haven't actually gotten any snow here, in fact it's sunny and clear out today.  But I did make my own snowflake at this niftly little website I found while reading When Cats Attack.

Make your own snowflake!

I especially like this disclaimer at the bottom of the page:

"Please help us keep the snowflakes clean. Report offensive snowflakes at..."

Offensive snowflakes?!!!  Now that would take some skill.

Ahhhh, what a great day it is.  I slept in on a Saturday for the first time in - a year maybe?  No work, Nolan the rooster boy is gone, and the natural light level is low = zzzzzzzzzzz.  Unitl 1:00!!  Scandalous.

There was of course the cat boring a hole through my head with her demonic eyes early this morning so I'd get up and feed her.  Small details.

We had a very mellow afternoon and evening to ring in the new year.  Just watched some movies -

• Napoleon Dynamite - one of the funniest movies I've seen in ages
  
• Dark Fear (cartoon Riddick - Chris watched that one)
  
• Resident Evil Apocolypse (Chris watched that one, but I'll catch it later)
  
• Manchurian Candidate (the new one) - good update of the original
  
• Sum of All Fears - despite Ben Affleck, pretty good, and spooky
  
• Bush's Brain - grrrrrr

We have quite a few others lined up for today and tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to a long relaxing weekend.  I've got a few projects I should work on as well.  I still need to go through my clothes for donation (I filled a whole box with Nolan's, plus a bag for the thrift store).  I have some beadwork and crochet to attend to, and I really ought to organize my craft corner.  I should also do some reading.  And thinking.  Thinking is always good.  Chris and I should go for a walk too.  We have a habit of locking ourselves indoors sometimes.  He works outdoors all week, and I'm around people all week, so it's no wonder we like our home time!

I've been thinking about what the next year might be like.  I'm hopeful for myself and family, as our paths seem to be leading us in a good direction.  I'm hopeful there will be changes at the library that could lead to a Librarian position for me.  I realize that my opportunities are lessened because I won't drive 60 miles to work, nor will I move for work, and I just have to be patient for something closer to come up.  Such is the way of it when family takes priority!  However, I have a very good job as it is, and I love my work and am thankful for it every day.

I want to spend more time on my creative endeavors.  If you're a regular reader, you know that I do beadwork and lately have taken up crochet.  I have some specific beading projects coming up, including a piece inspired by a favorite children's book.  I was having trouble, but realized my skills don't limit me to a flat piece.  There is always 3-D!!!  I'm thinking I'll build a covered wagon from beads - my entire childhood was spent obsessing over the Oregon Trail, pioneers, and I read any books I could get my hands on about the subject.  Sometimes I still do.  There's writing and photography (look for it here) to be done as well!  If I have my way, 2005 will be a very creatively productive year for me.

Faith is also something in the forefront for me.  It has taken me many long years to get here, but I feel that I have finally found my direction.  Thank you to Chris who got me started!  We have begun attending Quaker Meetings (also referred to as Friends Meetings) in the past couple of months.  I am looking forward to a year of learning and growth in my spirit.  I'll write about it too, so look for that here now and then.

This post is getting very long, and I do have some things to do today.  A shower might be nice!  As might a bit of food.  Earlier I was eating cold pasta left over from dinner last night.  Yummmmm, there's more where that came from!

Happy New Year!

A beautiful image from 2004, photo taken last summer while Nolan and I were hiking